Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gore, sex, epic battle against evil in twisty faery tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 29 kid reviews
Kids say this book has a beautiful storyline with complex characters, but there are mixed feelings about its length and the graphic content. While many readers appreciate the romance and representation, criticism has been directed towards the pacing, portrayal of PTSD, and the amount of explicit scenes, making it a compelling read for mature audiences but potentially unsuitable for younger readers.
- plot complexity
- character depth
- explicit content
- pacing issues
- representation issues
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Following the events in Book 2, A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN opens with Feyre, having allowed herself to be "rescued" from her mate Rhysand in the Night Court, back at the court of former lover Tamlin, playing a dangerous game as a spy. Rhysand, meanwhile, is trying to rally the quarrelsome, intrigue-ridden faery courts into joining forces against the evil king of Hybern, who, one way or another, has been responsible for most of the previous books' troubles and is now preparing to violate an ancient treaty and enslave humans (like Feyre's birth family). Murderous rampages, bloody battles, treachery, redemption, and tangled relationships ensue.
Is It Any Good?
Series fans will be in heaven as the hot faery romance of Feyre and Rhysand continues, an epic battle against evil forces looms, and lots of action and plot twists keep the 699 pages turning. Along the way, many intriguing characters continue to develop -- and while the Feyre/Rhysand tale winds up, at least for the time being, the stage is set for more tales from the world of Prythian, starting in 2018. Author Sarah J. Maas is a compelling storyteller with a lively narrative style and an imagination that's won her lots of fans -- but readers should know that violence and brutality are constant here and accepted as routine, as in this passage:
"No, even as my body hesitated in the kills, my magic did not.
"The two soldiers nearest me had feeble shields. I tore through them with a sizzling wall of fire. Fire that then found its way down their throats and burned every inch of the way.
"And then sizzled through skin and tendon and bone and severed the heads from their bodies.
"Mor just killed the soldier nearest her with a good old-fashioned beheading."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the faery world in A Court of Wings and Ruin. Why are fairies a popular storytelling subject? What's the appeal? And how does the version presented here compare with others you know about?
Many stories, including this one, deal with human characters transformed into some other type of being, often immortal. If you could change into something else, what would it be?
Do you think series like the Court of Thorns and Roses have any relevance to our real world, or are they just an escape?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury USA
- Publication date : May 2, 2017
- Number of pages : 699
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : December 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate