in hopes for a better world

So much happens in the span of this 699 page book that I sincerely don't even know where to begin in my review of it. I can wholeheartedly say that it exceeded my expectations, and from a writer's perspective, really impressively deals with the development of a plot that leads to full-out war. I feel like writing battle scenes well, and dealing with chronicling the chaos of more than one thing happening with more than one character all at once, is no easy feat, but one that's done really well in this book. So many small details introduced at the beginning of the novel, like Hybern's Ravens searching for Nesta in the library and Feyre's encounter with Bryaxis, come together at its end to make so much amazing sense and contribute to the plot. I also appreciated seeing Feyre experience shortcomings and flaws, since she kind of seems unbreakable and unstoppable at times. Fair enough, since she is Made and possesses the power of all the High Lords, but seeing her humorously learn how to master Illyrian wings with Azriel (and how the rusty skill barely saves her life later) was refreshing. I also eat up any scene with Azriel; even the slimmest of details about his sense of humor and personality are enough for me. Most of my underlining throughout the book had to do with Azriel and Elain's encounters and dynamics (which are also slim to none, but there, like on page 582) and Tamlin's appearances, which wow... wrecked me more than I expected. His character development is better than I expected and certainly caused me to shed a tear or two; he's quite a pitiable figure if you really get out of Feyre's head and look at everything he did for a love he had and then wholly lost. Page 576 had my jaw utterly on the floor, and pages 672-673 are full of my notes and underlines because wow... I didn't see any of that coming. I need more Nesta and Cassian content ASAP and more hype for Elain cause she really pulled through and saved everyone's lives. My last note on Tamlin comes from page 670. I was crying quite hard at that entire scene, at Tamlin's show of love in that moment and the utter irony of what he was doing despite what it meant he wouldn't get in return. Geez. All in all, I felt like this book ended in a way that makes me wonder why there are two more books in the series. There's definitely more of every single characters' stories to be told, a post-war mess to clean up, and attempts at peace to be made, so I will certainly be reading the rest of this series that has truly been one of the best I've read in a long while.



Some of my favorite quotes from A Court of Wings and Ruin:

"From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, 'I'm getting her back.'
Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel's hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows.
Nesta said, 'Then you will die.'
Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, 'I'm getting her back.'"

"She shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. 'You came for me.' The shadowsinger only inclined his head."

"Yet Elain didn't seem to notice them as she rose up on her toes and kissed the shadowsinger's cheek."

"'I have no regrets in my life, but this.' His voice shook with every word. 'That we did not have time. That I did not have time with you, Nesta.'
She didn't stop him as he leaned up and kissed her--lightly. As much as he could manage."

"'I will find you again in the next world--the next life. And we will have that time. I promise.'"

"Together. They'd go together."

"'Be happy, Feyre,' he said quietly."

"Even for an immortal, there was not enough time in life to waste it on hatred. On feeling it and putting it into the world."

"That smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azriel's shadows across the room."

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