A Court of Frost and Starlight, Sarah J. Maas, 2018
(Spoilers)
ACOTAR’s A Court of Frost and Starlight is different than the rest of Maas’s ACOTAR series because its purpose serves to work as a transitional piece between the first three installments in the series (ACOTAR, ACOMAF, and ACOWAR) and the fifth (ACOSF) rather than to be an action-filled, slay novel of its own grandeur.
To my surprise, I’ve even seen readers of the series say that reading ACOFAS isn’t necessary for a full reading of the series. This advice is CRAZY, you guys; sure, there’s no new information really, or political action necessary for understanding the series’ plot, but what about the character building! And the aftermath of war with Hybern! And Feyre and Rhysand’s continued happiness as mates and High Lord/High Lady. Really I don’t understand why you wouldn’t read ACOFAS even if it isn’t so necessary at all for the plot’s understanding. And y’all call yourselves ACOTAR fans!
Also, this “novella” provides the POV of many characters rather than just Feyre and Rhysand which we have seen in past novels.
We think of A Court of Frost and Starlight as ACOTAR’s cute little holiday special. It’s winter in the Night Court, the characters are preparing for their Winter Solstice celebration (the longest night of the year) whilst trying to rebuild Velaris after the war with Hybern, which left the town—and residents—in a long process of recuperation. The Illyrian war-camp is Cassian and Rhysand’s main issue, as many Illyrians are angry with Cassian and Rhysand, believing them to have intentionally placed the Illyrian Warriors on the frontlines of the war to meet their deaths. Also, as the Illyrians are characterized by having incredibly traditional views, they are giving pushback on Cassian’s request to train the Illyrian women with the same earnestness as the men.
Feyre’s out in the town searching for the inner circle’s Solstice presents. She takes note of all the damage that was done to it, and she finds that many of the townspeople approach her reverently; a thanks for her honor during the war efforts. She’s having heavily coded imposter syndrome, feeling undeserving. While in town, she runs into a Fae woman, Ressinia, who shows Feyre an abandoned art studio. She then invites Feyre to join a class she holds nearby, but Feyre, who is apprehensive and shy, decides to practice painting in the abandoned art studio instead.
In Mor’s POV, she, Rhys, and Feyre go to Hewn City (The Court of Nightmares) to see her father and Eris. Mor laments over Eris, who left her for dead after she “sullied” herself via Cassian before consummating her arranged marriage with Eris. Eris meanwhile reveals to Rhys that his father Beron (Autumn Court High Lord who Eris is planning to eventually overthrow) wants territory in the human lands. He suggests Rhys speak to Tamlin, who’s territory (Spring Court) borders the human lands.
Enter Tamlin’s redemption arc: The Spring Court manor is unkempt and destroyed, and the entire territory is basically against him, thanks to Feyre’s plan for escape in ACOWAR. Although Rhys and Tamlin are still in opposition, it is clear Tamlin is struggling with heartbreak and loss, and [I believe] most of us understand why. We sorta feel sorry for the guy, right?
Before the end of the book, Rhys visits him once more with a slight Olive Branch, letting him know that he has arranged for Summer Court soldiers to guard Tamlin’s human border. Tamlin asks, in the sweetest, saddest moment, if Rhys thinks Feyre will ever forgive him, and although Rhysand doesn’t give him any consolation in the matter, Rhysand does tell him to eat.
Nesta is the heart of the story. Girlie is going wild. She’s moved out of The House of Wind, now living in a shabby, run down apartment (paid for by Feyre), and she spends all her time at bars, getting plastered and dancing on creepy men to bring home to bang. The entire inner circle has had enough. She wants nothing to do with them, and refuses to show at Solstice, which leads Feyre to propose an ultimatum—she comes, or she loses rent money.
Mor’s been struggling with whether to take an assignment Rhys is giving her to settle negotiations between The Night Court and other territories. This job would require a lot of travel, allowing her to leave Velaris because Keir visits in order to spite her. In the end, she decides to accept.
Solstice is sweet and beautiful and they all exchange presents in their playful and fun manner. Even Lucien shows (I love the Spring and Night Court crossover), and, to their surprise, Nesta does too. She is angry and isolated the entire night, and at the night’s end, she makes a scene of accepting Feyre’s rent money for their bargain and then storms off, making sure everyone is aware she didn’t come for the company of friends and family. Cassian, who feels their chemistry after the events in ACOWAR, runs after her. He means to give her a thoughtful Solstice present, but after a passionate argument, throws it in a river. (SARAH, WHAT WAS IT!?)
After this climax, the rising action is that Feyre is gifted the abandoned studio, where she and Ressinia decide to open a free art class for children to learn to express themselves, especially in the trauma-filled aftermath of war, through painting.
Feyre and Rhysand decide they want to have children!! A precept for novel #5. And Rhys buys Feyre house #3.
Lastly, Cassian and Rhysand have won their tiff with the Illyrians, and the female warriors will now be training harder to fight. Slay!
Oh, and the sexy, scary bat boys have an annual snowball fight each Solstice.
This novella sets up the scene for ACOTAR’s fifth book, A Court of Silver Flames, which is written through Nesta’s POV. And, truthfully, I think it was sweet of Sarah J. Maas to create a holiday special like this—in fantasies, we get so much action and climax, but it’s not typical to get a slowed, chill story of the little things to show what life becomes after it all. I think that’s the strength of A Court of Frost and Starlight—it reminds us that these characters are characters without all the action as well!
That being said, I’ll settle on a 3.5/5 ONLY to establish the larger novels with the higher esteem they deserve!
Quotes:
An old, familiar ache filled my chest. This entire house, every inch of it, was full of the past.
He’s gone, and I am not.
I have to create, or it was all for nothing.
I found my sister in the kitchen, watching the kettle scream.
It was only when Cassian reached her that he realized he had nothing to say.
