A Court of Thorns and RosesA Court of Thorns and Roses
Score Modern
What it's about
Nineteen-year-old Feyre keeps her impoverished family alive by hunting in the forest near the wall that divides the human lands from the faerie realm of Prythian. When she kills a wolf that turns out to be a faerie, a beast arrives to demand payment: she must live in Prythian for the rest of her life. Taken to the lands of Tamlin, a High Fae lord under a mysterious curse, Feyre discovers that everything she was taught about the fae is wrong, and that a darkness is spreading over their world.
Why it's worth reading
It launched one of the biggest fantasy-romance series of the century, beginning as a Beauty and the Beast retelling and becoming something much bigger. Many fans say the series truly takes off with the second book.
You'll love it if you liked
Fourth Wing
Quicksilver
Six of CrowsGood to know
There are explicit romantic scenes and some violence. If you're on the fence after this one, most fans say read A Court of Mist and Fury, which is widely considered the best of the series.
By the numbers
- Readers70 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller90 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz96 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #10 of the 233 romances we rank
- #15 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #61 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #108 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Sarah J. Maas
House of Earth and Blood
Throne of GlassIf you like this, read next
A Dog's Purpose
Legendborn
Spinning Silver
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Carry On
UprootedExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is A Court of Thorns and Roses worth reading?
Yes. It launched one of the biggest fantasy-romance series of the century, beginning as a Beauty and the Beast retelling and becoming something much bigger. It ranks #108 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 86.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Court of Thorns and Roses about?
Nineteen-year-old Feyre keeps her impoverished family alive by hunting in the forest near the wall that divides the human lands from the faerie realm of Prythian. When she kills a wolf that turns out to be a faerie, a beast arrives to demand payment: she must live in Prythian for the rest of her life. Taken to the lands of Tamlin, a High Fae lord under a mysterious curse, Feyre discovers that everything she was taught about the fae is wrong, and that a darkness is spreading over their world.
How long does it take to read A Court of Thorns and Roses?
About 10 hours (419 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has A Court of Thorns and Roses won?
Goodreads Choice (fantasy) winner (2021, for A Court of Silver Flames).
What should I read after A Court of Thorns and Roses?
If you liked it, try Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Quicksilver by Callie Hart or Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.