A review by jamsu
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

At first I didn't mind Nesta in this book. I mean she seemed so different from her character in ACOTAR and I just loved her relationship in Azriel in this book which I think we never saw in their own series. But that being said I became so annoying how every single Crescent City character seemed to like her so much, like she was a special snowflake or something. I don't really get the hype with her character but I do like her sometimes.

I loved that Rhysand wouldn't look into Bryce's mind without her permission even if Rhysand antis will find some reason to why he was wrong in this book. He had every right to be mad at Nesta for risking their whole world.

Not to even mention that the whole thing was so OOC of Nesta. I don't keep it a secret that I don't like her but even with her issues, all Nesta wants is to keep the people she loves safe. It could've been more believable if Nesta had known Bryce for more than two minutes and if Bryce hadn't just basically betrayed them. Does it help the plot? Yes. But does it sound like something Nesta would do without benefitting herself? Nope. Am I supposed to believe she helped just because of her mommy and daddy issues? I mean come one-- this is the girl who abused her own sister to feel better. 

It was interesting to me to see how this world and ACOTAR characters were related. I just wish we had seen Rhysand and Ruhn meet. it would have been so cool to see everyone be shocked how they looked alike.

I really liked seeing Lidvia and Ruhn get from him hating her and not caring what happened to her to accepting being mates and wanting to keep each other safe.

I still didn't care about most characters and even tho Hunt and Bryce had some sweet scenes, I just couldn't care enough. Maybe that's why I didn't get why everyone was so mad about their reunion. 

All in all the plot was much much more interesting than in the second book and I lived for ACOTAR characters appearing even if most of the time it was Nesta. I also really liked the romance between Ruhn and Lidvia. Still the only way I'll be reading fourth book if there's one if we get any Feysand content. This series was a definition of "even if you love other work by author. It doesn't mean every single work is for you."

I might unhaul all books but this one in case this one was meaningful for the plot of ACOTAR. But hey at least it didn't take two months to finish this one as it did with the second book!