✨ SPOILERS ✨

To be fully transparent: I came after seeing a year of tiktoks being made about this series. I have seen quite a few spoilers already so I came with eyes wide open.

Starting this book was incredibly hard. Somehow the first maybe 150 chapters were grueling for me and I nearly DNFed this as I found it boring but also infuriating. Everything and everyone in Feyre's life was ragebait. I have quite a few choice words and a shiny fist reserved for her father and a bunch of bitchslaps ready for her sisters. Honestly, they deserve to rot after she was taken away. They didn't say a word and didn't try to protect her when the beast came. Mind you, she had killed to keep them all fed but they cowered in the corner. I'm not expecting them to try to fight the beast but really, not even a "Please don't take away our sister, she means everything to us" plea??? Though Nesta was later redeemed, I feel like it still didn't excuse some of her actions. You just don't treat someone you love who has constantly sacrificed for your survival like that.

The story got alot better once Feyre was in faerieland and I immediately liked Lucien. He was mean at times but understandably so, she DID kill and skin his friend. I'd be acting way worse to her. The mask lore was interesting but not really appealing to visualise. While I do like the masked stalker men trope, 24/7 glued-on masquerade masked faeries don't seem particularly sexy or fun.

Feyre was quite annoying as a female main character and tbh it was hard to root for her. She had no backbone with her useless father, bitchy sister and delusional other sister. But somehow she was constantly rude and mouthy with Tamlin when he was nothing but nice to her. She literally killed and skinned his friend, he's a nicer person than I am, I would have thrown her into the dungeon and given her basic meals with minimum comfort clothes. Another thing that makes Feyre so annoying is that if you tell her not to do something, even if there's a good reason, SHE WILL DO IT.

"Don't go to Fire Night, it's dangerous cos there's alot of other Faes there."
"BUT I WANNA PARTYYYY!"
"Don't go out of your room. Lock your door otherwise you might get graped since your scent is everywhere."
"BUT I WANT COOKIES!"
"Don't drink the wine. It's Fae wine, it's not for humans, it may have a bad effect on you."
"BUT I WANNA DRINKKKK!" 

This was literally her. She was like a child. Telling her not to do something was basically encouraging her to do it. I've never had a more annoying female main character. People hate Tamlin but so far, in this book at least, he was more bearable than Feyre.

I'm on the fence about Alis because she seemed nice at times and a bitch at alot of times so I have no idea if she actually wants to help Feyre or not. The other creatures we're introduced to, the puca, Suriel, naga and Attor, were all terrifying. Lowkey can we meet some nice magical creatures in the next books? 

Sidenote: all the names, be it the characters', the magic lands and the creatures are incredibly un-catchy. Incredibley un-remember-able. Hopefully I'll catch on as I pick up the other books but holy cow, it's just human girl, Faerieland, Bitch Sister, Princess Syndrome Sister, Faerie High Lord, Lucien, Dark Faerielord, Psycho Stepmom Queen and Disgusting Creature 1, 2 and 3 in my head right now. 

Speaking of Psycho Stepmom Queen, Amarantha is a pretty well-written villain. No mercy, cold, cruel and vindictive. I don't like her but I can appreciate a good character.

The action was written well and I enjoyed the trials a lot. The gaps between the trials left a bitter taste in my mouth as Feyre was basically either horribly injured and suffering or she was forced to wear extremely revealing clothing, forced to dance until she threw up, forced to dance again once she was done throwing up and made to basically be a tool of entertainment for the Faes. 

Tamlin I have very mixed feelings for. Like I mentioned, I came after seeing spoilers and I know everyone on the booktok community hate Tamlin and have been scarred by him. And I am scared because I am really liking him now. I keep waiting for a betrayal of some kind but I guess not yet. A bit glad I saw the spoilers cos if I didn't know, I'd be the Tamlin tattoo girl, just without the tattoo. 

I'm liking Rhysand towards the end, though he was easy to hate at first. I am extremely curious to see how he becomes endgame and how the author will make me hate Tamlin. 

Overall, a very interesting premise set in the first book. Looking forward to my next read.