🔥 Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas 🔥
Today we’re bringing you our review of a book we actually read a few months ago - and now all we can do is wait (impatiently 😅) for the author to release the next book in the series!
Sarah J. Maas, if you’re seeing this… we’re desperate for news 👀✨
So, without further ado, let’s talk about A Court of Silver Flames.
Synopsis
A Court of Silver Flames follows Nesta Archeron after the war that forever changed the fae world. Consumed by guilt, rage, and grief, Nesta distances herself from everyone around her, refusing to accept her place or confront the darkness she carries within.
Forced by her family and friends to stop running, Nesta must face her past and search for a new purpose, embarking on an intense journey of self-discovery, discipline, and healing, surrounded by unexpected alliances, physical and emotional challenges, and a connection that forces her to lower the walls she’s spent years building.
This is a story about rebuilding, trauma, and inner strength. A raw and powerful tale about learning how to survive… and relearning how to live.
⚠️ From this point on, there will be some spoilers, so if you haven’t read this book and want to be surprised, leave now and come back after reading if you want to know our opinion. ⚠️
First, we have to say that returning to Velaris always feels like coming home. There is something deeply comforting about this fae world - its luminous streets, cozy and magical houses, the mountains, and the sense of familiarity that Sarah J. Maas has built throughout the series. A Court of Silver Flames is no exception: from the very first pages, we were immediately drawn in by the emotional atmosphere of this book.
Still, this is not a simple story. Nor a comfortable one. It is a heavy, emotionally demanding book and, above all, deeply human, with a protagonist full of flaws and unpleasant traits that make her difficult to love.
Nesta has never been a consensual character, and A Court of Silver Flames does not try to soften her to please the reader. From the beginning, we are confronted with her worst traits. Her cynicism, her verbal cruelty, and the way she deliberately hurts those who try to help her, especially Cassian and Feyre, make the reading experience, at times, frustrating.
For us, it is impossible to ignore the character’s past. The fact that Nesta not only failed to protect Feyre when they were human, but constantly mistreated and humiliated her, creates an emotional barrier that is difficult to overcome as readers. The guilt she carries over her father’s death is real, but it also comes from the late realization of the value she never acknowledged while he was alive. Instead of facing this pain, Nesta chooses self-destruction: alcohol, meaningless sex, and emotional isolation become her weapons against the world… and against herself.
And yet, despite everything, the story manages to do something important by not justifying her mistakes, but contextualizing them.
This is perhaps the most adult book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, not only because of the explicit scenes, but because of the themes it addresses. Sexuality here is not romanticized; it is often presented as a mechanism of escape, of emotional numbness. The way Nesta uses her body as both a weapon and a shield is uncomfortable, but honest.
The character’s journey is essentially internal: from the absolute denial of help, to the channeling of rage into discipline, strength, and finally, acceptance. There is not really a major villain in this narrative. There is an antagonist, but the true conflict is internal, which makes the book slower in terms of action, but much more emotionally intense.
Cassian is, without a doubt, Nesta’s weak spot, no matter how much she tries to deny it. Loyal, patient, and deeply emotional, he serves as the perfect counterpoint to Nesta’s hardness. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and constant, with tension always running high.
However, we felt that the relationship could have been more emotionally developed. The romance focuses heavily on the physical aspect, which is understandable within the context of Nesta’s self-destruction, but we missed more moments of emotional intimacy, conversations, and deeper bond-building between them.
Even so, it is impossible to deny that they love each other from the start. It is painful to witness the moments when Nesta refuses to admit that love, hurting Cassian in an almost gratuitous way. But that is also what makes the final redemption more meaningful.
If there is one thing that completely won us over in this book, it was the friendship between Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie. The Valkyries represent everything Nesta could have been for her sisters and never was. Their dynamic brings lightness to the narrative: moments of training, complicity, and even small “sleepover” moments break the emotional density of the story and make the reading experience more balanced.
At the same time, it is impossible not to feel a pang of sadness when realizing that Feyre always needed that same sisterhood… and never truly had it from Nesta.
The climb of Mount Ramiel during the ritual is a pure girl power moment, although it felt slightly unrealistic to us considering the short amount of training time the characters had. Still, symbolically, it works.
Nesta’s redemption does not erase the past, and that is important. But the moment when she gives up her power to save Feyre, the baby, and indirectly Rhysand, is transformative. It is the first time we see her choose love without conditions, without sarcasm, without running - sacrificing everything necessary for the sister who always loved her deeply despite all the bad moments.
She does not become perfect. She does not become easy to love. But she becomes better. This is our Nesta.
This book is incredibly long. but for us, Sarah J. Maas builds every scene with detail, paints vivid images, and immerses the reader in the protagonists’ most intimate thoughts. As it is a story focused on a deep emotional journey, the length works in its favor and allows us to savor each moment.
A Court of Silver Flames is an intense, raw, and emotionally demanding book. It is not a comfortable read, nor does it intend to be. For us, it is clearly in the top three of the series, at the same level as A Court of Wings and Ruin. A Court of Mist and Fury remains our absolute favorite, but this book was sensational and deserves to be valued as such, earning 4.5 stars ⭐.
The only reason it is not a five-star read is the difficulty in creating empathy with the protagonist. The lack of sympathy for Nesta is a real obstacle, even though we recognize the importance of her journey.
Still, it is a powerful story about trauma, healing, guilt, and self-acceptance. A book that proves not all protagonists need to be sweet to be interesting.
Forçada pela família e pelos amigos, Nesta terá de confrontar o seu passado e encontrar um novo propósito, embarcando numa jornada intensa de autoconhecimento, disciplina e cura, rodeada por alianças inesperadas, desafios físicos e emocionais, e uma ligação que a obriga a baixar as defesas que construiu ao longo dos anos.
Este é um livro sobre reconstrução, trauma e força interior. Uma história crua e poderosa sobre aprender a sobreviver… e reaprender a viver.
⚠️A partir de agora teremos alguns spoilers, por isso se não leram este livro e querem ser surpreendidos, saiam e voltem depois de terem lido se quiserem saber a nossa opinião ⚠️
Primeiro, temos que dizer que voltar a Velaris é sempre como regressar a casa. Há algo profundamente reconfortante neste mundo Fae, nas suas ruas luminosas, nas casas aconchegantes e cheias de magia, nas montanhas e na sensação de familiaridade que a Sarah J. Maas construiu ao longo da saga. Corte de Chamas Prateadas não é exceção: desde as primeiras páginas, fomos imediatamente envolvidos pela atmosfera emocional deste livro.
Ainda assim, esta não é uma história fácil. Nem confortável. É um livro pesado, emocionalmente exigente e, acima de tudo, profundamente humano com uma protagonista cheia de falhas e traços desagradáveis que a tornam difícil de amar.
Para nós, é impossível ignorar o passado da personagem. O facto de a Nesta não só não ter protegido a Feyre quando eram humanas, como a ter constantemente maltratado e humilhado, cria uma barreira emocional difícil de ultrapassar para nós enquanto leitores. A culpa que carrega pela morte do pai é real, mas nasce também da consciência tardia do valor que nunca lhe reconheceu em vida. Em vez de enfrentar essa dor, a Nesta escolhe a autodestruição: álcool, sexo sem significado e isolamento emocional tornam-se as suas armas contra o mundo… e contra si própria.
E ainda assim, apesar de tudo, a história consegue algo importante ao não justificar os seus erros, mas contextualizá-los.
Este é, talvez, o livro mais adulto da saga Corte de Espinhos e Rosas, não apenas pelas cenas explícitas, mas pelos temas que aborda. A sexualidade aqui não é romantizada: é muitas vezes apresentada como um mecanismo de fuga, de anestesia emocional. A forma como a Nesta utiliza o corpo como arma e escudo é desconfortável, mas honesta.
A jornada da personagem é essencialmente interna: da negação absoluta da ajuda, à raiva canalizada em disciplina, força e, finalmente, aceitação. Não há propriamente um grande vilão nesta narrativa. Existe um antagonista, mas o verdadeiro conflito é interno e isso torna o livro mais lento em termos de ação, mas muito mais intenso emocionalmente.
No entanto, sentimos que a relação poderia ter sido mais desenvolvida emocionalmente. O romance foca-se muito no plano físico, compreensível dentro do contexto da autodestruição da Nesta, mas sentimos falta de mais momentos de intimidade emocional, de conversas, de construção profunda da ligação entre ambos.
Ainda assim, é impossível negar que se amam desde o início. É doloroso assistir às vezes em que a Nesta recusa esse amor, ferindo o Cassian de forma quase gratuita. Mas também é isso que torna a redenção final mais significativa.
A subida à montanha Ramiel durante o ritual é um momento de puro girl power, ainda que nos tenha parecido ligeiramente irrealista considerando o pouco tempo de treino das personagens. Ainda assim, simbolicamente, funciona.
Não se torna perfeita. Não se torna fácil de amar. Mas torna-se melhor. É assim a nossa Nesta.
A única razão pela qual não é um 5 estrelas prende-se com a dificuldade em criar empatia com a protagonista. A falta de simpatia pela Nesta é um obstáculo real, ainda que reconheçamos a importância da sua jornada.
Ainda assim, é uma história poderosa sobre trauma, cura, culpa e autoaceitação. Um livro que prova que nem todas as protagonistas precisam de ser doces para serem interessantes.
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Beijinhos e boas leituras para todos!


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