A Court of Thorns and Roses is a fantasy romance series by American author Sarah J. Maas, which follows the journey of 19-year-old Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian. The first book of the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, was released in May 2015. The series centers on Feyre's adventures across Prythian and the faerie courts, following the epic love story and fierce struggle that ensues after she enters the fae lands. The series has sold over 13 million copies. There are currently 5 novels in the series, and a sixth installment, confirmed by Maas, in the works.
The series is a New York Times Best Seller and has been optioned by Hulu for a television series adaptation by Ronald D. Moore.[1] Although the future of this project is unconfirmed, Variety magazine reported that the project was still in development at Hulu, the development just wasn't currently active.[2]
Nineteen-year-old Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, and a beast-like creature demands punishment for it. She is taken to the land of the faerie, Prythian, by her captor, Tamlin, who is an immortal faerie. She comes to live with him at his estate in the Spring Court. Feyre learns that he is a High Lord of Prythian, and eventually realizes that what she has previously learnt about the dangerous faerie world is false.
Feyre survives the trials of Amarantha and becomes High Fae, but she remains human inside and must come to terms with the awful acts she performed to save Tamlin's people. To save them and herself, Feyre made a deal with Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court, and has to honor it. Feyre begins learning about the politics and power of Prythian, and that even greater evil looms.
Feyre returns to the Spring Court and Tamlin to spy on him, as well as the King of Hybern and his invading forces that want to take over Prythian. She must play a game of deceit and lie to those closest to her to achieve her goals. As war surrounds her and her allies, Feyre must decide whom can be trusted regarding the High Lords of Prythians, her family, and her closest friends.
Months after the war for Prythian has ended, Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends rebuild the Night Court after the attack from Hybern. Winter Solstice is approaching, and the court prepares for the festive season. As Feyre continues adapting to her role as High Lady of the Night Court, she must navigate around the scars that the war has inflicted upon them all.
After being forced to become High Fae, Nesta, Feyre’s sister, struggles to find her place in the Night Court, following the tragic war that has left her and her powers lost and confused. Meanwhile, Cassian, General of the Night Court, adjusts to the new life that constantly puts him in Nesta’s presence. Together, to defeat new evils, they must confront their past, present, and wavering future.
Companions
A Court of Thorns and Roses Coloring Book (2017)[13]
She began writing A Court of Thorns and Roses in early 2009, with the first draft taking about five weeks to complete.[15]
A Court of Mist and Fury's first draft was written entirely in a split point of view between Feyre and Rhysand.[16] The second book went through multiple name changes, including A Court of Wind and Stone, A Court of Calm and Fury, A Court of Stars and Smoke, A Court of Wings and Stars, A Court of Venom and Silver and A Court of Stars and Frost.[17] Like the first novel, the second is based upon multiple fairy tales and myths, including Hades and Persephone, with the Greek mythology-inspired characters such as Rhysand and Feyre and their home in the Night Court.[18] Other fairy tale inspirations include Hansel and Gretel, which spawned the character of the Weaver,[17] and the Book of Exodus, which loosely inspired parts of the backstory for Miryam and Drakon.[16]
The final cover of A Court of Wings and Ruin was designed by Adrian Dadich, with the dress pictured on the cover originally designed by Charlie Bowater and later adapted by Dadich.[19]
On July 12, 2016, Entertainment Weekly reported that Maas was writing five new books for the series, that would include two novellas and three further novels which would be set before and after the first trilogy.[20][21]
In 2020, the series was reprinted and published by Bloomsbury with new illustrated covers.[22]A Court of Thorns and Roses has existed between the Young Adult and New Adult fiction categories since the publication of the first book.[23] At the time A Court of Thorns and Roses was published, the New Adult categorization had not caught on the way publishers hoped it would. Maas agreed to publish the book as YA so long as her editor did not censor any of the sexual content.[23] The A Court of Thorns and Roses series is now classified as New Adult.[24]
In 2022, according to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom, A Court of Mist and Fury was tied for the tenth-most banned and challenged book in the United States. In 2023 a school district in Mason City, Iowa, made international news when they banned the book from library shelves after running a list of books through ChatGPT and asking it if the books, "contain a description or depiction of a sex act."[42][43][44]
In February 2024, individuals in the Rutherford County Schools (RCS) library system in Tennessee were "...quietly instructed by higher ups to remove 20 books from all RCS library shelves", with the entirety of this five-book series being included among those twenty selections; an internal review by RCS determined that two of those twenty titles did not meet the standard for obscenity as defined by Tennessee state law and were accordingly allowed to remain upon school shelves. The removal of the eighteen remaining books occurred without seeking input from librarians and without due process policy for the school system being applied; as of mid-March 2024, all of those eighteen books (still including this entire series) remain off RCS shelves.[45] The Rutherford County Library Alliance, a nonprofit organization whose mission statement defines them as being "...dedicated to safeguarding the principles of intellectual freedom and unrestricted access to information within the public library system of Rutherford County, Tennessee",[46] is in the process of challenging this censorship.
In 2024, all five books in the series were among 13 banned from all Utah public schools by the state school board for allegedly containing "objective sensitive material." One additional Maas book, Empire of Storms, was also banned.[47]
Adaptations
A Court of Thorns and Roses was optioned by Jo Bamford's and Piers Tempest's Tempo Productions in November 2015.[48] The producers revealed in 2018 they had hired Rachel Hirons to work as the movie's screenwriter.[49][50]
In March 2021, it was announced that A Court of Thorns and Roses series had been opted for a television adaptation by 20th Television for Hulu. The series is set to be developed by Ronald D. Moore alongside Maas.[51] In an interview with The New York Times, Maas confirmed that she was developing the project with the writers and the showrunner as the executive producer of the adaptation.[52] As of December 2023, no cast had been set, but writing for the script has continued for the adaptation.[53] In February 2024, it was announced by TVLine that the adaptation has been scrapped and will not be shopped to other networks;[54] however, Variety reported that these reports were inaccurate.[55]
