The Court of Dreams

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after a person has been through a traumatic event.

Damn, this book is good and Sarah J. Maas deserves a round of applause for this one. She was able to give us a beautiful love story that was raw, and true. This wasn't the 'happily ever after' we came to expect but instead it blossomed from patience, healing and understanding.

From here on out there will be spoilers- you've been warned...

The best part of this book was that she understood that her characters would be negatively effected by what happened at the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses. She didn't gloss over the traumatic experiences that her characters just went through. No one would have been able to walk out of that mountain without suffering from PTSD and she showed us that. So often in books similar to these, the characters move on as if nothing ever happened but that isn't realistic. And yes, it's a high fantasy novel but that doesn't mean that real and contemporary issues should be ignored. Of course they would suffer from nightmares. Of course Tamlin would be come overprotective- he had to sit ideally while Feyre went through hell and couldn't help her. Something he vowed to himself he wouldn't let happen again. Of course Feyre would be struggling with depression and guilt. The fact that she tackled important issues like mental illness and abusive relationships while still giving us a fantasy novel is what makes this book so incredible.

These issues completely reshapes the characters, stories and relationship which is unique. Tamlin who once was seen as the love of her life in the first novel is suddenly seen as the villain. The commentary on abusive relationships was something I hadn't expected. Often when people think of abusive relationships they expect them to be physical and violent which, other than occasional uncontrollable outbursts, Tamlin was not. However, he was emotionally abusive. I don't think it was intentional. He truly was doing what he believed what was best for her. He wanted to keep her safe, to protect her. Something he was unable to do under the mountain. She had died, he heard her neck snap and he thought he lost her forever. There is no denying he loves her but he was too busy dealing with his own emotional trauma to see or hear how his treatment was affecting her. There were hints in the first novel that these characteristics were present before but they became amplified by his experience under the mountain.

Often we are fed stories that you fall in love and live happily ever after. However, in the real world that isn't usually how it works. You fall in love, out of love, get your heartbroken. The real world is messy. Your first love may not be your true love and Sarah showed us this in the most beautiful way. I touched in an earlier blog post that Rhysand was abusive towards Feyre while under the mountain and I stand by that statement. However, he was playing a villainous role. He was meant to be the bad guy and so that was who he became. And yet, even that exterior had cracks in it. He did what he could to keep Feyre from mentally collapsing during her time under the mountain. He sent her music. He healed her. He distracted her. He cared about her but couldn't let anyone know it or she would become a weapon used against him. When Tamlin found a rare moment to see Feyre undetected he did nothing to help her mentally or physically. He just wanted sex. Feyre didn't need sex in that moment, she needed so much more from him. Luckily, Rhysand was able to see that when Tamlin didn't.

Her relationship with Rhysand was so natural because it was built up. There had always been the sexual attraction but it took time for Feyre to heal and to love again. AND RHYSAND GAVE HER THAT TIME. He knew she was his mate, knew he loved her and he still gave her the time she needed to heal. Heal from the mountain and heal from Tamlin. They were friends first. He put her feelings above his own. Feyre gave herself time to sort out her feelings before jumping into bed with him. (PS. I'm still trying to recover from the steamy paint scene). Rhysand treated her like an equal in every way. She makes her own choices. He doesn't underestimate her abilities. He pushes her to reach her full potential instead of letting her fade away. He showed her that she was not the trophy wife that Tamlin made her out to be. Tamlin explained early on in the book, that there was no such thing as High Lady. Feyre would be 'Lady of the Spring Court'. However, we find out that isn't true when Feyre brings it up to Rhysand during one of her mandatory visits and confirmed at the end of the book when a ceremony was performed and Feyre is now "High Lady of the Night Court." Rhysand is complex. He is a blend of secrets, attitude, darkness, insecurities, high hopes, love and dreams...just like Feyre.

Sarah seems to put her entire heart and soul into her characters. Everything Rhysand did under the mountain was to protect Velaris and his family- his inner circle. I liked Lucian and Alis enough during the first book but once Cassian, Morrigan, Azriel and Amren were introduced I realized how little I cared about the Spring Court characters. Talk about squad goals! Each one of them dealt with their own traumatic shit growing up and have bonded over that which is in part why Feyre fits in so well. They are a family of survivors. A family of dreamers. She understands them and they understand her. Even her own flesh and blood can't say the same thing.

Next up...A Court of War and Ruin. Let me grab my kleenex!