Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames

A Court of Silver Flames is the fifth edition to the ACOTAR series and this time delves into Nesta’s trauma and personal growth. it was a slog for me similarly to the first ACOTAR book.

Where Feyre's story in A Court of Thorns and Roses had an immediate sense of urgency and intrigue, Nesta's journey felt bogged down by bitterness and self-destruction for much of the book, making it difficult to connect with her as a protagonist. Nesta’s character has always been divisive, and while some readers were thrilled for her to have the spotlight, I personally found her quite insufferable. It’s understandable that her journey focuses on processing trauma, but the pace dragged, with repetitive internal struggles and countless training scenes that felt more like padding than plot progression.

The final third of the book finally picks up, with action and emotional resolution that brings closure to her arc, but it felt like too little, too late.

Nesta’s growth is rewarding in the end, but getting there was a long, tiresome journey. It wasn’t until about 85% through that I was even mildly intrigued at what would happen next and that’s too far in for me.

Fans of Nesta or slow-burn characters might enjoy this installment, but for me, it lacked the gripping pacing and captivating world-building that made the others so enjoyable. Instead, it felt overly drawn out and weighed down by its heavy focus on Nesta’s inner turmoil.