Oh boy, this has been a review that I’ve wanted to write for quite sometime. However, the nature of this review and the book itself has given me plenty of pause and plenty of food for thought.
I thought to myself, “is this really how I’m reviewing this book? Is this really my true and honest thoughts here?” And the more I thought, the more my thoughts began to crystallize. Despite my feelings, I was going to honestly review the book and not sugarcoat it.
Why the conflict about this particular review? Well, because the review is of House of Flame and Shadow by the one and only Sarah J. Maas. Now, I know what you’re all thinking. “But Joseph, you love SJM books, you have nothing but praise and adulation for her books. This is just going to be more of the same.” You’re right, but you’re also wrong at the same time.
Yes, I adore SJM’s books. They are amongst my favorite books of all time. They mean so much to me and have impacted my life tremendously. And it is true that I have nothing but glowing praise for all her books so far. However, House of Flame and Shadow does not live up to the usual standards.
Now don’t get me wrong, I still loved the book and enjoyed it. If any other author had written it, it’s a 10 out of 10. However Maas has set the bar so high for herself that even a good book can fall short. Because of the nature of this review there is a big old spoiler warning here because I’m going to mention things that are spoilers, though they do pertain to the nature of why this book falls flat. Well, here goes nothing I suppose.
HoFAS does not immediately pick up with Bryce in Prythian, but instead picks up with Lydia in Midgard. This sets the tone for the book. The book proceeds to move at near breakneck speed as our band of heroes go their separate ways, reunite then split again as they race to stop the Asteri.
There is a LOT going in in this book and if you aren’t used to fantasy or SJM books by now than it’s going to feel jarring. However, those of accustomed to this sort of thing are at home. There is plenty of subplots going in around the main and loose ends being tied up. And as usual, SJM does a fairly good job of tying to those loose ends. Sure there are some still left over, but I assume those will be answered in the later ACOTAR books or the other books set in the Crescent City universe.
As usual, the world is good, the twists and turns are good and the overall story is good. There is a lot of subtle nods to her other series’s and it’s really nice trying to catch those little Easter eggs.
The characters not named Bryce and Hunt really are given time to shine. Particularly Lydia, Ruhn and Ithan are given plenty of page time. Lydia easily steals every page she is on and I adore her character. She easily is one of my favorite SJM ladies of all time. Ruhn continues to play a major role in all of this and his story has a fantastic conclusion. Ithan, despite making some of the most bone headed decisions I’ve ever seen in a book character, at least sticks with his character and attempts to right his many wrongs throughout the book.
The scenes in Prythian and with the Night Court, though underwhelming to most, are fine with me. The book could have easily devolved into ACOTAR 4.5 but it did not. The scenes were good and the interactions intriguing. The ending scenes leave more questions than answers which will probably be answered in later books.
However, for the all the good this book has, it is now time address the major complaints with this book that I have. For starters, we have our leading lady Bryce. Dear God do I have a hard time with this character. Don’t get me wrong, she is not a bad character, but she is easily my least favorite of the SJM leading ladies.
She almost immediately gets off on the wrong foot with her interactions with the Night Court of Prythian when she arrives. Yes, I get that she hates the Fae, I understand that. But girl, you don’t have to be a total bitch to those trying to help you. From almost getting Azriel and Nesta killed, to the insufferable way she treats every character she comes across, Bryce’s mannerisms and overall attitude just rub me the wrong way.
Her decisions throughout the book just are not indicative of the character that we’ve seen in the previous books. There is a disregard for others even to the point of doing things without her mate. Bryce’s impulsive nature and overall “only I can save us” attitude really leaves a sour note in my mouth with regards to this book.
Whereas in previous books, I loved the stories of Aelin and Feyre, Bryce’s story doesn’t have that same feeling. She isn’t as likeable, she isn’t the same mold as Aelin or Feyre. There are a lot of times throughout this book where the character is unlikable and it’s semi frustrating as a reader.
Hunt sadly is relegated to the backburner in this book. The constant arguments and being separated from Bryce wear on him and again, we see a little backwards character development. Having Hunt relegated hurts considering his massive story potential.
For me, the biggest problem comes down to two problems. Number 1, the side characters are more likeable in this book than the main characters. People like Lydia, Ruhn, Hypaxia, all are for more likeable and relatable in this story. They have moments to shine and their stories are fascinating along the way. You feel more connected to those characters and their stories. They also aren’t total assholes the majority of the book. Sure, Bryce and Hunt are taking center stage most of the time, but when the secondary characters get their turn in the spotlight, their chapters are wonderful.
Problem 2 is something that SJM usually avoids but doesn’t here. As good as the story is and as much as she ties up the loose ends, the book feels dense and bloated. Especially in the middle of the book, the book is weighed down by a deluge of information, lore and back and forth between PoVs. You feel overwhelmed as the book explains critical lore that is easy to miss, or disregarded by the main characters. The sheer information overload does not help the books pacing at all. It is not often that she makes a book too dense and too wordy. But in case it’s a detriment to the book and does nothing to help the book.
At the end of the day Flame and Shadow is still a good read. The world, the story and the characters are what we want to see. However, there very substantial flaws with this book, flaws that Maas usually avoids. Bryce becoming a more and more unlikeable character, the book being dragged down in the midsection by information overload, the book not delivering on what most fans wanted to see. These problems add up and unfortunately this is a hard book to grade.
On one hand, I love SJM books and think the world of them. On the other hand, I have to truly be objective. I have to truly grade the book on the books merits, without my personal bias getting in the way. HoFAS is a solid read, but it does not reach the heights that normal Maas books reach. If any other author writes this book, it’s a five star. But Maas wrote it and because of the standards she has set, the book does not meet those lofty standards.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I said at the beginning that this was tough review and giving out this grade feels sacrilegious. But, it’s what the book deserves unfortunately.
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