Today, we will review “A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas.

My Condensed Summary…

Nesta Archeron found herself at the place we all inevitably reach at some point in our lives. Rock bottom.

While everyone’s “rock bottom” looks different, it’s easy for many readers to see themselves in Nesta’s. Between watching her father die, having her humanity stripped from her and starving most of her childhood after her mother’s passing, Nesta was riddled with triggers. 

Depression coated her days, and she drank away her nights.

Nesta’s evenings were spent with male faye, whose names she never learned. She starved her body to the skin and bone while avoiding every sensation and sound that brought back the memories of her past.

She was broken.

According to her own reasoning, she was beyond repair. Enter Cassian, an Illyrian warrior and general of the Night Court’s armies. He is sent to her doorstep early one morning by the High Lord of the Night Court, Rhysand, and the High Lady Feyre (Nesta’s sister) to retrieve her. 

Within the first two chapters, we witness a painstaking confrontation between Nesta and the Inner Circle of the Night Court. Once Cassian leads Nesta into the room where the Inner Circle sat waiting for her, Rhysand and Feyre make one thing abundantly clear. 

Nesta’s lifestyle had to change.

No longer could she spend the Night Court’s money on her nightly tab in seedy taverns. In this new life, she would have to be sober, living in the House of Wind. She would have to complete daily physical training and work several hours in the library beside the priestesses.

Any of Nesta’s objections to these commands proved completely futile, and before the night was over, her things had been relocated to the House of Wind. In the mountain’s sanctuary, the only way in is by flying or scaling 10,000 steps on foot, and since Nesta’s body is not Illyrian (with wings), the steps would be her only way out.

Over the course of 700+ pages, we watch Nesta try to escape this new life. Time and time again, she tried scaling the 10,000 steps to reach the base of the mountain. It was the only way she could return to the taverns she craved. Yet, her body proved to be weak, tired and malnourished. 

As much as she tried to fight her urge to refuse food, the daily physical training with Cassian quickly accelerated her appetite. Almost against her own will, she became stronger. Her heart, however, remained hollow. Nesta’s thoughts still controlled her actions and reactions, leading her to repeatedly hurt the people closest to her.

Even so, the right people stayed. Along the winding path to healing, Nesta befriended two women, Gwyneth and Emerie, who began training with her. The three become Valkyries by the end of the book. Nesta finds friendship with them, love with Cassian and restoration with her sisters after all. But arguably, most importantly, she finds peace within herself and purpose.

My Thoughts…

Initially, this was a difficult read. Following Nesta as she sabotaged her relationships with every character I had learned to love in prior books was difficult. Many times, I physically cringed and squealed as she tore them apart.

Approximately midway through the book, my attitude towards Nesta changed. In fact, my attitude towards all the other characters changed. I was practically screaming at the pages.

“Can’t you see she’s trying?! Can’t you see she’s hurting?” 

I shut the book in agony on several occasions.

However, the pain of the tumultuous journey was worth the beautiful ending of Nesta choosing to heal and love. It was a joy to see that her physical strength became a source of emotional strength and to watch Emerie and Gwyneth become strong beside her.

This novel felt like a love letter to every woman who has pushed people away to try to survive. To every woman who lost themselves in the brutal, rushing river that is life.

We can start again.

What’s next…

On Oct. 27, 2026, ACOTAR Six will be released. Mere months later, on Jan. 12, 2027, ACOTAR Seven will also drop. That being said, the story is very clearly not over yet. During an interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Maas explained that the new books seemingly poured out of her. 

It sounds like we can plan to make room for another 400+ page novel on our shelves. So, for my fellow readers who are ready to see Azriel and Elain’s journey, this year may be our turn.