A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury picks up in the immediate aftermath of the first novel in the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. Maas reminds the reader of the violent events which concluded the first novel and portrays the lingering psychological effects of trauma on her characters, especially Feyre and Tamlin. The difficulty of the lovers in moving past the horrors Under the Mountain are echoed metaphorically in the efforts to rebuild throughout Prythian and in the many evil faeries loosed by Amarantha which still plague the realm. Feyre is consumed with guilt over killing two High Fae youth, even though she was forced by Amarantha to do so. Her dreams are disturbed by horrible memories, and she feels unworthy of happiness or love. In the first novel, Feyre’s character arc was largely concerned with her learning to love herself and accept love from others. Here, Maas indicates that Feyre’s progress has been undone by trauma, and positions Feyre to make a similar journey of self-acceptance and forgiveness. Complicating this recovery, Feyre’s new status as High Fae brings with it immortality, suggesting that these scars may linger for a very long time.

Maas’s faerie realm of Prythian evokes Celtic traditions; her preternatural High Fae are violent, beautiful, cunning, and powerful, and the myriad lesser faeries which people Prythian all have unique abilities and appearances. Maas builds on the sophisticated Celtic faerie model by having the High Fae engage in brutal power struggles and adhere to a rigid class hierarchy.  Maas reminds the reader that even as a High Fae, Feyre is still in danger in Prythian. The High Priestess Ianthe warns Feyre: “Every word from your mouth, every turn of phrase, will be judged—and possibly used against you” (16), echoing sentiments expressed to Feyre in the first novel, when she was still human. Feyre’s difficulty adjusting to life in Prythian in combination with her traumatic experiences complicate her relationship with Tamlin, portrayed as true love in the first novel. Tamlin’s legitimate concern for Feyre in the first novel has transformed into total domination as Tamlin struggles with his own traumatic memories after watching Feyre die. As Feyre struggles to commit to marriage while in a state of emotional turmoil, Maas suggests that the lovers may best heal independently from one another. The Part 1 title, “House of Beasts,” simultaneously references Tamlin’s shape-shifting abilities and his transformation into a kind of “beast” who keeps Feyre imprisoned for her own safety. This title foreshadows how the Spring Court, a haven for Feyre in the first novel, will become a place of danger and misery for Feyre.

Maas also uses the changes in Tamlin and Feyre’s relationship to hint at the larger theme of rigid class structures. While Tamlin’s restriction of Feyre’s agency is motivated by his fear of losing her again, Tamlin also unfairly restricts Feyre’s social and political power. Even after marriage, Feyre will not enjoy equal status with her new husband. Her role as Tamlin’s consort is largely ceremonial, and Ianthe pressures her to accept it, indicating that Tamlin’s feelings are cultural and not merely personal. Feyre chafes at being treated like she is “made of glass” (27), and struggles to accept her new life, torn between her love of Tamlin and her guilt over her past sins. Maas portrays Rhys as Feyre’s unlikely rescuer from this dilemma. At the end of the first novel in the series, Rhys and Feyre parted on tentative terms after he both humiliated and saved Feyre Under the Mountain. As Rhys saves Feyre from the wedding she is reconsidering, Maas hints that he will develop fully from villain to lover and foreshadows the reveal that Rhys is Feyre’s mate.