Kay Agoglia

I feel like the average rating needs to be balanced out. Calling Maas' books "fantasy" "feminist" or any combination of the two at this point is an insult. While I think the original trilogy had at least a plot to follow, if derivative, this book really slammed home for me how poor the writing is. I really was swept up by the first 3 books but when you take just a half-step back, you realize that SJM is purely a "tell, don't show" kind of writer. Which is to say, the characterization, world-building, and yes, even the romance, directly contradict the things the author TELLS you about these features. Silver Flames was all over the place, seemingly too much plot and nothing happening all at once? The story also backtracked some of the earlier books clear plot points, which is just really sloppy. The result was some really terrible messages about mental health and "healing", bodily autonomy, and relationships. I think this is really a case of deep internalized misogyny on the author's part - and I guess the editors and publishers, too. the main relationships by the end of this book are SO imbalanced, in favor of the men! Crazy that it was almost 800 pages and there were actually a LOT of things either stated explicitly or hinted to about Nesta and Cassian's characters/backgrounds that were never brought up. How do people praise this author's foreshadowing? She doesn't seem aware of what happened on the previous page as she writes the next! Maybe I have aged out of these (although the new adult rating makes that a concern as I am 27...), but it sure makes me nervous to see teens and 20-somethings eating these books up. If you happen to not have read this book yet, please save yourself! I wish I was one of you!!