A Court of Silver Flames by New York Times bestseller Sarah J. Maas is a New Adult fantasy novel. This fifth installment in the series gives us a better look into Nesta and Cassian’s lives.
In this article, you will find some frequently asked questions about this book. I have tried to answer them as best and honestly as possible.
I hope you enjoy reading these, and I hope this post answers some of the questions you may have about this book!
Since I will be answering questions about the book, this article will contain spoilers.
Summary
After the ordeals the Archeron sister had to go through, we now find a story through the eyes of Nesta. Nesta is the oldest of the 3 sisters. She has a short temper, is very stubborn, and doesn’t forgive easily.
Nesta and Elain were forced into the Cauldron and became High Fae against their will. Now Nesta is struggling to find her place in a world she never wanted to belong to. She also has to deal with the guilt over her father’s death.
She is a champion in turning people away, but her biggest love-hate relationship is with Cassian. Nesta is well aware of his feelings for her, but she keeps pushing him away.
Meanwhile, the human queens are threatening the peace that has settled over the realms. And it appears that Cassian and Nesta have to work together to find the keys to destroy the queens.
Nesta has decided to train and defend herself against all the evil in the world. While doing this, she makes a few new friends. She also discovers things about herself she never knew possible.
Can a Court of Silver Flames be read as a standalone?
It is possible to read it without having read the other books first. But there are spoilers in this book for the first books. Also, you will miss some of the key information to understand the story.
So, if you ask me, I advise reading all the books in this series first. It will help you understand the story, but also the books are just amazing.
Bonus Chapter
The Barnes & Nobles edition of this book contains a Feyre bonus chapter. In this chapter Feyre and Rhysand discuss the baby and decide on a name for the little boy.
There is also another version of the book with an Azriel bonus chapter. It continues after the end of the book. Azriel is feeling a bit jealous of Rhys and Cassian for having found their mates. And when he sees Elain, he again realizes how much he wants her.
Rhys sees this and tells Azriel to stay away from Elain. Lucien is her mate, and it could start a war if he found out. Azriel then flies to the House of Wind where he find Gwyn practicing. He has a nice conversation with her and feels better afterward.
How spicy is a Court of Silver Flames?
A Court of Silver Flames is a very spicy book. Its genre is New Adult, and this is mostly because of the graphic sex scenes. A few examples will be given in this article.
Almost the entire ‘Court of” series by Sarah J. Maas is NA because of this. And every new book seems to have upgraded even more in spice in comparison to the previous one.
If you have a problem with graphic sex scenes, then this isn’t the right book for you. But do keep in mind that most of these scenes fit the story perfectly and aren’t trashy in any way.
Chapter 50
Nesta and Amren get into a big fight. It ends with Nesta telling Feyre about the complications in her pregnancy. To protect Nesta from Rhysand’s anger and to punish her, Cassian takes her out to the mountains.
They stay in the mountains for a few days where Nesta doesn’t talk at all. Eventually, she breaks down and we reach chapter 50.
This chapter signifies a new start for the relationship between Nesta and Cassian. After Nesta has a breakdown, Cassian tells her she is worth all of it, that she is important. Later he tries to comfort her and tells her about his mother.
Dinner table scene
One of the graphic sex scenes happens in chapter 26. Cassian is in the dining room staring at his half-full plate. He had a disturbing conversation with Eris and Nesta notices he isn’t feeling like himself.
To distract him the only way she knows, Nesta seduces Cassian. While he is still sitting at the dinner table she pleasures him. Naturally this is told with some details.
A Court of Silver flames vs A Court of Frost and Starlight
In a Court of Frost and Starlight, we get a small sense of what Nesta has been going through. We see her struggling, but also the strain it puts on the rest of the Inner Circle. It is a bit of an in-between book. And it connects the first three Court of books to Court of Silver Flames.
Because Frost and Starlight is only a small book, it isn’t a whole story on itself. Furthermore, it feels like a prologue to Silver Flames. It isn’t necessary to read it before starting Silver Flames. A lot of what happened is told again in this book. But it is a fun short story between books. And I loved reading it while waiting for a new book in this series to arrive.
How does ACOSF end
Feyre is giving birth, the Fae still have no solution. It is true that her winged baby will most likely kill Feyre while being born.
In a moment of desperation, Nesta tries to make a bargain with the Cauldron. She promises to return the stolen powers to it if only it will make sure Feyre does not die. Additionally, Nesta also makes sure she and Elain will be able to give birth to winged babies. As it turns out, this is enough for the Cauldron to comply. Baby boy Nyx is born and Feyre is still alive.
Nesta then finally admits to herself and everyone else that she loves Cassian. She wished to have a mating ceremony. Everyone is happy and celebrate together. Cassian and Nesta remain in the House of Wind.
Is ACOSF worth reading?
I can only answer this from my own experience. And I would say it is absolutely worth reading.
My experience with Nesta in the previous books wasn’t positive. I kind of hated her for how she treated Feyre but also her hostility toward Cassian and the others. This book gives you a different view of Nesta. And it changed the way I felt about her.
Not only does it explain why she has been acting the way she did. But it also gives her a redemption story. And her interactions with Cassian are totally worth it on their own.
Books to read if you liked a Court of Silver Flames
- A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout – This is Book 2 in the From Blood and Ash series. Be sure to check out my article about this book and also the article about the first book in the series.
- House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas – Bryce is half-Fae, half-human. And when her best friend is murdered, she teams up with a fallen angel. They try to find out what really happened and who is responsible. With great world-building and a dash of romance, this book is perfect if you enjoyed ACOSF.
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen – The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy story where the main character, Lara, is a warrior princess trained in isolation. She is sent as a bride under the guise of peace. But Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to regain power.
- Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – After selling her soul, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath. Here she is introduced to a seductive world of vice. This sums it up pretty well. The combination of fantasy and enemies to lovers is a great match to Sarah J. Maas.
Conclusion
A Court of Silver Flames is a more recently published book in one of the most well-known fantasy series at the moment. You will learn to love characters you hated. And this book will leave you wanting to read more by Sarah J. Maas.
I hope I have answered some of the questions you may have had about this book. And if you have more questions that I didn’t answer, feel free to let me know of them below!
