Bookmarked: ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ is The Bookish Blossom of The Decade

Filled with grand quests, beautiful scenery and magic galore, there is no doubt fantasy is a fan-favorite genre among readers. In the last decade, the genre of romantasy ascended to the throne, bringing new genre-bending elements of epic romance to the fantastically action-packed genre.  

Sarah J. Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” — the worldwide romantasy sensation that blossomed into a BookTok obsession in the decade since its release  — is home to a captivating plot, beautifully crafted characters and countless iconic quotes.

Released May 2015, the novel follows Feyre Archeron, a young huntress who explores neighboring lands to provide food for her family as her life implodes. Navigating an unknown realm of rocky mountains and lush forests, Feyre finds herself in the midst of dangerous trials, steamy romance and political turmoil that changes her life forever. 

Gaining TikTok popularity in 2019 when the #BookTok movement started gaining momentum, the book’s exploration of finding love in the midst of tragedy resonated with thousands of readers who began sharing their love and praise for the fantasy sensation

The book’s debut caught global attention in its first moments off the press. The novel sold an impressive 13 million copies since publication, becoming a nominee for the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award. 

The internet exploded with hundreds of passionate reviews and thoughtful insights — including many TikTok reviews — exposing more and more readers to the story’s success all while dominating the algorithm altogether.

Now, the #acotar tag boasts over 1.8 million public posts on TikTok.While the novel received hundreds of passionate reviews prior, its 2019 explosion on TikTok exposed millions to Feyre’s world of Prythian, dominating for-you-pages globally.

Many aspects of ACOTAR intrigued readers from the start. Maas’ use of profound fantastical dialogue — whether between socially hierarchical systems of the high faes or the distinct courts ruling the land of Prythian  — crafts a grand world that keeps audiences yearning for more magic, mischief and madness. 

Entrancing chapters stitch together a beautiful quilt of literary creativity and visionary aesthetic through luscious world building. She takes care to craft exquisite scenic details, including a complete social hierarchy of court leaders, descriptions of rulers with unique magical powers and a fully illustrated map of Prythian in every paper copy.  

The novel feels fresh in fantasy, blending beloved elements across the genre into one central work. Exhibiting everything from spells to swordfights, the book depicts dystopian themes as well as fantastical ones to truly mesh the fan favorite concepts of fantasy into one cohesive story.

Maas has written four more additions to the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series with a sixth installment on the way, according to Maas’ instagram.

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” is available wherever books are sold.