A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas: Review by a SAHM

Last updated: 25 October 2026 | Reading progress: approximately 20%

Between Rebecca Yarros’s latest installment to the Empyrean series and Sarah J. Maas’s upcoming ACOTAR releases, us Romantasy lovers have been kept fed!

If you’ve been counting down the days until we return to Prythian, the wait is officially over. A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas has landed! And I tell you what, following that ACOSH leak a couple of weeks before the official midnight release, I was on the edge of my goddamn seat waiting for the official book to drop. All I could think of was how much I did not like Elain and how I needed Lucien to come out of his time in the Night Court unscathed and loved 😥 My poor Lucien!!!!

*I am an Amazon Affiliate which means I earn a wee few cents off a purchase through this link at no extra cost to you.

What is A Court of Splintered Harmony About?

Following the massive events of the previous ACOTAR books, Sarah J. Maas brings us back into the High Fae courts with A Court of Splintered Harmony. Here is what to expect from this highly anticipated release:

• Return to the Courts: A deeper look into court politics, shifting alliances, and magic.
• Character POVs: Expanding on our favourite high Fae, their bonds, and the tension brewing across the realms.
• Signature SJM Drama: The high-stakes romance, intense world-building, and heart-pounding twists we’ve been craving.

My Thoughts & Star Rating

My Rating: ⏳ Review & Rating Coming Soon!

I’m only about 20% of the way through at the moment, which means this is very much a review in progress. Rather than waiting until I turn the final page, I wanted to share my thoughts as I go — the characters I’m loving, the moments that have caught me off guard, and all the little details that make me love returning to Prythian.

A quick warning: This post discusses early plot points and character moments from A Court of Splintered Harmony. I’ll keep updating it as I read, so expect more spoilers to be added further down the track.

My Thoughts on A Court of Splintered Harmony So Far

Azriel, his shadows, and a seriously messed-up family dynamic

I absolutely loved the prologue.

Getting a closer look at Azriel’s beginnings, his relationship with his mother, and the way his shadows became such an important part of his life was a fantastic way to open the book. His love for his mother never faltered, which made the cruelty and disloyalty within his family all the more heartbreaking.

Azriel was born into such a twisted family dynamic, and seeing more of what shaped him makes you look at the character differently. There’s so much history and hurt behind the quiet, brooding Shadowsinger we know, and I was immediately invested.

Then we get Azriel’s point of view in chapter one, and honestly, I was thrilled to be in his head.

One of my favourite things so far has been learning more about how his shadows actually work. They’re not just there to look mysterious or make him seem intimidating. They communicate, react, and seem to have personalities of their own.

The moment that really got me was when the shadows were frightened of doing something and huddled beneath Azriel’s wings. I mean, come on. How am I supposed to cope with that?

There’s something surprisingly sweet about seeing this side of Azriel and his shadows. They feel like a little team, and their relationship has so much more personality than I expected.

I’m only at the beginning, but the Azriel content is already giving me plenty to be excited about.

Feyre’s POV and the most relatable fae mum moment

And then we get Feyre’s point of view in chapter two.

I can’t lie — it was lovely getting back into Feyre’s head again. Her chapters are written in first person, which makes her thoughts feel particularly personal, and I found myself settling back into her perspective so easily.

But the moment that really stood out to me was a little more unexpected.

Apparently, postpartum leaking boobs are a thing for fae mums, too.

During Feyre’s address to the absolute scum in Hewn City, her milk leaks through her dress. It’s an embarrassing moment for her, but it also feels so wonderfully human. Or, well, fae-human.

As a mum, I found this detail ridiculously relatable. Motherhood doesn’t magically become glamorous because you’re High Lady of the Night Court. Sometimes your body has other plans, even when you’re supposed to be making an important public appearance.

If anything, Feyre is now better prepared for future High Lady engagements. At least she’s had a practice run!

It’s such a small moment, but I love when fantasy books include these everyday realities of motherhood alongside all the magic, politics, romance and drama. It makes characters feel that little bit closer to home.

Do You Need to Read Crescent City Before A Court of Splintered Harmony?

This was one of my biggest questions going into the book.

I’ve heard plenty about the connections between Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses and Crescent City series, but I haven’t personally read Crescent City before starting A Court of Splintered Harmony.

And, at least from what I’ve read so far, I don’t feel completely lost.

Bryce Quinlan’s involvement with the Inner Circle is explained concisely enough that I could follow what was happening without needing to stop and research an entire other series. I appreciated that the story gave me enough context to understand the connection without making me feel like I needed to complete a massive reading assignment first.

Will reading Crescent City give readers extra context? Quite possibly. There may be references and connections that longtime readers will recognise more readily than I do.

But based on my experience so far, I haven’t felt that I need to dive into all three Crescent City books just to follow along with A Court of Splintered Harmony.

At this stage, I’m happy to stay in Prythian. I’ll update this section if that changes as I get further into the book.

My Verdict So Far

At around 20% through A Court of Splintered Harmony, I’m already enjoying being back with these characters.

Azriel’s backstory and the relationship with his shadows have been a highlight, while Feyre’s POV has reminded me how much I enjoy hearing directly from her. I also appreciate the little moments of everyday humanity — even when that humanity involves an unfortunate wardrobe situation during a High Lady engagement.

It’s still too early for me to give the book a final rating or say whether it lives up to all the anticipation. There is plenty of story left to go, and I’m keen to see how these early chapters develop.

For now, I’m happy to keep reading, keep taking notes, and keep updating this review as I go.

Have you started reading A Court of Splintered Harmony yet? I’d love to know what you think so far — especially if you’re an Azriel fan!

Is A Court of Splintered Harmony Worth Reading? (The Verdict)

(Updating ASAP!)

I’ll be dropping my final verdict right here as soon as the last chapter is read.

Are you staying up until midnight for the Kindle drop, were you a pirate and found an early release on Oceans PDF? Or are you squeezing chapters in between daily mum duties like me? Let me know in the comments below!