A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas: It's the Halloween Special and the Inner Circle Is Falling Apart
It's been five years since we last visited Prythian, and apparently there was quite a lot we were supposed to remember. If you need a refresher before diving into our very spoiler-heavy opinions, we've got you.
From the aftermath of Silver Flames to the Crescent City crossover, consider this your crash course in everything we've forgotten over the last five years. Ancient magic, political drama, and one very suspicious death god included.
Three Archeron sisters, seven courts, and enough romantic complications to require a spreadsheet. Here's who's mated, who's interested, who's avoiding whom, and all the relationship drama you need to remember before Book 6.
We read the sixth A Court of Thorns and Roses book by Sarah J. Maas in a single day and immediately sat down to record an emergency episode of Genre'd. No time to process, no elaborate theory boards, just our immediate reactions to everything we apparently forgot, everything we definitely didn't see coming, and the relationships that are hanging on by a thread.
And while we both loved being back in this world, we have some very different feelings about where certain characters are headed.
Especially Azriel.
First, a Very Important Spoiler Warning
This episode is spoilers from beginning to end.
We're talking about A Court of Splintered Harmony, the previous ACOTAR books, Crescent City, and connections to Throne of Glass. There is no spoiler-free portion of this episode because, frankly, we don't know how that would even be possible.
If you haven't read Crescent City yet, we're officially joining the chorus of people telling you to read it.
Consider yourself warned.
What We're Talking About
The war is over, the wall is down, and the Inner Circle are all in different group chats.
In this emergency episode, we're getting into:
Why ACOTAR 6 feels more like a Halloween special than a traditional full-length installment
The aftermath of the Crescent City crossover and why everyone is apparently furious with Nesta again
Azriel, Elain, Lucien, and the mating bond situation that has officially become everyone's business
The growing conflict between Prythian, the Continental Fae, and the humans
Why Rhys and Feyre might have officially given Katy the ick
The mysterious ending, the Prison, and what Amren might know
Elyse's increasingly convincing Avengers theory for the future of the Maasverse
And, of course, whether everyone can survive long enough to make it to the next book.
SPOILERS AHEAD: Let's Talk About ACOTAR 6
It's Giving: The Halloween Special
Elyse came into A Court of Splintered Harmony with her expectations firmly on the floor.
Not because she didn't want to love it, but because she suspected this was going to be a setup book. And she was absolutely right.
Remember A Court of Frost and Starlight? The little Christmas special that brought everyone back together, gave us some character development, and prepared us for A Court of Silver Flames?
Well, this is that book's Halloween counterpart.
We've got the autumn equinox, a terrifying attack, plenty of unresolved tension, and an entire cast of characters who seem incapable of communicating like functioning adults.
Katy's interpretation was slightly different:
The group chat has now split into six separate group chats.
And everybody is talking about everybody else.
Or, as Katy put it in her one-line plot:
The band is breaking up, but they're still contractually obligated to finish the tour.
Honestly, that's pretty much the book.
But we both agreed on something important. After five years away from Prythian, it felt really good to be back.
Apparently, Everybody Hates Nesta Again
One of our biggest surprises wasn't necessarily something new. It was discovering just how much drama Nesta created during the Crescent City crossover.
Remember when Nesta gave Bryce the Mask?
We did. Sort of.
What we didn't quite appreciate was that this decision would become one of the biggest sources of conflict within the Night Court. Never mind that Bryce returned the Mask, left her parents as collateral, and handed over an incredibly important sword. Apparently, Nesta is back on everyone's bad side. Which feels particularly exhausting considering we just spent an entire book watching her work through her issues and repair these relationships.
Katy, who has never claimed to be Nesta's biggest fan, was surprisingly sympathetic this time around.
Elyse was mostly wondering how we managed to go backward so quickly.
And Rhys? Well, we'll get to him.
The Continental Fae, Koschei, and a War Nobody Wants
We also learned something about ourselves while reading this book.
We have apparently been paying very little attention to the continent.
Sure, we remembered the human queens. We remembered the wall. We knew there were other territories beyond Prythian.
But did we fully appreciate that there were powerful Fae nations over there who might now want their former human lands back?
Not particularly.
And now those nations are preparing for war, Koschei is involved, and Feyre wants Prythian to intervene to protect the humans.
The problem? Not everyone agrees that this is their war to fight.
Tarquin's refusal to risk the Summer Court in a potentially devastating conflict actually made a lot of sense to us.
Is protecting the humans the morally right thing to do? Probably. Does that automatically mean every other court should send its people into an almost unwinnable war against a death god?
That's a much more complicated question.
Also, Koschei continues to be a mysterious lake-dwelling villain who, in Katy's imagination, might eventually reveal himself to be a creepy little child.
We're not ruling it out.
Azriel and Elain: Finally, Something Interesting
Well, well, well.
After years of speculation, Azriel and Elain have apparently been doing a little more than exchanging meaningful glances. And Katy could not be happier.
Finally, Elain is doing something she actually wants to do. She's choosing someone for herself, ignoring everyone else's opinions, and getting into a little trouble.
Unfortunately, everyone keeps catching them.
First Rhys. Then Lucien.
And Rhys has apparently decided that being High Lord also means being the relationship police.
Katy was not having it.
Why does everyone get to decide who Elain can love? Why is Lucien's mating bond automatically more important than what she wants? And why does Rhys seem to think he gets the final say?
Elyse, meanwhile, has a completely different problem.
She thinks Azriel and Elain might be the most boring possible romantic outcome.
Not because she was shocked by their relationship, but because three brothers ending up with three sisters feels a little too neat.
Katy sees Azriel finally standing up for himself.
Elyse sees a centuries-old male with a long history of obsessing over unavailable women who desperately needs to work on himself.
In other words, Katy thinks Azriel needs freedom.
Elyse thinks Azriel needs therapy.
We did not reach a consensus.
Can We Please Let Elain Have a Personality?
One of the most interesting decisions in this book was also one of the most frustrating.
We got multiple character perspectives, including plenty of Azriel.
But no Elain.And for a character who plays such an important role in the story, that absence feels significant. Especially when we finally learn how unhappy she's been.
Elain didn't ask to become Fae. She didn't ask for a mating bond with Lucien. She certainly didn't ask for everyone around her to spend years deciding what's best for her. And yet she's largely been expected to accept her circumstances and quietly tend to her garden.
Katy has always felt more sympathy for Elain than Nesta, and this book only reinforced that.
Elyse, on the other hand, wishes we'd gotten inside Elain's head sooner. If this is supposed to be her story, can we please hear from her?
And then there's the argument between Elain and Nesta.
As sisters ourselves, we found this scene particularly familiar. One sister finally explains how miserable she is, another responds in possibly the worst way imaginable, and suddenly the entire family is fighting.
We've all been there.
Thankfully, Nesta eventually recognizes that she handled the conversation badly.
Growth!
Rhys and Feyre Have Officially Given Katy the Ick
We never thought we'd get here, but apparently we have.
Katy is over Rhys and Feyre.
The perfect relationship. The perfect baby. The constant reminders that they're very much in love.
It's all getting to be a little much.
And while Elyse appreciated seeing Feyre assert herself as High Lady, particularly when advocating for the humans, she also found the couple considerably less interesting than the rest of the cast.
Especially when Rhys seems perfectly content to go along with Feyre's plans while simultaneously interfering in everyone else's lives.
The really interesting question?
Why didn't we get a Rhys point of view?
We heard from almost everyone else, and Rhys has never exactly been known for sitting quietly on the sidelines.
Is he planning something?
We wouldn't put it past him.
And if he is, Katy would like it to have actual consequences for once.
The Ending: The Prison, the Sword, and Elain's Exit
There were two developments in the final chapter that really caught our attention.
First, Nesta returns to the Prison with Gwydion, the sword Bryce left behind.
And then the sword disappears. Considering Amren was the one who encouraged Nesta to bring it there, we're left with some questions.
Does Amren know something the rest of the Inner Circle doesn't? Is she working toward a larger plan? Could there be a betrayal coming? Or is she trying to find a way to bring help from somewhere beyond Prythian?
We're suspicious.
Then there's Elain, who finally decides she's had enough.
Instead of continuing to sit around the Night Court being miserable, she asks Mor to take her to the continent.
She's a Seer. She has abilities. She wants to be useful.
And, perhaps most importantly, she wants to get out.
Katy loved seeing her make that decision.
Elyse was finally interested in what Elain might do next.
More of this Elain, please.
Elyse's Avengers Theory Is Getting Stronger
Elyse has been holding on to one major Maasverse theory, and A Court of Splintered Harmony only made her more convinced.
The remaining ACOTAR story is going to follow an Avengers-style arc.
Her updated theory goes something like this:
Crescent City 3 = The Avengers. Our first major crossover brings characters and worlds together.
ACOTAR 6 = Civil War. Everyone is divided, alliances are strained, and the heroes can't agree on how to face the coming threat.
ACOTAR 7 = Infinity War. The big conflict arrives, more worlds potentially collide, and things might end very badly for our heroes.
ACOTAR 8 = Endgame. Everyone has to figure out how to recover and finally defeat the bigger threat.
And Katy? She thinks people might actually die.
Maybe Nesta. Maybe Cassian. Maybe Azriel.
We're not emotionally prepared, but we're also beginning to think a war of this scale needs some genuine consequences.
As for whether Bryce will return, we're feeling pretty confident we'll see more Crescent City connections.
And if the Throne of Glass characters eventually join the party?
Well, that's the Avengers crossover we're waiting for.
Final Thoughts: Was ACOTAR 6 Worth the Wait?
For two people who went into this book trying not to have particularly high expectations, we both had a surprisingly good time.
Katy loved getting more Azriel, watching Elain finally do something for herself, and spending time with the characters rather than immediately being thrown into another massive war.
Elyse appreciated the return to Prythian, the multiple points of view, and the way the book laid the groundwork for what's coming next. Even if she would have preferred a little less Azriel and a lot more Elain.
We both agree that it feels like we're only getting part of a much bigger story.
But after so long away from this world, maybe that's okay.
Katy's rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️
Elyse's rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️
Not a perfect book. Not necessarily a complete-feeling book. But a genuinely enjoyable return to a world we missed.
Now please give us the other 900 pages.
ACOTAR 6 Fast Facts
Book: A Court of Splintered Harmony
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Book 6
Genre: Romantasy / Epic Fantasy
Vibes: The Halloween special, a divided friend group, political tension, and unresolved relationship drama
Themes and tropes: Mating bonds, forbidden romance, found family conflict, chosen love vs. fate, self-discovery, political alliances, impending war
Genre'd rating: 4 stars from both Katy and Elyse
Spoiler level: Extremely high, including other Maasverse series
Join the Conversation
We have some questions, and we need answers.
Are you Team Azriel and Elain? Do you think Elain should reject her mating bond? Is Rhys secretly planning something? And are we finally going to see the Inner Circle face some serious consequences?
Most importantly, is Elyse right that Azriel needs therapy, or is Katy right that everyone needs to leave him alone?
Come tell us what you think on Instagram and TikTok. We want theories, disagreements, and your most controversial ACOTAR 6 opinions.
Listen & Follow Genre'd
Listen to our emergency A Court of Splintered Harmony episode wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the full conversation on YouTube.
Follow Genre'd for romance, romantasy, thrillers, author interviews, and two sisters with strong opinions about fictional characters.
And remember, no genre shaming unless it's funny.
FAQ's About A Court of Splintered Harmony
Is A Court of Splintered Harmony ACOTAR Book 6?
Yes. A Court of Splintered Harmony is the sixth installment of Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series and continues the story following A Court of Silver Flames and the Crescent City crossover.
Do you need to read Crescent City before ACOTAR 6?
We strongly recommend it. Events from Crescent City, especially the third book, play an important role in the relationships, conflicts, and mysteries explored in A Court of Splintered Harmony.
Is ACOTAR 6 about Azriel and Elain?
Azriel and Elain are central to some of the book's biggest developments, but the story features multiple character perspectives and wider political conflicts. Their relationship is one of the major topics we debate in this episode.
Is A Court of Splintered Harmony a setup book?
That's certainly how we interpreted it. Much like A Court of Frost and Starlight, it focuses on character relationships, unresolved tensions, and preparing readers for a much larger story to come.
Will there be another ACOTAR book?
Yes. As discussed in the episode, Maas has described the continuing story in four movements. A Court of Splintered Harmony begins that structure, with more story planned across subsequent installments.
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