The Book That Gave Me Clarity

I didn’t expect it to be hit so hard by A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas…..and let’s be honest- it was not just one book – it was the entire series. On the surface, it’s fantasy—a richly imagined world of magic, courts, and battles. But at its core, it’s about something much more universal. It’s a book about trauma, healing, identity, and reclaiming your voice.

The clarity comes with Feyre in the aftermath of deep emotional and physical trauma. She’s changed—literally and figuratively—after being turned fae. Instead of healing, she finds herself suffocating in life with Tamlin, a partner who becomes increasingly controlling under the guise of protection. Watching her shrink into herself was painful, but also painfully real.

Then comes Rhysand.

He doesn’t rescue her. He doesn’t swoop in and fix everything. What he does is offer her space. Respect. Truth. Choice. And in doing so, he helps her rediscover the pieces of herself that had gone quiet.

Feyre’s transformation in this series is one of the most honest portrayals of healing I’ve ever read in fiction. She learns to set boundaries. She discovers that love isn’t meant to trap her. Ultimately, she realizes that she needs to rebuild herself, and she needs to do it for herself.

Feyre’s story is a reminder about growth and relationships. Healing isn’t always clear or obvious. It can be a slow, messy process that often unfolds without anyone noticing. It also serves as a painful reminder that those we once saw as saviors may not always have our best interests at heart. This is extremely difficult to see, especially in the moment. True love should empower and uplift us, not confine or diminish who we are.

And maybe the most powerful lesson? That fate can be unexpectedly kind. Even when you feel lost or stuck, life has a funny way of redirecting you—sometimes to people and places you never saw coming.

-Lauren