A Court of Music (An ACOTAR Series Playlist)

The connection between writing/reading and music is something very special- two of my favorite things in the world that work together so well. I love that so many writers use music to help their writing and I love when a reader finds a piece of music that reminds them of a book.

Sarah J. Maas is a writer who talks a lot about the music she uses when writing. She makes her Spotify playlists public and, in her newsletter, she shares many of the specific pieces of music that go with certain scenes. I may have cried a little when she revealed that it was Beethoven's 7th she imagined being played for Feyre while Under the Mountain. I cry every time I hear that 2nd movement..including when I played it in orchestra. (Awkward. Like, I legit was tearing up while on stage.)

So, it was inevitable that I would create a playlist for A COURT OF MIST AND FURY, my new favorite book. Sooo many songs were reminding me of the book because Sarah is so good at writing words that convey a ton of emotion- just like good music!

So, check out what I came up with in my Spotify playlist below. I started out just picking songs that reminded me of ACOMAF, but I wanted to encompass the entire story from Feyre first entering Prythian to Under the Mountain, to her depression and coping, and of course, to what happens after that. There are some spoilers below, so be warned. And please- let me know what songs you would include!

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES

A COURT OF MIST AND FURY

ACOTAR-

• “I love you,’ he whispered, and kissed my brow. ‘Thorns and all.”  (Tamlin)

• “I threw myself into that fire, threw myself into it, into him, and let myself burn.”
• Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him. "Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all.”
• "Because I'm tired and lonely, and you're the only person I can talk to without putting myself at risk." (Rhysand)
• As I lifted the ash dagger, something inside me fractured so completely that there would be no hope of ever repairing it.

1. Fell On Black Days- Soundgarden
1. “Sunspots have faded and now I'm doing time Now I'm doing time 'Cause I fell on black days
2. Wolf- First Aid Kit
1. “Wolf father, at the door You don't smile anymore”
3. Satellite- Dave Matthews Band
1. “Winter's cold spring erases”
4. Sacrilege- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
1. “Fallen for a guy, fell down from the sky Halo round his head Feathers in a bed In our bed, in our bed”
5. Yellow Flicker Beat- Lorde
1. “This is the start of how it all ends They used to shout my name, now they whisper it I’m speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart”
6. The Blackest Day- Lana Del Rey
1. “Because I'm going deeper and deeper Harder and harder Getting darker and darker Looking for love In all the wrong places”
7. Truth Doesn’t Make a Noise- The White Stripes
1. “My baby's got a heart of stone”
8. Black Tangled Heart- Silverchair
1. “Take the rope to my heart and fall”
9. Stars- The Brian Jonestown Massacre
1. “And every moment I'm not with you Well it seems like years.”
10. Ink- Coldplay
1. “Got a tattoo said 'together thru life'”
11. Lykke Li- Hold On, We’re Going Home
1. “I can't get over you, You left your mark on me.I want your high love and emotion, endlessly”
12. Better Love- Hozier
1. “But you were mine Staring in the blackness at some distant star”
13. All I Want- Kodaline
1. “But If you loved me. Why'd you leave me?”
14. Symphony 7, II- Beethoven
15. Hurt- Nine Inch Nails
1. “I focus on the pain. The only thing that's real.”
16. Night Sky- Chvrches
1. “I'm the night-sky I'm the fire in your eyes And I want you Now and for all time”
17. Wandering Stars- Portishead
1. “doubled up inside Take awhile to shed my grief”
18. In This Twilight- Nine Inch Nails
1. “Night descends Could I have been a better person? If I could only Do it all again”
19. The Words- Christina Perri
1. “And all of the steps that led me to you And all of the hell I had you walk through But I wouldn't trade a day for the chance to say My love, I'm in love with you”
   
   

TRANSITION- Can’t Deal

• “When you spend so long trapped in darkness, Lucien, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
• “Hello, Feyre darling,” he purred.
• “You sent that music into my cell. Why?” Rhysand’s voice was hoarse. “Because you were breaking. And I couldn’t find another way to save you.”

1. It Was There That I Saw You- ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
1. “You were fair and fey as a sun that evil day We were bold and life was great But as time went on I wondered what was wrong I wondered what became of you”
2. Black Star- Radiohead
1. “What are we coming to?I just don't know anymore”
3. Without You- For King & Country
1. “This thorn in my side, though it cuts and stings me Has opened these eyes, I've never seen so clearly”
4. Broken Crown- Mumford & Sons
1. “But oh my heart, was flawed I knew my weakness So hold my hand consign me not to darkness”
5. Identikit- Radiohead
1. “Broken hearts make it rain”
6. Hold On, Hold On- Neko Case
1. “That echo chorus lied to me with its "Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on"”
7. Fall In Love- Phantogram
1. “Love, it wasn't love to recognize To see of was the reason you feel sick inside”
8. Crown of Love- Arcade Fire
1. “If you still want me, please forgive me, The crown of love has fallen from me.”
9. In the Arms of Sleep- Smashing Pumpkins
1. “Sleep will not come to this tired body now. Peace will not come to this lonely heart”
10. Breathe Me- Sia
1. “Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found Yeah, I think that I might break”
11. Better Love- Foxes
1. “I cried myself to sleep again You lie right there, but I've learned nothing”
12. Skinny Love- Birdy
1. “I told you to be patient.I told you to be fine.I told you to be balanced.I told you to be kind”
13. Plug In Baby- Muse
1. “I’ve exposed your lies…”
14. In The Night- The Weeknd
1. “”All alone she was livin In a world without an end or beginning
15. Spectrum- Florence + the Machine
1. “Say my name And every color illuminates”

ACOMAF- Depression, Recovery, Fighting, Loving

• “There are different kinds of darkness,” Rhys said.
• “There are good days and hard days for me—even now. Don’t let the hard days win.”
• “No one was my master— but I might be master of everything, if I wished. If I dared.”
• “To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys." Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”
• My friend through many dangers. My lover who had healed my broken and weary soul. My mate who had waited for me against all hope, despite all odds

1. Unsteady- X_Ambassadors
1. “If you love me, don't let go”
2. Stars- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
1. “I can't look at the stars. They make me wonder where you are”
3. Between the Bars- Elliott Smith
1. “Drink up baby, look at the stars. I'll kiss you again between the bars. Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air. Waiting to finally be caught”
4. Yellow- Coldplay
1. “Oh yeah your skin and bones, Turn into Something beautiful”
5. You Should Know Where I’m Coming From- Banks
1. “You ought to know where I'm coming from How I was alone when I burnt my home”
6. Planet Caravan- Pantera
1. “We sail through endless skies stars shine like eyes the black night sighs”
7. Shadows of the Night- Pat Benatar
1. “We're running with the shadows of the night So baby take my hand, you'll be all right”
8. Reflektor- Arcade Fire
1. “Trapped in a prism, in a prism of light. Alone in the darkness, darkness of white”
9. Galaxies- Laura Veirs
1. “When you sing, stars fill up my eyes”
10. Everlong- Foo Fighters
1. “Breathe out So I can breathe you in”
11. A Sky Full of Stars- Coldplay
1. “'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars I'm gonna give you my heart
12. Gun- Chvrches
1. “You had better run from me With everything you own 'Cause I am gonna come for you With all that I have”
13. Cosmic Love- Florence and the Machine
1. “Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too. So I stayed in the darkness with you”

• And so Tamlin unwittingly led the High Lady of the Night Court into the heart of his territory.
  
  
  
  
  XO,
  SVR