Bloomsbury is releasing Night Court editions of the Court of Thorns and Roses books, but these special editions are proving divisive among fans of Sarah J. Maas’ fantasy series. The first ACOTAR book is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, so it’s no surprise that the series is getting a set of special editions to celebrate. However, there’s been notable backlash to ACOTAR‘s Night Court editions, with several complaints cropping up repeatedly across social media.
While the all-black design of these limited edition releases feels properly reminiscent of the Night Court, not all readers are thrilled with this approach. Bloomsbury’s Instagram announcement received numerous comments criticizing these Court of Thorns and Roses editions, with some stating they’d prefer the sixth ACOTAR book instead. Those outside of the discourse might be wondering why the Night Court editions are proving so controversial, and there are a few reasons for this response.
The Complaints About A Court Of Thorns & Roses’ Night Court Editions Explained
Readers Feel They Aren’t Flashy Or Exciting Enough
Among the most common complaints about the new Night Court editions of A Court of Thorns and Roses is the fact that they aren’t as flashy or exciting as readers expected, especially given the first book’s 10-year anniversary. Many readers are noting that these ACOTAR editions are paperbacks, not hardcovers, and that their designs aren’t all that unique. In fact, they’re very similar to the regular covers, mainly utilizing their black and gray color scheme to stand out.
There isn’t any new bonus material in these editions of A Court of Thorns & Roses, giving readers little incentive to purchase them beyond their aesthetic.
Additionally, there isn’t any new bonus material in these editions of A Court of Thorns & Roses, giving readers little incentive to purchase them beyond their aesthetic. While A Court of Silver Flames will include the bonus chapter about Rhysand and Feyre that was featured in the original Barnes and Noble edition, there isn’t any additional content to look forward to. There aren’t new chapters, nor is there new artwork within the covers. The new design alone isn’t enticing readers to pick up more copies of the ACOTAR books, and that’s indicative of a bigger issue.
ACOTAR’s Night Court Edition Criticisms Are Reflective Of A Greater Publishing Trend
Special Editions Feel Less Special
The consensus around the Night Court editions of ACOTAR is that they don’t feel special enough, and that’s representative of a bigger publishing problem. With publishers putting out so many special editions in recent years — for new books and older releases — such copies are starting to feel less remarkable. The Night Court editions aren’t the only special editions to receive backlash recently. Onyx Storm‘s Target collector’s edition was met with a similar response, albeit for different reasons.
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It appears that readers are tired of choosing between multiple copies of the same book, and the lack of exciting bonus material makes that problem even worse. The response to the new A Court of Thorns & Roses editions doesn’t bode well for this publishing trend. Perhaps better bonus content and designs can get readers back on board, but too many exclusives in different editions of the same book could also backfire.
Source: Instagram
A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
- Publisher(s)
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Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publication Date
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2015-05-05
- ISBN#
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9781619634442