A Court This Cruel and Lovely is part of the romantasy genre, which is a hybrid genre combining the conventions of romance and fantasy. While books in the fantasy genre often have romance subplots, romantasy novels ensure that the romantic arc is the central aspect of the plot. However, such stories are set within the broader context of fantasy-style world-building, and tropes such as magical powers, mythical creatures, and heroic quests are common. Two prominent authors in this genre include Sarah J. Maas, who wrote Throne of Glass (2012) and A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015), and Jennifer L. Armentrout, who wrote From Blood and Ash (2020) and A Shadow in the Ember (2021). The popular appeal of the genre lies in its ability to blend the emotional stakes of romance with the escapism and adventure of fantasy.

Several defining features set romantasy apart as its own genre, and the most important aspect involves the genre’s approach to romance itself. While the setting may be magical or otherwise fantastical, the emotional connection between the protagonists remains the primary driving force of the

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