Trauma
The novel's main character, Feyre, is left traumatized by the events of the previous novel in the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. In that novel, she was forced to fight against a series of enemies more powerful than she was. She was likewise forced to deal with tremendous loss and negativity during that incident, which changed her forever.
That trauma informs her decisions in A Court of Mist and Fury. She spends part of the novel working through her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her healing is not done in a linear fashion; instead, it is done in spurts and in times when one least expects it. With the help of the Night Court and, particularly, Rhysand, Feyre learns to confront her fears, accept support, move forward from her trauma, and live a better life because of it.
Transformation
The story revolves around Feyre's transformation from an ordinary human to a High Fae and her transformational journey in learning about and understanding herself. The events of the first novel in the series, in which she undergoes deeply traumatic events to stop her new world from falling, lead her to question who she has become. Questions like where she belongs, what her goals are in life, and who she really loves plague her in A Court of Mist and Fury. These questions, which are exacerbated by the PTSD she is suffering from, enable Feyre to learn about her own strengths and desires, which often contrast with how others perceive her or want her to be. Throughout the novel, it's clear that Feyre's transformational journey isn't an easy one; she has to work hard to change herself and has to endure the scorn and ridicule from many of the people around her. Regardless, she carries on and ends up a new, better person for it, showing the importance of change in a person's life.
