#Acowar reread

[starsreminisce]

I've always wondered about the shift in Elain and Lucien's relationship towards the end of ACOWAR and into ACOSAF. While it might seem like a retcon (which it was haha), upon my re-read, I noticed how short the span of time was.

Amidst the confusion of seeing Graysen enter the battle, fighting alongside the fae he once despised, a clear revelation emerged – love could indeed triumph over the mating bond.

Contrary to expectations, it wasn't Graysen who sought her out in the aftermath. Instead, it was Lucien.

Lucien, with urgency in his steps, ran towards her, expressing genuine concern for her well-being. Elain, reciprocating the concern, observed his bloodied state and asked if he was alright. In that moment, she smiled, recognizing the potential life she might have faced with Graysen. Following Lucien, peering into his face, she invited him to live in Velaris, seizing the opportunity for some much-needed alone time together.

The next day, with Lucien by her side, seeing Graysen collaborate with creatures they had committed to kill for the new treaty, Elain must have felt the weight of Lucien's low snarls and realized the true meaning of having a mate. Graysen's presence, contributing to the building of the new world, might have reignited Elain's hope of giving their relationship a chance, anticipating that Graysen, with this shift, might change his mind.

He left without a single word to her, and yet Lucien's decision to stay behind and help, despite the hatred towards his kind, conveys a profound message.

"He doesn't even know me," she said in ACOSAF.

So how could someone who didn't know her for long understand her better than someone she had planned to spend the rest of her life with? How could someone she'd been with for at least a year be surpassed in understanding by someone who knew her only a matter of weeks?

[colorlesschristmastree]

Feyre having to brace herself for impact everytime Nesta opens her mouth is so real of her.. like me too girl.

But good god Nesta's dialogue somehow manages to ruin my immersion in the scene each time during this reread, it's like I'll be really into the scene and then she'll appear on page and I blink and remember that this is a book I'm reading.

[shallyne]

"I hadn't realized I was a villain in your narrative." is such a powerful sentence/quote

Acowar chapter 15

[starswhogaze]

Feyre at the beginning of Acowar is sooo funny.

[velidewrites]

Okay but the way Lucien is already described as crazy powerful and he doesn’t even KNOW about his main powers yet is so sexy to me. He’s mastered fire with a minor in Warriorism™️ all while having a secret stash of High Lord of Day powers still waiting for him somewhere down the road I’m sick to my stomach he’s going to be UNSTOPPABLE

[nestastits]

Cassian payed so much attention to Nesta, that he named over a dozen of the faces she’d make and had a personal favorite too. Nesta payed so much attention to cassian that she named all the different various positions he’d put his wings into and what it meant when he would do it. (They’ve been doing this since acomaf)

And you’re telling me these two aren’t made for one another????

[justreallybored]

Listening to the acowar graphic audiobook again and there's a part that always sticks out to me-

Azriel and Mor are sitting at Amren's after Feyre visits her sisters for the first time, and after Mor and Cassian(cassian sits beside mor when this happens) joke about Lucien not being able stay away from Elain and Azriel gets up and walks to the other side of the room. It always strikes me as odd, considering he also got out of visiting the HOW with Lucien right before.

I think feelings he didn't understand or want to acknowledge were happening at this point because every time Elain is mentioned, Azriel is noted doing something. It's just interesting to me how SJM slowly started intertwining them.

[acomaflove]

Sarah J. Maas Meeting with her Publisher

SJM: The ACOTAR series is going to be a fairy-tale retelling about faeries, war, and overcoming trauma.

Publisher: LOVE IT. Anything else?

SJM: Yeah, I’ll do several sequel books about side characters that will still include battles and magic.

Publisher: PERFECT! Sounds like a plan.

SJM: WAIT! In the middle, I want to post a short novella story.

Publisher: Oh cool, like a post-war transition into the sequel books?

SJM: No. Like bunch of cutesy christmas romance short stories. Just for funsies.

Publisher:

Publisher:

Publisher: Okay………weird pivot but we’ll roll with it.

[nicolemabes]

Antis: I CANT BELIEVE FEYSAND WOULD FLIRT AND BE SEXUAL IN THE LIBRARY HOW DARE THEY

Meanwhile the text:

[feyrescourt]

No, I really don’t mess with the Lucien stans in general because this is the man that’s got y’all jumping up and down screaming about how Feyre and Rhys are such terrible people? The one who excused the abuse she suffered at the hands of someone because he was his friend? The one who tried to kidnap her and bring her BACK to her abuser when she strictly said she didn’t want to return? The one who tried to guilt trip her into essentially accepting a life of being manipulated and controlled because she was brought back to life by the high lords and the girl he loved wasn’t?

Mind you Feyre was a 19 year old human girl who had no business being in prythian until Tamlin kidnapped her and forced her into this position to break his curse.

Everything that happens after the death of her human self should be done on HER TERMS. Not theirs.

This series (especially the trilogy) is HER story, and I will not let stans of a side character try to craft any other narrative that doesn’t center her experiences.

[helion-ism]

crying cause sjm isn’t subtle at all

[starsreminisce]

Saur, I finished ACOWAR and, as usual, I have some thoughts. I believe it might be easier to divide them into different sections since I tend to ramble and go off tangents. Given the thickness of the book, there's a lot to cover.

Below are sections discussing Spring Court, Feyre/Lucien, Helion, Amren, and Elriel.

Spring Court

One of the hotly discussed topics of ACOWAR revolves around the fall of the Spring Court. Personally, I believe it was meant to highlight the lack of understanding between Tamlin and Feyre. Both bear responsibility for the Court's downfall. Feyre knew her goal when planning to leave, and using Tamlin's sentries against him showcased a ruthlessness common among High Lords. Tamlin's faults included taking on too much, disregarding counsel, assuming Feyre would accept his idyllic plans, and making no effort to bring back her sisters. The breaking point was the whipping of a sentry, a consequence of Feyre's attempt to expose Tamlin rather than focusing on eliminating Hybern's associates. In the end, both made bad calls contributing to the Spring Court's demise.

Feyre/Lucien

While Tamlin and Feyre exemplify how little they know each other, the dynamic between Lucien and Feyre reveals a surprising depth of understanding. Lucien strategically plays his part during Feyre's return to the Spring Court, and they form an alliance as the enemy of their common enemy. Despite the criticism Feyre faces for putting Lucien in harm's way, he demonstrates that he can avoid dealing with someone if he chooses to. Their evolving relationship reflects a shift toward a more balanced dynamic.

It's interesting to wonder whether, just as Feyre struggled to understand love, she also grappled with the concept of friendship. Despite expressing regret about not intervening during Lucien's incident at Calanmai, Feyre initially hesitated to act until prompted by a familiar trigger. The cathartic argument they had on their way back to the Night Court highlighted the complexities of their relationship. Lucien, unlike Mor in a similar situation, was open to continuing the conversation and accepted Feyre's unwillingness to do so.

The evolution of their dynamic is marked by Feyre's changing perceptions. She begins to recognize that Lucien is not the enemy, feels guilt when he's not involved in Night Court plans, fears for his well-being if he leaves, and understands that it's a necessary step for him.

Their initial alliance for personal goals gradually transforms into a deeper understanding of their friendship, slipping into old dynamics and overcoming challenges to form a more profound connection.

Helion

As a Lucien stan, witnessing his journey from the Spring Court to the Night Court and his eventual departure was intriguing. The subsequent chapters delve into the contrasting figures of the father who raised him, Beron, and the male who fathered him, Helion. The High Lords meeting provides a glimpse into Helion's leadership style and later reveals his true paternity to Lucien.

Beron's treatment of others mirrors the harsh environment Lucien grew up in, while Helion's actions in the meeting hint at a more nuanced and effective leadership approach. The way Helion addresses Feyre's accusation about Tamlin, along with the stark difference in his public and private demeanor, raises questions about how Lucien might behave when assuming a leadership role.

The High Lords meeting, undoubtedly a highlight, felt like a gathering of the Real High Lords of Prythian, akin to a reunion special hosted by someone like Andy Cohen.

Amren

The argument that Amren should have remained dead overlooks a crucial aspect of her existence. She utilized the Cauldron to transcend her original form, essentially undergoing a transformation that allowed her to break free. This process, akin to the Drop in Bryce's case with Danika, suggests a unique connection to Rhys, who served as her anchor.

Unlike those who perished in a conventional sense, Amren's death, if we can call it that, was a result of her transformation rather than a final, irreversible end. The nature of her connection to the Cauldron and Rhys implies a certain resilience that allows her to return, even if lost in the void. The circumstances surrounding Amren's "death" and subsequent existence suggest a different set of rules at play for her, contributing to the rationale behind her return.

Elriel

Every Elriel moment appears to be juxtaposed with adversity for Azriel, consistently portraying him as preoccupied or prompted by external factors when interacting with Elain. Right from the beginning, Rhys noted that Cassian was in worse shape than Azriel, yet Cassian still managed to check on Nesta in the House of Wind. Azriel's actions toward Elain often seem prompted by others, and he consistently prioritizes Mor over her.

While Elain may be developing feelings for Azriel, the sentiment doesn't appear to be reciprocated. Their only conversations involve Azriel posing questions in a manner reminiscent of an interrogation. The pivotal moment with Truth-Teller underscores Azriel's priorities. Despite Mor pleading with him to stay grounded and the opportunity to remain with Elain, he chooses to become the eyes and ears of the battle, displaying a lack of prioritization for Elain's company.

Azriel's actions further highlight his stronger reactions to Mor's emotional state than Elain's. Whether it's his hurt over Mor avoiding him or his inclination to confront Eris instead of Graysen, Azriel's choices consistently indicate a higher regard for Mor's feelings.

In summary, the dynamics between Azriel and Elain suggest a one-sided focus, with Azriel seemingly gravitating toward Elain for attention when Mor is no longer providing it.

[sadiegirl2021]

Elain in Chapter 15 before meeting Lucien

Rhys was there, an arm sliding around my waist. “Can we get you anything, Elain?” He spoke with such gentleness I could barely stand it. “I want to go home,” she repeated.

Elain in Chapter 29 when Lucien tugged on the bond

Nesta hid the devastation well. The frustration. “What can I get you, Elain?” Only with Elain did she use that voice. But Elain shook her head once more. “Sunshine.”

Elain had a vision just before she said Sunshine... so was she having another vision of her future home in the Day Court when Nesta asked her what she needed!?

[shallyne]

"I missed you. Every second, every breath. Talking to you, laughing with you. I missed having you in my bed, but missed having you as my friend even more."

Chapter 14, acowar

[ataraxiaaaaaaa]

I HATE THAT AT THE END OF THE FUCKING DAY I WANT NESSIAN TO WORK OUT😔

[yazthebookish]

"Az carried Elain bridal style"

She was unresponsive in his arms.