#i guess this makes this post anti sjm as well

[lunamond]

In keeping with my recommendation of Cruel Beauty, an actual good YA book, instead of 🔥hotfire garbage🔥, aka Acotar, I thought I'd recommend another favourite of mine.

So, this time, I'm going to give an alternative recommendation to Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This post is definitely not inspired by the release of Iron Flame.

Instead please try:

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda❤️‍🔥

This recommendation is especially for anyone who fell for the advertising when FW first came out, and it was sold as a YA adjacent military dragon fantasy with a slow burn romance.

So if that sounds interesting to you and you want to read an actually well written story, go check out Fireborne.

Fireborne is a YA fantasy, the 1st book of the Aurelian Cycle (a completed trilogy).

It follows its two main characters in a military academy through their training to become dragon riders.

I personally have pitched this series to irl friends as a genderswapped Anastasia (animated movie) with dragons.

The story takes place right after a big revolution. The people overthrew the dragon riding aristocracy.

Our main characters meet up in an orphanage, where they grow up together and end up joining the military academy to become dragon riders.

A lot of the story revolves around the questions that come up when a newly formed government is put through crisis.

All seen through the eyes of the protagonists, who as teenagers are old enough to know what life was like before the revolution, but young enough to have grown up in the new system.

The story does a great job of dealing with the struggles that come with uprooting old deeply ingrained systems of oppression while trying to build a newer fairer system.

The dragons are an integral part of this theme. Unlike FW, in which magical abilities and creatures are added without regard for how they might impact the world or themes, in Fireborne, the dragons are the embodiment of political and military power.

When the aristocracy ruled their oppressive regime, they were the only ones allowed to own and ride dragons. After their fall, the new regime allowed regular people the opportunity to become riders.

However, the number of dragons is still limited, and the new regime, comprised of former revolutionary leaders, want to keep the new riders under their control.

So, in the end, they still come up with a system that allows for abuse and oppression because access to power remains restricted to a chosen few, the dragon riders and those who control them, the newly established government.

These themes make for really complicated and nuanced conflicts without easy solutions. The sequels make a great job with further expanding on these themes.

The military elements also all make sense in this series, and they employ logical means to train their most valuable military assets, their dragon riders unlike FW.

It also features one of my favourite slow burn romances (at least in YA), the relationship has actually depth and tension, while also providing believable reasons why the characters can't just get together.

I'm actually really salty that Fourth Wing took off practically overnight, while Fireborne has been out for ages and has consistently remained underhyped. But I guess it isn’t spicy... 😒

So, for anyone who picked FW up without realising that it is actually just a very trashy smutty romance mascarading as a high fantasy, I highly recommend reading Fireborne which comes with the added perk of not being written by a known zionist.

[blackcatsnstrawberries]

ACOTAR 5 Theory (it's 5 because ACOFAS is 3.5)

I really need people to start understanding that novellas are .5 of a novel.

I am going to start by saying I am not anti Lucien, in fact having Lucien around was what got me through the first half of ACOTAR and the first few chapters of ACOWAR, I genuinely like him.

That being said, this post is (anti) Elucien and (pro) Elriel, and not because I don't like Elain and Lucien together, but because Elriel makes more sense.

From reading ACOSF, specifically the bonus chapter, we know about a possible Blood Duel between Azriel and Lucien brewing because of Elain. Lots of pro Azriel people think that he will be able to easily kill Lucien, and pro Lucien people think Lucien will be able to kill Azriel.

Neither can kill the other without ruining their character. Therefore, neither of them will die in the blood duel. BUT Lucien has to win it in order to move on from his mating bond to Elain.

Let me explain...

Lucien: From the context of the entire series of ACOTAR, we can see that Lucien isn't into Elain, but he hasn't broken the mating bond for whatever reason, my assumption is tradition and expectation. If Lucien were to kill Azriel in the Blood Duel, that would irrevocably ruin not only his relationship with everyone in the inner circle, but Elain wouldn't be like "Well, Azriel is dead! I guess I am with Lucien now!" It would lead nowhere. Elain loses her choice, Lucien ends up with someone he doesn't have feelings for, and everyone in the IC would probably want him dead, but even if they accepted the outcome, wouldn't welcome him ever again.

Conclusion: Tears the IC apart, takes away Elain's choice, ruins Lucien's character because he kills a popular/beloved character for no reason. It would ultimately turn him into a villian, and SJM likes him, he's not a villian.

Azriel: Azriel and Elain clearly have chemistry since the moment they met, it's undeniable (I will always link @sunlit-elain post .) I do think Azriel is the better fighter, and would probably win the Blood Duel, but again it would ruin his character. If Az won, he would be killing Feyre (his High Lady's) friend, arguably her best friend. Not to mention, Lucien is still seen as a "good guy", and having another "good guy" kill him off, would stain Azriel's character to the point where he would be considered unlikable by a lot readers. Again, even if Feyre accepts this is the reality of the blood duel, her friend is dead, she's going to have negative feelings about Azriel. His relationship with the IC would also be strained. Not to mention, I don't think Elain would be like all hot and bothered by the guy who killed someone to be with her, especially when that person isn't a "bad guy," or a threat.

Conclusion: Azriel killing Lucien creates turmoil in the IC that would forever damage the dynamics, and really wouldn't move the plot forward. Lucien isn't demanding Elain, he's not mean to Elain, he's trying to work at the bond. Killing him would eliminate the barrier, but create unnecessary new ones that couldn't be fixed.

So what's the conclusion then? There will be a blood duel, and Lucien will "win" but he won't kill Azriel...

Lucien has to come to the conclusion that his bond with Elain is dead himself.

Killing Azriel, or anyone, won't make him love Elain more, it won't make her love him, or even like him. He has nothing to gain from killing Az. But if he comes to the conclusion that Elain loves Azriel, and he spares Az's life for her, he can move on from the bond which clearly causes him pain and discomfort, and Azriel and Elain can get their happily ever after.

Edit:

On the same note, if Azriel has Lucien on his knees and spares his life because he doesn't want to kill Feyre's friend/Elain's bonded mate, that would make Lucien seen weak or his life was spared out pity. This wouldn't put any of his feelings about obligation to rest, it wouldn't dissipate how his body feels about the mating bond. Lucien has to be the one to end it on his terms.

All characters have a positive end to this arc in this scenario. Lucien sees his bond with Elain only brings pain to both of them, and is free to pursue anyone he wants (Vassa.) Azriel finally gets to be chosen, and Elain gets to make her choice about who she loves.

(If you want to see this dramatised I conveniently wrote it)

Also I didn't tag anything anti, so please don't come at me if you're pro Elucien and hate this take with anything mean. I am super happy to nicely defend my opinions and ideas, as you can read I said nothing negative about your ship, just that I think a different ship will happen.

[acourtofthought]

I used to really respect this blog but you’re turning so anti-Azriel that you sound like an el/riel. He’s no where near perfect and no where close to being my favorite character (so don’t come at me like I’m some kind of stan) but like…chill out. Your favorite characters don’t get better or more page time by trashing others. Your book theories don’t come true because of how much you ship two people. There’s this epidemic in this fandom where shipping clouds judgment, and it’s very few blogs where it doesn’t happen.

I honestly thought the elucien side was fun and sweet, but people like you are ruining that. You’ve preached about how above you are from el/riels and gw/nriels fighting that you quite literally mimic their weird behavior. Congrats on becoming your own worst enemy.

I don’t like to leave hate. Consider this constructive criticism.

Delete this if you will. I’ve blocked you anyway.

I'm glad you've blocked me because no one should be forced to read content that makes them unhappy however I'm not going to follow your suggestion to "delete this" because sometimes a girls just got to journal her thoughts and after your post I've got many 😂

If I were an E/riel then wouldn't I be singing Azriel's praises? I'm not sure how that comment makes any sense.

Also my Anti E/riel posts, Az's problematic behavior, and Lucien deserving his HEA before Az go way back so I'm not sure what new content you're suddenly having the problem with.

It's incredible when other people decide to box you into what you're allowed to write about. That because I support Elucien, all my content must be hearts and flowers in regards to Elucien at all times. Seriously, who the hell is anyone to place that label on someone? SJM writes raw and real characters who deal with heavy stuff, she's not a fluff writer. So it's alright to have strong opinions.

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely Elucien blogs that are 100% positive all the time and they are a gift to us all however let's not go around shaming the blogs who argue against some of the takes they've seen in the fandom.

I am an Elucien through and through however my username does lend itself towards the series as a whole.

I'm also a realist and that means I know that Az is getting a HEA. That means that I'm capable of picking up on the clues that the author has left for us, clues as to which female Az is well suited to be with, clues as to the direction Az might be headed in, clues as to which female he's got the chance at the healthiest relationship with. I also don't act like Az is a lost cause because that's not SJMs style. He's a main character and I know by the end, everything will fall into place. So maybe posts I've done demonstrating why I think Gwynriel is well suited and the fact that I do envision a HEA for Az has led someone into thinking I have a great opinion of Az?

Right now I don't, there is nothing that I find appealing about Az and I'm not sure why that's an issue.

Do you know how many posts I've seen where others don't care that much for Elain? Sure I wish that weren't the case and I'll argue in favor of Elain but I'm not about to go on to their page and tell them "chill out. Your favorite characters don’t get better or more page time by trashing others. Your book theories don’t come true because of how much you ship two people. There’s this epidemic in this fandom where shipping clouds judgment, and it’s very few blogs where it doesn’t happen."

In your own words there are "very few blogs where it doesn't happen" so I'm guessing the list of those you follow is fairly short? If you're a Gwynriel than I have to imagine you've seen a few judgemental posts on Elain that are clearly a result of the ship war. If an E/riel than I imagine you've seen the same slander in regards to Lucien and Gwyn. And I can't be the first Elucien you've met who isn't Az's #1 fan. Did you unfolllow those blogs with a farewell message? Or maybe I'm just the singular lucky target of your "constructive criticism".

Someone can disagree with me and create posts on why Az is their favorite, they can explain why they disagree in hopes I'll change my mind but why is it that crazy that I'm not all that impressed? Honestly, what makes Az all that special or awesome?

Right now there are so many posts building Az up to be some glorious creature who is so much more worthy than Elain. Or so much better than Gwyn who is just luring him. Who is a poor boy who was screwed over by Mor. Whose opinion that Lucien will never be good enough must be taken as fact rather than the more likely scenario that it's jealousy through and through. And I don't agree with any of that, there is NOTHING that makes Az better than Elain or Lucien or Gwyn.

Do my posts speak untruths about Az? Is he not fixated on the wrong women in unhealthy ways? Is he not insanely jealous of Lucien and being a dick as a result? Is he not a hothead when it comes to Rhys and Feyre as of late? Has he not made Mor uncomfortable at times, something she herself tells us?

While people are entitled to their opinion, I disagree with some of the takes placing Az as ruler on high too superior for the likes of Gwyn / Elain (choose your ship) and my posts are a rebuttal of sorts.

Which is no different than what the entire fandom does. One side claims Gwyn is evil, the other side argues against it. One side claims Elain is not good enough to be with Az, the other side argues against it.

I do think Gwyn deserves better than getting dragged into the mess that is Azriel's love life right now. However I think SJM is writing it so Gwyn is it for Az and I look for the positive in their relationship as a result. I anticipate the ways they will be good together eventually (as there are hints of it now) but since Az and Gwyn as a thing is not the current situation, I don't like Az all that much at the moment. The Az of the moment is yeesh and that's why the first half of the bonus was a shit show. Am I supposed to like Az for how he acted with Elain? For the way he acted with Rhys? For the way he spoke on behalf of Elain, that she should not be allowed near the Trove? For what he thinks of Lucien? If I applauded those moments then I'd be an E/riel.

I love when people gaslight with phrases like, "I thought the Elucien side was fun and sweet and people like you are ruining that". As if Elucien's can never be anything but fun and sweet. They MUST listen to the bullshit around them and take it up the ass with a smile on their faces. Somehow only other ship stans are allowed to yell the loudest to have their voices heard but as soon as an Elucien does it, we're suddenly the problem. Somehow E/riels are allowed to talk smack on Gwyn and Lucien and it's acceptable, some Gwynriels and even Eluciens are allowed to talk smack on Elain and it's acceptable but nobody better dare speak ill of Az!. If the posts tearing down Gwyn, Elain and Lucien did not exist in the first place, maybe there would not be the need for posts pointing out that Az is not the Grand Poobah of the ACOTAR world.

Eluciens are no better or worse. We're here trying to make our points and stand up for our characters (who really are two characters who get a lot of hate from many in the fandom).

Also, my ship is clouding my judgement of Az?

Most of Az's personality is wrapped up in his desire to be in a relationship, his self loathing or his anger at many many people. That's not my judgment being clouded, they are common refrains throughout the series.

Is it not possible that your ship is preventing you from actually paying attention to Az's personality outside of Gwyn and the problematic ways he's acting?

Sure he and Feyre had a few good scenes where he taught her to fly and it definitely seems like there's a good relationship forming between he and Nesta but that was a newly introduced thing. And yes, there are the fun brother moments where they're ribbing on one another, in the sauna or playing chess. But outside of that, what have we really been told of Az? He doesn't talk to anyone about the truly important stuff. He hates an entire group of men because they're Illyrians. He actually sulks when having to follow orders or simply ignores them. He is a bit of a dick when it comes to Lucien. For each warm and fuzzy Az moment there are way more problematic ones, for now.

Am I supposed to love Az for these things? I know Az will be different by the end of his book but right now, what is truly amazing about him? What makes him a stand up guy? Do I have to put him on a pedestal for running into danger and being a protector? Tamlin did that too yet it didn't win him favors with the fandom.

I'm an Elucien so isn't the goal to point out why Az is not well suited for Elain and why his behavior in regards to both Lucien and Elain is problematic? If I didn't take note of those things than wouldn't I think that Az is right in thinking Lucien isn't good enough for her? Wouldn't I think Az was heroic for just trying to protect Elain from the Trove?

Every Az and Gwyn interaction I've written about has been extremely positive and demonstrates how I can see the good in Az. Because there is an amazing vibe that surrounds the two of them. But compared to the Az/ Lucien / Elain stuff in the last few books, we have been given more problematic behavior from Az than we've been given positive behavior and honestly, that is basically the majority of Az's character these days. SJM has written much of his persona as being obsessed with Mor and a bond, his anger at the Illyrians, his anger at Eris, the jealousy he has over Lucien and Helion, his anger at orders he doesn't agree with.

For me, it's always a scale. I expect a character to have flaws, I don't expect them to be perfect. However the pro side of the scale needs to weigh more heavily than the cons side and that's not where Az is at for me right now.

Az has good moments, absolutely. Even villains are probably likeable in certain scenarios (not that Az is a villain but I'm making a point). But a characters "character" is more telling when they're at their worst. It's in how they treat others even when they don't like them. It's whether they unfairly take out their problems on those who don't deserve it. It's in their ability to communicate in a mature and healthy way.

For me, Az being sweet to Feyre during flying lessons, kind to the priestesses during training, his thoughtful gift for Nesta at Solstice, etc. don't really add up to all that much when stacked up against his more problematic behaviors. I'm sorry but one or two "awww, how sweet" moments don't eclipse the other things right now. I think it's SJM showing us who Az is capable of being but it's still overshadowed by the rest. The way he's disrespectful towards Feyre in SF, they way he disobeys his High Lords orders during a war, the way he would completely wipe the Illyrians off the map if given the chance, the way he's got issues with Lucien for no good reason at all (come to think of it, Az has issues with every single male in the series outside Rhys and Cassian), the way he can't control himself in important political meetings, the way he pouted after Rhys and Feyre told him not to go after Briallyn, the way he, at 539 ish years old doesn't know how to communicate to the people who have done nothing but love him for 500+ years.

I expect that balance to eventually shift but I'm not there yet. And I do think Lucien deserves a chance to prove himself before Az gets a HEA with his own mate after his having little respect for Lucien's own bond and Lucien in general. I'd like a lot more space between Az's history with Mor and his fixation on Elain before Gwyn ends up with him because she doesn't deserve to be stuck in the middle of a Jerry Springer-like episode.

And I've never preached at being above anything. In fact I'm quite sure I've mentioned I will match the energy of that which I see around me because sometimes being nice and sweet doesn't get you anywhere when dealing with certain people or groups. When others have sent anons on how well I hold my temper I respond with a personal acknowledgment that I know I got a bit feisty and apologized for it.

That will be all for now. I'm done "preaching" and I hope you've enjoyed the gospel of ACourtofThought.

[ae-neon]

I think the hatred stems because the fandom often puts Feyre and Nesta at war with each other. I’m mostly on the Feyre tags sphere so I do often see cases where they switch Nesta as the OG trilogy MC. While it’s honestly fine because we’re free to imagine whatever we like and it’s uncommon thing in fandoms, it got to the point wherein they are openly anti-Feyre despite claiming otherwise and exaggeratedly try to downplay her skills even though canon says otherwise. “Nesta is so smart. Feyre can’t read” “She’d solve the riddle in no time coz Feyre is stupid.” “Nesta’s so good at dancing, I bet Feyre’s a bad painter.” “She’s a better queen than Feyre.” And many other things. It went to the extent of pushing Feyre aside so they can *shudders* pair N and Rhys (even though they make zero sense) and these are all just coming from Nesta stans not Rhys stans and it’s funny ‘coz these are the same stans who hate Rhys. So these occurrences somehow sparked Feyre stans’ to conclude that there is a portion in the fandom that likes to downplay and “steal” Feyre’s journey (and actually hates Feyre even more than Rhys) and make certain scenarios that already described Feyre’s character but likes to pass it down to Nesta. So there are some content that’s like, “so…it’s basically Feyre but just a different name.” I guess it’s the reason why Feyre stans are a bit more alerted when posts similar like that swarm the tags. Like how Nesta is being vilified in the fandom (and I can say, that it’s excessive hate), Feyre’s character is also surrounded with misogynistic and ableist takes coming mostly from Nesta/Valkyrie (and Tamlin) lovers and I think each side already has a tainted impression of one another because of how often they take advantage of the character tags to post passive-aggressive posts towards the character. I’m sure that IC stans aren’t so innocent and I have seen them made a lot of toxic and harmful comments as well. So I guess the acotar fandom’s more like, “You stay on you lane and I’ll stick with mine” I think the fandom’s pretty fragile rn with the very evident divide between IC vs other characters. Paired that with the ship wars between Elriel and Gwynriel. While I’m more pro-IC and a Feyre kinnie, I still have a soft spot for the the three sisters. I agree on one reply that for your peace (and to not start another fandom war), if it’s an anti-Feysand post, it’s best not to use the Feyre and Rhysand tags. I think half of Nesta stans don’t ship Nessian so it’s a bit different for Feysand because majority/almost all Feyre and Rhys stans/whole acotar fandom have long established Feysand as the couple.

Anon, thank you for being so clear about it.

I want to be honest with you that many of those things describe stuff similar to things I've said and posted about.

But I also wanna say that I do feel like the three sisters - more so Nesta and Feyre are at the heart of my view of acotar. I think how similar yet different they are makes so many of those scenarios interesting to explore but I've never thought of just replacing Nesta with Feyre.

Eg if Nesta went to the Spring Court it would have been just as fascinating to see Feyre's journey to the wall to get Nesta back. For me the men in the series are kinda just complimentary, sorry if that sounds mean.

If I imagine N x R it's not because I want Rhys to treat Nesta like Feyre, it's just because I think they'd 8 out 10 times not work out romantically but seeing them work together would be interesting.

If I imagine Feyre as a Valkyrie it's because I miss certain aspects of Feyre's character that's unique to her, that I feel Nesta doesn't have. I personally don't see Nesta really ever working with Lucien as sjm planned or Cassian as is canon but I think it would be so easy for those characters to fall in love with Feyre because of who she is.

I dislike Rhysand, I won't lie to you. Like Cassian, I think how they treat their mates and how sjm uses the narrative for them makes real romance (in the way I see it) very difficult to imagine. In certain ways that I think he takes advantage of Feyre, I don't think he would be able to with Nesta - not cause she's better, just cause they're different.

I also am not really one of those stans who buys into Queen Nesta being literal like Queen of Hybern or Prythian or whatever. I just think that given her canon background she fits the political sphere better than Feyre does, the same way Feyre fits the action heroine and girl with a big friend group vibe better than Nesta does

I just want to be free to explore both sides of those narrative switches but it feels like the Feyre stans root her identity in her being with Rhysand. She was the saviour of Prythian, she killed the Middengard Wyrm, she trapped and befriended a Suriel - things I don't believe Nesta could do - so putting all the weight of her identity into "High Lady" the only one of her titles she owes directly to Rhysand is kinda sad and condescending to me.

Anyways that's for this open and honest dialogue

[duskcowboy]

“Is Az x Gwyn a red herring?”

[disclaimer: this post contains opinions on the Gwyn Lightsinger Theory as well as anti-Gw*nriel AND pro-Gw*nriel (kinda, but not really). If any of this isn’t your jazz, I recommend scrolling on.]

I’ve been asking myself this question a lot recently (specifically in reference to the *shhh* bonus chapter).

The reason I struggle with answering this is because a red herring must be purposeful on the part of the author, and I have this small feeling that it was never SJM’s intent to mislead her audience into thinking Gwyn was a potential LI. But at the same time, I don’t necessarily blame people for coming to that conclusion (I can see why they’d think she is or could be). I just have serious doubts that it was purposeful on SJM’s part. Here’s my thinking…

The definition of a red herring is as follows:

“A red herring is a misleading clue. It’s a trick used by storytellers to keep the reader guessing about what’s really going on.”

If the bonus scene with Az x Gwyn is a red herring, what is it diverting the reader’s attention from? Is it purposely making readers think Az and Elain won’t end up together when they actually will? If so, it’s done it’s job beautifully for a large portion of the fandom. Could it also be diverting attention away from Gwyn possibly being manipulated by Merrill? Also a potential possibility.

Or could it be that this is not the case at all, and Gwyn really is another potential LI for Az? (Also very possible at this point)

Or was the scene simply to hint at Gwyn being a lightsinger? (and no, not in an “evil” way)

Personally, I lean towards the last option (and I’ll explain why)…

After rereading the bonus chapter again, here are some points that I’ve broken up into three (3) categories: 1) points I believe hint to Gwyn as a lightsinger, 2) points that I think show it’s not romance between Az x Gwyn, and, 3) points that could be pointing to romance between Az x Gwyn (FYI, there are repeats of some quotes because I think there can be more than one interpretation):

1) Lightsinger Theory (for these, I highly recommend checking out these two posts by @silverlinedeyes dedicated to this theory to read more in-depth if you’re interested):

“The young priestess smiled—and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows.” - Gwyn shows immediate interest in Az’s shadows. She knows he’s a shadowsinger, so she may be curious about his abilities because she’s aware of her powers and hopes he may be able to help her understand them if they’re similar to his in some way.

“Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him.” - could be romantic, but also could be interpreted as the shadows being able to hear her “singing” (just like how they heard the cauldron when Az couldn’t) since the breath curled around her mouth and they “danced” with it.

“They call you shadowsinger. Is it because you sing?” - we already know Gwyn sings, so she has an interest in the subject, but could she also be curious because she thinks she has some sort of power similar to his?

“Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.” - again, there’s singing, and his shadows sing in answer, as if recognizing and answering a power like their own.

“Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening.” - (all credit to the Gwyn Lightsinger Theory author for this one, would’ve never noticed it myself) 7 is the time when the priestesses begin their service and singing, so Gwyn could be luring Az (wittingly or unwittingly) to the library with her singing

“Something sparked in Azriel’s chest…” - (see explanation for the one below)

“For whatever reason, he could see it.” - these two points parallel a lot of the enchantment and magic conducted by the cauldron (check out the Gwyn Lightsinger Theory for more in depth on these ones)

“Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly.” - glowing is often associated with the use of magic or power

2) Hints at no romance (keep in mind, this is just my own interpretation, you are free to disagree)

“it was too late to bank without appearing like he was running” - Az did not seem eager to have to engage with Gwyn, if he’d been warned earlier, he would’ve avoided her (at least, that’s my understanding)

“The lie was smooth and cool” - a lot of people argue “Az can be himself around Gwyn”, but just here, it shows he easily and successfully lies to her without hesitation (as opposed to Elain knowing he was lying earlier in the chapter)

“The young priestess smiled—and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows.” - this one can go either way romantic/not romantic; not romantic interpretation is that Gwyn wasn’t even smiling at Az himself, she was just intrigued by his shadows, just as she was intrigued many times by Nesta and her abilities

“For a heartbeat, their gazes met. He blocked out the bloody memory that flashed, so at odds with the Gwyn he saw before him now.” - when their eyes meet, he’s immediately reminded of the horror of her trauma (not exactly romantic imo)

“Her head ducked, as if remembering it too.” - Gwyn is also pained by the way Az reminds her of her trauma

“"Happy Solstice," she said, as much a dismissal as it was a holiday blessing.” - Gwyn tries to cut their interaction short (she denies this, and even if it wasn’t to be rude or actually dismiss him, she still wasn’t showing eagerness to continue their conversation)

“She opened her mouth to ask more, but he didn’t feel like explaining.” - Az isn’t interested in continuing this conversation or making an effort to, which is opposite to the interaction with Elain when she asks if he and Cass can fly and he answers

“…grateful for its bracing bite and the distraction of this impromptu lesson.” - his time here with Gwyn is a distraction, from who you may ask? Elain. (Again, I don’t see this as very romantic)

“He wouldn’t go so far as to call Gwyn a friend, but…” - idk how romantic it is to not even really be considered a friend

And just the fact that he regifted the necklace in general…not very romantic imo. No matter who he ends up with, they need to give him sh*t for that lmao

3) Points hinting at possible romance

“The young priestess smiled—and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows.” - I can see this as romantic in the sense that, just like Elain, she isn’t intimidated or scared of the shadows, but instead smiles at them and Az

“Pure amusement glittered in her state.” - they moved past the awkward moment and now are amusing each other with banter (which is often linked to romance)

“Azriel’s lip twitched.” - again, continuing the banter and she’s able to get a cute reaction out of him

“Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him.” - Az’s shadows obviously show interest in Gwyn which is a reaction from them we haven’t typically seen, they even dance with her breath which is very sweet

“Azriel laughed. "I’ll give you that." Gwyn smiled broadly. "Thank you."” - they are enjoying each other’s company, making each other laugh and smile

“Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.” - again, his shadows have taken quite the liking to Gwyn. As they are a part of him, it seems like Az and Gwyn have chemistry

“Something sparked in Azriel’s chest…” “He could picture it, though, as he ascended the stairs back to the House proper. How Gwyn’s teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace.” - the spark could be his feelings or maybe mating bond (tbh seems strange for it to kick in at this moment tho)? He thinks of how her eyes will light up seeing the necklace (seems potentially romantic to me)

“But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face.” - he smiles at the thought of her eyes shining

“A thing of secret, lovely beauty.” - could be in reference to Gwyn herself, that she is a thing of secret, lovely beauty he is now recognizing

Whew, okay—so, I do acknowledge some of those points above could be romantic, but at the same time, many of them can be explained by the lightsinger theory, or can be argued as just friendly (and not romantic) interactions. Since it only really happened in the bonus chapter, I have a hard time seeing SJM truly moving forward with them as a couple, or that she ever intended for that to be a possibility.

Additionally, the amount of points that contribute to the lightsinger theory (while also potentially disproving romantic hints), along with all the points that are not romantic (in fact, quite the opposite) added up, again, has me come to the conclusion that Gwyn was not purposely added as a “red herring” potential LI, and that it wasn’t even meant to lead readers in that direction. I believe the point of the second half of the bonus was to show there’s more to Gwyn than we know of right now in terms of her abilities and growth, but not necessarily romance.

However, if it turns out SJM did purposely add all of that as a red herring, I wouldn’t be surprised and I applaud her because, man, did that turn out exactly how she intended. People didn’t walk, they RAN down that misleading trail. On the other hand, if Gw*nriel turns out to be endgame, while I’d be surprised, I wouldn’t mind all that much, I’d still read the book and be curious how SJM plans to develop that relationship.

Honestly who am I to know for sure? I could very easily be wrong! Just wanted to put my thoughts down. Lmk what you all think :)

[heyovivi]

You know this week I’ve heard a lot of outlandish theories and arguments against Gwynriel, against Gwyn, and even against Lucien. And obviously it comes from mostly Elriel stans--not ALL of them, but goddamn a large number of them. I can appreciate having your own views on certain characters and certain ships but goddamn at least maintain your humanity and some part of a moral compass. 

First of all, we shouldn’t accuse SJM on writing or promoting pedophilia in her books. The theory that Gwyn is a child is completely invalid. She is twenty-eight and she was sexually assaulted when she twenty-six. Just because she ages differently doesn’t negate the fact that she is still an adult--and if you’ve seen any fan art or read an canon description of her you should know that she is an adult--both Azriel and her are adults and if you’re an Elriel stan trying to convince me otherwise just know Elain is younger than Gwyn. Feyre was nineteen when she fell in love with Tamlin. And Aelin was eighteen when she started to fall in love with Rowan. If there is anything, Gwyn and Azriel is one of thee most realistic ships that I’ve seen so far in the book series. 

So what if Gwyn is a little childish. She isn’t the only one. In ACOSF we’ve seen childish sides from Nesta AND Emerie. That’s how a close circle of friends works and if you don’t think there are childish adults out there who are youthful and overall just chipper people than you honestly have never met Disney adults. Plus Mor is the same age as Rhys and yet also has her own childish tendencies. Hell, even the Bat Bois have their moments. 

Gwyn is a playful person with a cheerful personality. Just because she sings and dances and comes off as a curious soul doesn’t mean she isn’t as mature as other characters in the series. In fact, I think it solidifies that Gwyn’s story is a parallel to the Little Mermaid because who else do we know that likes to sing, wants to dance “on those things called feet”, and is also a curious soul? 

Next. I don't know who thought having friendship bracelets was stupid or unnecessary because clearly that anti didn’t read the book and didn’t realize that those bracelets were a *fundamental part of the Valkyries surviving the Blood Rite. Without them they wouldn’t have found each other or maybe not even survived the Rite at all. And plus, Nesta, Emerie and Gwyn are chosen sisters. Making the bracelets was something Gwyn and Catrin did in Sangravah as a symbol of their unity. The fact that Gwyn decided to share that part of her with Nesta and Emerie speaks volumes of her relationship and feelings towards them. 

Also, comparing Gwyn to Ianthe. I’m sorry, Gwyn is a sexual assault victim. Ianthe is the assaulter. Not only has she assaulted Lucien, she attempted to assault Azriel. Just because they have the same color eyes doesn’t mean ANYTHING. By that pathetic and stupid logic your telling me everyone with teal eyes is evil. Then I guess Elain is evil and is going abuse her children when she’s a mother because who else has brown eyes. Beron has brown eyes. He abuses his children and is also a tyrant. OH who also portrays these exact same traits? Keirs does. Morrigan’s father. Who also has brown eyes. 

Now doesn’t that just sound so incredibly stupid? 

Now, I will say that Gwyn being a lightsinger does make sense in it’s own form. But do I think SJM is going to make her a character who lures males with her feminine whiles and voice to ultimately kill them in end? No. Gosh no. In what world would she think it’s okay to make the victim the assaulter. If you’re going to make an evil-Gwyn theory make it make sense and give me actual textual evidence that can’t be overruled by other textual evidence. 

Lastly, the theory that Gwyn and Lucien are invalid love interests because they are both redheads is just absolutely--like what in the fuckery shit hole head canon hell did that come from? Do gingers not deserve all in the love in the world as well? Is Lucien also not a victim in his own right? Does his story not deserve to be told? 

Lucien has made mistakes. He has even owned up to them and apologized and now he works everyday to make up for what he did by acting as an Emissary to the Night Court. And everything he does for Elain is everything everyone should be wanting from a partner in their life. Yes, he yearns for her. Yes, he is protective. But he is still a respectful king. He lets her have her own boundaries. Gives her space and doesn’t enforce anything on her. Do I like the idea of Elucien? Honestly no. Until I see a little bit more spice and chemistry between them then I will reassert my position (although I do like the idea of the whole fox and fawn theory). 

Guys, keep your humanity in tact. And think before you post. Actually read the words your about to write before you post. I have no doubt that whatever route SJM takes, it’s going to be written beautifully. That goes for Elucien, Gwynriel, and Elriel. 

[bookofmirth]

Hi! I hope you're doing well in this interesting time in fandom lol. I just wanted to drop in and say I really feel what you're saying about the weird divide between anti/pro tags in fandom as a whole!

It's such a different experience because a few years ago, having something mildly critical to say about a character would never warrant using anti tags. Those were reserved for blogs dedicated to hating a series, or maybe a single post where someone was absolutely annihilating a character. Never just basic criticism. It makes me feel so weird about posting something critical with the intention of having an honest and open discussion, because I know someone is going to take it the wrong way no matter how it's tagged. It's been such a weird shift and imo it makes it a lot harder to communicate and express opinions with anyone else.

Hello! I have been having a great time this week. Even if the crossover is controversial, at least people haven't been as focused on the ship war, which has been lovely! I like talking about other things.

I totally agree with you. I know we've both been in the fandom for a while, I checked and we've been mutuals at least two years, though I thought it was longer. Tumblr isn't very clear on that anymore. But anyway, anti sjm blogs use tags in a very specific way that we are used to, and I respect the way that they use tags because it makes it easy for me to avoid their content. I had "anti sjm" and a few variations of that tag blocked for a while because I will fundamentally never agree with being anti, and that's fine! They can do their thing and I will do mine.

I don't like how now, within the fandom and amongst people who are supposed to enjoy generally the same content, this tagging is creating divides. Especially because I think things are way more complex than "I love this character and hate this one and there is no in between".

I saw a post yesterday that was railing on Elain, and the thing is, I actually agreed with half of what this person was saying. I agreed with a lot of her flaws that were being pointed out because I think those flaws are what she needs to work through. I didn't agree with all of it, for sure. I'm not sure if OP had tagged it "anti elain" but what if they did and I had that tag blocked? And now just because of the fandom atmosphere, I don't know this person, so what would they do if I reblogged with my two cents? Is anti/pro like the new fandom DNI?

Something I realized is that while anti tags are supposed to help people sort content, I really don't think that's actually how people are using them. For example, when I say something about a certain ship I dislike not being canon, I will misspell it antielriel or some people do anti e*riel etc. If you spell the word correctly, it will show up in the "neutral" or positive search results as well, so you have to mess with the spelling. It's like Anti Fandom Culture 101: What to do to keep the stans off your back.

But this new pro and anti trend doesn't do that! People will just full on tag something "anti Rhysand" which... completely defeats the purpose of helping people sort content. That post is going to show up in the regular searches for Rhysand. So what's the point? If someone tags "anti Rhysand", does that mean they have zero interest in hearing otherwise? I honestly don't get it because I assume that every single character has fucked up at some point and every single character can have fans. If people are that sensitive that they can only see posts that say good things about their faves, then good luck in the minefield that is fandom, I guess!

[cupcakey00]

So, I know people are scared for what’s gonna happen in ACOSF, but I think we need to address some things:

1. a lot of what we want to happen is stuff we’ve seen others say, or stuff we’ve wanted after reading tons of analyses or other people’s opinions on the books and the way Nesta’s been treated. SJM probably hasn’t read nearly as much as us if anything about that stuff from fans at all.

2. SJM loves Nesta. We know she does. She’s said it multiple times, and she’s said in a recent IG Live that she hopes that after ACOSF, her audience loves Nesta as much as she does. That hardly sounds like someone who’s gonna do her character dirty. Sure, she may have Nesta do things or say things that we don’t want her to, but that doesn’t mean she’s gonna “ruin” her character.

3. A number of people are saying they want Nesta to heal on her own, without Cassian. I’m telling you rn you will not get that. It’s LITERALLY in the synopsis of the book - “they search for acceptance - and healing - in each other's arms.” It’s a fantasy-romance novel ffs. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want her to completely rely on Cassian, or Cassian to replly on her, but still. I’d also like to point out that some people can’t heal on their own, and that’s okay. Nesta was at the point of harming herself (barely eating, alcoholism, allowing herself to freeze bc the crackling fire was a trigger). She needs help from others (the way they went about it is a whole different discussion), nor does her being helped by Cassian mean she’s “fixed” by magical Fae dick. I maintain this didn’t happen with Feyre either, but alas. Please don’t do either Nesta or Cassian dirty like that, not when we know they care for each other, even if they do have their issues. ACOSF IS a book about healing and acceptance, after all.

4. I have heard, not been able to find for sure though (I joined the fandom only like 6 months ago) that SJM modeled Nesta in ACOFAS after some of her own issues. I know for a FACT, esp since SJM has said this MULTIPLE times, that some of what Nesta goes through and struggles with in ACOSF (can’t wait for the book omg) is what SJM HERSELF went through, WHILE WRITING THE BOOK. She made it very clear Nesta’s journey is very much still Nesta’s, but that the book is very special to her bc she related to Nesta with her depression and anxiety at the time. She also mentioned that working out helped SJM, and guess what? I’ve read a lot about how many of you don’t like this, but Nesta trains as well (which makes sense considering a minor plot device or whatever in the books were that Nesta was physically too weak to be able to defend herself. Wits are great but no, they can’t protect you against everything). And guess what: not liking that is okay, but that doesn’t mean she did Nesta dirty! Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean that it’s objectively bad. SJM cannot possibly make everyone happy. (I’m just using the training since it’s confirmed canon.)

5. I understand being afraid. I was afraid too but then I realized that SJM has never once failed to meet my expectations. Yes, it’s true I’m much more critical now of her books than I was before, but she is still a phenomenal writer. Have faith in the author that made you love a character in the first place. Which brings me to my next point...

6. Can we please start being more positive about SJM and her writing? Seriously. It’s hard to be excited when I’m anxious bc of all the anti-whatever posts I see ALL the time by so many different people. Obviously it’s important to criticize a writer and their writing and characters, but damn y’all can we also be a little more positive leading up to ACOSF? Some of you sound like you don’t even like the series OR SJM. like damn if you’re so critical of the series and of a book that hasn’t even come out yet, then just don’t read it. 😭

[darklove9314-blog]

reading ACOTAR and liking nesta is so exhausting. i feel SJM doesn’t really understand nesta as a character that well, even though she created her. and especially after ACOSF i just feel that nesta really deserved better.

in book 1, she tells feyre that she wants to go travel and see the world. after ACOSF she’s essentially “locked” in a house where the only way out is asking someone to let her out or walking down 10,000 steps. which is ridiculous. if i wanted to go somewhere but had to walk 10,000 steps to get there i’d stay home instead.

somewhere in ACOWAR, nesta tells feyre that being a warrior isn’t the only strength that exists or something like that and what do you know? nesta becomes illyria’s next top warrior. where was smart nesta that calculated the number of ships that they needed? i love that she found her sisters through training and helped empower women but ugh nesta was literally described as being cunning and smart and calculating and it seems like such a waste. why does sarah ignore nesta’s amazing traits to make her into another female warrior character?

nesta losing her powers. oh my. i know a lot of people think that it’s so amazing she sacrificed them for her sister and it is but … she’s literally described as a death goddess throughout the ENTIRE book, is SJM trying to tell me it makes more sense for her to randomly be able to give them away rather than be able to pull feyre from death/the other side? i guess maybe sarah thought this was the redemption nesta needed but some people genuinely like nesta and it’s so annoying to have to read sarah doing fan services to feysand stans/nesta antis. i know she has some power left but it just feels like sarah didn’t like anyone being more powerful than rhys. why hype up nesta’s otherworldly ancient powers for multiple books only to take them away in the lamest way possible without ever even having delved into them?

i know some people loved nesta’s mental health journey and some aspects of it are nice but she ends her story by having to accept all the blame and apologise to everyone without ever getting an apology in return. she still hates herself by the end of it, doesn’t think she deserves love but will work to be worthy of it for the rest of her life. great healing arc!

yeah overall SJM really ignored her previous books and just wrote a lazy redemption arc instead of simply giving nesta a proper healing arc. not everyone is going to like her and that’s ok! ugh i feel like nesta was really done a disservice, both in her relationship and in her story. the day i stop thinking of ACOSF and how nesta deserved better is the day i’ll know peace. 😭

You see Anon this is the problem with SJM in general because I feel like she thinks that a woman has no worth unless she’s a warrior. Don’t get me wrong I love female warriors and I love Nesta being one, but it does deter her from her original character. I feel like SJM wrote this specific storyline because it’s what sales for her and because of fan service to the fandom. I, in general, have major issues with ACOSF (it’s why I’m writing Hearts Set Aflame) because in my mind her healing journey was way different, the only thing I feel was reasonable for her to take accountability on was her part in what happened to Feyre, however Nesta has already made up for it on 4 separate occasions. And yet this fandom still hates her?? She was quite literally a teenager, and coming from someone who’s been taking care of herself since she was 18 I know how realistically hard it is to just keep yourself afloat, much less your sisters. Hell Feyre shouldn’t have even had to do it, and that was my main issue with ACOSF in general was the father storyline. One thing I always stood by Nesta on was her hatred of her father. Because she was the only one who truly held him accountable for what happened to all of them. I don’t blame her for her anger towards him because one it happened when again she was a teen girl, that and losing her mother figure, friends, status, and home never helped, I feel like no one takes into consideration the toll that has on someone’s mental health. How Nesta deals with trauma is actually the most common way people handle it. And she has every right to feel angry at her father neglecting her when HE’S supposed to be taking care of them. Not Nesta, Not Feyre, and Not Elain. I also already wrote a post earlier about how I disliked how Cassian handles these situations. The IC treats them like all didn’t come from the same family nor every gets her sisters side of the story, which is normal, but still. Also I hate how people hated Nesta in ACOWAR. She pushed her trauma to the side to help them and ended up making it worse, her and Elain killed the king, and she saved Cassian twice, and yet the IC still can’t see that there’s a good side to her??? Seriously?? With everything they’ve done in their 500 years…I just feel like SJM just writes the characters around the plot she wants rather than focusing on characters which makes all her works suffer. But again I can talk about this subject for hours

[spaceshipkat]

Not really an ask more just wanted to talk to someone who has the same opinion as myself. I just got done reading CCity and HOBOOYYY you and I were thinking alike. I’m currently reviewing my questions I gave myself post read and my annotated notes to prep for a good reads review. I regret throwing away my receipt for this book. I blindly bought the sequel and don’t have much interest to read another 800 pages of bs. Yet I want to skim and see how much worse it gets. I cannot believe while reading through your FAQ the amount of accusations you got from a negative review. This is my first SJM book she’s had what 12 books? To improve and still writes this way? Like something off Ao3? I spent $40 for 2 books when I could’ve just logged onto Ao3 for free. Loved your review in good reads. I’m baffled at all the 4-5 star reviews every single one mentions the 600 page filler and LITERALLY attempts to sweep it under the rug. There was no challenge proses no fun in helping the characters solve the mystery. The plot twists became insufferable. The hints dropped were TOO easy. This book boasts a majority of these characters are smart so why did I figure out everything not even half way into this forsaken book?! They are suppose to be BFFs but Bryce couldn’t figure out anything in regards to Danika. The math ain’t mathing. Also so many people had spoilers without warnings?? UGH! SJM had a great foundation built up and if she spent any ounce of proof reading and editing it could’ve turned into a great work. But here we are. The only thing I’ll give her is she got me to read all damned 800 pages. It was like watching an accident play out and you can’t help not looking.

I saw you’re watching the Witcher series but are you also reading it?? I’m the fourth book into the series and would love to here your thoughts if you have the time if not I’m gonna snoop through your Witcher posts regardless. Anyways I’ll die on this SJM’s writing is shit hill with you. I already bought the first book in that court series so I guess I’ll take a gamble at that too. Pray for me.

welcome to the community!

yeah sj///m's books are always touted by her stans as things they emphatically are not, but stans' fervor over her books draws a lot of people in, as well as the art (i've said it before and i'll say it again: sj///m does not deserve her creative fans). people either love her books (for some unknowable reason) or hate them and become antis, in large part bc the standom around her doesn't allow individual thought or valid critique. my best friend has a couple friends who like sj///m's books, so she asked them why (she is NOT a fan of either sj///m or her books, and she's another published fantasy author so she's technically sj///m's coworker) and one of them said bc the books are sexy (i fail to see how but okay) and another said bc they like the mythology sj///m writes (there are so many better authors who write sexy books full of mythology but do it well and respectfully and don't copycat other authors who came before them), which baffles me. idk she's popular for reasons i can't fathom, though sometimes i think that her biggest stans remain stans bc they refuse to agree with us antis.

as for the Witcher, no i haven't read the books! i'm not sure if i ever will simply bc of a spoiler i learned about the ending of the series (for Geralt and Yen), and the writing doesn't wow me enough to make me want to invest time in a long series when i read so sporadically these days as it is. are you liking the books?

ac0tar isn't as bad as, like, ac0fas (the novel-length Christmas fanfic sj///m somehow got published in hardcover), so if you're gonna read any of the court books that's probably a decent one, though ac0maf is arguably better than ac0tar, ac0war, and ac0fas (ac0maf is also the book that made sj///m into who she is now; without ac0maf, she wouldn't be the prolific author who can sell literally anything)

[sabrinaacarpenters]

Hi, I'm here to rant about the Inner Circle in ACOSF.

When I got to the point where the IC is discussing what Nesta should or should not know about HER OWN POWERS, especially when Feyre justifies it...URGH, you ever have the urge to get in a book and just strangle the characters? Yep, that was me.

But then, when Feyre finds out they did the same thing for her pregnancy as well....a part of me did feel sorry for her, because nobody should have to put up with that, BUT I was also like "How does it feel to be at the other end of the stick, Feyre?"

And Rhysand being like "Get Nesta out of this city before I kill her".... did he forget that he was talking about the most powerful person in Prythian at the time?

Anyway, if you have any IC Slander, now or from older posts, send it my way, please!

Hey! You came to the right place for the ic slander lmao

To be honest I was already mad at the ic at the intervention (so basically in ch 1 lmao), so when they voted on Nesta and her powers being kept from her I wasn’t even surprised, it was a peak feminist Rhysand its your choice™️ decision.

I felt really fucking bad for Feyre throughout the whole book tbh, because not only her mate was keeping secrets that threatened her life, but also all the people she considers friends and found family. Acosf just further showed us that the ic will always side with Rhys, it doesn’t matter that he made Feyre high lady - they will always side with him, and look to him first. I was expecting her to be way more mad, but Rhys can do no wrong in SJM’s eyes, so unfortunately it makes sense that it was swept under the rug and Feyre was okay with the fact she was going to die 2 hours after finding out about it and there were no consequences really.

The get her out of this city before I kill her line .. don’t get me wrong but I wasn’t even mad at Rhys - but only because I had zero expectations from him. he’s always treated Nesta like shit, he doesn’t give a fuck that Feyre wants to put the hostility behind them,and he’s treated Nesta as if she shat in his cereal bowl - up until the very end. What made me mad in this scene was the absolute lack of Cassian’s anger at him - it was so unrealistic that his mate’s life was threatened and he was like okay Rhys guess we’re going on a roadtrip then … like what ?? This was once again the example of the ‘Rhys can do no wrong mr feminist king’ and that Cassian’s undying loyality to the ic and especially Rhys is unhealthy.

I have made my peace with it and the ic since then, i was never really that into them as a friend group to be honest (they have nothing compared to the frendships in tog and i stand by that), so the disappointment wasn’t as big for me. The valkyries in one book showed more love and appreciation towards each other than the ic in 3 books, so I’ll always prefer them. I’m even fine with Rhys after everything, I mean he did shut down e/riel so I have to respect him for that lmao, and I ship feysand, because they are perfect for each other, just keep them away from my girl Nesta. The only one I’ll always passionately hate is Amren and I stand by the opinion that she should’ve stayed dead in acowar now she’s just there to be nasty and annoying.

This turned out to be a short story basically, sorry for that 😅 (I didn’t really post about these when acosf came out because I just wanted to focus on Nesta but I do have some anti mor and amren posts if you’re interested, I tagged them with acosf spoilers)

[nakedust]

Let’s Talk About Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood

Before I get into anything, let me clarify that by no means are my words coming from a place of hate or any sort of wrong intention. I’m making this post to review the things that could have been better in SJM’s new adult series, Crescent City.

This not a hate post. This is not an anti post. I’m a huge SJM fan who just wishes SJM does better.

Okay, SO:

I think we all know the problems laced within Throne of Glass and ACOTAR, so I won’t get into that.

I think I pretty much guessed half of the book, because the plots were all in all the SAME. Ik I’m about to piss some of you off but, here’s why I was able to figure most of the stuff out.

Bryce is literally Aelin just in a different body and world. Aelin was the queen everyone thought was dead, Bryce was the true starborn. Both of them are the same snarky, sarcastic, etc person.

Ruhn is literally Dorian. Both fell in love with healers.

Hunt is the definition of any other SJM Fae males, except in this context, he’s an angel. He also treats Bryce similarly as Rowan did the first time he met Aelin.

Connor is Sam pt 2. Both died only to have the Males™ become the next love interest.

Fury is Amren pt 2.

Sandriel is Maeve pt 2.

The main character being brought back from the dead. Been there a crap ton of times now.

I could go on and on but overall the story progress was literally the same as her other books.

While SJM did try to better herself with this one, I can’t tell if she just did herself ten times worse than before.

Yeah let’s have poc characters and add slavery past.

Yeah let’s have “plus sized” character but only describe how big her breasts and hips are and constantly sexualize her.

Also previously I read a post about Bryce exercising a lot, which should result her in not particularly being plus sized, which is true. Looking at the description of her in the book, that’s not the description of a plus sized woman. But I love how most of the fandom would rather pictures her as plus sized despite that. At the same time, SJM shouldn’t get credit for that because she did not do the writing justice if Bryce was truly meant to be plus sized.

Also let’s build a completely misogynistic world to justify the men or males in this case to clarify as feminists. I am..tired of this one.

With already having not the best POC rep, let’s do Juniper dirty and sexualize her too.

Let’s make this book “diverse” and constantly describe Bryce having golden/tan skin, which does not even make her poc. I don’t get it. This has tricked many people into thinking she’s a woc but she’s not. She was described having tan and golden skin. If you’re familiar with her books you know those aren’t the terms she uses to describe the poc characters.

This book was supposed to be a lot of things but isn’t. This truly sounds like a hate post but it’s not. I believe there’s always room for improvement.

And I had huge expectations, given this was her first adult series. When I first read it, I absolutely loved it. But it was overtime that I read others thoughts regarding it and started having my own critique thoughts about it as well.

At first the only thing that bothered me was just how accurately I was able to guess most of the plot. But then I brushed it off thinking oh just because I could assume it doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. It just means SJM was able to write this perfectly, which helped readers to understand everything thoroughly and further guess what would happen next.

But clearly, that’s not the case.

Then I started looking more into it and I was baffled to say the least.

I wish more of the fandom addressed these things because, like I said, this is not even about opinions anymore. This is not an opinion, these are stuff that actually took place in the book.

But you don’t *have* to agree with me. I know everyone’s understanding might differ from mine.

[acourtofthought]

Tbh I wouldn't even take stans from tik tok serious because their takes are always straight up stupid and the same. They would pull one argument that has been discussed and resolved about 2 years ago and believe they are so smart for that. Worst thing is that you aren't able to write long text and if they respond to you, the comments are gonna be out of order so you can't really discuss anything with them. ?(Happened to me. I couldn't type fast enough before OP responded and it was messy, I suggested we talk privatly about it but OP thought they ate and said it's because I have nothing else to say or sum. So I just decided to block them and move on. It's not doing me a favour to try to explain something when it all goes out of order)

"Gwynriel didn't even have any hints" have they not read TOG? Do they not know about Yrene and Chaol? Have they not read acosf and the bonus chapter to know that gwynriel is certainly not a crackship? It really doesn't cost a brain. Are they still in that delusion that just because El/riel are sexually attracted to each other, it means endgame? I guess we buried Feylin, Chaolsryn, Celaena etc. Already

I stick with Tumblr. That is where people like you are posting theories that actually make sense and explain many things well.

I'm with you. I'm not on Twitter or TikTok but I have seen some of the arguments there, the arguments on Reddit and the ones on FB. Out of anywhere, I've found the most well thought out posts and theories (using actual canon from the book as well as patterns that SJM has used as an author in previous books) to be on Tumblr. I'm not sure the reason for that but even Anti's tend to make more valid arguments here than I've seen elsewhere. Not that I agree with the arguments or can't easily debate them but there's been a few that have made me pause for a second and really think through my response. For whatever reason (especially Tik Tok), I've seen the most farfetched theories. It's not that some of the people aren't versed in lore and mythology, you can tell they know what they're talking about, but because SJM sampled something to a very minor degree, they'll try to create a version of her future books that will be a direct retelling of something rather than little hints of it here and there. And it's exhausting when someone is so fixated on their ship that they disregard large parts of this series or other series. It should be common sense that the more knowledgeable someone is about the entirety of SJMs work, the more sound their theories and arguments will be. And there is nothing that makes them look more clueless than pretending like E/riel wanting to kiss or even Az questioning why he wasn't given a bond with Elain means their endgame is a certainty. Celaena said that in Chaol she found a home, they had sex, they thought they'd have a future and they still didn't end up abeing endgame. E/riel hasn't come close to that yet stans stomp there feet insisting that there's no way they won't end up together. I am sorry about your past experiences though and I'm happy the power of the block button has come through for you! 😁

[g-perla]

The ACOTAR Series is a Romantic/Gothic Horror Stage and Only Nesta Got the Memo

Not even SJM knows what’s going on.

Ok, this is going to seem off the rails but bear with me.

So I'm a big fan of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (top 5 books and all that jazz) and I was thinking about it because it deals with themes of the Other and the supernatural, Nature as Character, the overlap of the animalistic and human, blurring of established binaries...fun, Romantic shit like that. Interestingly, this overlaps with how SJM illustrates her world and characters a lot of the time, hence why I was considering it while working on my Nesta project. I’ve mentioned before that Nesta really gives me Byronic heroine vibes and that’s a character construct of precisely this literary tradition.

I started thinking about Heathcliff and Cathy and how they're ridiculously extra and just feel the most intense emotions towards each other but also towards literally everything (nothing half-assed ever, this is a Romantic novel after all). I then remembered how so many people ship them, but like in earnest, in a totally aspirational way. It's not a #cursed ship to them at all. It's...romantic to them not Romantic. I even read often that people quote it at their weddings, specifically the infamous "two souls" quote.

Then I had an epiphany. I was like "wait, what if SJM is one of those people?? What if she has the energy of a Cathy/Heathcliff earnest shipper and that's why all her ships are messy??" Because if that is the case, my friends, oh boy oh boy would it explain so much. I will post some sections from Wuthering Heights:

Doesn’t the acotar series seem like a 1/50 dilution of that energy?? And that is barely a taste of all the spiciness this book has to offer. To illustrate further: SJM gave us the F/eysand suicide pact and the near-death battlefield Nessian scene. One is certainly more outlandish than the other, but both are the result of intense emotions. To that Emily Brontë raises the following: Heathcliff asking the sexton to dig up Cathy’s grave to see what’s up because her ghost has been haunting him since he personally dug up her grave 18 years prior and she has been haunting him ever since. He later demands to be buried in the same exact grave when he dies so they can decompose together. They both married other people though which only adds to the mess. (I am not lying to you the Romantic tradition really gave us these gems lmao. As an aside, Mary Shelley was also a writer of the Romantic tradition and she confessed her love to husband Percy Bysshe Shelley on her mother’s grave. Her mother was liberal feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft by the way which only makes this even more amazing. Additionally, biographers believe that the Shelleys also had sex there. Talk about Romantic 😉.)

Then I had ANOTHER thought! (Dangerous)

If we read the series from the point of view of just another YA high fantasy things might get a bit boring because the world-building is honestly lazy and the magic system is pretty soft, which isn’t a pre-requisite in high fantasy (The Lord of the Rings has a soft magic system) but it's not the norm and it doesn't pay off in this series. Not to mention that the plot is pretty lackluster and derivative. To add to that the romantic and sexual relationships are questionable in their healthiness and consequently are the source of much argument in the fandom. 

But, dear reader, if we think about the ACOTAR series as being a sort of thematic and ideological 21st century YA homage to the Romantic tradition of the 19th century (within which Gothic Horror also lives), things get REALLY, REALLY SPICY.

No longer do we just have a romance fantasy with messy, hyper-emotional, animalistic characters who constantly partake in morally grey situations rife with dubious dynamics. No longer does plot really matter. No longer do we require quasi-scientific descriptions of the world and the magical system. No! All that matters now are the characters and the mood. Now we have potential! Add a lot of Nature ambiance: expanses of dark woods, great mountains, the unknowable and sublime energy of the ocean, a violent rainstorm/hurricane/tsunami, an impending snowstorm whose intensity reflects the growing emotional intensity of the characters as the story goes along (I’m looking at you impending snowstorm in acofas that curiously matches the growing complexity of Nesta’s emotional state). Blur the lines between any imaginable category: life and death, human and animal, known and unknown, Self and Other, beautiful and monstrous, good and evil, masculine and feminine, the list goes on. Most importantly make your readers uncomfortable by frustrating their desires to sort things into easy binary categories and don’t apologise for making them question their assumptions about the world, morality, gender, and any other kind of previously constructed Order. 

Basically write the story with Dionysus-in-a-Greek-tragedy energy and bring to us mere mortals artful Chaos.

Once that is done we can have a literal Romantic/Gothic Horror story.  The Acotar series could have been this unapologetically, with the added element of being told through the eyes of the "Cathy" character instead of through the lens of a third person getting second-hand accounts about what went on. This whole series is honestly enough of a chaotic mess of Byronic-like heroes and heroines and cursed familial relationships that it could have been that. That alone is peak entertainment. The problem, however, and the main reason why I can’t really say that this series truly delivered this wackiness is that SJM committed the act of not fully committing to the bit (very un-Romantic of her, I know). Now, I am not saying that SJM actually intended this. I’m just saying it really could have accidentally been this genius with some tweaks. Unfortunately, she made the crucial mistake of trying to justify too much, trying to make things too neat, too tidy, too sensical (in other words: the reason we really can’t have nice things). 

I could end this here, lamenting the potential of what SJM had set-up for us were it not for one element, one gift:

Nesta 

OHOHOHO DO THINGS GET GOOD HERE SO BUCKLE UP

Most of the characters refuse to fully commit to the bit in their desire to satisfy modern sensibilities, by which I of course mean they want ridiculous things like political power, to conquer lands, to be a Girl Boss, to get married, have kids, celebrate holidays, converse about mundane things, be relatable, etc. You know, pretty pedestrian stuff that only requires a bit of genetic luck, a sprinkle of energy, and the right circumstances within the world of Acotar. I would like to reiterate the beginning of this paragraph: most of the characters. 

Let’s say you’re stubborn and you decide to still read the series through the lens of the Romantic/Gothic tradition, what happens then? 

The most hilarious thing (for the Nesta stans that is. The antis would probably hate this)

Nesta, based on what we know about her through Feyre and the limited amount of other scenes, is the only character who really takes the performance seriously. She's the only one that SJM hasn't managed to confine through justification. Nesta just shows up and simply refuses to make sense (her POWER what a queen 👑). She is endlessly fascinating because she just exists in her world on her terms, established categories be damned, and in this manner she frustrates not only the sensibilities of the characters in the stories but those of the reader as well. This double duty is, I suggest, the result of the other characters not fully inhabiting the nebulous world of Romantic characters and thus being a little too plausible and understandable even if they are not justifiable. 

Ok, you may say, but I relate so much to Nesta. I do understand her. I don’t justify all of her actions, but I understand where she is coming from. (You’re not alone, friend. I like to think these things too. Alas, we are but plebs).

To that I reply; Nesta does things, certainly, and we can spend hours trying to explain through extrapolation, educated guesses, and personal experience why she did those things, but the fact is we really don't know why. We are never explicitly told. Our insight into who she is and her motivations comes predominantly from the understanding of her youngest sister and from our own interpretation of the actions she takes. I must make clear that our own interpretations are rooted in pre-established assumptions about what is sensical and orderly in our own world and in our own lives. We cannot interpret with the tools available to us that which may be, by definition, unfathomable. It is simply paradoxical. Nesta, as we currently know her, is a construct derived from a limited number of scenes and our interpretations and projections of these scenes. Even the scenes where we get third person narration don’t explicitly tell us her motivations and her logic. For all we know there really is no comprehensible reason for her actions and that is endlessly amusing to me in how utterly Romantic it is. Acosf may and likely will change this of course, but as it stands, Nesta is a whole Romantic character. Her divisiveness in fandom and in the narrative could be due in part to her refusal to fit the discrete categories available in her world and ours. 

Isn’t that wonderful?

To illustrate this a bit more I will share some details SJM gives us about her/ elements she sets up that fit in with the characteristics of the Romantic tradition (these are not exhaustive by any means):

The absolute pettiness (and extra-ness) of being so angry at her father’s inaction that she is willing to starve to death to see if he does something.

How in Acowae she is described as shifting between emotions as if she were changing clothes and feeling everything too strongly (probably to the point of destruction)

She is constantly being compared to animals, even when she is still human. Granted, SJM compares everyone to animals, but that strengthens the blurring of lines between usually discrete categories. It is still most powerful when used as a comparison when she is human because it dehumanises Nesta.

Often, SJM describes her characters as forces. Forces of nature, for example. Acofas is full of details like this in relation to Nesta. There is a storm brewing leading up to the solstice party and it is in full swing when she arrives at the townhouse. The language used there suggests that Nesta herself may be the storm (against the onslaught of Nesta). It really adds to the Maleficent energy tbh.

She is often associated with death post her transformation

She is Other even to Others. She was Made like Elain, Feyre, and Amren in a sense, but the process of her specific transformation differentiates her greatly from the others. As it is, she doesn’t fit in anywhere

Her intense attachment to her femininity and its expression are at odds with the ideas and assumptions about the performance of womanhood and a woman’s role in her world and even in ours. She is unapologetically feminine in her physical presentation, but her character, her thoughts, and possibly even desires transgress the unwritten rules of acceptable femininity (unfortunately there still are abject expressions of femininity in our ‘”progressive” mileux

She displays in many of her actions a disrespect towards authority and to the status quo. This is particularly notable when her intensely polarised sense of right and wrong is aggravated.

Her self-destructiveness. This is referred to most strongly in Acofas, but I would say she was remarkably blasé about self-preservation in Acowar as well

She is described as intelligent, cunning, ruthless, attractive, and prone to debilitating extremes of emotionality. All of these are characteristics of Byronic heroes, a subtype of the Romantic hero

Here are a bunch of quotes that touch on many of the elements that I have discussed above:

“I looked at my sister, really looked at her, at this woman who couldn’t stomach the sycophants who now surrounded her, who had never spent a day in the forest but had gone into wolf territory...Who had shrouded the loss of our Mother, then our downfall, because the anger had been a lifeline, the cruelty a release. But she had cared--beneath it she had cared, and perhaps loved more fiercely than I could comprehend, more deeply and loyally.” 

--Acotar, emphasis mine, note the strong emotions. This is a recurring element for Nesta.

“Cassian’s face went almost feral. A wolf who had been circling a doe...Only to find a mountain cat wearing its hide instead.” 

--Acomaf, animal comparison

“Nesta is different from most people,” I explained. “She comes across as rigid and vicious, but I think it’s a wall. A shield--like the ones Rhys has in his mind.” “Against what?” “Feeling. I think Nesta feels everything--sees too much; sees and feels it all. And she burns with it. Keeping that wall up helps from being overwhelmed, from caring too greatly.”

--Acomaf, emphasis mine

“I knew that she was different [...] Nesta was different [...] as if the Cauldron in making her...had been forced to give more than it wanted. As if Nesta had fought after she went under, and had decided that if she was to be dragged into hell, she was taking the Cauldron with her.”

--Acomaf, Nesta had her own plans for the Cauldron what a queen

“Something great and terrible.”

--Acowar, referring to her eyes. Oooh, spooky Nesta 👻

“The day she was changed, she...I felt something different with her [...] like looking at a house cat and suddenly finding a panther standing there instead.”

--Acowar, a two in one here: difference + animal comparison. Boy does SJM really go heavy when establishing Nesta as Other.

“‘Not in flesh, not in the thing that prowls beneath our skin and bones...’ Amren’s remarkable eyes narrowed. ‘But...I see the kernel, girl.’ Amren nodded, more to herself than anyone. ‘You did not fit--the mold that they shoved you into. The path you were born upon and forced to walk. You tried, and yet you did not, could not fit. And then the path changed.’ A little nod. ‘I know--what it is to be that way. I remember it, long ago as it was.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’“

--Acowar, show don’t tell gets thrown out the window here, but it is useful for the present purposes

“What if I tell you that the rock and darkness and sea beyond whispered to me, Lord of Bloodshed? How they shuddered in fear, on that island across the sea. How they trembled when she emerged. She took something--something precious. She ripped it out with her teeth. What did you wake that day in Hybern, Prince of Bastards?

What came out was not what went in [...] How lovely she is, new as a fawn and yet ancient as the sea. How she calls to you. A queen as my sister once was. Terrible and proud; beautiful as a winter’s sunrise.”

--Acowar, who knew rocks, darkness, and the sea were such gossips, but look how many connections to nature! To be compared to the sea, a significant example of the sublime, is peak Romanticism. If any of you have read Moby Dick, think about what the ocean and the white whale might have represented there and how that might relate to Nesta.

“I think the power is death--death made flesh.”

--Acowar, Feyre referring to the possible nature of Nesta’s power. Alluding to her powers possibly being related to death is quite significant because that is something most of us cannot comprehend, nor can most of the characters. For Nesta, a “reborn” but very much living character to have death associated with her is a strong blurring of the lines. The case of her being labelled a witch is similarly significant as it solidifies the elements of the supernatural while simultaneously comparing her to pretty much the only exclusively female-coded monster in western pop culture. I will touch more on this when I do my study of Nesta through the framework of Barbara Creed’s Monstrous Feminine.

“I am not like the others.”

--Acowar, we love a self-aware queen.

“Nesta took in his broken body, the pain in Cassian’s eyes, and angled her head.

The movement was not human.

Not fae.

Purely animal.

Purely predator.”

--Acowar

There are a lot more details and quotes that support this interpretation, but I didn’t write them all down in my archived notes. This post is obscenely long, however, so even though there is more to be said, I’ll leave it for another day. If you made it this far you really are an MVP and probably love Nesta to a concerning degree like me. Please rest your eyes if you’re actually reading this 😂

I’d love to read about any other takes and thoughts that might have come to your minds after reading this monstrosity,

G

[the-resurrection-3d]

hey so I (@aelinbitch) am currently answering the ask you just sent me for this but i decided to write A Whole Essay so in the mean time: would love to hear you go off on something about the acotar series - something you have an issue with or love or literally anything. i stopped reading midway through acowar not because i disliked it that much or anything but just because i like….. lost steam i guess? so anyway i don’t engage with acotar content that much and i’d love to hear your hot takes

Lol this will probably also require an essay. 

EDIT: it did require an essay. I cut out some stuff (like the way the fae world is wlwphobic and the fandom’s reaction to it) just because this post was getting too long and that whole mess could make for its own. The TL;DR is I am both a contrarian and yet don’t have anything new to say because we all know SJM didn’t think it though that deeply.

Now, keep in mind that I haven’t reread any of the books, nor have I finished ACOFAS - I gave up about halfway through because it just wasn’t grabbing me. ACOWAR was slaughtered on the alter of unnecessary spin-offs, and ACOFAS did little to mend my opinion. I actually had a review of it written way back when for my wordpress blog, but my beta thought it was too dark because it ended on a few quotes from Yahtzee Croshaw’s Duke Nukem Forever review. Specifically these lines:

So,this is how the anticipation ends, people. First show of the long-awaitedcomeback tour and the singer’s hanged himself on the microphone cord. But he’strying to sing anyway! Forcing on a smile and choking out lyrics in-betweengrotesque spasms. Andyou’re wondering whether it’s kinder to cut him down or swing on his legs tohelp him on his way.

Yeah, he thought it was a tad too dark, lol.

Looking back over my ACOFAS review (which was really a rambling list of complaints that I openly struggled to continue), I suppose I really have only a few things that are still worth mentioning. My personal favorite that I haven’t really seen echoed:

Honestly,since it’s very clear every Archeron sister is going to be mated off, what I’dlove to happen is for each sister to be used to explore a different way themate bond can resolve itself. Feysand is obviously meant to be the OTP, butElucien can become best friends (possibly with benefits) as Elain comes out ofher shell, while Nessian eventually realizes that however much they understandeach other, they’re too toxic to function in a romantic relationship.

Thatwas supposed to be the original definition of mates, wasn’t it? Someone whounderstands you better than anyone else on earth? It’s a very versatiledefinition, and one I’d like to see explored further – I’m honestly tired ofboth media and fandoms treating soul mates as an exclusively romantic phenomenon,to the point I’ve been about turned off the trope entirely. 

And then I shit-talked a TomTord artist who also draws Big Hero 6 incest porn, lol. Like I said, I was openly struggling to write about ACOFAS. Sure, Rhysand’s parents hated each other, but we don’t actually see them “on-screen.” Not that any of this really matters since the definition of the mating bond has gotten increasingly mangled. Can I just say I’ve never really liked Nessian / Elucien or gotten the hype about them? 

And then ACOFAS vagued me personally with Rhys/Cass/Az’s constant reminders of what great totally fraternal brotherly no homo brothers they are. I’ve seen plenty of anti TOGs complain about SJM burying any ship she doesn’t like, but I didn’t believe it until that book, lol.

On a more positive note though, ACOWAR had a lot of moments I really loved! Part one ( “The Princess of Carrion,” right?) was just SJM’s fairy!Degrassi AU and it was fantastic, because it captured perfectly the best moments of that horrible, horrible show – namely, watching a character you hate get shit on by everyone else around them. 

Also, Amren’s comment that Feyre was treating her sisters the way Tamlin treated her? I was shook to my fucking soul. And honestly I hope I hear about SJM capitalizing on that more in the Nessian book, because ACOFAS had plenty to support that. Sure, I don’t like Nesta, I would be fed-up with her behavior in ACOFAS too, but Feyre needs to understand that she can’t mend their relationship if Nesta herself isn’t interested, and it really felt like Feyre only bankrolled Nesta as an excuse to keep herself tied to her sister. (Which is all very ironic, considering one thing I loved about ACOTAR is Feyre eventually realized her family ain’t shit – I’ve been so hungry for stories that acknowledge that family =/= undying love/loyalty. Oh well. “Requiem” from DEH still exists I guess, lol). 

Oh god this is getting long. Sorry I went off like that! I don’t really have many opportunities to talk about this series. :PPPPPP

[acourtofthought]

That latest post you have countering that post about how Lucien has no affinity for the sun—DUDE you killed it. Idk what the hell that person is talking about. They made a mistake giving a sh*t argument to you of all people, queen of elucien. Well done on everything you said! Just—BRAVO!!! Some people’s comprehension skills man….they’re so lost in their own insistence that they’ve become blind to what’s on the page.

Hehe, I love your message 😁

She reblogged and responded and it wasn't aggressive which I appreciate and I reblogged and responded again which I hope also wasn't aggressive.

But yeah, it's frustrating to argue that just because something isn't spelled out in black and white, doesn't mean it's meaningless. And I guess that's where the two schools of thought come into play.

We have the E/riels and Anti Gwynriels who look at what's black and white and hang on to that. "Elain does want Az! Az doesn't even consider Gwyn as a friend!"

But then you have the Eluciens and Gwynriels who are finding the subtle hints that create an entire future possible storyline. We're reading between the lines that yes, Az doesn't yet consider Gwyn a friend but the fact that she made him feel calm is going to be something major in the future. And Lucien hasn't yet come into his full Day powers but the fact that SJM made him heir to Day (the son of the Sun personified) is major considering Elain "needs Sunshine".

So I guess us reading between the lines equals a lack of reading comprehension to them because it's not telling us "Elain needs Sunshine while staring directly at Lucien who has sunlight pouring from his eyes".

But to me, reading between the lines and subtle clues is the SJM style of writing. So it makes complete sense why this little snippet here is going to be a major deal considering that little snippet there. It's just frustrating when that gets turned into our "lack of intelligence" even though I personally think it makes us pretty damn clever 😂