I just saw an e/riel say that an elucien book wouldn't work because "they barely know each other and the entire book would have to be about them getting to know each other."
Is that not the best part of romance novels? Like, what am i missing here?
Elucien: here is a detailed essay with canon text that's supports my theories
Gwynriel: here is a detailed essay with canon text that's supports my theories
Elriel: here are theories I made with text that wasn't written like that in canon or with canon text that is so vague that it can apply to anyone also here is SJM who evolves her life around them with her music taste, clothes and emojis she uses
We need to talk about the amount of mermaid/nymph/ water beings pins sjm has on her acotar pinterest board (+ pins that clearly relate to Gwyn) because it's a lot :
These relate to the little mermaid especifically:
One is an illustration from undine: the tale that inspired the little mermaid, the other is an illustration from the little mermaid storybook, the third is an art from the moment the daughters of the air find the little mermaid and the last is a representation of "rusalka" a tale that is also associated with the little mermaid.
While trying to find out the artists to credit them here, I had to research most images (that's how I know they are related to nymphs and mermaids), and some of them, although not being "the little mermaid" illustrations, had their keywords and descriptions associated to the tale and/or were used to represent it:
Now we can add the pins she saved on the story kernels board:
Taking a closer look at the images below (who are in the same board): the first two look an awful lot like how Gwyn is described in the books, and all of them have "tiaras" with stones in the center. So we can assume Sarah was probably already imagining her character:
Finally these are all illustrations from the little mermaid too:
Honestly I can't think a reason why she would save all these mermaid/nymph/water being pins in the acotar board, unless it had something to do with Gwyn or a possible little mermaid retelling, because:
1) There are no mermaids established in acotar.
2) The only water nymph who was featured in the main story/has an arc is Gwyn.
3) The only person who could follow a mermaid type of storyline or a "little mermaid" retelling is also Gwyn.
4) Water beings are not heavily featured in the storyline so far (if we take Gwyn out of the picture) at least not enough to have that many pins.
I saw people saying the whole mermaid thing could be related to crescent city, and there are mermaid/water beings pins in that board too (although less than in the acotar board). So, yes they could be explored in that world. But the little mermaid pins in the other boards and in the acotar board can't be related to crescent city, since a little mermaid retelling probably wouldn't happen in those books, because Sarah already made it clear crescent city is not a retelling of any fairy tale:
The artists: svein solem,escume on devianart, brian froud, richet beckett, rebecca yanovskaya, kimberly bicknese, mmmegh on devianart, oione on devianart, nesskain on devianart, ClintCearly on devianart,john aslarona,juhanna on devianart, selenada on devianart, selina fenech, raqmo on devianart,Aaron Mcbride,james browne,alexandra khitrova, franz hein, ekukanova on devianart, Vipada jakavanphituk, Vasily Alexandrovich, yuumei on devianart, Dorothy P. in the little mermaid book, anna vinogradanova, escume on devianart, aditya777 on devianart, stephen reid, ed org, milo manara,kobe sek, PixieMeat96,janey-jane on devianart, jameswarhola, xxdovelin on devianart,Anastasia ovnichinnikova, serafleur on devianart, the0prhastus on devianart, lauri blank, lissa treiman, Ali Kiani Amin, Charlie-Bowater on devianart,Yoann-Lossel, Kamil Jadczack, bayardwu on devianart, arthur rackman on Undine storybook, Miss-Etoile on devianart, Goran-Alena on devianart,hanyije, 88grzes on devianart, peachymints on devianart, hiliuyun arowana, paul hoppe,min yum,donato giancola, elizabeth sherry, yousaf-ejaz on devianart,heath robinson,tatiana kirgertova,john d batten, charles allen winter, Bigball Gao in artstation, krukof2 on devianart, nadezha illarionova for the little mermaid book, Christian Birmighan for the little mermaid book, any-s-kill on devianart, gennady spirin for the little mermaid book,untroubledheart on devianart.
Ps: it's cool to see how she saved a lot of arts from mermaids/water beings made by escume on devianart, and that is the artist responsable for the cover of "sea witch" a little mermaid retelling.
If some you want so see more similarities between gwyn and the little mermaid you can also check out this post I made:
SJM knowing Chaol’s book would be next…she gives him a bonus chapter before Tower of Dawn. The same thing with Nesta in Wings & Embers.
After ACOSF,she gives Azriel a bonus chapter. And then he gets another in another completely different series. The fact that she didn’t give Rhys and Feyre a bonus chapter in HOFAS (and we all know Rhys is her favorite character) the fact that she didn’t give him and Feyre a bonus chapter means for some reason,she wants us paying attention to Azriel right now.
You might argue “Well Bryce and Nesta are also in the chapter”
Bryce and Nesta have books and are mated.
She’s giving Azriel quite some attention…
If Elain’s book was next why has she been relegated to the background once again. Thinking about it from the marketing perspective also…if a characters book is next,I’m sure they’d want her to be popping up in the important plot points so readers get more excited about her storyline. That hasn’t happened for Elain.
When SJM was asked if Elain would appear in the next ACOTAR she said “We’d see Elain in some form”
That’s not how you describe the supposed protagonist of your next book.
Compare that response to when Steph asked her about Azriel’s book…
A lot of major changes to the story need to occur. E/riel theories are often convoluted and contradicting, but let's go over some of the things that need to happen, for these E/riel theories shall we?
Elain and Lucien's bond has to be 'wrong or corrupt' while everyone else's is perfectly fine.
Lucien and Azriel need to have a blood duel where Lucien dies.
The bond is fake and they'll both have a good laugh about it.
Elain will reject the bond, but will always still have her bond with Lucien. She'll just go with Azriel and he'll be totally ok with it.
BOTH Elain and Lucien will reject the bond, which...somehow it just what, goes away? They will both find love with someone who isn't their mate, Az/Vassa, but constantly feel the pull to eachother since the bond doesn't go away. Lucien will eventually be driven mad.
Lucien has to be a cheater. Being a mated male and his whole characteristic of being fiercely loyal? Out the window.
Jurien has to betray them or die, since Jassa is a contendor to Vassien. Jassa cannot happen so we must get rid of Jurien.
Gwyn has to be evil
Gwyn's a Lightsinger/luring Azriel, so him wanting to see her cannot be of his own volition or a draw to any mating bond, it's because he's under a spell.
Gwyn is going to betray Azriel
Gwyn and Elain are going to fight over Azriel, which Gwyn will reveal her evil ploy
Gwyn cannot exist past SF and will fade into obscurity
Someone is forcing Elain to be with Lucien, in which she and Azriel must sneak around with their forbidden desires before someone steps in and fights for their happiness.
Lucien just fades into obscurity or dies trying to protect Elain which she goes to Az anyway.
Elucien happens in the first book, but then Lucien turns into a sudden asshole and pushes Elain away where she realizes she loved Az all along? The second book is Elain and Azriel getting together...which would be all of 5 pages.
For Elucien to happen,
Elain and Lucien need to spend time together and get to know eachother.
For Gwynriel to happen,
Azriel and Gwyn spend time together.
Azriel stops focusing on his lack of a mate and listen to his shadows who are clearly telling him the woman he's looking for is right in front of him.
That's it.
For Elucien/Gwynriel to happen, all they have to do is spend more time together. We don't need anyone to lose their HEA, we don't need to kill off any characters, or make anyone suffer. Everyone gets a HEA, which in a romance novel that's about soulmates and love and healing and fantasy, that's what it's about. This isn't GoT/SOIAF where people need to be scheming and die.
What sounds more likely? 2 books left focusing on 2 different ships like Eluciend and Gwynriel? Seeing 4 people get their HEA and possibly some blooming side ships like Jassa and Mor/Emire? Or, 2 books, one focusing on Elriel, where one of the many horrible and depressing options happen, with the second book being someone else entirely, or Vassien? Which again, would be breaking characters.
and i can't stop thinking about this one either. thats why katara and aang spent their whole lives together, there's so much love in the way they look at each other.