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#I’m very critical of sjm
yaralulu · 6 days
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I’m honestly so scared of getting an elucien book because of the possibility of sjm ruining lucien’s character the same way she did with cassian and pretty much every other male character.I need lucien to fight back against the bad writing because if his character gets assassinated I’ll lose my mind.Pls god let lucien escape the sjm toxic mate writing 🗣️🙏.
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bookishfeylin · 5 months
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I joined this fandom loving Feyre, loving Feysand, loving the IC, just overall loving everything about the books. As such, I looked at the super pro-Feysand and such content. This was a mistake, as the longer I spend on diehard stan content, the more I want to punch walls. There's nothing wrong with loving Feyre, or even thinking Feysand is a cute couple you ship, but there are people who just deny them of ever having done wrong (not even to each other, just in general), or that Sarah didn't make some major oversights. The big thing I think of is Feyre as a high lady. I actually liked the whole "high lady" thing when I first read the series, but now I'm realizing how stupid it is. Feyre is wonderful, but she is still a 20 year old who has no formal training in accounting, in leadership, in politics, or any of the necessary requirements. You can't run for president until at least 35 for a reason. She can be as sweet as she wants, and host all the free painting classes, and be as motherly as possible, but when push comes to shove that won't lead a country. These people out here claiming "ah yes, Rhysand is pretty much retired at this point Feyre leads the whole nation and she's just the perfect High Lady" yadda yadda yadda, no. Also, I've discovered some people stan her destruction of the Spring Court? I'm not even pro Tamlin and I can accept that is absolutely not cool. Was it largely his own fault? Sure! But there was a necessary catalyst, and that's what they refuse to accept.
Anyway I'm just babbling at this point, but very few people in this fandom actually accept that Feyre is capable of wrongdoing (and that's okay! perfect characters are boring to read! you can love characters despite them being flawed!) AND can bear to tolerate a difference of opinion. Curate your fandom experience how you want it's your life, but don't be shocked when someone comes in with a valid point.
You've probably answered this 8000 times before, but what's your opinion on the whole "High Lady" thing?
Hi anon! This entire ask was such a pleasure to receive, and your ranting is perfectly fine (goodness knows I rant a LOT on a lot of my analysis posts in particular—). I actually have feelings™️ about the fall of Spring (though that is a post for another time and it’s something I’ve talked about before but I’ll keep from discussing it here so this post won’t be too long lol), but the High Lady thing is also something I have strong opinions on as well.
While I do understand Feyre's age and political inexperience being something that people get hung up on, I haven’t talked about it as much mainly because it’s not as big of a stickler for me. The main issue, for me, with the title of High Lady is that it is an empty title. No amount of Rhysand saying “look you have droplets of power from other people clearly you’re a ruler” changes that Feyre was not actually hand picked by magic to rule as defined by the (admittedly barebones) magic system we get. I talk about it more in this post, but ACOTAR 1 spells out that Hugh Lords are chosen by magic and as a result have a unique connection to their land and people. (PLEASE go read that post for the exact quotes I use and my discussion of said quotes!) Feyre lacks this connection, and is therefore not a real High Lady in any sense. It is merely an empty title, given to her to placate her and make her (and by extension her fans) feel like she has more power in her unbalanced relationship than she does, which is why she and many Feysand stans were blindsided by Rhysand's actions in ACOSF.
I say this, not maliciously, because anyone who’s read my content for any long period of time knows I’m actually very fond of book 1 Feyre in particular, but to point out that it’s merely another tactic by Rhysand to manipulate her. Feyre is left completely vulnerable and completely at her husband's mercy due to her incorrect belief that she has more power in their dynamic than she actually does, a dynamic that is showcased and exploited to the worst degree in ACOSF, and it’s largely possible because Feyre is not a legitimate High Lady in the full sense of the title who is owed her subjects loyalty and devotion the same way her husband is. It’s very tragic, actually, and it’s wild to me that the whole fandom fell for it.
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gold-wolf-soldier13 · 9 months
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I’m gonna preface this by saying I don’t like ACOTAR, I own the first two books and I honestly hate them, it does not spark joy for me but I simply can’t leave it alone because like R/WBY my brain has decided to fixate on all the ways it could have been good, and I honestly believe ACOTAR could have been great.
Now idk if I’m the first one to say this (I highly doubt it ik I’m v late to the series) but A Court of Thorns and Roses by far had the best and most believable romance in the series (not the controversial part) but it’s never really hit for me personally and I think I’ve figured out how to put the “why” into words.
ACOTAR is (supposedly) a retelling of Beauty and the Beast but it’s honestly not ever worked as one for me personally cause, and I’m gonna be comparing this mostly to the Disney version most everyone knows, the witch that curses the Beast at the beginning doesn’t/isn’t supposed to stick around but Amarantha does- she’s literally the main villain, there would be no story without her.
In the Disney version the witch tests the selfish Prince and when he fails she cursed him for it, Amarantha doesn’t do that- she curses Tamlin because essentially she didn’t like that he wouldn’t sleep with her.
And that changes everything about Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship cause the curse is supposed to be something that teaches the Beast a lesson- ie. beauty is only skin deep, not everything is what it seems, stop being a dick- but Tamlin doesn’t need to learn a lesson, that’s not why he was cursed, which changes how he and Feyre interact. Yeah he’s still gotta make her fall in love with him but it’s not really a self-reflection issue like the Disney version, it’s a fucked up game Amarantha’s making him play that his hearts not really in.
The scene where the Beast lets Belle go so she can rescue her father is the character growth moment for him, it shows how much influence Belle’s presence has had on him and when he sees how cruel he’s been by forcing her to stay with him. It’s the Beast learning to love someone more than himself, that love and compassion and care are always worth the effort even when it hurts.
And Tamlin doesn’t get that moment because he never needed it- he already knows what the Beast is supposed to learn.
Belle leaves because her town is going to throw the only family she has, her father whom she’d traded her freedom for, into an asylum cause no one will help him save Belle from the Beast. Feyre doesn’t get that because it’s Tamlin sending her away for her safety and besides there’s no way she would have gone back to save her family anyways Feyre is an inherently selfish character but that’s not what I’m trying to say rn.
Feyre comes back to save her love just like Belle does but it’s not an affirmation of belief for Tamlin like it is for the Beast, it’s almost exactly what Amarantha wants- another way to torment Tamlin and make sure he’s even more compliant than he was before once she has Feyre.
Feyre breaking the curse isn’t really a triumph of her love for Tamlin or a “reward” for his growth- it’s quite literally a tragedy for him since he has to watch her die after being tortured for months when he tried to save her from this exact situation.
I feel like I’m starting to repeat myself now so there it is ig- why Amarantha doesn’t work as a villain for me and how ACOTAR fails me as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Feyre is a good “Belle” but Tamlin was never the “Beast”, he was always just her Prince.
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nestaismommy · 7 months
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Die- hard acotar stans are so damn sensitive. It is no wonder why everyone outside of sjm thinks the same about them..
Someone on a tik tok comment section asked if acotar is worth it. Some people confused the person because, some said it's really worth it and others said it's not. I just explained to them that if they're there for only enjoyment with no braincells required it's worth it, but if they like worldbuilding exploration, characters development and good plots then acotar isn't for them. Another acotar stan disagreed, saying the books have good worldbuilding and good character development and when I told them no they started to get all pissed, complaining why I don't respect their opinion even though they don't respect mine. The conversation shifts to Rhys: When I told them the bs that he pulled such as lying, SA, hurting others etc. They laughed and said I'm delusional. Apperantly what he did wasn't SA and he "needed" to touch her in order to save her life. He "needed" to withhold important medical Information from Feyre because he didn't want her to worry. I very much made it clear that intentions don't f*cking excuse their actions, it's still not right.
They also told me I'm a hater and whatever, telling me that I have a problem because I read a book series that I hate. Apperantly we aren't allowed to critize a book anymore? Apperantly me saying the worldbuilding and character development in acotar isn't good is an insult to society I guess?
I can't deal with these stans. Sjm brainwashed them.
Hi Anon I’m so sorry it took so long to reply, I am just starting to get more active on here.
Trigger warning: SA
It is not a surprise that you’ll get attacked whenever you express an unpopular opinion.
ACOTAR is poorly written and not a lot of people see that. Sjm destroys her characters, there are many retcons, she can’t write about mental health, and don’t even get me started on the misogyny. Especially when it comes to Rhysand, his stans can’t accept any criticism about his character because he’s just so “perfect” and a “feminist king”. He “needed” to SA Feyre. But there will never be a valid reason to SA and abuse someone. They’ll call you delusional, they’ll tell you that you don’t understand the book, and that you should reread it. And that they don’t “think” it’s SA. And so on. At this point, I stopped trying to explain because honestly, they are the delusional ones.
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, if you hate the series then there is absolutely no problem with that. ACOTAR fans need to get their heads out of there assholes and accept that not everyone will agree with them.
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theladyofbloodshed · 5 months
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I keep seeing Fourth wing everywhere just like I did SJM and now I’m wondering how bad it actually is because I don’t trust these booktubers bar Daniel greene, Cindy and merphy naiper ( Daniel did acotar and fourth wing drunk reviews )
It seems to be like marmite. People are either crazy about it or they hate it. It's been likened to fantasy for people who don't read fantasy. The excerpts I've seen look bad. To me, the main characters look like sjm rip offs again. The 1 star reviews are hilarious.
I don't know how I feel about the author. She posted recently that she's anti-war, but Fourth Wing is very military heavy. She has another book where two characters fall in love whilst on a hero mission to Afghanistan in the middle of war. A majority of her novels feature war in some way - with main characters actively serving or training to be in the military. I've seen criticisms that they never actually delve into the horrors of war, only sugary romance and lots of sex. Basically, her genre is military romance. And these are all set within real wars, not fantasy ones. Her parents are military. Her husband served for 22 years. How can you say you are anti-war when your books are military propaganda? How can you declare you are against war when all of your income comes from a) your husband's military pension b) books about falling in love as a soldier in a war?
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multifan3000 · 2 months
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I’m glad the HOFAS bonus chapter is finally helping some people realize Cassian is a crappy mate to Nesta because I feel like the fandom is genuinely blind when it comes to this like… the amount of people I see praising Cassian for being the best bat boy/the best LI is so wild to me
Say what you will about Rhys (not about Az tho, I take no criticism on my precious broody shadow boy❤️) but I genuinely can’t imagine him ever letting someone talk to Feyre the way Cassian lets everyone talk to/about Nesta, same for Az and any of his girls. If Cassian genuinely/morally agrees with Rhys on some matters he’s totally entitled to that, but keep that to yourself and stand up for your partner first. Like genuinely I can’t even fathom letting someone talk to my girl the way Rhys does to Nesta and just keeping my mouth shut😩 It’s not about whether Rhys or Nesta is right in the moment, it’s the principle of the matter. Even Feyre and Rhys agree in ACOWAR that they are totally entitled to disagree with each other in private but will always stick up for and by each other to the rest of the world and present a united front. That’s what a relationship should be. It’s also just so so sad to see this happen to Nesta when we know she often thinks very little of herself already.
Anyway, I would really not be sad if Nessian is separated in one of the future books (I don’t think it’d be that crazy either, SJM has done this a thousand times and they’re very much giving Feyre/Tamlin or Celeana/Chaol to me). A part of me is deeply saddened by this because I loved them up through ACOWAR and was rooting for them more than the other ACOTAR couples but if they’re going to keep up this vibe i want them done with honestly…
Side note, I think next book is probably Elain/Azriel’s but maybe after that we’ll get a multi-POV one? KOA or EOS style where we can revisit Nesta’s story arc.
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nikethestatue · 2 months
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It’s kinda crazy reading gwynriel theories because, and I’m trying to be as objective as possible here, I do think elriels try to get a good understanding of gwynriels’ arguments and try to look at the text as objectively as possible. And that’s part of why we like elriel, because we see the story is going in that direction. Whereas I find that when I’m reading a gwynriel’s analysis, they make SO many assumptions that are just WRONG and easily disproven in the text. They just make these sweeping claims like “Azriel and Elain don’t actually care about each other” ?? Usually what they are saying seems to be parroted from someone else or from fanfics and don’t use the canon text to back it up. For them it seems to come down to personal preference whereas for us it goes beyond preference and we base it on canon.
And they get mad when we say Azriel doesn’t care about Gwyn even though we have “he wouldn’t go as far as to call her a friend” and how he acted when they were in the Blood Rite. Yet they’ll turn around and say Elriel don’t actually care about each other despite all of the caring behavior they’ve shown each other.
Just a rant but I guess I’m just saying I love that Elriels have canon backing us up. In my opinion tik tok has led to a rise of readers who are not able to consume literature that doesn’t involve a man with shadows who is considered “morally gray” but actually has a heart of gold and never does anything wrong, and a feisty sword wielding female character. They need everything to be a trope and need it all spelled out for them. They cannot think critically about what they are reading. I know we all joke that SJM books are not very complicated, and that’s true, but I do think she is able to write in a way that doesn’t fall into the tik tok style…probably because she’s been in the game for a decade. Anyway. Rant over haha.
I agree that there are a lot of 'feelings'. Well, I don't feel like Elain is good for Azriel. Or Azriel/Lucien 'deserve' better. Or I feel like Azriel wants a mate and not Elain.
Lots and lots of 'feelings'. And 'interpretations'.
Well, that's not how I interpret it.
Some things don't need to be interpreted at all. They just are. Words on a page which don't need anyone agonising over them. There are facts, which don't care about feelings. And facts that don't need interpretation.
You could, for example, opine on something like 'What if the Cauldron was wrong?" You could interpret it in a variety of different ways. That's totally fine.
However, some things are just there because SJM put them there for a reason. A guy who is dreaming about giving a woman oral is not open for interpretation. It also isn't really a debate to assume that an author is not going to have this same guy just dream of how a woman is going to sound when he enters her, get mated!! to another woman in the same chapter.
This is SJM, not some twisted dark romance, though even in the very darkest and twistiest of romances, it's one chick per dude. Dude becomes obsessed with one chick. Not multiples. SJM is especially not gonna write about a dude choosing a woman from a bunch of contenders. Not how this game is played.
And I wish sometimes, this basic logic was applied to Gwynriel. Step away from fanfics and cosplays and whatever else, and think about the genre and what SJM is trying to write here. Even if you don't like Elain. Even if you hate her. SJM doesn't share your feelings.
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acourtofthought · 2 months
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I’ve always been so sure of Elucien, they just make sense in my head, but this new interview got in my head. Do u think it is probable that after changing the Nesta+Lucien idea, Sarah changed the Elain+Lucien too?
Cause I feel like in ACOWAR she definitely intended to put them together, there WAS a buildup and tension between them, but after that book? Nothing. And now she says:
It’s like holding two dolls and being like, now kiss! And they won’t. … And then sometimes a different character will walk in and they will just… It feels like magic in a way where, as much as I tried to plot out things years in advance, I let my characters guide a story”
And
That’s something I find to be very interesting,” she replies. “What if the forces that be put you with the wrong person? Or what if you just decide, eh, I’m not interested. … There’s a lot to explore within the concept of mates and your agency about it.
And I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little bit sad and worried cause I don’t feel I can get on board with the Elriel romance if she goes in that direction :(
I don't think she changed the idea of Elain and Lucien because all SJM has done since she's mated them is build up their compatibility to an undeniable degree, kept Lucien loyal and respectful to Elain, and continue hammering home the idea that as much as Elain is trying to fit in with the Night Court, she doesn't quite fit in like her sisters.
I also don't think SJM has a habit of changing a characters love interest that often.
Yes, she thought Dorian and Aelin would originally end up together.
She thought Nesta and Lucien would originally end up together.
But I've never heard her say, "I thought she'd be with him until I realized she'd be with that other guy until I realized, no, it's actually Bachelor #3!!!"
So far as I can tell, it's usually her having a fuzzy idea about one pairing only to have them fall apart for their endgame and that's the one that sticks.
She felt confident enough in Elain and Lucien that she spoke of them vacationing together and it was only after she was signed on for the spin-offs that she suddenly went quiet about their mating bond. It doesn't mean she changed her mind, only that she knew she was now going to need to create a story where they remained at odds until it was time for their book and a way to keep the readers guessing.
"It's like holding two dolls and being like, now kiss! And they won't".
That actually makes me cackle because all I can see her the almost kiss with Elain and Az.
Elain and Lucien have not come within touching distance for a while and I think that's because SJM knows their dolls aren't leaving with their clothes on once they do.
And yes, SJM is valid in talking about mating bonds and agency because we've all seen it and I'm sure she's aware, there are a lot of critics of the trope who feel that it does take away agency.
I have read books where the second the FJM meets her mate, she's done for, there's no turning back and he's the one for her.
I think SJM likes to flip that on it's head a bit and has the character say, "but is this what I want?"
All she's doing is proving that even with mating bonds there is agency but the only way she can demonstrate that is to have the characters experiment outside their bonds to be sure.
And while those are the questions she asks herself, she even tells us that she may not explore a rejected bond. When bonds equal the pinnacle of happiness for her characters, why would she take away from them so they end up with something less than?
Then only way a rejected bond seems like it would be for the best is if a character ended up with a bond with the opposite sex she the preferred their own.
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okay i need to rant incoherently about HOFAS (and the sjm fandom)
so if you don’t care or haven’t finished the book, feel free to ignore this
(to make a couple of things abundantly clear though, the general discourse in this fandom frustrates me to no end, no hate to anyone obviously, but i get real real tired of the ship wars - i literally don’t care - and of people not using critical reading skills… all/most of these characters are morally grey and flawed and imperfect and it literally does nothing to debate who’s good/bad based on one reading of a morally grey character. they’re grey. even the ones you like. even the ones you hate. that’s the point. also this is mainly aimed at the acotar fandom.)
anyway, some thoughts on HOFAS
i absolutely loved lidia’s characterization. one of the best parts of the book. we love a complex female character. we love a complex double agent who does horrible things and has to live with that. we love female characters who aren’t sidelined just because they have kids
speaking of
i have Feelings about the characterization of lidia as a mother and am still trying to figure out what those are exactly.
but my feelings certainly align with her absolutely demolishing ruhn with that line about her tragic female backstory. what an absolute QUEEN.
i’m not quite sure how to feel about the ruhn/lidia relationship. i love their dynamic, and i support her in her decision to choose ruhn because she did choose him
but also he was pretty sketchy/a little bitch to her at times. was pretty shocked when he shot her in the leg (it seemed out of character). not unforgivable, that’s for her to decide and him to atone for (reminder to the fandom in general) but yeah… interesting… and questionable
okay moving on from them
i do love an ensemble cast. it’s very enjoyable.
the firstlight being gone is a really interesting world building device
you could definitely see the extra emphasis this book on motherhood, through lidia and ember — interesting to see authors evolve and grow with their own lives influencing their themes
honestly, enjoyed the subplots a good bit
ITHAN AND THARION ARE SUPER HOMOEROTIC! i had hope for a little bit that we would finally see a queer relationship unfold. but no. one of them just got married off and now is attached? like bro this werewolf literally almost got himself killed and then murdered someone very important to him to rescue you from enslavement. but that’s totally platonic.
AGH I’m really REALLY frustrated with the lack of queer rep in the MCs in sjm books. like fine, i don’t care that much, at least you have some rep, but it really shows the limitations of comp het storytelling
was very much a guilty pleasure but the crossovers were a very fun touch
ALSO. getting very tired of the “males are all the same across the universe. such alphaholes haha.” BRO THATS NOT HOW PEOPLE WORK AND ALSO DEFINITELY NOT HOW GENDER WORKS. my little queer brain cells are dying here.
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ladyelain · 1 year
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Friendly reminder that acowar is the focal point of the series, the set up for all the spin-offs, and the birth of all "new" ships. Not acofas.
Acofas, from a dramaturgical perspective, has the opposite effect, the plot is almost retarding, seemingly nothing really happens. This goes for the storyline as well as the characters and relationships. As we all know, SJM does this a lot to hold back information and create tension. Acofas is a whole novella of pressing pause, taking steps backwards even, bringing up old topics for the reader to get back together with their faves. It was marketed as a christmas special…
As a casual reader, I’d finish the og trilogy and have my two thoughts about where the other characters’ journeys might be going. Nessian was obvious to anyone, but so was Elucien, I had thought. They were mates and SJM kind of confirmed them. (She definitely would have, had she not already planned to continue the series.) I didn’t think of Azriel as a serious love interest for Elain, until I went on tumblr and was made to believe Elucien was just in my head.
Yet, acowar ended with Elain inviting Lucien to return to Velaris, as he did, and I think it doesn’t matter she’s withdrawing from him now, it just proves the point that she cares. It’s called build-up. I’m just analyzing this a bit, and in my eyes, acowar is the most determining, telling factor when it comes to ships and character arcs, even though it’s been years and we’ve been introduced to new, relevant characters.
Critical reading is something I think we all learned in school. Not shipping Elucien is absolutely fine, I’m the last person who minds, but please, y’all, stop degrading Elucien like it’s not a valid ship. It’s not making you look very intelligent.
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sharpen-your-blade · 1 year
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i want to make it clear that being critical of a character in acotar, specifically when they’re a woman, is not an all-or-nothing kind of thing where, because i criticize their actions or behaviors, i reject any sympathy or understanding for them. this is not the case. i’m not anti feyre, for instance, but rather anti some of the things she has said and done. i will always support the women in this series over everyone else, regardless of my personal feelings for them, because every single one of them are victimized in one way or another by the horrible men in these books.
with mor, for example, i’m critical of her abhorrent treatment of nesta and how this reflects on her as a female character who’s implied to champion other women who’ve suffered at the hands of abusive family members and men (which, in mor’s book, includes feyre but interestingly does not include nesta). alongside this, i am very empathetic and cognizant of mor’s own trauma—of her experiences with her abusive family, her fear of rejecting azriel, and everything that went down with eris (also this thing where sjm is trying to redeem him by making it seem like mor might have lied about her assault is VERY gross and gives off strong notes of victim blaming; i will support mor in this scenario, regardless of how i feel about her and whatever justifications sarah whips up to defend eris). but mor’s trauma does not excuse her actions, so it’s completely fair that i criticize her for them.
the same goes for feyre and elain. i don’t actively dislike them, but i’m very critical of a lot of their actions and behaviors throughout the books, especially their treatment of other women. still, this does not prevent me from empathizing with and supporting them as they overcome their respective struggles. even with nesta, i recognize that her words hurt the people around her and i don’t think everything she said was acceptable, but it still doesn’t get in the way of my empathy for her.
the reason that, even if i criticize or dislike them, i believe it’s essential to support the women in these books is because almost all of their trauma was caused by the men in their lives. their fathers, past and present lovers, the king of hybern—all these men have gravely harmed these women. even if they’ve done things i disapprove of, even if i don’t like their character at all, i will always stand with them. they are victims and survivors. this trend i keep seeing in the fandom of blaming them for their trauma instead of the men who literally abused them because said men are “hot” and/or “misunderstood” is so ugly. let’s stop that right now.
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stargirlfeyre · 7 months
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“Azriel may be boring as shit but at least he never went after someone who was actively treating Feyre like shit. At least the Archeron he’s going after is actually working to fix her relationship with Feyre. Cassian went for someone who was still treating his friend like dog shit and I just can’t respect that.” ALL OF THIS
i’m always hesitant to say this bc some ppl are super sensitive when it comes to cassian for some funny reason (all the other boys are able to be criticized but not him bc he can be funny?) but part of why i don’t like him as much as azriel is because of how he went for nesta too early on, it was super premature for him to come onto her so blatantly in front of everyone even when she was mortal and he’d literally just met her, knowing how feyre was treated etc…i adore cassian when i don’t look at his character too closely. as much as i prefer feyssian over feyzriel because of her and cassian having more sweet bestie moments than her and az do, whenever there’s a discussion i’ll always choose az first because of cassian and nesta. like anon said i can’t help but put myself in feyre’s shoes when i’m reading but i don’t like that he came onto nesta the way he did and how soon he did, and he had no shame about it in front of feyre and the rest.
i know some people are super chill or they have sisters or family members that cross these lines all the time, like your friend flirting with your sister, but in my family or friend groups we don’t do that especially if a sister is really mean to me, why would i approve of my friend going for her so blatantly in front of me? it’s not so much a harsh or possessive petty thing but just basic morale? cassian imo doesn’t get enough flack for how he came onto nesta so soon. it’s true too that at least az didn’t show any signs of having a crush until acowar and acofas, i prefer someone humbly and respectfully handling a crush on my sister than how in your face cassian was about it with nesta in only book two. idk sometimes it feels like his dick thinks for him and even acosf proved that.
i prefer acowar cassian! but i also skip the pages whenever he’s acting out over nesta or they’re both being angst ridden for one another, i just can’t take it seriously bc he was obv thinking with his dick or mating bond and she was still treating everyone like they were less than her despite her being a pos who has never done anything.
idk 😮‍💨 like i said it’s so easy to love cass as a character when you don’t look at his dynamic with nesta from feyre’s shoes in book two. i imagine mainly feyre stan’s struggle with him due to his attachment to nesta so early on. that bonus chapter anon mentioned where cassian put his body up against nesta’s asking whether she was a virgin or not? he’d only recently met her and was doing that, it being too soon aside, it was very inappropriate to do. even mor made it clear that he acts that way with women when they don’t want him and see’s it as “a challenge” just 10 reasons why az and rhysand will always come off as the most mature to me.
the other reasons i don’t favor him have to do with sjm having him refer to nesta as a queen in acosf, him always showing doubt with the ic’s decisions in acosf as if he’s not apart of the ic (why did he seem so against them in acosf at times? most of the time they were right too so it was just weird for sjm to do) saying nesta didn’t need to apologize to anyone supposedly (really sjm? 💀) having sex with nesta on a hike where she was supposed to own up to her wrongs and mature after she just told feyre she could die (inappropriate timing much..?) acting funny when rhysand felt the need to tell her to be nice to gwyn and emerie when he knows damn well rhysand isn’t at the house of wind like them to know nesta’s behavior had gotten better. how the hell would rhysand know that nesta’s not being mean to him when rhysand’s only ever seen her be rude af to everyone..? and then made it even worse when he petulantly wrapped his arm around nesta to make rhysand feel uncomfortable.
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acourtofwhatthefuck · 4 months
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If you’re open to sharing, I’d love to hear what you thought could have been done better in acosf or in the series in general! Acotar is the first fantasy series I’ve read since childhood and I totally didn’t pick up on the plot hole stuff bc I was in it for the romance (lol) and would love to hear your opinion :)
Hiiii! So I could totally write a more informative answer to this, but I’d say in general that my biggest problem is the timing of things and how drastically some characters change in later books. I’m by no means an overly observant or critical reader — it legit takes me a few reads to pick up on things sometimes — but if we take acosf for example, I simply just don’t think Nesta and Cassian were given the best love story they could have had. I feel like they deserved a better coming together than just hating each other one second and fucking each other the next.
And then the whole Feyre pregnancy thing really bothered me. She told Rhys at the end of acomaf that she wanted to live and experience life with her mate first. She’s still young. She’s had a pretty wild couple of years and is very new to being High Lady (which I think she needs a lot more training for), and yet then in acofas she’s going the other way and saying she’s ready to be a mother. And then her entire personality and story becomes about motherhood, as if that’s all that’s in store for her now.
All in all, there are just little things that niggle at me and I don’t think I articulated my thoughts very well because I’m really bad at explaining my thoughts, but I guess the later books just felt a little rushed. I do wonder if they’d have been different/better if sjm wasn’t throwing herself into everything Crescent City! 🤷🏻‍♀️
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bookishfeylin · 11 months
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I totally get what you mean about the fandom being exhausting and wanting to leave. But I feel like that’s how SJM is able to continue to make it. So many people were calling everything out long before SJM made it big after the release of her third book, but they gave up which is where her fandom was able to grow unchallenged and unhinged. I know so many people are leaving now, because it is really tiring to constantly trying to be gaslit and getting death threats, but I so very much fear what happens if people stop calling her out.
PS. I’m not saying it’s your job to call stuff out, by the way. I’m just sharing my fears 😆
Thank you! But there are a lot of old Sarah critical blogs that still have their posts up, and I think a lot of us have covered the main things: the racism, the misogyny, the retcons, the hypocrisy, etc... (though I still have a Nesta essay somewhere in the stack). But many of these legitimate complaints and analyses are being ignored by the white women who stan Sarah because ~Feysand~, and it's equal parts frustrating and disheartening because it shows white women really do not care about women of color AT ALL and have merely been offering faux "allyship" because they do not CARE about racism when it impacts something THEY like.
I am still HERE for my ship, though, and I still have many WIPs planned for them, but between all the nonsense in canon and the stress and the daily harassment in my inbox... I don't really see being in the ACOTAR fandom as worth it long-term.
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radicallyaligned · 1 month
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I’m a different anon. I used to be an avid SJM fan (and actually still have a lot of her books that I hopefully will donate since I do not enjoy them anymore).
Honestly, she does have an issue with writing toxic men, especially with her ACOTAR series. I remember a part where the main protagonist got pregnant and her “mate” put her in a protective bubble where she could not even touch her friends. He also never told her that she would die from having this baby and kept that from her so she wouldn’t change her mind. When her sister told her the truth about the baby, she got villainized as if she did something wrong by telling her. I also remember a part where the main protagonist’s sister was described to be very skinny due to not eating well and how SJM was talking about how big her breasts were (which was so unnecessarily sexualized). This sister also had a momentous amount of power but then ended up having most of it taken away so that she and her sister could birth a winged baby without dying. That was her entire “redemption” arc.
For her other series Throne of Glass (which I think is a better series), I really dislike how she turned a strong willed character (Manon) to become submissive to a man when she was never characterized to be that way. I was so disappointed when I saw where she was going with her and Dorian. There are a lot more examples other than the ones I shared as well (but at that point I might as well write an essay).
I loved the premise of her books and having a strong female lead though. And I won’t bash you for liking it since I did too years ago. It just becomes really hard to ignore how problematic her book and characters are (that’s why I personally would never recommend any). ACOTAR is just so horrendous and I can’t get over how she makes the male love interest seem so “healthy” and “loving”. Unfortunately, a lot of fantasy is like this (which is so upsetting since it’s my favorite genre). It is a work of fiction but it is so disheartening to see so many of her readers thinking that her male love interests are what they should be looking for.
Sorry for any grammatical errors! If you want more examples, I would be glad to send another ask if time allows (I love talking about books and literature). I also want to make it clear that I am not attacking you in any way.
I appreciate this ask, not only for you sharing your opinion, but for giving me an avenue to articulate where I think these lines break down.
To me, and it can be different to each reader, no judgment, but I do not care about "problematic characters". I am not voting for these characters, looking up to them, or dating them.
These characters are not real people.
I read books with pedophiles, nazis, rapists, etc....because again, these people are not real.
I did not read Apt Pupil by Stephen King and go "wow, I need to give this book away because the main characters are problematic:/" like yeah, they're nazis and murderers. Reading something does not mean supporting the characters actions?
Idk I think the idea that book characters need to be perfect examples of how we conduct ourselves in real life is, not to be dramatic, but the death of literature. Media literacy is on a rapid downhill slide and there's no greater example than folks criticizing people who aren't real.
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petal-blush · 7 months
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i’m halfway through my acowar re-read (in prep for house of flame and shadow next year) and sjm is really dropping a lot of hints about the possibility of elucien and elriel. it is insane.
and i am so torn!!! elain is obviously dealing with the trauma of becoming fae and being a seer - so obviously she’s just focused on surviving and healing. once we get to her book though i am very intrigued by what route sjm is going to take.
she could go the safe (albeit kind of boring imo) route and have elain accept the mating bond with lucien. OR she could reject the bond and choose azriel. but here is my thing:
whichever route is chosen will still have a lot of heart break in various ways. both lucien and azriel are very, very sad characters in their own ways.
lucien obviously watched his lover die, was exiled from his family, thought he found a home only to then realize his friend is actually a monster, and to top it off his mate does not like him at all. lucien is a message in a bottle, he is adrift in the sea of his life right now.
i like lucien and then i don’t. he watched feyre get abused by tamlin and did very little to help her. he immediately forced the mating bond on elain as soon as he saw her as fae. and while you could argue that he couldn’t help himself, i give you rhys not telling feyre he knew for literal months! i currently have mixed feelings on lucien. he is weird to me, i want to see more of his character arc. i imagine we will see that sooner or later.
and azriel. i admit i have a soft spot for azriel, and maybe that has made my criticism of lucien harsher. but it’s fiction and i am just having fun thinking about all this, let’s not take this too seriously!
azriel is also adrift in the sea of his life. unrequited love, a history of child abuse and generally just being … mysterious. in reality, we don’t know a ton about azriel. he is reserved, but what we do know is that he is kind and gentle and understanding of what elain actually needs. he sees her in a way others have not.
the scene that sticks out most to me is azriel sunning his wings in the garden, and keeping elain company while she plants herbs (or whatever i don’t exactly remember). there seems to be a level of comfort between them. i think, like cassian, azriel is also good at feeling out the emotional needs of those around him. he seems to just understand elain’s nature. he gets it! he is patient and kind!
regardless of who elain ends up with, someone is going to be hurt. and it will be so interesting but also open up a new path for that character! it will def be sad, but i think that will be interesting. give me the brooding…. so they can grow and find a new way to bring themselves joy!
i just keep thinking about this. i love crescent city and i’m very excited for HOFAS in february, but i want the next acotar book so bad 😭 i need elain’s story!! i want to see her grow and flourish, she deserves it!!!!
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