#even for an sjm book

[bryceandhunt]

#WHO'S CURIOUS #any guesses #tbh I need to reread these and then maybe reread them again before HOFAS like #so many threads to follow #even for an sjm book #Sarah j maas #archangels #Bryce Quinlan #Tristan flynn #ariadne #ariadne crescent city #ariadne hosab #hosab #house of sky and breath

[washmchineheart]

so feyre tried to teach nesta how to use a bow. probably to hunt. which implies that she wasn’t just sitting around doing nothing. funny how this was never mentioned to other people, not even in feyre’s pov. you know what else wasn’t mentioned after acotar? the fact that nesta went after her sister. and that she was willing to marry any guy just so feyre had one less person to feed.

it’s almost like people ignore every good thing that nesta has done because she is not your typical nice girl

#funny uh #but not funny haha. funny weird. #I swear sjm didn’t even remember half of the things she writes in these books #nesta archeron #pro nesta archeron #acotar #acosf

[acotarfrustrations]

I didn't even really like tamlin in acotar BUT OH MY GOD. Even I feel the need to defend him with the way he's written in acomaf. ITS SO BLATANT, that he is only written this way to make way for Rhys because he's acting DIRECTLY CONTRADICTORY TO THE WAY HE DID IN THE FIRST BOOK.

I get the thing with aramantha changed him but JESUS CHRIST, THESE CHANGES ARENT EVEN LOGICAL FROM A NARRATIVE STANDPOINT.

The ending to acomaf is so ridiculous I'm going to explode. Lucien mating Elain, feyre's sisters being turned into fae for no reason, tamlin turning into fucking Grima Wormtongue, it's so ridiculous that it has no emotional impact, its just frustrating.

The stakes aren't even high, it's just OMG the king of hybern is going to turn feyre's sisters and the mortal queens into fae oh no!

And like yeah I get how traumatizing that is for Nesta and elain because they don't want it, but it's just a stupid stake from a narrative standpoint. It's completely anticlimactic. We know it's traumatizing, but we also know that these characters will get over it and the book will just chug along. Like they were human, now they're fae. Nothing else really changed.

And the whole Lucien and Elain mating situation is so dumb. Honestly the way romance is done in the book is stupid. It feels like a fanfic with the way every single minor character has to be paired up with each other.

Idk it's just dumb and the plot was really meandering and I feel like ive wasted my time.

I know I'm rambling but I really can't get over the tamlin thing, there are no words for how much it pisses me off.

Tamlin being the only high lord who held out the longest against aramantha and hybern's forces, suffering for 50 years and watching his people die for his refusal to submit, going 3 months forced to being eye candy utm and watch his people be held captive, the High Lord who didn't even want to be high lord and only wanted to play the fiddle but still rose to the challenge to try and do right by the spring court being reduced to what he was at the end of acomaf while rhysand who sexually assaulted feyre and leaves women in his court to have their wings clipped and sold off but gets sjm's version of a shitty redemption arc

This isn't even a "fun bad" series to read, it's just exhausting

#anti sjm #anti acotar #anti rhysand #anti feysand #anti acomaf #anti sarah j maas #anti ic #anti inner circle #pro tamlin #i guess #idk his character was fucked up so bad i cant stand it #i found him boring in the first book #and now even i feel the need to jump to his fucking defense

[lainalit]

Why doesn't anyone talk about Rhysand coming to the picture of his child?

#anti rhysand #what the fuck did I just read #and I thought the battle sex would be the weirdest we can get #this isn't even a breeding kink this is just weirdo shit #does sjm has even in editor or anybody on her team who said maybe don't put that in the book #anti feysand #anti acotar #acofas #acotar critical #acotar thoughts #anti sjm #sjm critical

[highladyjane]

The assault at Sangravah happened in early ACOMAF (before Elain's existence even came into picture for Azriel - 3 days before he even got to meet Feyre)... So I don't get how G and Az are supposed to be mates when he's had all that time to feel something?

There's the parallel of Rhys' father feeling his mating bond snap into place the moment he met his mother being assaulted.

"One look at her, and he knew what she was..." (ACOMAF, ch. 16)

Or Rhys himself feeling the bond when Feyre was being tortured by Amarantha...

"And I knew as I picked up that knife to kill her... I knew right then what you were. I knew right then that you were my mate." (ACOMAF, ch. 54)

Or Cassian simply meeting Nesta. "Say what I've guessed from the moment we met" he breathed. What I knew from the first time I kissed you. What became unbreakable between us on Solstice night." (ACOSF, ch. 62)

Bonus from Nesta: “‘From the moment I met you, I wanted you more than reason. From the moment I saw you in my house, you were all I could think about. And it terrified me. No one had ever held such power over me."

Or even Lucien after Elain was Made and maybe even while being thrown into the Cauldron... I don't even need a quote for them, but even Lucien knew and has tried seeking Elain out after the incident.

It's stated in the books and shown again and again that it's the males who are deeply affected by the mating bond. That they can know from the moment they meet. They all in one way or another sought after the females. Even Nesta and Feyre felt something before they knew or opened themselves up to it. And since they all met - They. Couldn't. Stay. Away.

But there's like... no hint of it from Az after stumbling upon G? Like he just literally stumbles upon her - never actually even actively seeking her out through all those years? He hasn't even actively tried to stay away? He's just... *crickets*

It's been Gwyn making noises and attracting his attention through all their scenes together. It was Gwyn asking for dagger lessons. It was 'Gwyn' making Az the new ribbon (whatever that means). And it's Az's shadows reacting to Gwyn, not Az himself. But there's no real hint that Gwyn feels anything romantic for him. There's barely any interactions between them without linking it to her assault in Sangravah and her growth from it.

Besides Az's shadows reacting to G, and that ribbon moment that everyone deems so pivotal when Az realises what it means for the Valkyries (that he's had a hand in training) and maybe even reflects upon Gwyn's character development and therefore what the ribbon means for Gwyn - which made me feel proud too, and that's how I interpreted it - but I can't see an undeniable sign of it being a mating bond anywhere.

I thought at first that mayhaps he was giving her space because of the assault, but then the BC came and he went "It was too late to bank without appearing like he was running," and then "He wouldn't go so far as to call Gwyn a friend,". (ACOSF, Azriel's Bonus Chapter)

Let's not even mention the part where Gwyn was actually in danger (no matter how capable she was at that point), while Cassian was going ballistic at Nesta being in danger, but Az is all like "Let's go save Eris". Eris who both he and Cassian hates. Eris who Az himself nearly killed during the HLs' pre-war meeting (before he exhibited actual mate behaviour and sought and risked his life to save Elain who's not even his mate). But no, he gave just as much or even less action and reaction about Gwyn as Tamlin gave when Feyre was UTM.

And I was like...

How are they mates? Where's the mate behaviour every male - mated or not - in Prythian has exhibited throughout the books? Why did I keep seeing things about them being mates and endgame?

The only hint between them that I could even begin to consider it from is the second to last sentence in Az's BC.

"But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly."

But I basically have the same interpretation about that as this post from @merymoonbeam. (Although I'm still neutral about the lightsinger theory, it's the most interesting take.)

Because again.

Why hasn't Azriel felt/shown anything or actively sought her out or even actively stayed away if he's known Gwyn since Sangravah?

If they're mates, shouldn't he have felt and shown something - like that glow - and Gwyn be the one to snap him out of his 'love' for Mor before he even had the chance to meet Elain? If he's just lonely and jealous of his brothers having mates then... Why has he barely noticed or sought out Gwyn who's supposed to be his mate?

What, he had to wait until his shadows reacted to her to even think about her?

I'm not an expert at analysing things - I wouldn't even say I'm good at interpreting things especially when I've got my rose-tinted glasses on, so/but I'm always open to being wrong and changing my mind accordingly.

But/so convince me with actual canon and not just your biased opinions, delusions, self-insertions, or ships.

#this is me questioning people's reading comprehension as well as my own #and me wanting to respect it even if i don't agree with it #this was also me anticipating the hint of them being mates while reading ACOSF for the first time 'cause their shippers were everywhere #but like... it never came? #did i miss something #triggered by the hate their shippers are spreading when there's nothing to truly back it up with #it's too bloody late for SJM to backpedal #don't you dare waste 4 books worth of really good foreshadowing and emotional investment #you can't just throw gwyn in there after all that #they all deserve better than that #mate behaviour #azriel acotar #pro elriel #azriel shadowsinger

[ofbreathandflame]

i should add: vague hofas spoilers (comments have spoilers):

oh my god that book sounds like a train wreck - and i thought hosab was bad…

like i said the last time…the ghetto…

they’re saying there’s “language translation pills”… that’s your queen???

and just like we’ve been saying for years now…which character is sidelined once again. lmaooooo sjm gagged the feyre girles so bad💀

#i also actually forgot this book was even coming out #like idk I’ve seen literally no promo for it #anti sjm #LANGUAGE PILLS????? #‘s/jm always has our back with feysand’ — yeah….. #does SHE know that🤣 #they got the f/eyre stans turning into reluctant nesta stans #no im sorry ive gotta laugh about this one #anti feyre

[alicentsaegon]

From a character perspective I can't fathom WHAT Rhysand's motivation/endgame was. Feyre was going to die. THE BABY WAS GOING TO DIE. Feyre's pregnancy was doomed from the begging because of the wings, and apsolutely nothing could be done. Rhysand himself was going to die. What reason did he have to hide it from his mate. To avoid making her sad? So having her bleed out confused is somehow better. He's immortal and has not had a wife or children for centuries despite being High Lord, surely he could wait a few more. The need for an heir was not urgent. Like what was the POINT does SJM not have an editor or anyone with reasonable thinking ability to advise her against this entire plot

#im sorry i just #i cant even re read the Valkyries or Neris dance scene in peace because immediately im reminded #how bad this book is #the rest are enjoyable trash but acosf is TRASH trash #anti rhysand #acotar #anti sjm #even Edward was like ABORT THAT THING #Bella had agency at least #also feyre wanting a baby because rhysand died in acowar #babygirl youll both die together what do you care

[lordofhaterism]

It's really funny how often SJM does this thing where she like, makes something happen that doesnt need to, later on in the same book this contradicts what she wants to happen, and instead of doubling back and editing the starting parts she just retcons a bit. This is specifically in reference to how Feyres trauma manifests in acomaf because trauma is so VARIED and the responses are unique person to person, so the fact that like half of her major trauma responses have to get ignored regularly in the book because it woukd fuck up the plot is riduculous girl GO BACK AND CHANGE IT. YOURE WRITING A BOOK YOU CAN DO THAT.

#anti sjm #the red thing specifically like #luciens hair? red roses? fucks feyre up. mors entire outfit being some shade of vermillion however #like maam this is why we have editors #its not even like the trauma itself makes the book impossible itd actually be sweet if they noticed and avoided red around her #or like if they made sure she never felt cramped or trapped

[starrbirrd]

y'all think ember would look at feyre and see herself if she never got out

#anti inner circle #anti acotar #anti feysand #anti rhysand #anti sjm #i never even read the book she's from but i saw someone post something similar #and went to read her bio and went hmmm doesn't this sound familiar

[saccharinerose]

Hearing about the pregnancy subplot in ACOSF firmly cemented that Rhysand is a complete and utter fucking moron.

Like dude was really going to just keep quiet about his wife 100% dying in childbirth and taking him with her bc of their magic suicide pact with basically no backup plan whatsoever.

He was just fine and dandy with Feyre going into labour and dying, confused and in agonizing pain. She dies, their baby dies but he never has to deal with the consequences bc a second later he would also keel over dead.

The rest of the Inner Circle would wank themselves over how tragic and noble he was for keeping this secret from his Wife Who Is Totally His Equal Guys I Promise... at least right up until the moment they realize the canonically sexist magic of the world probably chose Rhysand's dipshit uncle as the next High Lord and everything goes to shit.

Great job, buddy. Gold star for you! I just know SJM is going to crown you High King or whatever and pretend like you’re not woefully under-qualified for the job!

#saccha's thoughts #anti sjm #anti rhysand #anti acosf #honest to god what do the actual fans of this book like about this dude??? #he is stupid as all hell. politically completely incompetent and doesn't even really have any hobbies aside from 'sparring' i guess #his fashion sense is non-existant all well #is it just bc feyre describes him as beautiful in her PoV? #in which case: can't relate #most fanart i have seen makes him look like every factory-made white male instagram model with tattoos and a sun tan

[elrieltwit]

Them: “Azriel’s book is next”

SJM for the millionth time: AHT AHT, I write about FMCs ONLY 🫵

#bffr even Rhys didn’t get his own book #Elain you’re next bby #elain archeron #SJM #azriel #pro elriel #pro elain #acotar #anti gw*nriel #elriel #my post

[lorcandidlucienwill]

Ok man, I'm getting extremely tired of the Elriel's stagnant arguments. So let me debunk them. Forbidden romance! No, for God's sake, it is NOT forbidden. Feyre and Rhysand would support them both if Elain and Azriel truly loved each other. Not like Lucien would try to get in between them anyway. ElAiN dEsErVeS a ChOiCe! Choice implies multiple options! That means Lucien is a choice too! Elain has chosen Azriel for now! That doesn't mean she can't change her mind! Besides, haven't you EVER heard of the reluctant lovers trope? Be creative please. BuT wHaT iF tHe CaUlDrOn WaS wRoNg? Yeah, the Cauldron could be wrong about Eris and Mor, or it could be wrong about the Lady of Autumn and Helion. Why does this one line HAVE to be referring to elriel? SJM often uses lines like these to foreshadow plotlines yes, but she is never THAT obvious about it. Rhysand was being a hypocrite stopping the Azriel kiss! You could argue that he was, sure, but he was also trying to prevent a major political scandal. SJM isn't going to write Rhysand being wrong in any situation, lmao. Love or hate the character, it doesn't matter. That's just the way she has written him. Elain is an introvert! No. She's just traumatized. Nesta, her sister, says it. Lucien is a fake mate! Azriel showed mating behavior? Uhhhh no. Azriel went after MOR in the King of Hybern scene. Lucien went after guess who? Yeah, ELAIN. It was Nesta who realized Elain was gone and began to worry. Azriel only volunteered after Cassian couldn't go because he was wounded and he was the easy option aside from Feyre because he could hide in the shadows. And guess what? He saved Gwyn too! Maybe he just has a savior complex! Lucien is the one who was concerned about Elain's mental and physical health. Azriel seemed pretty chill when she wasn't eating. And he did NOT want to look after Elain. He made fun of Cassian for having to do it. ElAiN hAs TwO mAtEs! SJM is not going to write that. It would fuck everything up. She wants both characters to be happy. Gwyn is a lightsinger? Probably not, but so fucking what if she ends up being one? You think that's gonna deter Mr. Torturer Azriel? If anything that'll only bring them closer. Nice try. BuT luCiEn Is InTo VaSsA! NO. STOP IT. HE WAS CANONICALLY SEEN TO BE LOOKING AT ELAIN WITH LONGING IN ACOSF. DON'T SPREAD LIES. Vassa is definitely more into Jurian, which is a pairing that makes sense. Lucien is a side character. Um...no? Lucien has been around since book 1. He was a very significant character in that book as well. And in books 2 and 3, he might not have had as much screentime, but almost every moment he had was monumental. We see him survive the Night Court. We hear his story of fulfilling Calanmai, implying he is also chosen by the Spring Court. We have him helping Feyre kill off the twins of Hybern, bring back the army with Vassa, balance 3 roles and still dress immaculately, dominate Cassian with one word. He is also connected to almost every potential plotline in existence. Ok, this one isn't Elriel but some people say TaMlAiN! Because of the spring court foreshadowing. Guess who lived in the Spring Court for decades? Lucien! Guess who is the current Spring Court ruler but isn't doing much of ruling? Tamlin! Guess who also was able to do Spring Court Calanmai? Lucien! Wow, it almost looks like Lucien is going to replace Tamlin! SJM is not going to put one sister with another sister's ex anyway, that's weird. Elain has her chosen family in the Night Court in Nuala and Cerridwen! She belongs there! No. Just stop it. SJM could not be more clear with that line about the black dress sucking the life out of her and Elain being bothered by the cruelty in the Hewn City. Guess who is also pretty averse to violence? Oh yeah, Lucien! As for chosen family... Feyre had Tamlin and Lucien. They didn't end up being her chosen family, the IC did. Nesta didn't find her chosen family until her book. Lucien's band of exiles are not his chosen family either. Lucien and Elain are just really good at making friends.

#4 books of buildup means nothing #it's a sjm book #yrene didn't even exist until their book #trust the process girlies #anti e/riel #elucien #pro elucien #gwynriel #pro lucien vanserra #lucien vanserra

[darkbananaaaz]

SJM :: "It should be pretty clear who the next ACOTAR book is about when you read [ACOSF]."

🦇🌸 :: IT'S ELAINS BOOK NEXT! IT'S SO OBVIOUS!! Anyone who says different doesn't have any reading comprehension.

(NOT trying to be mean. Just what I've seen amongst different socials.)

SJM ::

Silver Flames

Azriel has a larger role than he's had thus far.

Azriel has a Bonus Chapter in his POV.

Sky and Breath

Azriel is the one to find and bring Bryce to the rest of our ACOTAR gang.

Azriel owning the dagger that is in the fae prophecy of the two blades in the Crescent City series.

(Minor House of Flame and Shadow Spoilers Below)

Flame and Shadow

Azriel has even a larger roll in just part one alone than even Silver Flames.

Azriel featured in TWO of HOFAS's Bonus Chapters. One of them with actual dialogue.

Azriel has a connection to Enalius.

Azriel lost Truth Teller when Bryce stole it to bring it to Midguard with her.

Now, I am not saying they're wrong, but if someone can calmly explain the evidence that points to the next book being Elains? Because from the looks of it? It's definitely going to be Azriels

.... loath as I am to admit. I don't like him..

#I saved this as a draft #and now i cant even switch it to the blog i was meaning to post it to #its supposed to post in foxybananaaaz #house of flame and shadow spoilers #house of flame and shadow #hofas spoilers #hofas #bryce quinlan #hunt athalar #quinlar #sarah j maas #sjm spoilers #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #hosab #hosab spoilers #acotar 5 #acotar 6 #acrostic book #anti e/riel

[mia-nina-lilly]

What did Tamlin really go through in UtM?

I don't know about you guys, but given Tamlin's personality, I don't think he just stood by watching Feyre go through her tasks, and I have reasons for it: Amarantha spent half a century pretending to be someone different from the one who tortured and then imprisoned Jurian in a ring for the High Lords of Prythian, that is, half a century plotting to then trap them all at once under her will. When Tamlin refused to be her consort, Amarantha, at the peak of her vanity, gave him another 49 years, 49 years for him to break his curse, 49 years she spent thinking of how to have him. If ACOTAR and other mentions of her throughout the books made one thing clear, it's that Amarantha is someone very ingenious, creative, and determined. And her obsession with Tamlin reached such a point, it's hard to believe she just left him there to watch Feyre helplessly. Understand, it's not that I don't find it plausible, in fact, I think such an idea is very much in line with Amarantha's character. But a woman who waited 49 years to have him in her bed wouldn't just make him a trophy to be shown off; she would use him, and I don't think I need to mention the implications of that, as Rhysand has already made his experience with her quite clear. Imagine then someone who said they'd rather sleep with a human than with her? Another point is that Feyre arrived days after the captivity began, so until then, assuming that after her arrival the only torture Tamlin endured was watching her, what did Tamlin go through? If his reactions in ACOMAF are any indication, Feyre's death and his inability to help her don't seem to have been the only things that affected him. From here, I go a little further, I believe Tamlin didn't even truly witness some things. In fact, I think only when Feyre was on stage in the throne room was Tamlin truly there, as it would have been torture for both, otherwise, Amarantha would have kept him occupied. Remember, faeries heal fast. That's why I think much more happened to Tamlin than what we see in ACOTAR. I was very disappointed when I read ACoMaF, where Tam is completely ruined in his psyche, and at no point is this mentioned or even considered by Feyre, who only focuses on what she's feeling and what Rhys says to her.

#Tamlin #tamlin acotar #thinking about ACoTaR #SJM #a court of thorns and roses #acomaf #ACOMAF and its prevalence in Feysand #sarah j. maas #sjm books #nor pro or anti #just thinking #We don't know everything. #That's why a book focused on Tamlin would have been great #Feyre don't know everything #Rhysand don't know everything #Even Lucien don't know everything

[lainalit]

Why is nobody talking about the fact that SJM talks sh*t about lord of the rings by Tolkien, the father of modern fantasy literature, because she thinks Frodo wasn't traumatized enough (spoiler he was) and that we didn't see him struggle with his trauma, even though he literally goes to the middle earth equivalent of a mental health institution at the end of the books/movies.

Here is the transcript from the interview:

Interviewer: You write fantasy, you write romance, but all of what these women go through that is grounded in experience that you experienced that your friends experienced

Sarah: It's when you watch any kind of fantasy, lord of the rings for example, like when you go throw in orc massacre, you gone have some trauma, right? I would be traumatized if I survived the battle of helmsdeep I would never sleep again, I would never be in a enclosed space again. It felt like a natural thing for my characters to face emotional consequences. The fate of the world sometimes is on their shoulders that's gonna leave a mark on them

#Does she really think that acotar has a better depiction of trauma than lord of the rings #I don't know how she couldn't be ashamed of herself saying stuff like that #did she even read the books or watched the movies #or couldn't she do that because there where written by a man? #acotar critical #anti sjm #sjm critical #anti acotar #acotar #acotar thoughts

[ladyofspringcourt]

Writing SJM fanfiction is so depressing. At some point, you'll just stop and wonder why you're making do with what little world building she has, when you are able to create an entire history/culture/country for your fanfic in one sitting.

I now have an entire data file regarding the history, culture, military status, geography, and lineage of the Spring Court. It's fucked up. I can make a whole new story from scratch with that 7 pages of info dump—and I did that in 3 hours. On the other hand, SJM is yet to release the names of the protagonists' parents+ surnames of their love interest.

#spring court #anti sjm #sjm is a bad author #sjm critical #She fucked it up so bad I can't even laugh at how ridiculous the world building is #tho #ig it gave fanfic writers more freedom? #but seriously #imagine writing that many books with so many pages #and still have readers confused with your fantasy world #ASOIAF established everything in what #3-4 books? #and that's a more extensive world building