#sjm fandoms don't deserve anything nice

[bookofmirth]

Uhhh what did I miss? Why are big artists leaving the fandom and what did fairyloot do?

Fairyloot didn't do anything - this fandom is just entitled and out of control.

Fairyloot released the designs for their special edition ToG a couple of days ago, and some people disliked it. I say "some" because the post now has 50k likes and plenty of people do actually like the designs, I personally like them and if I had the disposable income I'd buy them.

So people flooded the comments with complaints. I mean it's over 4k comments now. Not all of them are negative, but many of them are incredibly rude and entitled. Like astonishingly so.

But they couldn't leave it at that - they had to go to the page of the book designer and the fan artist and leave rude comments on their pages, too.

Do people have legit things that make sense to want to change? Perhaps. Making the stag white would make sense if that was literally supposed to be the Lord of the North and not just a stag. I guess the wyvern is the wrong color if it's supposed to literally be Abraxos and not just an abstraction of wyverns, of which there are many in the book. In terms of the color and design of the covers, they were going for a vintage look, which the book designer explained, and is something I clocked before she even made that comment.

And the allegations of plagiarism are ridiculous considering the similarities between the two special editions are elements coming from the damn series. I mean, a landscape? In art? Fucking revolutionary /s

The thing is, even if all of these feelings are justified - you can be sad that the colors aren't vibrant, you can be sad that they are relatively monochromatic, you can think that there are other, better special editions out there - that doesn't fucking mean that you need to tell the whole world how you feel, especially when it's going to negatively impact the people who worked really hard to create these books. And what's more, these special editions are a luxury item. No one has to buy them. No one is owed the specific design that they want.

These assholes probably already own and have read the series. If they think someone else has done it better, and for cheaper, then go buy that other version!!!! Go commission someone else for their hard work then, bestie! And you'll quickly find out that people's hard work and time is actually quite valuable and probably regret your decision.

All the comments saying it's a cash grab - I'm sorry, are you not on the page of a store that sells things in order to make money???? Are you fucking stupid???? "This thing that is completely optional to my ability to live and has no impact on my quality of life that I don't need to buy is too expensive and doesn't look how I would want it to" okay, and? Go cry to the group chat.

All the people saying "it's constructive comments/constructive criticism" -

Did they fucking ask??? Fairyloot didn't post asking what people think, they posted saying "here's the design". If you don't like it, don't buy it.

And there is a way to deliver constructive criticism that isn't harmful. A few hundred people commenting the same snarky, passive aggressive shit over and over is NOT constructive criticism. If people were really concerned about that message getting to Fairyloot and the artists, then all they would have to do is find a comment they felt expressed what they agree with - because there are plenty - like that comment, and perhaps respond saying that they agree. Engage with that comment. Don't fucking dogpile with the same. Goddamn. Comment. Over. And. Fucking. Over. And apparently there were a bunch of reels deconstructing how much the book design sucked too, which I didn't even watch or get into.

People are really out here on the internet acting like no one else is human or has feelings.

So yeah, now big artists are leaving the fandom and tbh, if I were a visual artist, I would have left a long time ago. Other well-known authors are commenting on those artists' posts (Sabaa Tahir, Stephanie Garber, Shannon Chakraborty) in support of the artists.

It's beyond embarrassing to be part of this community so I'm just... pretty much done with it.

#throne of glass #Sarah j maas #tog #sjm fandom #fandom wank #ask #anon #if you can't tell I have FEELINGS about this #sjm fandoms don't deserve anything nice

[nikethestatue]

Anon, who said they couldn't handle this fandom anymore because of the horrible behavior and absolutely crazy and even harmful takes, is so true. Like Elain being hated for "not doing anything" when she is the one who killed the main enemy saving everyone? Feyre being shamed and hated for pretty much everything she does especially for not being nice and understanding to Tamlin as if she didn't spend a good part of MAF making excuses for him being physically aggressive? I understand that SF wasn't great but it wasn't that bad either. The core message of the book is very obvious yet I sleep completely misinterpreting the book saying Nesta is "oppressed" and "shamed" by Feyre, Elain and the IC until she changes herself as if she was doing amazing before their interference. Do these people think Nesta's coping mechanism was healthy? That she didn't deserve to be helped by people around her? How did stans make Nesta growing to be a healthier version of herself a bad thing? People bringing up Geneva convention to hate om the mcs like...??? what is even going on anymore. I'm just so tired it's not even a fun kind of discourse it's just biased af takes coming from people who hate everything and everyone in the series except three characters. Some of it I think is SJM's fault. Do you think if she hadn't dragged this series on for so long this would be happening? I feel the fandom has now just grown to hate everything about acotar. I see people who are either critical of the work or straight up haters I don't see fans anymore. It's exhausting was the fandom always so bitter towards these books or is it just the curse of acosf?

I absolutely, 98% blame SJM and BB for all of this.

All of this nonsense could've been nipped in the bud YEARS ago.

She could've posted a message on her Insta saying that the discourse around some topics and characters is not what she intended it to be and not appropriate. She could've given an encouraging message along the lines of 'let's celebrate women, of all shapes, sizes, abilities and backgrounds. Let's celebrate choices. Let's celebrate accomplishments. Their journeys."

There is literally NOTHING secret about her telling everyone 'there will be a book devoted to EACH Archeron sister'. That's it. That's already 90% of BS that we are experiencing. This is not a shocking revelation. And it's BS that BB won't allow her to say that. She's been yakking it up about Nesta for a year before the book was published.

They are enjoying the craziness, the attention and all of it is on them.

Also, you don't change the direction of a series mid-series. If you are trying to target a completely different audience, then you need to make sure that you write accordingly and make it clear that this is an adult book. Put some trigger warnings or something. Make it actually ADULT. There is great inequity in how these books are perceived by someone who is 13 (who shouldn't be reading ACOSF) and someone who is 35.

[acourtofthought]

You seem like a fair and kind person to me, plus you do a lot for this fandom; we're lucky to have you, and you deserve the compliments! Also I wanted to add that the az-luc theory was nice to hear bc it made the whole situation b/w them less “teen drama” I feel like a lot of the times the explanations given for the tension among the 3 of them are oversimplified. And although it’s not bad thing when guys fighting over a girl, it seems out of place in this series. Idk how to explain it exactly, but yeah it just seems so random snd doesn't make sense for this situation?

Thank you again!! 😊

I agree (with the rest of your message, I wasn't saying I agree with be deserving compliments though I greatly appreciate them 😂)

I think some treat the Az / Lucien setup as if it's really not a big thing but it's so out of character for two of the good guys in the series and the animosity Az has for Lucien has been mentioned enough times that it doesn't feel like they're simply going to shake hands in the next book and walk away without further explanation. SJM has made Az's dislike of Lucien a pretty big plot-point.

It's hotly debated but I honestly don't think Az was romantically interested in Elain until Solstice of MAF. I think he was protective before that because to him she seemed to be someone in need of protecting but he was relieved not to have to get her a gift and while she was in the room with him at Solstice, he stared at Mor with heat and yearning. You just don't do that if you're interested in another female at that moment.

But he was pissy about Lucien before Solstice:

"Send Lucien then. As our human emissary." (Az said this line)

After saying it, Rhys takes note of: "I studied the tenseness in Azriel's shoulders, the shadows veiling half of him from the sunlight."

He also says: "I don't make a point of looking after his movements" and: Azriel's Siphons guttered, the stones turning as dark and foreboding as the deepest sea. "Where did Lucien go"

After that last line Rhys is a bit taken back Az's tone and the way he basically demands an answer.

When Rhys asks Az if he thinks Lucien can handle being around Graysen, Az adopts an expressionless face and says "Why should I be the judge of that?".

And Rhys thinks again on how Az is giving absolutely no emotion away.

This can't be about Elain, he's still lusting after Mor. He's either mad about the fact that Lucien was "worthy" of a bond (regardless of who it was with) or mad that Rhys is looking to Lucien for information where Az used to be the go to person.

And of course after Solstice Az gets fixated on how Elain gave him and gift (which he opened after blushing, lusting over Mor) but didn't give one to Lucien and suddenly Az is caught up in his thoughts of Elain and his anger towards Lucien has progressed to him really not giving shit about Lucien at all, to the point that he's annoyed to have to ask him for help in Spring, thinks he's not good enough and doesn't care that he's casually talking about killing him.

I mean....what?!?

There's deeper emotions going on when it comes to how Az feels about Lucien that I don't think has anything to do with Elain and I kind of like the idea of it echoing whatever fallout may have existed between Fionn and his best friend, maybe some sort of jealousy that drove (Pelias?) to kill him.

That whole "history repeating itself but we'll do better than our ancestors" is always a good trope in books. And I think it was the TOG series that said something along these lines but maybe I'm thinking of something else entirely, "all the original players have returned". Which adds up to there being key people thousands of years ago that made mistakes which led to bad things happening and now, all those that were once connected to the originals have come together to succeed where they failed.

I don't know, it would make this whole setup a big more grand and purposeful and would be something more exciting to sort out instead of having a fan favorite MMC go down a path where he's being a dick to Lucien all on his own for absolutely no reason that's important to the story aside from being mad that he's not getting what others are getting. Having their setup be an echo of history somewhat takes the focus off Az's childish behavior and puts the focus on the bigger story.

#azriel acotar #lucien vanserra

[southsidestory]

I reblogged One (1) E*riel post with reasonable, respectful, non-combative commentary with a genuine question. In response, I'm about 75% sure I got vague posted, in which my reading comprehension was insulted for acknowledging an obvious SJM statement for its overt meaning. Even though I was nice and sympathetic, and respected that everyone can have their own reading. Guess I didn't deserve the same courtesy?

Now tumblr is suggesting E*riel posts from people I do not follow left and right.

Never again. Never.

50% of the posts I see from this fandom is just Gwynriel bashing with an occasional side of Elucien bashing. To be fair the other 50% is mostly absolutely gorgeous fanart lmao. Kudos to the fanartists. Fuck everything else.

I liked E*riel when I finished reading the books! I was interested in it, even though I have the wits god gave a goose and can see it's not going to be canon. Idgaf what's gonna be canon. That never affects what I ship or don't ship.

What I do give a fuck about is the culture within a fandom, and I just don't enjoy the ship enough to engage with anything about it now.

So. I'm done. Gonna focus on Nessian, Feysand, Elucien, Gwynriel, and all the rando rare pairs and crackships that bring me joy. And if I find that any other big ships have that much negativity, I'm just gonna retreat to the rare pair playground where people are nice, before my interest in other couples gets nuked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#actoar #fandom #gwynriel #elucien #e*riel #I have given this fandom grace because I have run into a few nice people #but it's just not worth it

[elriell]

Thank you for all your hard work with your Elriel theories! You're a machine, and keeping us sane until the next book... 🤞🏻😄

I personally ship Elain/Az, not just because I love the characters, but because that's what I believe is supported by the text. Like a lot of people, I think I've become much more pro-Elain than I was, not that I was ever an anti, just because of the absolute misogynistic shite that's been directed towards her - but that's a whole other issue.

That being said, Gwyn is great, and I want her to be happy. I have nothing against Gwyn/Az happening, though I'd be disappointed for my preferred ship, except for Gwyn's age (not to mention how inappropriate it would be for someone in a position of trust, training women who have experienced violence, to essentially take advantage of that role - not saying that victims of assault cannot start/be in relationships while healing, just that it would be off, for lack of a better term, on Azriel's behalf, to pursue one of them while that power dynamic stands - but, again, that's a whole other thing).

Please feel free to ignore this, because I know it makes a lot of people mad, and I genuinely don't want to stir the pot/cause trouble for you, but I haven't seen Gwyn's age discussed in full without someone throwing around insults, and your posts are always so balanced and eloquent.

I know they tend to say that Gwyn is 28 yo, older even than Nesta etc, so she should be considered an adult, but Cassian canonically refers to her as a "girl," not even a "female," read: an adult, and I think that's telling. The only other instance I remember of anyone being called "girl" is by Amren, who is, what, 15,000 years old? (Oh, wait, also Merrill, which is suss in and of itself).

"Gwyn's doing well," Cassian said, nodding to the archway where the priestess had disappeared. "She's a nice girl."

Nesta had learned that Gwyn was twenty-eight - indeed, just a girl to him.

I struggle to understand why SJM would have mentioned this at all, if it wasn't important; if it wasn't meant to hint at Gwyn being an inappropriate match, age-wise, for someone as old as the brothers. If she'd just had Nesta mention that Gwyn was 28 yo, and left it at that, this wouldn't even be an issue.

I know people refer to Rhys' mother as being 18 to his father's 900 (approx), so what is 28 to 530 something, but given Alis mentioned way back when that rate of ageing can vary between different types of fae, I'm assuming that would come into play here? Maybe the 1/4 nymph genes delay her ageing? Do Illyrians age faster than high fae, or other fae in general, at least initially? The text seems to suggest this, given the Blood Rite is open to twenty-somethings, and the brothers fought in the war in their thirties, yet Tamlin was decades older and considered young. Tarquin is also considered very young, at 80 yo, but then Mor was engaged to Eris at, what, 17 yo? Maybe that's just the CoN being typically atrocious?

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble; I'd love to hear your thoughts on this aspect of Gwyn's age, if you feel like it. I honestly just want the lore behind it all, the fact it might hint for or against a ship is secondary. 😄

No worries, it is my pleasure, honoured people actually care what I have to say! I will be here every step of the way ❤

I love that you have come to love her more and completely agree, I understand if people do not vibe with her character but the absolute blatant hate based of misogynistic views is so evident in this fandom. And the worst part is most the fandom is likely comprised of woman, we should be supporting her not tearing her or any others down based on such frivolous reasons...

I love her too, and I have nothing against her and like you said I simply have a preference for my own shift, I have no ill will for any other ships and I wish for her to get her HEA because she deserves it for sure.

I have no issue answering any questions, no matter how people feel about it, because I always try to be respectful and reasonable when touching upon every topic. If someone doesn’t agree my opinion that is out of my hands!

I answered this kind of thing here but to reiterate, I can kind of understand the idea behind thinking it could be significant because it was mentioned, but as I said there I just feel like it is a rocky bridge because as you so eloquently put there are so many instances of giant age gaps between couples in this series...

If we start questioning one, I think we would need to do the same for others. If there was a direct hint of her physical body (IE; Her looking young, or childlike) instead it seems like she is simply described as a beautiful and never (that I can recall) as anything that would imply she was physically immature. If there was implication of that I could find it highly weird, and questionable but the fact she is full gown as far as we know, I am not sure it was a hint.

Obviously I will happily be wrong, I clearly do not think that anything is getting in between Elriel and there are so many hints/canon text to support that, that I don’t think we have to rely on age to do so! 

So to summarise, I am not sure what that comment was suppose to imply, make to show how much she suffered at such a young age ❤ I hope this answers your question enough, I definitely think it is a interesting fact to keep in mind but as a defence against ships, I don’t know, I feel like there is a lot more we can go off :o)   

#m for ts #replies #ages

[battlestar-royco]

I love how the fandom calls themselves feminists, but only approves of men being 'feminists'. All the female characters in the books that have achieved their success without a man are not only vilified (the Queens, Maeve, Nesta etc.) by SJM, but her fans don't even question twice the morality behind making all females in power villains. The reasons why Feyre is even adored is because she is under Rhysand's care (also let's not forget how much they used to ship her with Tamlin, who also was (1/?)

Feyre's source of power. I keep reading about stans calling the female characters out for questionable and awful actions, but God forbid someone do the same to a male character. Even someone as awful as Eris is having fanfics written about him and a mass of stans trying to redeem him. Everyone keeps forgetting that Nesta and Elain were the ones to save the fae and yet they're still expected to play nice and be thankful for the IC nasty attitudes. (2/?)

Cassian and Co have killed hundreds of people and entered multiple wars and yet are never called out for it, nor seen as anything less than innocent and uwu. But the moment Nesta rejects him, she's dragged through the mud. Y'all keep telling yourselves that you're the biggest feminists, but at the end of the day you not only ship Nesta with someone that she has countless of times said 'No' to and physically rejected, but also claim how she doesn't deserve Cassian because she's sooo mEaN. (3/?)Not to forget how much of a NiCe gUy Rhysand is. On one side he claims to give Feyre the choice to stay with him or leave him and promises her that she won't ever be anything less than his equal, but on the other side he mind r*pes with Feyre other characters OUTSIDE of war (Lucien, Elain?). Also you can't be a feminist if you only treat women that you either f*ck or are related to with respect. Still haven't forgotten how he tried to force Nesta in Acofas with his powers. This guy is nuts (4/4)

So many excellent points made. The standard for male characters’ behavior in AC0TAR/T0G is so low (except for when it comes to marginalized men like L/ucien and Kale). I’m not going to sit here and defend A/marantha, M/aeve, and I/anthe, but it’s very telling that the three main villain women all a) use their sexuality for evil, and b) got their power through their own machinations and not through men. It’s also pertinent to note that these three women die violently for their crimes whereas male abusers like Rice, Eris, Papa Arch, Tom, etc all get some semblance of a redemption arc. Stans root for them to be redeemed while casting aside N/esta and M0r for not complying with Rice’s wishes. The biggest mindfuck is figuring out how the same people can (rightly!) hold N/esta accountable for the way she treated Faerug but swallow up all of Rice’s apologies and excuses for being a terrible person. They empathize with his arc and his trauma, they feel bad for him because of what he went through, they claim he only did what he did out of necessity, but when N/esta is clearly traumatized throughout AC0WAR and FAS for what she went through, they give her no such empathy.

Even though they are oppressed by Rice, it’s somehow N/esta, M0r, and E/lain’s responsibility to grovel at the IC’s feet. SJ/M uses the IC’s backstories as a get-off-free card for any terrible thing they’ve done, including breaking people’s arms, invading homes, destroying public property, stealing from allies, reneging on deals, and more. However, this logic falls apart when you realize that N/esta and E/lain have gone through equally horrible trauma and yet are expected to get along nicely with Rice and trust that he knows best. People seem to view the impending N/essian arc as the “redemption” for N/esta, which is kind of messed up. Why can’t she just do her own thing and redeem herself? Why does she need to conform to Cassiass’s opinion of what she should be? She clearly doesn’t want anything to do with him. This is why the books infuriate me and why I find N/esta much easier to stomach as a character than Rice. N/esta doesn’t pretend she’s a good person. She’s not interested in these assholes who want her to change into their idea of what a productive and content person looks like. Rice on the other hand is constantly in everyone’s business trying to dictate how exactly they should worship him and Faerug, and he does it all while upholding himself as the paragon of goodness.

#anti sjm #anti acotar

[bookofmirth]

At this point, I hope SJM kills all ACOTAR characters in a stray nuke from a different dimension. End the ship wars and series with a literal bang. Get rid of toxic fans by ending all series in a literal radioactive nuclear bomb.

I cannot believe the audacity of people, I’m so upset on behalf of the company, book designer, and the fan artist. Absolutely despicable, disgusting, and cruel behavior. I am in absolute disbelief.

okay this made me lol

I hope SJM kills all ACOTAR characters in a stray nuke from a different dimension

because a year ago I would have read that as hyperbole, and now I'm reading it as literal. Based on hofas, sjm would literally do that.

I completely agree with you though, kill these characters, disappoint the readers, I do not fucking care because we don't deserve nice things.

At this point, all the people who have seen the repercussions of this drama and yet still have the audacity to say "but it was constructive criticism" or "but I didn't see anything wrong with what people were saying" or any possible range of "but..." "however...." after expressing sympathy with the artists? Those people can fuck off even harder than the people who commented in the first place. Because they see how horrible it made people feel, they know exactly how frustrated artists are, they know that people's feelings were hurt to the point where people not even involved in the drama are leaving the fandom, and they're still out here going "*shrug* lol anyway what about the changes I personally want?"

newsflash - just because you have an opinion, doesn't mean you have to tell the world about it. You don't walk down the street commenting on peoples' sartorial choices, do you? No. And why? because it's rude as fuck and you know it. But somehow, in this case, this fandom has decided that actually their opinions are super important and must be heard, regardless of how it impacts other people.

The fact that people might have spent their money on something does not entitle them to dictate the product they are paying for unless they are commissioning/working with the artist themselves. And even then, there are lines you do not cross. Paying money for something does not remove the responsibility of basic human decency. And in this case, people hadn't even actually fucking paid! There was just the potential that they would. Which makes it even more laughable.

#throne of glass #fandom wank #Sarah j maas #fairyloot #ask #anon #I recognize that the opinion thing is an internet problem #not a fandom problem #but my point still stands