#so many mixed feelings about acotar | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lorcandidlucienwill · 2 months

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me and sjm are about to have a world building problem because she's killing me she obviously takes inspiration from ancient civilizations and geographical names around the Mediterranean, like the greeks (Eris, Helios, etruscans (literally their goddess of dawn is named thesan). Tarquin the last king of rome (and ironically the opposite of acotar Tarquin). Adriata should then come from the Adriatic sea and their architecture seems greco-roman. But then she mixes it up and gives the court fae brown skin (by the way, what kind of brown, this tells me nothing, i don't need like pantone, but slight more description) For the night court, she's just weird with it. the clothes Feyre is initially given by Rhysand kind of read to me like what you find when you search up 'sexy belly dancer'). Same with all of the clothes she wears when visiting Hewn City. I feel like she was trying to incorporate some more "exotic" things but it doesn't match the rest of the court. It seems like there's a couple different groups with completely different aesthetics that are completely separate from one another. Both Illyria and the court of nightmares seem like vassal states to Velaris and aside from Illyrians having tan skin and being called something around the lines of savages (very POC-coded), there is little to no evidence of any aesthetics that could be considered non-European. Not architecture-wise, name-wise, or (for the most part) fashion-wise. Now, it is a free country, SJM can write however and about whatever she wants. But I feel like there is just such a loss there. No matter where in the world you go, there is evidence of different cultures. Rich cultures which someone could easily take inspiration from!! I just wish she took the time to go down some of the rabbit holes fic writers go down, learning a multitude about what ends up being a small part of your story. Right now, her POC characters feel like an afterthought where she had her story written and then just inserted the word dark/tan on a couple characters. (Also I had no idea Amren was east asian until someone said she was on here and I do have to ask, where is the east asian exotica? Normally if you have one you have the other.) Also her in-universe world building is so convoluted and i hate it and nothing makes sense. I love magical objects as much as the next person, but some of these are one-and-done objects that you definitely could have had more use over. I think she has a vague plan and is just doing whatever she thinks of first to get to each plot point. (me in essays) Also, someone should make an anti-inner circle timeline with all the fucked things they've done so we don't forget. (And hope in the next book, sjm writes about a war crime tribunal for the past... century) thanks for listening to my rant, I've just been struggling to figure out how characters and courts play out and getting more frustrated as I continue.

Anon, you summed up all my frustrations perfectly!

Sjm writes her worldbuilding and tropes like she’s still writing fanfiction. I try to write fanfiction of her stories and I realize I know nothing about the places we’re supposed to be exploring.

Sjm takes inspiration from many many things but then she doesn’t commit to anything. She cherry picks shit to utilize based on vibes and together it doesn’t make sense. It’s really annoying when you see inspiration from your culture that could’ve been used so much better.

As for the IC, they’ve committed so many crimes it would require a thorough reread of all the books to note down all of them.

#anon asks #sjm critical #anti ic

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princessofmerchants · 1 month

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Which scenes from acotar- acosf with Nesta are your favorites? 👀

Thank you for this ask, anon! This will be super fun to list out all of my favorite Nesta scenes from the ACOTAR books.

ACOTAR

"Tell me everything that happened." - When Feyre returns to her family halfway through the book, and we learn Tamlin's glamour didn't work on Nesta, and Feyre starts to understand Nesta's inner fire in a way she hadn't before. This set of scenes launched Nesta right on to my list of favorite characters - they are pure fire.

Feyre teaches Nesta to paint - This is a brief but, to me, utterly beautiful moment amid the set of scenes I listed above. It's when Nesta asks Feyre to teach her to paint, and in particular it's the moment when they emerge from where they had been painting together and both are covered in paint and charcoal, even as it's clear Nesta isn't very good at it but she wanted to try anyway, with her sister. Some day I want to commission an artist to draw Feyre and Nesta in this moment of ACOTAR. It fills my familial heart right up every time I read it.

ACOMAF

"Wings and Embers" bonus chapter - When I first read this bonus chapter, the way Nesta's pov in this extended scene made me feel seen by words on the page, in a way I never had felt seen before, is something I cherish.

When the human queens visit the Archeron estate - Nesta makes a passionate and uncharacteristically vulnerable plea to the queens to protect the human lands south of Prythian, which leads to Cassian promising to protect the humans even if the queens will not. It's another beautiful example of Nesta being vulnerable in a public way, and it moves me every time I read it.

"The hellcat now, if you'll be so kind." - When the King of Hybern orders Nesta to be pushed into the Cauldron and forcibly Made Fae. This entire scene is devastating and traumatic. But watching Nesta fight back with the rage we first glimpse in "Wings and Embers" makes this an absolute standout Nesta scene for me. The finger point at Hybern and his unnerved reaction are everything to me.

ACOWAR

Scenes when Nesta is training with Amren - I always loved these and even though my present canonical feelings about Amren are mixed to poor, the way these scenes brought out a side of Nesta we hadn't seen yet make them special to me.

The meeting of the High Lords - Both during it, when Nesta as the Night Court's new Emissary to the Human Lands makes a public and, again, incredibly vulnerable case to those assembled that the humans are worth protecting, and also the scene just after the meeting when Nesta senses the Cauldron and Cassian believes her without question, which is just one of many of the embarrassment of riches we get in this book when it comes to Nessian.

When Nesta scries for the Cauldron with stones and bones - Everything about this scene is chef's kiss, but especially the Nessian dynamic in it.

Nesta screaming for Cassian during the battle against Hybern - This doesn't need an explanation, does it? As we learn later, it's the moment Cassian realizes they are mates. It is everything.

Cassian lifting Nesta to greet Drakon and the legions he brought with him, and the arrival of Papa Archeron - This scene, also during the battle, means so much to me that it's depicted in the first ever artwork I commissioned.

Nessian's stand against the King of Hybern - the way they fight together and are willing to die together sets me alight whenever I read it, and it's always fascinating to me that SJM manages to show us this scene from within Feyre's pov, who isn't even present for it.

Nesta and her father - His last words to her.....ACOSF shows just how important and complicated this moment is for Nesta, and it's for those same reasons this scene is so important to me.

Nesta kills the king - I love that Elain is the one who appears and makes the first blow on this kill, and that when Nesta finishes the job she lifts the king's head like the badass that she is. There is such trauma and rage in this moment and, again, seeing that baldly on the page is transformative for me every time I read it. Related to this moment is a little while later when the Archeron sisters walk past the King of Hybern's corpse, and Nesta spits on it. So raw, so perfect.

ACOFAS

Nesta's pov - After her fight with Cassian, the small snippet we get in Nesta's pov when she returns to her apartment, locks her doors, and completely dissociates in despair. It is so painful and raw, but again there is something about this scene that also makes me feel seen, especially heading into ACOSF.

ACOSF

(I need to do these rapid fire because, if I give an explanation for each one, this post will take forever to write; they also may be listed out of order, my apologies for that)

The Prologue - Nesta in the Cauldron from her pov

Opening scenes in Nesta's pov where we finally learn what she's been going through

Nesta's nightmare after her first try at scrying

Nesta successfully scrying for the Mask (when the room turns cold and Cassian kisses her back to herself after using her power)

Nesta fighting the kelpie in the Bog of Oorid and then reuniting with Cass and Az

The first time Nesta wields a sword

Ch. 50 - Nesta and Cassian by the lake after their hike through the Sleeping Mountains

Nesta's fight against Lanthys in the Prison

Nesta bringing Cassian to her family's cottage (this scene is absolutely standout for me)

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie making friendship bracelets together

When Gwyn gives Nesta and Emerie her Solstice gift to them ("We're in a book." "Our stories are worth telling." *sobs*)

Nesta working through her PTSD response to the sound of fire and then the House of Wind's Solstice gift to her in the heart of the House

Nesta dancing at the Solstice ball (when this leaked ahead of the book's release, I sobbed at seeing a glimpse of Nesta healed and joyful)

Ch. 58 - Cassian giving Nesta the Symphonia, her response, and Nessian finally yielding to each other and their mating bond solidifying

Nesta mastering herself during her fight with Cassian about their mating bond and choosing not to hurt him with her words

Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn fighting off a group of random Illyrians during the Blood Rite like a single Valkyrie unit

Nesta sending Emerie and Gwyn to the summit of Ramiel and holding the Pass of Enalius

Nesta erupting with the power of the Cauldron

Nesta's conversation with the Mother while wearing the Mask during the birth of Nyx

Nesta visiting her father's grave at the very end of the book

#ask answered #anon ask #favorite scenes #nesta archeron #pro nesta #nessian #cassian #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #acomaf #a court of mist and fury #wings and embers #acowar #a court of wings and embers #acofas #a court of frost and starlight #acosf #a court of silver flames #sarah j maas

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ofbreathandflame · 9 months

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I feel like the reason there's such a disconnect between a lot of pro/anti accs has to do with how people go about their critique of the work. There is a difference between a critique against a character (i.e., how we chose to justify that character given the explanation/information given in world) and a critique against the choices that are made during the writing process (i.e. introspection into the problems that are caused via the writing). When we critique a character because of decisions the character makes we a crafting a analytical profile about why we surmise a character does something. When we critique the characterization, then we are critiquing the decision the writer is making.

So - a critique against the logical set up of a scene or dynamic is a testament of a writer's skill. Like - when we critique the logic of Rhysand's dynamic with Amarantha that has nothing to do with Rhysand's in world characterization. I think the entire premise of the beginning of WAR is also a plot point that is less a testament of Feyre's character and more a statement on SJM's skill as a writer.

Of course, there are issues that occupy both of these spaces - where the writer's bias operates in a way that is inseparable from the issue in world. In this - its more about how the author interjects information that is contradictory or addling to the narrative of the story. These are moments where the telling conflicts with the showing - and the only way the narrative (the character's in world) distinguishes what information we should extract from the events is by a character straight up telling us how we should feel or what we should take away. The Illyrian/CoN/SC situation starts off as a technical problem but becomes a character problem (the character's consistently begin to parrot actual justifications for why these issues are still ongoing or the story wants us to take away something that conflicts with what we're shown). Rhys's dynamic UTM starts off as just a technical issues (issue of skill) and becomes a character problem for the reason I said above. It's like when you're in lab and you make up data and then write a narrative to justify your false results. Or when you try to cheat your numbers to justify a hypothesis. And a lot of the problems in TAR onwards start as just technical issues that you ignore and they become character issues for the exact reason above. Like - Tamlin's abuse and the hypocritical elements is easy enough to ignore in MAF and maybe even WAR, but it becomes a real problem in SF when the story is trying to sustain a storylines that literally contradicts and justifies behavior it spent the last three books reiterating is bad. It becomes a character issue when the characters enable and justify that behavior (consistently - as it does w/ rhys). And bc ACoTAR is a series that has a hard time removing itself from SJM's honest to God ideologies a lot of issues that we could have brushed off as technical issues often become character issues.

I'm saying this all to say that often, when we make critiques about the writing (meaning - our framework for analysis exists outside of the explanation/information we are given in the story. We understand the reasoning given we just don't think its a valid reason) we get these response that tries to mix the in-world justifications (that we're already said we don't agree with) with cherry-picked irl justifications. Like - if I say I don't believe in God, and then someone says 'God is real - just look at these passage in the holy book' - that's not an actual response to my question, especially if I've already establish that I have issues with the canon.

And the pro debates are often running in circles bc they justify behavior bc the story tells them too, and they only apply real-world standards where its comfortable. It's easy to see Tamlin as abusive bc there's literally a big red sign that says ABUSE every time he's on the page. But its harder for many to acknowledge those same traits when its in a character they actually like. So then its easier to fall back on the book's explanation and not the real world one.

This is the same case with the intervention scene, where the beloved characters actions are abusive and illegal by our standards (tough love interventions have been proven to be oftentime uneffective and often results in relapse) - and even by the book's standard (Feyre literally acknowledges the HoW as a place unequipped for her sister's healing). So the only solace those fans have is to use the justification the book immediately gives, but also ignore the other books bc even they don't support it. It's just selective reading. 'Real world' justification can only go so far with that side - and its not on their side most times, but it is for antis. So it devolves into these semantic arguments. That's why when the criticism is valid they say these books are 'fairy porn that we shouldn't care about,' buuuuut when they want to make a point it becomes 'important,' 'relevant,' and 'problematic if you say xyz' Chose a framework and stick with it.

I'm just so tired of having these conversations and then someone throwing the book at my hand to "justify" why my critique is 'wrong' when the ENTIRE premise of the critique is that I think the writing decision is wrong.

#anti sjm #anti rhysand #anti feyre #anti acomaf #anti feysand #anti acotar #i have to say these bc often we literally just having two different conversations #and then the *real* conversation gets boggles down by these differing frameworks #or the goal post is moved

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fieldofdaisiies · 1 year

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Azriel x Eris | In the Shadows

type: angst (smutty in the beginning) warning(s): male oral receiving, pain, talk about abuse and violence word count: 1.7k words request: I got inspired for this fic the first moment I looked at this masterpiece by the wonderful @krem-does-stuff. She makes incredible art, you have to check it out. I got inspired by it because both Azriel and Eris look so young in it and I thought it would be interesting to try and write something about their youth. this one shot takes place before acotar, both Azriel and Eris are young adults and escape their cruel fathers to spend some together, their angst prevailing even when they share a tender moment.

"Pleasure, to meet you. I‘m Eris," the young male with the long auburn locks said, eyes full of life and hope. "Eris Vanserra." He extened his hand.

A smile tugged at Azriel’s lips and he said, "I am Azriel. Azriel—"

"Get moving, boy!"

It was this fleeting moment, this barely there conversation, the brief meeting of their gazes, and a handshake that did not even happen, that altered their lives forever.

Hasty, sloppy kisses are placed down Eris chest. Azriel’s mouth hungrily trails over ever inch of exposed skin. “I am so happy you made it out,” Azriel whispers, his damp, warm breath tickling the Autumn Court’s heir’s lower belly. Eris groans lowly, his hand tangling into Azriel’s hair, tugging slightly on the silken strands of the spymaster. His other hand moves over Azriel’s shoulder, over his upper arm. They cannot touch each other enough, reminding themselves that the other one is real, that the other one is here.

“Don’t want to talk first?” Eris chuckles lowly and manages to make Azriel tip his head back. The young spymaster glances up at him, eyes wide and clouded with desire. He lightly tugs on one of the laces of Eris’s pants and gives his head a little shake. “Need you now. Then we talk.”

Eris does not need any more convincing, his own desire just as acute as Azriel’s. It is a sight for sore eyes —have they actually been sworn enemies outside this room and now the shadowsinger of the Night Court is on his knees in front of the prince of the Autumn Court.

Eris nearly comes at the sight, Azriel freeing his already rigid sex, softly stroking him. “Missed me?” Azriel drawls, grinning when he spits into his own hand to add more moisture. This action elicits a low guttural sound from Eris and his right leg jerks.

Azriel loves this —gods, he enjoys this so much, this slight control before Eris takes control again. Leaning forward the young spymaster presses a gentle kiss to the shaft, hand curling tighter around him. Eris tugs on Azriel’s hair, their movements and actions often a little clumsy, having not shared that many moments together yet.

“More than anything in this world,” Eris hisses when Azriel finally fully closes his lips around his cock, licking over the crown, collecting the bead of moisture that has already built up there. It is a heated moment full of longing mixed with passion, hungry love. Azriel works his mate’s length, sucking and teasing, lips fastening around the tip, his scarred hands taking care of the part his mouth can not take.

Later when the only sound in the room is the fire crackling softly in the fireplace, casting the room in a soft red-ish light, Eris and Azriel find themselves entangle in bed, their limbs intertwined, so are their hands. Eris’ mouth closes over his mate’s once again, soft and careful, his tongue easing Azriel’s lips apart, sliding inside, brushing his teeth, his gums, his tongue.

The shadowsinger’s hand moves to the back of Eris head when he breaks the kiss and silently regards his lover for a moment.

“Don’t do this,” Azriel says with a gloomy expression on his face. His sadness, even after the heated moment they have just shared, reaches Eris through the bond and he cringes. “Do what?” Eris questions, a kernel of unease blooming in his chest. He feels Azriel’s anguish, it tastes bitter at the back of his mouth the more poignant it gets.

“Don’t kiss me like it is the last kiss we share,” Azriel admits and averts his gaze. Eris cradles his mate’s face in his warm palm, thumb smoothing over Azriel’s cheek. “I might be the last. When one of our fath—“ “Don’t,” Azriel quickly cuts him off. “Don’t talk about that now.”

His angst, his worry and sorrow are acute, stretching out and making the back of his mouth ache. He knows this can end sooner than later but he does not want Eris to say it out loud.

“I won’t,” Eris assures him and presses a soft kiss to Azriel’s forehead. The shadowsinger shifts and lets Eris place his head on his chest. His wings are spread over the bed, the edges draping over the sides. Eris reaches across Azriel’s chest and softly brushes his forefinger up one vein, every so slightly touching the leathery membrane. Azriel groans lowly, his own hand caressing Eris’s head, softly scratching his scalp.

“Promise me that I will be the only one who is ever allowed to touch those. No matter what happens, who we both one day end up with. Please, promise me that.” Eris tips his head back.

Azriel is already looking at him. The shadowsinger obviously knows this is not forever, that outside these walls the two could never be…anything more. But hearing the words out loud, makes his heart shatter every time, the icy heat of utter pain filling his veins. He swallows around the lump in his throat and slowly dips his chin. “Yes, you will be,” he eventually brings out, having to fight the tears that start to build up in his eyes. Azriel's throat burns, his chest aching. Eris feels this, feels the same.

“Promise it,” the Autumn Court heir asks and places his chin on his mate’s chest. He looks up at him through heavy lis. Azriel is cruel, breathtaking beauty and Eris' heart makes a little skip when their gazes meet.

“I promise,” Azriel assures him, knowing that this promise will last forever. Never would he be able to love anyone like the male in his arms. No matter who would enter his life, he could never love them like the heir to the Autumn Court.

For a long moment no words are spoken. The moment ends when Azriel feels something damp on his chest, a single tear also escaping his own eye. A shaky sob leaves Eris and he quickly wipes his face into Azriel’s chest, his hand moving from his wing to grab Azriel’s hand.

“I think we cannot continue this for much longer. I think my father has gotten an inkling of what is going on.” Eris finally reveals what has been haunting him the whole day, the whole time they have been together.

Shock and dread collide inside of Azriel. He shudders, air wheezing in and out of his lungs when his pulse quickens. He wants to sit up but Eris holds him down. “What?” “He found a letter. It didn’t give too much away, but he knows we are talking.”

Like a poisonous viper, panic sinks its invisible fangs into Azriel’s heart, making it beat rapidly, hammering against his ribcage, in his throat.

“You have to leave, to escape. I cannot let him hurt you!”

Azriel’s fear about what Beron might do to Eris is poignant, it stretches out like a dark cloud, making the temperature in the room drop at least five degrees. The shadowsinger shudders underneath his mate, pulling Eris closer by his shoulders.

“Don't worry about me.” “You are the only person I worry about,” Azriel says almost immediately. And it is true. Eris is all and everything he truly cares about, much more than about his own life.

“Azriel.” “Don’t Azriel me,” the shadowsinger grumbles, softly tugging on his mate’s ear.

“You like it when I say Azriel,” Eris chuckles, hoping to lift the mood a little. He does not want to be sad in their sporadic, fleeting moments they can steal for themselves. “Especially when I moan it, huh?” Now also Azriel’s has to giggle softly and it the most beautiful sound in the Autumn heir’s ears. So soft, so free, so careless. He knows Azriel is smiling, the most beautiful sight in the world, but he also knows that his mate's smile does not reach his eyes. Just like his own.

“That is true,” Azriel finally says but when he wants to continue they are interrupted.

“Open then door!”

Dread and shock fills the room, every other emotion eroded by the power of the voice. The power of a High Lord.

Azriel's body goes rigid, Eris shivers and for a moment they hold onto each other like their lives depend on it.

Eris' head whips to the the door when the pounding sounds again.

“Go!” he says, loud and stern, and sits up promptly.

“I am not leaving you alone!” “Go!” Eris is not one to argue. Especially not when it concerns his mate’s life.

Beron won’t kill Eris, the heir knows this. He will punish him, hurt him, torture him, but he won’t kill him, knowing he will be the next High Lord. The same does not apply to Azriel. He would shred him into pieces right in front of Eris eyes. He could not let that happen.

“Leave. Please, leave., Eris begs and collects his clothes. Azriel dons his own, hurdling through the room. He is pale, a picture of misery, shaking and shivering.

“OPEN UP!”

Protected by magic the High Lord cannot just break through the door, but that is only a matter of time. How the High Lord of Autumn has found out about where they met is a mystery —it wasn’t in the letter, but the conclusion of it is clear. This is probably the last time they have met. There is no future for them, especially not after today.

Fully dressed, Eris pulls Azriel to him, sharing one last passionate kiss full of pain and sorrow with his mate. Teeth clash, tongues collide, hands claw at the other’s body, tongues brushing against each other, soft moans escaping the two male until the break apart, lips bruised, eyes filled with tears.

"I love you, but please leave. It will make everything worse if you stay,” Eris begs and shoves Azriel to the door.

Azriel understands. He does not want to leave, but he knows it will only make things worse. The bond screams for him to stay, but it only will make things worse and he would anyways never be strong enough to protect Eris. But Azriel cannot leave. Cannot leave him. He plants his feet on the ground, shaking.

“I come up with a lie. But when he sees you here, everything is clear to him. You need to go.” That makes sense, but at the same time hurts so much. The crack in Azriel's heart grows even more and a loud sob parts his lips. "I love you so much."

A gloomy grimace appears on Eris' face and he shakes his head a little. “Please, go. Please, it is the only thing I am asking of you, the only thing I beg you for. Please, leave. I love you so much, but please go. Don't make it worse by staying. It would kill me if he hurt you.”

Azriel, even though his heart is shredded into a million pieces without hope for repair, agrees, letting himself be shoved to the window. He kisses his mate’s lips once again, brushes his hand through Eris long locks one last time and draws in his scent for the very last time.

“I love you more than my own life, Eris Vanserra. We will meet again,” Azriel says and it is the last thing Eris hears before the shadowsinger pushes open the window, leans outside, spreads his wings and takes off.

They will meet again. Or was that a goodbye forever?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tags: @azrielsbabyg@lady-riel @moonlightazriel @brekkershadowsinger @ladyelain

#azriel #azriel x eris #eris vanserra #azris #azris acotar #acotar #acosf

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acourtofthought · 4 months

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My friend is an E/riel and she sent me a TikTok video about the theory that Elucien’s mating bond is fake because of the similarities it has with *TOG spoilers* rowan’s first mating bond.

What I don’t understand is why do they think SJM would do the same story again? It even has similar characters and I do give it to them that a lot of the language used is similar to Elucien, but I just dont understand why/for what reason SJM would copy and paste a story she has already written and explored.

Also, we really don’t have anyone in Acotar that would be obviously benefiting from the fake bond, like in TOG. I think this are just E/riels trying to grab into anything they can.

It disturbed me, what do you think?

Hi @bettdraws!!

It's interesting because I personally see no similarities between Rowan's fake bond and it's setup and Elucien's bond, E/riels just want there to be so it frees Elain up to have her one "real" bond with Az.

Maeve tricked Rowan into thinking he was Lyria's mate so that he would fall in love with Lyria and once Maeve orchestrated her death in order to break him, she trapped Rowan into swearing fealty to her. Then when Aelin was eventually born, Maeve had Rowan as a bargaining chip to force Aelin to do what she wanted.

If Elucien's bond is fake in order to keep Elain away from her true mate or use her real mate against her then hasn't that plan backfired? Elain and Lucien haven't been tricked into falling in love so it's not like their bond is forcing them to do something they wouldn't normally do, Elain is currently paying more attention to Az and Lucien is living with Vassa. So.......what exactly is the benefit to a a fake Elucien bond?

Rowan once said this of his bond with Aelin:

[Part of him had known that Aelin was his mate. And had turned away from that knowledge, again and again, out of respect for Lyria, out of terror for what it'd meant.]

"out of respect for Lyria, out of terror for what it'd meant". Doesn't that sound a lot like how Lucien was feeling about Jesminda in his POV (when Feyre slipped into his mind)? How Feyre notes he hasn't tried to bridge the gap in the novella?

Lucien is fully aware that Elain is his mate but his struggle comes from the knowledge that he believed for centuries that Jesminda was his mate, that she lost her life for loving him and that he'd never emotionally moved beyond that because of the guilt and sorrow of that loss. If Lucien was ready to run right into Elain's arms (regardless of what his instincts are telling him to do), that means he'd have to come to terms with the fact that Jesminda probably lost her life for nothing. If he had met Elain while Jesminda was alive, he may have given things a shot with Elain and Jesminda may have never been murdered because of him. There is probably a very big part of Lucien that feels he doesn't deserve to have his mate because Jesminda will never have the opportunity to have that happiness and it could cause some of his reluctance to try and connect with Elain (despite longing for her).

It also doesn't make sense for SJM to write a story where he was convinced Jesminda was his mate for centuries....only to reveal in book 2 that Elain is his actual mate.....only to reveal 3 books later that neither Jesminda OR Elain were his mates....he's got a third person being added into the mix!

E/riels try to pile so many tropes onto Elain and Lucien when they already have a super angsty setup (mating bond snaps into place while he thought he had a mate and lost her and she was currently engaged to and in love with someone else). That's a big story on all it's own but instead they want to tack on fake bond, rejected bond, etc on top of it. It's extremely unnecessary.

Rowan said this of Aelin (his real mate):

He'd leapt in front of her at Skull's Bay knowing it, deep down. Knowing mates aware of the bond could not bear to harm each other.

Lucien said this of Elain:

"I would never hurt her." A bleak sort of honesty in his words.

Aelin had known, though. That he was her mate. And she had not pushed it, or demanded he face it / because she'd rather carve out her own heart than cause him pain or distress.

That sounds a lot like Lucien right now doesn't it? He knows Elain is his mate not forcing her to demand she face it, he's not pushing her to give an answer, he's basically letting his own heart be ripped out so that she can take the time she needs.

Maeve said this of Rowan's fake bond:

"It was so easy to tug on the right psychic thread that day"

Feyre said this of her bond with Rhys:

I was pulled from sleep by something tugging at my middle, a thread deep inside."

Elain and Lucien said this of their bond:

"Like you pulled on thread tied to a rib."

"There's a bond - it's a real thread"

Psychic thread (mental) is not the same as the physical thread Feyre, Elain, and Lucien felt.

Also, we never met Lyria so finding out Rowan had a fake mating bond with her doesn't impact the reader, she's not anyone the readers connected with.

Elain and Lucien have been on page since book 1 so their story does impact readers.

Having the author tell us that Elucien's bond is fake after 2.5 books would be along the lines of the question someone asked her about Danika in her last live interview.

Someone asked if she was really dead and SJM said that yes, she is dead. That to have her come back to life would minimize the suffering that Bryce has been through because of losing her.

We don't know Elain's thoughts but the bond clearly affects her. She wasn't eating, drinking, or sleeping for weeks / months until Lucien arrived at the HOW. Within 2 days she came out of her room for the first time. She knew who he was and could hear his heart (not just his heartbeat). A day after she began eating, drinking, sleeping again.

She left her room to stand at the top of the stairs as Lucien left for the Human Lands, not saying anything but taking a step towards him after he turned away. She invited him back to Velaris after the war then suddenly freaked out and stopped talking to him.

With Lucien, we KNOW he's affected. He left his home to make sure she was safe. He traveled through Autumn without his magic, risking his life to make sure she was safe. He entered what he thought was enemy territory in the NC, where the most powerful High Lord in Prythian history lived (a HL who allowed others to believe he tortured and was cruel) to make sure she was safe. He spent weeks devastated to see her despair, how thin she was, thinking of ways he could help her. He went on a dangerous mission by himself to support her vision. He fought in the war then RAN from the shore to make sure she wasn't harmed. SJM had Lucien get to know her father before his death. She has Lucien still longing for Elain 2 years after their bond snapped despite living with Vassa and Jurian.

Having their bond revealed as fake would completely diminish how much Lucien has been through for Elain and the struggles Elain has been dealing with as a result of the bond snapping (I mean, one of the reasons her fiance no longer wanted her was because she had a mate). Of course neither Elain or Lucien have been truly ready to get to know one another for about a hundred reasons and that's ok (I'd rather see that in their book) but I think people forget what a huge storyline this has been for not only Elain and Lucien but everyone else as well. The sisters worrying about what the death of Lucien could do to Elain after he left for the continent, Rhys and Feyre using Elain as a pawn (Feyre's words) in order to gain Lucien's cooperation, Nesta going from screaming at Lucien and pushing him as he held Elain in his arms to her finally beginning to accept him, calling Elain a wretch for sitting far away from him, and making conversation with him in SF.

I think if E/riels would read the book out of the E/riel moments, they would realize that the Elucien setup has been one of the major storylines from book 2 (way more page time given to it than any setup that was given for E/riel) and understand why it makes absolutely no sense for it to be fake.

#elucien bond #anti e/riel

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captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship · 7 days

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SJM ask game

I saw this ask game started by @milswrites and I absolutely love it!

1) What’s your favourite SJM book?

It is a tie between ACOMAF, QOS, and CC1. Those are my top 3 and they rotate on a daily basis on which is my favorite.

2) Which is your favourite series (tog, acotar or cc)

TOG is def my favorite of the three. The story is so beautifully bookended, each book can stand by itself, the characters are amazing and they go through so much growth. I love ACOTAR because I love the relationships that are built there and the world building is so interesting. I also read ACOTAR at a very dark point in my life and reading about Feyre digging herself out of the darkness helped me do the same. I love Ruhn Dannan. Daynight is life. Enough said.

3) Who is your favourite character? (And why?)

I have to have a favorite character from each series. For ACOTAR, gwyn has whittled her way into my heart as my favorite character. Her bravery, her selflessness, her determination. We see her interact with characters who are previously shown to be extremely unaproachable and she treats them like normal people. She is healing and is in the process of building a life that is worth living. I cannot wait to read more of her journey in the next book. For TOG, my favorite characters are Aelin, Manon, and Lysandra. Aelin is forced to be so strong from such a young age, and the shit that she is put through just makes my heart ache. KOA broke my heart so many times because she felt so broken and I feel like we never got a true conclusion to it. Manon is such a prime example of Nature vs Nurture. She was Nurtured to be a heartless killer, but once she started seeing the world for what it was and seeing the injustices her people were committing, she and the 13 stood up for what was right and went up against their sister Ironteeth in battle in order to fight for a better world. Lysandra has been a favorite of mine since the first time I read her on the page. She was taken advantage of and was forced into a role outside of her command. The way she takes her own life in her hands, she puts the needs of others before her own, and was a friend to Aelin when she truly needed one will solidify her as one of my favorites. It is no surprise that Lydia is my favorite CC character. I loved her in CC2, but she CARRIED CC3. She is like the perfect mix of Rhys and Aelin and her ancestors would be proud of her and what she has done.

4) Do you have a favourite quote from one of the books?

I have a million favorite quotes. One of the ones I wouldn't mind getting a tattoo of is "Don't let the Hard days win" it is simple but so impactful and some days I need the reminder. I cannot stop crying when I read Lehabah's last conversation with Bryce. Also, I definately Bawl everytime Aelin hallucinates about her parents and her mom says, "Why do you cry, Fireheart?"

5) Favourite ship?

In no particular order: Gwynriel, Feysand, DayNight, Rowaelin, Lysaedion, Nestaq.

6) E/riel or Gwynriel? Or neither?

I think my username speaks for itself

7) Who’s the most underrated SJM character?

NESRYN MF EMPRESSES FALIQ. I love her. I know she isn't on my list of favorites but she is 100% a favorite. Her and Sartaq are just *Chef's Kiss*

8) Which character do you wish to learn more about?

Oooooh. Azriel, Gwyn, Jessiba, Lydia, VAUGHN, Lucien.

9) Are there any characters you don’t like?

Besides the bad guys? I don't care for Ithan but its not that I don't like him. He just reads like a washed up frat boy but I was impressed with his growth in CC3. It's not like I HATE him, he just isn't a favorite of mine.

10) Favourite bat boy?

It should come as ZERO surprise that Azriel is my favorite bat boy. However, if I had to choose ANY of the SJM Males to be my mate, it would be Dorian :) I would die fighting Manon for him but worth it lol

11) Favourite court?/ Which one would you most like to live in?

I most definately fit into the Night Court. Anyone who knows me knows I am a night owl and I would sleep all day and be awake at night if I could. If Eris was high lord, my second choice would be Autumn.

12) Favourite SJM villain?

I think we can all agree that Maeve is the most flushed out villian that SJM has written to date. I love to hate her.

13) If you could change one thing in any of the books what would it be?

I would get rid of all the "crumbs" for E/riel and I would make Mor more open about her sexuality with the IC from the beginning. I am fixing both in FM2M.

14) Favourite SJM theory?

Gwynriel are mates. There is way too much canonical evidence to prove otherwise.

15) Favourite Archeron sister?

Feyre.

16) A character you feel is over-hated/ underrated

Aedion. Leave my boy alone. Was he a dumbass? Yes. HOWEVER, think about his trauma and the BS Lysandra and Aelin pulled on him. He has had the weight of his kingdom on his shoulders for 10 years. He has been playing the game longer than he can remember, was taken advantage of by older men in the army as he worked his way up the ranks. His father's identity needed to be kept a secret to the detriment of his mother and he resents Gavriel for it. They were going to turn him into the same absentee father that he hated, and they threw his trauma in his face. He would have just been a breeding stud and would never be able to recognize his own children. It was a stab right to his heart and he was betrayed by the two people who meant the most to him in the world. Give the boy some grace.

17) Aelin, Bryce, or Feyre?

I think Aelin is the most fleshed out and goes through the most character growth. However, Bryce and Feyre have my heart. I will not choose.

18) If you wrote an acotar book what would you call it?

A Court of Scars and Shadows. Thanks @thebelladonnamoon for coming up with the perfect ACOTAR 6 title.

20) Who is your favourite acotar blogger?

Here on Tumblr, I love @acourtofthought @gwynrieldefenseatty but there are so many that I love :) And, as always, @yazthebookish

21)What fics would you recommend to people who love the series?

OH GOD. Off the top of my head for ACOTAR: ACoFD by @the-lonelybarricade (or ANYTHING by her and @separatist-apologist) ACOSAS by @thebelladonnamoon, Call Me Home by @propagandaprincess, There You Are by @sweethvilliandarlinggod

You can see my bookmarked favorite fics here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_of_the_Gwynriel_Ship

TOG Favorite fics: High Infidelity by @heirofflowers, Bad Intentions by @starseternalnighttriumphant, Illicit Affairs is my ALL TIME FAVORITE by @rowanaelinn, remanents by @the_dormouse, and The Inclining of Stars by @Slytherindemigod18

CC Favorites: I havent read too many, but you can always count on Verzavar Haz by @hlizr50 to break down your soul.

Questions for writers

22) Easiest character to write for?

Probably Feyre or Gwyn. I just feel like I can get in their heads the easiest.

23) Hardest character to write for?

Rhys (so far). It is why he hasn't had a POV yet in FM2M but there will be one in a couple chapters.

24) What’s a character you’d like to write for but haven’t yet? Ooh. Some of the TOG characters. I haven't ventured outside of ACOTAR yet but one day maybe.

25) What’s a court you’d like to write about more?

Autumn wink wink. And Hybern (I know it isn't a court but still).

26) What’s a character you won’t write for and why?

I don't know if there is a character I won't write for. I think it just depends. Probably Elorcan as a couple because as much as I like them, I couldn't really write them.

27) If you could only write for one character ever again, who would you pick?

Gwyn. Easy.

28) Whats your favourite trope to write about when it comes to Azriel?

Oh gods where to start. Friends to lovers, priestess/sinner, trainer/trainee, Acceptance and Longing, Soulmates, Forced Proximity. I could go on.

29) What do you think is the best/favourite acotar fic you’ve written?

I mean definitely FM2M, but I loved writing Up Against the Wall and coming up with the idea for The Great Escape.

30) Who are your favourite friendships to write about?

Right now, the valkyrie and Mor and Feyre, Cassian and Feyre, and Lucien and Feyre.

31) For first time readers to your blog, which three fics would you recommend they read?

Obviously FM2M, you can read some of my other one shots or short fics or check out some of my favorite fics above!

This was super fun and a way to distract me from such a boring work day haha

#acotar #feysand #gwynriel #gwynriel supremacy #azriel shadowsinger #acosf #gwyneth berdara #acomaf #fm2m #azriel x gwyn #tog #aelin #rowaelin #lysandra #tog fics #cc fics #acotar fics

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nikethestatue · 2 months

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Not to keep this conversation going, but did Steph ever say she was a Gwynriel? I feel like Steph is what you get when you take a casual reader who doesn’t really care about the series and drop them in a gwynriel bubble for 3 years. Being in fandom stuff is her job not her hobby, and she was friends w SJM way in SJM’s early days and I don’t think it was a situation where Steph fangirled over SJM and they became friends… I think it was more that they met through reader/author conventions and signings and stuff for Stephs job and they bonded over their love of romance books. So I think Steph read SJM casually, not in the same way we do, and shipped elriel because that was (is) the OBVIOUS direction SJM was going. When the ship war happened I think Steph didn’t want to loudly proclaim herself as an elriel when her audience was all gwynriel, so she would give mixed signals (like telling her audience on a live with Ava that people are reading too much into niceness and friendship…cough gwynriel cough…) and then turning around and asking Gwynriel questions in lives. I think she quickly became neutral, but favored Gwynriels because they were so close to her from Ava and her audience and she just didn’t care enough to think deeply about the ships. And she saw how much attention it was getting, so she played into it. By her own admission she only cares about sex in books so I don’t know why anyone would take her seriously anyway, she doesn’t care about the books the same way we in the fandom do, because this is her job. I don’t think she ever said she is a gwynriel shipper. I feel like the most she has said is she sees how both could be and that she thinks the next book is Azriel’s (🙄)

Also, if anyone is worried because she “always” guesses the SJM ship correctly, just remember that she said after ACOTAR she thought the “love triangle” in ACOMAF would be Tamlin Feyre and Rhys having a 3**** 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 so she’s obviously a very unserious person. Anyways!

I mean, she said this...so

She also had some eyeroll response when someone asked her about Elriel or Elriel's book.

She is full of shit and I can't stand her, so there is that.

Anyone who says to their author friend that all they care about are 'sex scenes' is just .... well, I have many words I could type, but I won't.

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rebelumbrella46 · 6 months

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I'm usually not the type of reader/fan who complains about adaptations that aren't exactly like the books, but I'm not surprised about the cancellation of Shadow & Bone.

I mean, these sagas are very good, just like The Six of Crows. But they really screwed it up.

The first season was okay, but there were decisions made that really ruined the story for me, for example…

The fact that they decided to call the Darkling General Kirigan… something that doesn't happen and is essential to Six of Crows. In addition to ruining the importance of him revealing that his name is Alexander, it also diminishes the intrigue and fear that this character provokes in my opinion (how everyone just knows him by Darkling)

Mixing the Crows into the story was a bad move… they should have had their own show… Since in the book, that story takes place after Shadow & Bone and it has nothing to do with Alina.

Also, I think Netflix doesn't really make good fantasy world adaptations (e.g. the lasts seasons of The Witcher, Cursed, Blood Origin), so everything feels smaller (cheaper) than it should have been.

The dialogue wasn't that good either. The acting was good, tho. i'm not judging the actors' work.

It just bothers me, like… if you want to add things to the story, create subplots for other characters and just build the story further, that's fine, but don't remove important things (They literally cut so many things from the books) Don't make such drastic changes. The reason this book is being adapted is because it is already good enough the way it is.

I understand that not everything can be adapted exactly as it is in the book. I understand they have a budget.

But it makes me sad, because when I hear that a book (especially fantasy/lore/world) is going to be adapted to television, I really want and hope that all the people who don't like reading can enjoy the same experience. that I had from reading about these characters and worlds, but they don't do them justice.

It happened with Shadowhunters, now this… I don't even know if they will ever adapt Throne of Glass (rumors have been circulating for years) or Acotar or even Fourth Wing.

i'm sorry i just needed to vent.

Anyways... fuck you Netflix...

#shadow and bone #shadowhunters #six of crows #fourth wing #throne of glass #the witcher #aelin ashryver galathynius #violet sorrengail #xaden riorson #the darkling #alina starkov #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #dorian havilliard #rhysand #feyre archeron #netflix

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arizona2004 · 2 years

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I have a big request that I totally understand if you want to deny...what about the reunion scene where Rhysand comes back from UTM? Like low key angst but lots of love and fluff....maybe the reader and him were mated and she had to rule without him? Love your writing so much!!!

Okay, so I had to base this on like Feyre doesn’t exist and ACOTAR never happened the way it did, which I don’t usually like doing but I tried… I didn’t have the energy for a full story, though, or to edit it. I might make this an actual written out fic at some point, but I make no promises

He would show up in the townhouse foyer, having winnowed as soon as possible

You’re in the kitchen when you hear a clatter; Rhys winnowed right in the way of a table that sits in the middle of the hall

You think there’s an intruder and immediately winnow to the bottom of the stairs, prepared to fight

But all you find is your mate on the floor, the table on its side, and the vase in pieces

“That table wasn’t there before” his voice is low, and he’s looking at the broken vase instead of meeting your shocked face

A gasp leaves you as you take in his presence. It can’t really be him. Can it?

You fall to your knees in front of him and hesitantly reach a hand out to brush his fingers with yours

Your breath catches when you feel him. This is not a hallucination

Sobs quickly start racking your chest, and tears fill your eyes as you look up at him and he’s finally looking at you

You can’t decipher his expression as an endless amount of emotions pass through his eyes

You're still sobbing, barrel able to make out his face when you feel his arms wrap around you.

You breathe him in, his scent mixed with dirt and blood, and someone else consumes your senses

And suddenly, you’re not in shock anymore. “Are you hurt?” you ask, wondering why you smell blood

“No. it’s not my blood”

“I smell her on you. But the rumors can’t be true. What happened?”

He looks at you with a pained expression and like he doesn’t want to face you at all.

“I’m sorry,” he chokes out. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to.”

It’s your turn to pull him into your arms for comfort as he cries. Warm tears spill down your neck as he clutches tightly to your waist, terrified you’ll slip through his fingers.

I bitter feeling fills your chest. You know he didn’t want to. You knew the whole time that if the rumors were true, he wasn’t happy with the situation but still, him confirming that another female shared his bed-his body- makes a bitter feeling fill your chest. You’re jealous and angry, and you know you shouldn’t, but you are.

You’re angry for other reasons too, though

“You never should have gone.”

“Y/N-”

“You never should have gone, Rhys. Or you should have taken me. You left me here. Alone…”

“You weren’t alone. You had Cas. And Azriel and Mor and Amren. Tell me what you’re thinking or feeling”

“I hate you for abandoning me.”

“Y/N…” his voice cracks as he says your name, he’s scare

“But I love you anyway. And I’m angry that I love you because I don’t want to forgive you. And I’m angry that you left me alone for 50 years. And I miss you. And I’m scared and sad, and confused because I’m feeling so many things.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

“It’s fine; we’ll talk about it later. Tell me what happened”

Rhys knows it’s not fine. He can feel you closing yourself off from him. He notices how you’re slightly less relaxed than usual in his arms. He hates it, but there’s nothing for him to do now, so he quickly recounts the events of the last 5 decades.

It’s days later, after reuniting with the rest of the inner circle, that you’re alone with Rhys again. The first night he was back, everyone got drunk in the living room, and you didn’t share a room alone with him.

The second night he was up late, already planning for the war to come with the others, you chose not to help, and he didn’t ask you too

When he didn’t come into the room as you nestled into the bed the two of you used to share you feel yourself relax. And you hate that.

It’s the third day that he’s back, and you’re on your way down to the kitchen when he opens up a door at the opposite end of the hall, as far from your bedroom as he could get

Shock, confusion, and anger fill your veins as you watch Rhys exit quietly, trying not to make any noise until he sees you.

“What are you doing?” you choke out

“Um-”

“You slept in there?”

He doesn't speak for a few moments, unsure of what to say.“I didn't think you wanted to be near me. You’ve seemed angry.”

“You’re my mate. You’ve been gone for 5 decades already, and you’re avoiding me as soon as you return? The anger churns in your gut, but you can already feel it turning into sadness, so you turn away and start down the stairs before he can see you cry

“Y/N, wait!” he shouts, chasing after you. “Please,” he begs, gripping your elbow. “I’m sorry. You said we would talk later and I was dreading that conversation, so I tried pushing it off by staying away. I’m sorry.”

“Why were you dreading it?”

“I knew you were angry. And hurt, rightfully so. I was afraid of what you would do.”

“What I would do?” you ask, still not understanding why he was so afraid to talk to you

“I just got back, Y/N. I can’t bear to lose you permanently; I didn’t want you to leave me.”

“You’re afraid I’m gonna leave you?” it’s a question, but the answer is already clear.

“Rhys, I just got you back too. I have no intention of letting you go.”

“But I basically che-”

“Don’t say that. You didn’t have a choice. I don’t like what happened, but I’m not holding that against you.”

“I thought you were angry about it.”

“I can’t honestly say I’m not, Rhys, but I wish I wasn’t.”

“You’re angry for other reasons, though.”

“Yes,” you admit, “but it’s nothing I won’t get over with time. And many apologies.”

A smile quirks his lips, bringing one to yours. “I can apologize until I die. I’ll grovel, I swear,” he promises, hesitantly reaching forward to brush your hand with his.

Instead, you leap into his arms and bury your head into his neck, knowing a hug is all he can handle right now and willing to wait as long as it takes.

#acotar #rhys acotar #rhysand #rhys x reader #rhysand x reader #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fic

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theladyofbloodshed · 1 year

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So, I have a question. I am planning a new series with following a certain mythology. I know a lot of readers drag sjm through the mud about stealing names from mythologies (including myself), like the names of gods/goddess & places, and not coming up with none on her own.

How should I combat that?

Is it a tad bit better to come up with all new names and places but keep the mythology lore?

I am trying to avoid being like sjm. (Also, I am asking a bunch of other tumblrs this question so you might see it around).

Long post incoming...

I think the issue with some of sjm's mythology is that she rips it away from certain cultures and then does nothing with it or warps it to the point where she should have just invented her own name e.g. Morrigan is famous in Irish folklore as three sisters (who are also all the same goddess) who is associated with war, she can be seen washing the armour of soldiers who will die that day. She's also famous for trying to seduce/end Cuchulainn who was battling Queen Maeve. There is no way sjm just came up with the name, because there are some similarities with acotar mor... but then we've never actually seen her power in 5 books.

She just takes random bits from lots of different cultures. Acotar was supposedly inspired by Outlander which is set in Scotland. The Ballad of Tam Lin is also Scottish (but acotar really is not similar to it). We have Rhys/Amren/Nuala/Cerridwen which are all Welsh names. But then I've seen people interpret Nuala and Cerridwen as POC because sjm is so vague (not to say welsh people cannot be poc, but the clothing they - and feyre - first wear is more like Jasmine from aladdin). Morrigan is Irish. Azriel is Hebrew. Cassian is Latin. Nesta is Welsh. Elain is Welsh. Eris is Greek. Lucien is French. Puca are celtic. The bogge comes from old english for the bogeyman. The Weaver is based on strzyga which are slavic. Baba Yellowlegs is a rip off of baba yaga also from slavic folklore. Koschei is also a slavic legend along with the Firebird. Heck, just look at the Slovenian flag and you'll see three mountains with three stars above it. I've seen people theorise that Thurr is CC is like Thor and CC will be the norse ragnarok.

Calan Mai is a Welsh festival and the acotar version is a bastardisation of it. Fires are lit to ward off spirits and banish disease the night before. On the day, farmers traditionally took their animals out to pastures and singing/drinking happened to give thanks for a good season. A May Queen and King would be crowned and the village green opened. SJM took Calan Mai from welsh traditions and turned it into a giant orgy (of course). Thunderbirds are important to Native American mythology and sjm has just taken that yet again for a character. I've only read cc2 once but I feel like there was no description of Sofie whatsoever.

It's not wrong to borrow from mythologies and folklore. These stories have existed for thousands of years for a reason. My issue is the strange amalgamation of shoving so many together and snipping only the "nice" bits e.g. the Morrigan can transform into an eel and she loses an eye at one point and transforms into an old woman. Sjm cant have ugly main characters!

I think try and be consistent with the mythologies e.g. don't mix lots of different ones together if you're using "real" names because I don't think they gel well - this is my friend Thor, his brother Apollo, and their friend Anubis. There are sooooo many mythology/folklore books out there. I have a whole shelf because I love it. There are also so many websites. Delve into less commonly known mythologies/stories. Alternatively, be inspired by them and come up with your own creations. Or, come up with your own lore in general :-)

Ultimately, you are telling the story you want to write. Do what is best for you!

#anon asks

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ae-neon · 1 year

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Maybe another unpopular ACOTAR opinion?

I don't headcanon Helion as black. (From a BW)

[Disclaimer: gonna use black to describe people typically seen as East, West, Central and Southern Africans but please know we're extremely diverse and vary greatly in looks including skin tone and if you are from the USA or the UK you're probably more familiar with black people who look more typically West, Central and East African]

On the one hand I can see why so many people see him as black BUT

(1) I don't put any stock in white women describing people as "dark" but dark skin isn't exclusively a black trait. Many MENA, South Asian, South East Asian and Polynesian people are also darker skinned.

(2) I get how mixed genetics can produce widely varying results but I feel like Lucien would have at least a very different hair texture. And it doesn't really make sense for him to have red hair (*some MENA people do have red hair tho) but I feel like hair texture, especially, is a pretty consistent tell. I'm lighter than some white people I went to school with but I have a huge afro and facial features which make my heritage pretty obvious

(3) As an African I get and can even appreciate people's general association with black and the sun. (My own surname and the name of the place where I live translate to "rays of the sun" and "place where the sun rises") BUT it's also such a tired trope. Japan is also the land of the rising sun. And you telling me you can't see the Day Court as Middle Eastern or even Indian?

Anyways this isn't to say the courts need to be homogenous in anyway, my preference is actually quite the opposite but just something I thought about when I made my Helion x Lady Vanserra edit.

#acotar #helion spell cleaver #lucien vanserra #poc acotar #sjm critical #anti sjm #acotar unpopular opinion

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did-i-ever-ask · 1 year

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Acotar x oc angst

This is part 2 for my previous story it’s gonna have angst and fluff

So it’s not gonna be perfect, cause english isn’t my first language and I didn’t proofread it hehe but lots of fun!

Part 1

For my friends pt.2

Cassian pov:

Hey Lilith I miss you. It has been so hard without you. So many wonderful and horrible things happened in the time you haven’t been with us. We already celebrated two winter solstice without you and we all missed you even more during that time.

Not a lot of time passed but so much happened. I am mated now, to Nesta whom I know you had mixed feelings about but I love her with all my heart. And you wouldn’t belobe it Rhys and Feyre are parents which makes you an aunt and I’m an uncle, you would’ve been the best aunt and we always tell him that Nyx their son is the most beautiful child ever.

Lilith I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I am so, so sorry and I don’t think I will ever forgive myself but thank you. I love y-

Someone slapped me on the head. No not someone, Nesta. „Eyyy“ I whine, she looks at me punishingly „Pay attention! Or you’re gonna fly us into a building!“ „Yea yea“, I mumble. But she is right I should be paying attention. We are on our way to the river house for dinner with everybody.

We arrived at the front door and I put Nesta down, she opened the door and we entered the house into the foyer. A grin spread over my face as I smelled the fragrances from the kitchen, to where Nesta was already heading and I followed her. I stopped in the doorway to the living room with connected kitchen and dinning room.

The picture that played before me made my heart clench. Amren was sitting in one of the armchairs sipping wine while Mor was sitting on the floor, playing with Nyx and Azriel was sitting next to them on the couch, watching Nyx not being able to stop laughing. Nesta joined her sisters in the kitchen, where she took the knife out of Feyre’s hand and continued her sisters work for her, only for their high lady to grab plates and head to the dining room with a content smile plastered on her libs.

I felt a pat on my shoulder and when I turned I saw my brother, Rhys, who was grinning at me, I grinned back and said, “What’s up, brother?” But he just grinned and joined his mate in the dinning room, and I finally moved away from the doorway to join my family that gained members but hadn’t quite felt complete in a while.

We were just settling at the dining table for dinner, as we heard knocking at the front door. A “Got it” came from Mor who headed to the entrance that wasn’t viable from where everybody sat. A surprised friendly “Oh, what brings you here” chirped from Mor, which was answered with an unclear mumble and two pairs of footsteps leading towards the dining room. Mor stepped into sight followed by…. Drakon. What was he doing here? With such a serious expression at that.

Rhys stood up pushing the chair back, looking Drakon in the eyes. I looked at Rhys as he paled and took quick steps at Drakon. Some unspoken conversation seemed to be happening. The Rhys turned around to face us, his mate, with a tense expression and an apologetic smile to Feyre, who walked up to him and gave him a gentle kiss to the cheek, “I’m needed in Cretea, don’t wait for me to eat. I’ll be back soon.” I stood up, silently offering my company but he only shook his head and with a final smile he winnowed away with Drakon to Cretea.

Lilith’s pov:

Everything was dark…nothing. Ah… I died. That’s right. So this is it? Everything was cold and it felt like I was floating in water only that I seemed to be able to breath. I couldn’t really feel anything, I felt numb, I couldn’t move however hard I tried. Will I stay like this forever? That would be miserable, wouldn’t it?

I was in a half sleeping State when everything literally tilted. I fell onto something hard… the ground? It was cold and very uncomfortable to sleep on. I think I’m wet or more like drenched in ….water? But I’m supposed to be dead right? I don’t think this is how death is supposed to be.

I heard something slamming but it was so far, far away and then there were confused, unfamiliar and hectic voices. And silence. That blissful silence was interrupted by two pairs of steps one lighter than the other, they came towards me. I want to see who they are but my eyelids are still so heavy. But then one of the touches me, a gentle hand touches my face. That action is followed by a gasp from a female and a surprised inhale by a male.

“Lilith?”, whispered the female. Yeah that’s my name. I know that voice it feels like a gentle stroke against my eyelids, telling me to open them. I followed that suggestion, forcing my eyelids to open just a tiny bit. I was met with blinding light which gave way to a fuzzy picture of two people. I recognize the deeply warm eyes of my old healer friend. I opened my mouth and squeezed a silent, almost inaudible “Mira?” out. Which was followed by her telling her mate, Drakon who is behind her, to get Rhysand. That made me a bit more conscious and I started to sit up when Drakon already had left the room.

Miryam looked back at me with a warm smile and teary eyes. She looked me up and down and said, “You must be freezing. Let’s get you changed and warm.” I hesitantly nodded. She takes my hand and helps me stand up, my legs are shaky but I manage to fully stand up. I look around the room we are in there are two guards at the exit and when I turn my head I see the Cauldron, the Cauldron I saw Feyre’s sisters disappear into. I turn to face Miryam who has a forced smile onto her face and I try to reassure her with a smile from me but it doesn’t seem to work very well. She gently pulls me into the hall.

We walked to somewhere, probably a room to change. And I was glad we did because I just noticed that I was soaked in the leathers I wore the time I took the attack. I can’t see Mira’s face because she is a step ahead of me, she is still holding my hand but I can feel that her and is shaking.

We enter a room, no not a room their room, Miryam and Drakon’s room. Mira let’s go of my hand and heads towards a closet. “Mira, are you alright?”, she froze in her tracks and turns around. There are theses streaming from her eyes. Ian stunned but I open my arms, offering my embrace. She took the offer, her small frame running towards me and almost tackling me as she hugs me so tight, one might confuse it with an attack. I hug her back and after a few moments she starts speaking.

“We arrived on the battlefield as soon as we could after we found out in what kind of trouble you guys were in. And everything worked out you- we won. But then Cassian told us what happened, what you did to protect him and that you died. And I- I couldn’t believe that… you our of all people had died. And now you are standing in front of me, perfectly fine expect of being soaked. Which makes me think, you should change.” wow…. I hugged Mira a bit tighter and let go when she did. She looked me in the eyes and after I gave her another reassuring smile she noises and turned on her heel and then disappeared into her closet.

I followed her, “ You probably know that but I have no idea how I am here.” I say, followed by my own giggle. She popped out of the closet, sweatshirt and leggings in hand. “ You are not the only one, and I am still thinking this might be a dream.”, she answered which I followed with a “same”. We looked each other in the eyes. And we started giggling. It doesn’t feel like we haven’t seen each other in a few hundred years or like I just came back from the dead.

She motioned me to a door and pressed the set of cloths with socks and underwear into my arms. “There isn’t time for a bath right now because Rhys is gonna me here any minute but fresh cloths should be enough for now”. At that I entered the room that was a very lavish bathroom. I put the cloths on the vanity and looked in the mirror. I looked the same expect my hair, it used to be shoulder length but it now reaches below my waist in straight light brown wet stands, I’m definitely going to cut it when I get back home. Then I start to change.

When I left the bathroom Miryam sat on the sofa a few feet from me. She motioned me to join her but before I reached her the door to the hallway opened. And there standing in the doorway were Drakon and Rhys. Oh Rhys my dear brother. He looked around the room, his gaze first landed in Miryam and then it slid to me. His eyes widened and his face paled as he stumbled backwards. I smiled at that, he looked like he had seen a ghost. Well, I guess in this case it might be true. I looked him in the eyes and smiled which didn’t seem to work as enough reassurance.

I opened my arms, copying my own actions from earlier when I offered my hug to Miryam. Rhysand stumbled a step towards me this time but then he shot towards me, so fast that it was hard to follow with my own eyes. The next thing I knew I was in the warm and firm arms of my brother, my dear friend whom I grew up with. He buried his face on my shoulder, hugging me so tight that I was a bit afraid that he would crack one of my ribs.

“Please tell me this is true, that you are really here.”, he mumbled into my hair. I nodded my head but that didn’t seem to be enough confirmation of my existence. “Yes”, I said, “ I am here, alive and well, in you arms being crushed by your heartwarming embrace.” I chuckled, I loved him so very much. He let go after my remark but he now cupped my face in his hands and made me look him in the eyes. His eyes were red and so focused as if he was trying to see through a not-existing glamour or spell.

He pulled me closer and put his lips to my forehead and gave me a light, cherishing kiss there. Now I was the one tearing up. I pushed him away lightly, turning my head away and wiping over my forehead with the back of my hand. “Rhys, this is so unlike you.” I knew that me face turned red and I now was wiping my tears away that had started to fall. He pulled me into another hug this time gentler, as if he finally realized that it was real.

This time I was the one who released themselves from the hug first. I looked up into his face and he was grinning at me. “ The others are going to be ecstatic, you will receive many mor bone crushing hugs.”, at that I laughed I guess a few more weren’t so bad. “We all missed you so very much.” “I hope you did, or else I would be insulted.”, I said jokingly with a half grin on my face. Rhys smiled back and we turned to Miryam and Drakon. “Thank you.”, Rhysand said, they smiled and Miryam said, “We didn’t have anything to do with it”, Rhys just smiled. I gave both Mira and Drakon a hug and promised to visit them soon.

When I finished my goodbyes, I turned back to Rhys. “Let’s go home.” He said as I took his hand, and we were off, winnowing back home. To my family.

I really didn’t think I was going to write another part, but part 3 is definitely necessary and coming! I hope you guys enjoyed this one, just like the first one!

#acotar x reader #acotar #rhysand #rhys #feyre #nesta #cassian #amren #mor #morrigan #nyx #elain #sjm multiverse #sjm #acotar angst #cassian x reader #acotar fanfiction

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elrielbaby · 1 year

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Bryce & Azriel are not mates. I get that people don’t like the idea that they just ‘decided’ they were mates & if that were the only scene we had of them being mates I would understand it to a certain extent - but every single theory post I’ve seen seems to forget a few very important details. (Contains Crescent City spoilers)

Ruhn & Bryce have a whole conversation that lasts approximately 2 pages where Ruhn comments on the fact that their scents have merged & how Hunt is going ‘ballistic’ in the way the Fae do when they’re true mates in their bodies & souls. And he was suspicious even before this from what I remember, saying how Bryce smelt different.

SJM has to be careful with how much happens in Prythian during the cross over. Why? Because she has two more books in the ACOTAR series (plus at least one novella if not two) that she has already set up the plot for. I know antis don’t like it but Elriel have four books worth of build up & foreshadowing. For something so integral to happen in another book series would be extremely arrogant on Bloomsbury & SJM’s part. Casual readers may not have read Crescent City (I know if I wasn’t on tik tok I would have probably only read TOG) & some people may not have liked Crescent City so they didn’t continue after the series or DNF’d it. Either way, they’d have to assume people had read that series before carrying on with ACOTAR & that just seems like an incredibly poor writing choice to me.

Following on from my last point, whatever does happen in CC3 has to be quickly and easily explained in ACOTAR5 (assuming the plot follows on from those events - which I assume it will to avoid SJM spoiling too much for the upcoming series or writing herself into a corner plot wise) in order to not spend too long on it - because then you get the opposite problem for readers who have read CC3 - it would be annoying to spend more than a page or two on something you’ve already read.

Now, imagine. Let’s say, Bryce & Azriel are mates. Given where ACOSF left off, you’re going to have a bunch of confused readers- who could sense something was building up with Elain for it to have fizzled to nothing or for Azriel to have found his mate in another book? How does that work? We have so many unanswered questions. Why did Azriel & Elain act so mate like to each other, for one? Do they still have feelings for each other & if not, why not? Amongst the so many other unanswered questions we have.

This is an argument that I have with G*ynriels as well, when I say that Elain’s book is next with Azriel as LI - and they say yes but they’ll both move on from each other to G*yn & L*cien in that same book. How do you expect SJM, in one single book, to deal with not one, not two but four love interests in one single book AND fit in a plot somewhere? This is without even mentioning that SJM herself has said each book focus’ on one couple - it will have the same lay out as Nessians book (dual pov + happily ever after for said couple within the same book)

Then we have the CC3 plot just on its own. It’s covering (as far as we know) two worlds. Bryce is currently in a world where she can only communicate with two people. She has to find a way to communicate with Aidas, perhaps travel to Hel, & get help. That’s all incredibly complicated stuff. Ruhn, Hunt & Baxian are in Midgard going through god knows what. Ithan, Declan & Flynn have rescued Ariadne, and Ithan has just freed the unnamed Fendyr heir. Thats without going into whatever is going on with Tharion. Where is SJM supposed to drop the bomb that Bryce & Hunt aren’t mates, she’s actually mates with this random guy that she can’t even talk to from a different planet? We’ve got too much to find out without adding that to the mix.

SJM herself has said, that this trilogy is Bryce & Hunts love story. Adding in a different mate doesn’t really fit with that narrative, particularly when the book doesn’t even support it.

I could go on and on about how this just isn’t going to happen & I love crackships I truly do! But it’s when people try & insist that it’s going to happen, then laugh at me for trying to say that actually I think Elain & Azriel are mates or at the very least endgame.

#pro elriel #elriel #anti brycriel #anti br*criel

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merymoonbeam · 2 years

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I wasn’t able to see the interview. I’m seeing mixed responses from elriels and am not sure how to feel. I didn’t like the clip of her saying you’ll see elain in some form and She won’t promise anything. It seems like people think she lost interest in elain and acotar. What were your thoughts? On that part and the whole?

"You'll get more Elain in the nex--I'm not going to promise anything. You'll get more of her in some form in the next book, I haven't written the thing yet. So, you'll see. That's all I will say: you will see."

This is what she’d said. And the question was about the next acotar book and elain getting a pov in it. You have to keep in mind that BB probably keeping her from saying who the next acotar book is about. So sarah giving this answer to that question is not a bad thing. It is just her not giving the full information because she can’t. Also she slips up there for a second with “You'll get more Elain in the nex—I'm not going to promise anything.” So next what? Acotar book? Crescent city book now that we are having a crossover? And her saying she hasn’t written the thing yet is not a bad thing. We know Elain is getting a book. This has been said so many times. In fact she is the only character who has a confirmed book. She said it before crossover was going to affect acotar world so she probably wants to get cc3 perfect and set everything in stone so she can move with that. It is not a bad thing. It is just her making sure everything make sense within the series. Also if you want to watch to full video of that question here

And I don’t think she lost interest in Elain. In the live she said that when she reread the series there was a part about elain that made her choked up and it was about how Elain looked at the cottage with hope. She called her a quiet dreamer and said how she has different kind of strengt then her sisters.

And for the whole live... I liked it. It was more in our favor than the antis that’s for sure tho they are in denial rn(it is fun to watch btw)

It killed the azriel’s book thing they have been screaming about but they are still screaming about it. Denial will do that to you.

So yeah. I liked the live and there is no reason to freak out. I think things are moving slower than we would like and I get wanting some kind of confirmation soon but we have nothing to do other than wait. Tho I’m excited about cc3 as much as I’m about elriel book so I might be biased lol. But this is all.

#anon ask #sjm

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astrababyy · 1 year

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I have been sort of sitting on this subject because it would be so easy for it to get taken out of context. I hope I can explain myself so that doesn’t happen and I’d like to hear your thoughts. Basically I feel like part of what made Feyre’s character special is what makes her beautiful and I think it gets lost between all the sister anti bs arguments. I do think everyone is allowed to imagine all the characters however they want but I feel like if you go by canon what makes Feyre different that her sisters beauty is her personality. I find it a bit bothersome when I see takes like -certain archeron sister is the prettiest- because canon, physically, Elain is beautiful and Nesta is stunning but what sets Feyre apart is that those that fell into an attraction for her was only after having gotten to know her. I notice Nesta and Elain have this attraction from males almost at first sight and so I think the part that Feyre doesn’t get this sort of story line was what made her unique and I really liked that. In my opinion I think all 3 sisters are attractive in their respective ways- Elain an innocent pure sort of beauty, Nesta has sexy and angry, while Feyre has a mature and quiet beauty. The last part is my opinion, everyone can imagine them how ever but I do think canon sort of gave me the impression about what stands out about Feyre and I feel like it gets lost in the whole mess that is pitting the sisters against each other that is this fandom

hello, anon! sorry for taking so long to respond to this.

this was a very sweet ask! i can see what you mean about feyre being unique in her own ways. personally, i have a preference for the person feyre was in the first book, but i can totally understand you, and many others, enjoying the character she became post-acotar. i love who nesta is as a character because i feel i relate to her more than the others, but feyre's willingness and bravery to stand up for what she believed in, in book 1 was something i admired about her character. and elain's gentle demeanor and clear progression as a character by the time we reach book 2 is something i hope is expanded on more.

i would love if you'd elaborate a bit more on your point of view, as well as if this ask if targeted at a specific post of mine (?) because i'm not exactly an account that's very pro feyre (though i don't hold anything against people who do like her). do you think that i'm a part of the group that fans the flames of the competition between the sisters? in fairness, i can see how my posts could be interpreted that way.

anyway, on some level, i do agree that this fandom has a tendency to vilify and pit the sisters against each other for the sake of their faves. i have seen some absolutely horrid takes on all sides of the aisle, justifying things their fav sister has done and putting down the other sisters in favor of blatantly flat characterizations of them in order to make their anger seem more justified.

but i also think this is a symptom of canon itself being willing to pit them against each other, rather than portraying their flaws and complex relationships in a manner that gives a clear impression that none of them are all good or all bad, but rather flawed and interesting individuals. instead of creating a poignant story on the power of sisterhood, sjm decided it would be better to pit them against each other. this isn't necessarily a bad thing. of all the people in the world, i am the last one that is opposed to drama in books lol, but the way it was done has made things... complicated.

all in all, i think the process of pitting the sisters against each other is a very mixed bag because, on one hand, the archeron sisters' being in constant competition with each other in the fandom is partially due to fans of the specific sisters, but it's also due to the inability of canon to portray a complicated dynamic between them. also, their characterizations can be all over the place. i don't think the feyre we saw in book 1 would've allowed what happened to nesta in book 3, nor would she have condoned the treatment of her sisters even as early as book 2. this could be credited to her evolution as a character, perhaps growing in confidence and vilifying her sisters because of it, but i don't see the sister who felt guilty about leaving them behind when she was forcefully taken from her home as the same sister that let the blatant disrespect of them stretch on from book 2 through book 5. this isn't just with feyre though, as i think the characterization of nesta and elain is also quite finicky and so up to interpretation by the fans.

#anti sjm #sjm critical #anti feyre #this isn't really a critique of feyre #more so of how her character was written #but im going to tag it just in case #astrababyy #astrababyy asks #i'm very curious about this ask because i don't think i've written many posts on feyre that are super supportive of her #i've gotten angry in the past about how her character was ruined #but never really defended her specifically #so if the person who sent this ask ever sees this post #i'd love if they could send another one in clarifying why they sent me specifically this ask #as well as expand on their position a bit more because i find it to be a criminally underrated one in this fandom!

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