90% of the time i’m like “Azriel’s mate is probably just Gwyn or Mor and any degree of surprise would be the Elain element of it all” and the other 10% i’m thinking about how SJM said one of the few remaining ACOTAR novels she wanted to write would take place in the past, in ACOSF Azriel showed Cassian exactly where he would feel if his mate died, in CC3 Azriel saw a painting and was struck by how much it looked like Rhys’ sister, how Azriel who is known for keeping his relationships secret would have had every reason to hide a mating bond with Rhys’ sister after the HELL that Cassian sleeping with Mor caused, and how we still don’t know who gave Azriel his mythical Star-born prophecy blade that he has huge emotional attachment to but we do know that Rhys family is connected to the entire mess…
When I say the men of TOG all easily beat out the ACOTAR boys I am not just referring to Dorian Havilliard or Rowan Whitethorn (the obvious standards) but THE HUNTER WHO WAITED FOR ASTERIN??? NOX OWEN???? ILLIAS THE SILENT ASSASSIN???? Men at every level of TOG are serving looks, loyalty, and respect that is unmatched ESPECIALLY compared to ACOTAR and CC
After much consideration, I am adding Hunt Athalar with the TOG boys on the “the rest of the fandom men can’t compete list⚡️ The rest of the CC boys are still on thin ice for me, but Hunt is actually an angel and he’s pardoned✨
The only things we learned from SJM’s recent interview snippet being:
1. Next book is longgggg
2. Next book is super far from done…
Makes me wonder if there actually is something super surprising coming, like something she herself didn’t even necessarily plan? (especially since we know CC3 got major rewrites after it was nearly done) I do think there could be some elements of the expected story that could fall into this (I think the most obvious route is a book with Elain/Azriel/Luciens POVs and those are three characters we have the most to learn from) but everything about the ACOTAR characters in CC3 make me wonder if she won’t go in an unexpected route
The most obvious thing to point out is Nesta being so prominent which makes sense on thematic levels to some degree but also we have to remember SJM is in control of what she’s writing and if she wanted to…that could have been Feyre with Bryce the whole book??? Or Elain or Gwyn or Mor or whoever with just a few minor plot point shifts. The Azriel of it all seems to check out but the emphasis on Nesta is so curious to me because I’d argue it doesn’t even make entire logic sense (like Rhys was throwing a fit at her for how she handled Bryce as if he didn’t send her in their with presumably almost zero training) and she’s been set up for something different in more ways then one now…
Which brings me to another point, maybe it’s just my Anti-Nessian instincts talking but like…what was the need to continue to make them so gross still??? I had kind of accepted by the end of ACOSF “yeah this pair kind of sucks but it is what it is they’re getting a happily ever after now” but that’s just so clearly NOT THE CASE. The whole Rhys issue is still super prominent, but the narrative is actually finally starting to acknowledge that like, maybe this isn’t okay??? Before in the text you read the awful things Cassian says and does and the narrative is just Nesta’s POV being like “yeah but im terrible and worthless and he’s great so I deserve this” and readers just have to stomach it but Ember stepping in feels like a shift in acknowledgment that this treatment isn’t fair and the part that always gets me is THAT STUPID SEXIST JOKE THE GUYS LAUGH AT BUT NESTA AND EMBER DONT. that’s such an intense and powerful moment, especially when these are two abuse survivors tolerating it and it’s literally like three lines that didn’t need to be there if they weren’t important???
This all adds up to me for the next book as meaning:
a) something really bad is going to happen to Nesta and the plot focus will be in some degree on helping her (maybe using the star sword, which would likely involve her sisters/Azriel)
b) Nesta’s POV still being a thing….
I know the second option would maybe feel wrong in a book that is probably meant to focus on her sister but there aren’t really rules about these things. SJM made a passing comment once about the new spinoffs being “one couple” focused and “each sister/her lover” focused but she really doesn’t have to stick to that. Even the OG ACOTAR trilogy was not that at all. We got maybe like three chapters in total of Rhy’s POV??? Even the text itself was first person which has been a major shift (side note people always ignore in their evil Rhys theories, we’ve only ever gotten Feyre and him in first person, we knowww this man). I think it would not be super crazy if next book is very multi-POV. It would still probably be focused on one person mostly (I am thinking Elain or Azriel and I think there are a lot of valid reasons to support that no matter who they wind up with) but having POVs from at least Nesta and maybe some other characters (dream ones here are Eris, the Valkyries, Vassa/Jurian, and a return to Mor’s POV) could make a lot of sense and be done in a way that still “focuses” on one character mostly. The most obvious examples to me are CC (those are Bryce’s book, but there are so many other POVs) and TOD (undeniably Chaol’s book, but there are other POVs).
I don’t know I think all the clues we’ve gotten so far suggest something bigger and less expected for ACOTAR 6 then just a “Elain’s version of ACOSF” sort of deal. If it were just that simple I feel like by now SJM could just…say that? Like call me crazy but I don’t think announcing it’s Elains book would be new information at all if it’s that simple?? it doesn’t tell us who she’s gonna wind up with and it’s perfectly in line with what people expect. Now I know there’s a whole slew of people who believe in a “just an Azriel” or Azriel/Gwyn book next but I just don’t see that for a lot of reasons (I mean I could be wrong and all the theorizing was for nothing but I don’t think I am). This really is not a point against Azriel/Gwyn either but I don’t see the logic in addressing their story before Elain/Azriel and Elain/Lucien. Chronologically it just doesn’t make sense to me and I actually think having them together first would detract a lot from an Elucien story (it’d just feel gross to me if Az finds his mate and then all of the sudden elains like ‘fine Lucien let’s figure this out🙄’ like if she’s going to choose Lucien let her choose Lucien please).
Im always curious to know other people’s thoughts, especially since we continuously have so little to go off of🙃 I do think there are even broader economic/practical elements it’s easier to ignore when your in a fandom space like…does any of this matter since it happened in CC3??? Do the bonus chapters even matter??? Would SJM be right in expecting people to have read them to “get” the next book. I think we all have very different impulses about this and actually think next book could be a rude awakening about it (like is there a world where nothing about the necklace/Elriel kiss/Gwynriel/Rhys is ever acknowledged??? it seems crazy to think about given fan discourse and theories but if SJM turned around and said “those bonus chapters are silly deleted scenes like” how could the people argue???) but I think it’s more likely there’s an acknowledgment most people have read all these series and she’s sort of priming them to do so with all these references. I just don’t know how much self contained ACOTAR related plot next book will have and how much of it will address these broader issues with the multi verse (like again Azriel can hear the star sword and it affects truth teller??? he lives in the same house with Nesta and that sword and can presumably use both, how could it not be acknowledged???) but I am curious to find out and honestly not even sure what I prefer
When I say the men of TOG all easily beat out the ACOTAR boys I am not just referring to Dorian Havilliard or Rowan Whitethorn (the obvious standards) but THE HUNTER WHO WAITED FOR ASTERIN??? NOX OWEN???? ILLIAS THE SILENT ASSASSIN???? Men at every level of TOG are serving looks, loyalty, and respect that is unmatched ESPECIALLY compared to ACOTAR and CC
I’m not even a Rhys hater but I feel like the “Az’s love interest is going to be besties with Rhys because of the Cassian/Feyre and Azriel/Nesta friendships” line of thinking is so weird like if Az winds up with Elain she should be mad af that this man was cockblocking them and manipulating her relationships behind her back and if he winds up with Gwyn like she’s literally Nestas besfriend??? It feels like such a violation to have Nestas bestie cozy up to Rhys when this man is still threatening her life and mistreating her. Generally speaking i’m lowkey on the “Rhys actually has no real friends except kinda Feyre” train and if that aspect of his character is going to be dissected it should not be in someone else’s book so respectfully like no that is not something we need
also side note but i’m not even sure the brother/sister friendship dichotomy really exists. Feyre’s friendship with Cassian is just as strong as her friendship with the rest of the ic (like she’s actually closest with Mor and I feel like her friendship with Az is just as strong/sweet as with Cas)
Nowhere else to post this where I wouldn’t get clocked😩 but this couple in my year dressed as Rhys and Feyre for Halloween and when I mentioned to the girl I’d thought about doing Azriel but it didn’t work out (cool looking wings are HARD to find and without a group I feel like I wouldn’t have looked right) and she looked me dead in the eye and said “Aw you could have been subservient to me” and that will probably haunt me for the rest of my life
My friend just started reading ACOMAF and texted me “i’m getting real gay vibes from Feyre and Mor” and like NDKEKKDWL have I been wrong this whole time and the Mor clues were there😩 I’ve always felt pretty certainly that Mor not being straight wasn’t determined till ACOWAR but maybe I just wasn’t looking
Call me crazy but my ideal future for Lucien is actually the Jacks from Caraval/OUABH treatment.
LIKE give me Lucien crushed and heartbroken and raging when Elain chooses Azriel next book (a sister choosing her sisters lovers brother instead of her soulmate? SOUND FAMILIAR) and then he moves away to another court or the continent or something and dyes his hair pink because it was Elain’s favorites color and he wants to be dramatic and then GIVE HIM A SPIN OFF SERIES OF HIS OWN.
I seriously feel like Lucien is the PERFECT character for a spin off (novel OR series) because he has so many ties to this world and so many possible storylines to be explored in different sections of the ACOTAR universe. it would be SO cool to explore things outside the IC/NC perspective and give Lucien a love story and journey that could be his own. It would also be an opportunity to explore so many of the side characters fans are interested in (Eris, Helion, Tamlin, Jurian, Vassa, etc) and maybe even bring in some new characters and it would JUST BE SO COOL
Everytime I see the “gWyN hAs pLiAbLe bOnEs” argument I loose decades off my life. It’s so gross and dehumanizing to both Gwyn and Elain to act like their value is rooted in being able to birth babies like even Azriel does not gaf about that and says so in the books. it’s not even a ship thing it’s just so weird to fixate on that and honestly none of the acotar characters should be having babies the way they’re going😩
(First..its lose* not loose. Loose is the opposite of tight).
Moving on...Literally, nobody ever said that is their value. But the body thing IS canon. And in canon, there IS a purposeful point to say Illyrian babes kill ordinary High Fae. So IF Azriel ever wants kids, he COULD have them with Gwyn. She is not ordinary High Fae and IS pliable enough to birth an Illyrian baby. (And thats IF they happen to have wings bc they'd be half...though most likely).
It is a 100% valid CANONICAL fact. It has nothing to do with making their value all about babies. It's very simply just pointing out how children in the wordbuilding ARE precious and coveted, and Gwyn WOULD be able to have his kids while Elain COULDNT. Gwyn loves children and was the one in charge of them at Sangravah. Another nod to this foreshadowed future.
But that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Obviously, their worth is not just in child rearing. But it IS a talking point for any couple. And just like irl, your wants have to align before committing to someone.
Secondly, Azriel never says he didn't gaf or didn't want kids. He actually didn't answer bc he was confused over Mor vs. Elain and prob figured he *couldn't, not that he didn't want to. Which is hilarious bc his endgame is neither.
I am not disputing the fact this is canon I’m disputing people attributing value to this point and making it a big deal/saying it’s a reason Azriel could never be with Elain or honestly whoever couldn’t bear his children (like Elain, Eris, Mor, Bryce, basically everyone besides Gwyn that people ship him with could not bear his kids😭)
I’d argue against the idea that one’s ability to bear the others kid is of value or “a talking point for any couple” especially in a magical world. Even if both people in a pair want children there are many ways to have them and anyone who wouldn’t want to be with someone just because they couldn’t bear their kids is weird and gross in my opinion and that isn’t love. Love isn’t about conditional things like the way someone’s body works. Even if we want to get into the nitty gritty of this it’s a magical world and easy for SJM to do some bippity bopitty boo and change someone’s womb again so it’s not that serious.
Also Azriel when asked by Cassian about kids literally says “that isn’t up to me” which is an incredibly wise and mature answer that should not be reduced to “ehhh he just didn’t think he could have them with his current crush.” Azriel was in love with Mor/open to being with her for five hundred years, all the while knowing she likely couldn’t/wouldn’t bear his kids. if it was that important to him he wouldn’t have maintained those feelings for so long or pursued someone else who couldn’t give that to him and again even if he does want kids there’s more than one way to have them. He does not give a fuck about the shape of his future lover’s womb and her ability to bear winged kids because he isn’t a weird jerk😭
I don’t have a problem with Gwynriel at all but yeah if it was some weird talking/plot point that Azriel chooses her because of her child birthing capabilities I would take issue with it and I hope most sane people will. Not saying that will happen at all, but some fans act like it’s some big gotcha moment that this is mentioned when it’s just such a weird thing to fixate on and even if we want to get really deep in the ship feasibility thing (which again was not what the original post is about i’m fine with Gwynriel😩) every ship option Azriel has outside of Gwyn is about things being hard and not “meant to be.” if he did end up with someone like Elain or Eris or whoever the story would revolve around defying those expectations society/fate put on him so again I don’t think it’s any big secret/plot twist/difference from the rest of their story?? Like it’s just some random line and making such a big thing when it has weird implications for Azriel’s preferences is silly. there are other better reasons to use to argue he’s going to wind up with Gwyn if that’s what you want to do so let’s leave her womb out of it✨
Everytime I see the “gWyN hAs pLiAbLe bOnEs” argument I lose decades off my life. It’s so gross and dehumanizing to both Gwyn and Elain to act like their value is rooted in being able to birth babies like even Azriel does not gaf about that and says so in the books. it’s not even a ship thing it’s just so weird to fixate on that and honestly none of the acotar characters should be having babies the way they’re going😩
MORE RAPID FIRE ACTOAR HOT TAKES BUT THIS TIME THEYRE 🔥HOT🔥 TAKES
🔥Most people who claim to hate Nesta for what she did to Feyre actually just hate her personality and don’t want to admit it. If she were more like Elain or just generally more kind, open, reserved (✨demure✨ if you will) than she wouldn’t get half as much hate, people just like to hide behind the hunting excuse even when it doesn’t make sense as an expectation. even the characters do this themselves (why Rhys/Cassian/Mor have issues with Nesta but not Elain) because Nesta is strong willed and presents as “strong” on the surface there’s this expectation she should have put her life in danger and been able to hunt while Elain as viewed as “fragile” and therefore it’s not a big deal but the reality is personality does not equal hunting ability and this expectation should have been on none of them.
🔥Cassian is NOT and never has been a himbo/golden retriever guy. Like is he a little dense and theoretically attractive? sure, but one of the big components of both those archetypes is respecting women which he NEVER has. He constantly makes sexist jokes, has treated his LI terribly, and the only woman he shows real respect to is Feyre who is an extension of Rhysand in his mind. he definitely wasn’t as bad in the earlier books as recently but he has never been who his fans characterize him as.
🔥Eris has somehow become massively overhyped😭 I see so many people praise him and cheer him on over/as better than the bat boys and I don’t think they realize they have made up a character for him entirely. At best, Eris falls somewhere in the realm of Rhys in morality. He may be “faking” a lot of the bad things he’s done but he has done them (your boy was utm supporting amarantha just like Rhys & may have tried to stop Lucien from literally getting killed but that’s the bare minimum). I do think he’d have been a better/more interesting love interest for Nesta but that’s just because Cassian set the bar SO low. Most of this man’s interactions with women is calling them derogatory terms he is not perfect and has not shown himself to be above any of the other male characters in his actions.
🔥Of all the mated pairs we’ve been shown in this universe the only two who I think genuinely love/wanted each other is Feyre and Rhys. They are FAR from perfect but the mating bond feels almost inconsequential to the start of their relationship. Feyre doesn’t really know/care about it bc of her human roots and Rhys never wants it to influence her decision and admits more than once it makes him worried she feels like she has to be with him (even after they’re together). Cassian’s opposition to that when Rhys brings it up and the entire way he treats Nesta makes it obvious he just wants a mate (or more precisely, he wants what Rhys has) and Lucien obviously would not have given AF about Elain without the bond. I am not a huge fan of mating bonds in this world in general but Feysand is the only ship where it feels like it’s being done right and more just one aspect of their relationship rather than the reason behind it.
🔥The Valkyries winning the blood rite is not that weird when you spend five minutes actually thinking about it, especially with the fact the bat boys are some of the only other people to do it. Like hmmmm what do these two groups of people have in common that the other Illyrians don’t?
1) Weren’t malnourished, sleeping out in the cold, and probably rife with injuries and sickness for YEARS before the rite
2) Have actual people they can trust with them for at least most of the rite
3) Not dealing with the whole wings being bound thing?? like seriously if they’re so sensitive that’s probably incredibly painful or at least annoying. The girls don’t have to deal with this at all and for the boys Rhys probably didn’t, Az is probably used to it (sobs), so it was just a factor for Cassian
4) Were well looked after, had access to education and information on the rite beyond word of mouth in the camps
My point overall is people tend to forget the Illyrian training camps are literally building child soldiers amongst terrible conditions. You are not fighting 100% or even like 50% of the blood rite, things like being well fed, physically able, and even just having someone who can watch your back while you sleep are so important so it is not surprising at all to me the girls made it while most Illyrians don’t, especially when theyre trained to belive it’s all about going in their to kill and be violent/a warrior (and this all doesn’t even touch on the weapons thing). It’s annoying and borderline sexist so many people complain about this, like just let these girls and their friendship bracelets be winners🤧
🔥Rhys’ trauma is so massively overlooked when people talk about his character/decisions. Not only was he essentially a sex slave for fifty years but Amarantha was also constantly psychologically torturing him all the while being the woman who literally tortured him and killed his friends years prior. To top it off, before Feyre there was literally no end in sight for him??? He couldn’t even hope to die because that would mean his magic couldn’t protect Velaris and his friends??? Even once he escapes the mountain he kind of just has to…move on? ) He doesn’t get any break or trauma therapy, he’s dumped right into it all and he literally doesn’t even tell anyone what happened?? The first time he brings it up to the IC in ACOWAR they’re all stunned to hear him say the words and then he breaks down to Feyre afterwards (literally probably the only person he talks to about what happened). It’s known to everyone including his people what he’s been through and it’s weaponized against him constantly. If he weren’t making bad choices, hurting people around him, and just overall struggling to be a good leader his character wouldn’t be realistic. This isn’t an excuse for every bad thing he’s done, but it’s a reality that most people in his situation wouldn’t do any better and couldn’t even handle being in his spot in the first place. There was a Rhys that existed before this series started and it makes much more sense to believe that guy was the decent male that shines through in some of his scenes with Feyre then to belive he’s always been cruel and evil and all his moments of kindness are just a bit (the evil!Rhys theories will never not be laughable to me, this man bawls in the crowded streets of his city just bc he loves his wife so much, he ain’t plotting evil in his spare time)
🔥The ship wars surrounding next book have gotten so over dramatic😭 most of these couples have barely even interacted on page. I get having preferences and seeing a vision for a pair, I do it too, but people fighting tooth and nail against these ships and swearing they won’t read next book if it’s not what they want are doing the most. Especially when these characters/ships actually…arent that different?? There’s so many similarities between Azriel/Lucien and even Gwyn/Elain, and the only character we know anything about thought/motivation wise is Azriel and even that is barely. I could see any of the pairings working perfectly well or also being written terribly, I think we should all care more about how next love story is written rather than who it’s with because the romance in the last few SJM books have been majorly slacking (Quinlar and Nessian are two of my least favorite ships she’s ever written like she must do better) and no matter who ends up together we probably will see some of the these ships (Elriel/Elucien at least) in a romantic sense before any sort of endgame is decided
[Broken up as girls vs boys bc if it wasn’t it’d just be like all the girls and Dorian]
GUYS:
1) DORIAN HAVILLIARD👑: NO ONE IS SURPRISED BUTTTT truly love him so much, no notes at all✨Hot, sweet, kind, respectful?? Amazing character journey??? Served “I’ll bleed whatever color you tell me” AND “you cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love”??? Impossible not to love him
2) Rowan👑: Another angel who just wants to love, respect, and protect his wife✨ his sense of humor is so underrated and he’s just overall a generally good/fun guy
3) Fenrys: I’m actually SO sad we don’t get more of him because he steals every scene he’s in. He’s so charming and fun despite everything he’s been through and his friendship with Aelin has my heart. Also love a sassy man🔥😩
4) Chaol: Hot take perhaps but I love him and his character arc so much. One of the most realistic SJM characters overall and more than any other he just has such a kind heart and genuinely wants to do the right thing and protect those he cares about. Also underrated hottie, smooth AF when he wants to be THERE I said it🔥
5) Azriel: We have so little of him but I love him so much already😭 will probably be higher after his book, I just already love how he’s such a perfect balance of mysterious/hot and gentle/kind. he’s also SOOOO funny??? like one of the funniest ACOTAR characters by FAR
6) Rhysand: Maybe controversial because I feel like most people either love him like #1 style or hate him completely but I think Rhys is SOOO complex and one of SJM’s most interesting characters. He’s been through more than almost any other character and I think if he was perfect after that he wouldn’t be realistic, so even despite his flaws I love him and want the best for this silly sassy fairy boy✨
7) Lorcan: I have my moments with this guy but I do love him😩 he can be a little bit too broody at times but he has others to remind him to cut the nonsense so✨he definitely gets extra points for changing his name to Lord Lorcan Lochan (even though I know Fenrys and Aelin never let him live that down) and just generally loving his wife
8) Lucien: I LOVE my sassy fire boy😩🔥 Book 1 Lucien would be higher but he’s gone missing since then🤧 still love him though and hope we get to see more of his charisma in future books because he’s so fun and deserves a happy ending
9) Sartaq: SOOOO underrated and for why??? Him and Nesryn are SO adorable and he’s just so cool??? Super smart, funny, kind and just a great leader??? literally told the girl he likes “marry me and be my queen or i’ll quit and just be your man” like???? only so low because we get so little of him but TOD is actually one of SJMs best books too
10) Aidas: would have felt rude to put ZERO crescent city boys on this list and this spot wouldddd be Ruhn but he was an absolute dumpster fire in CC3 with Lidia so he’s lost his place🫡✨ but AIDAS I literally kept waiting for more of him the whole series because he’s so cools and suave (and a cat boy😩🔥) and brought this interesting morally grey twang to CC that it was missing. wish they expanded more on him but I love ALL his scenes
GALS:
1) AELIN ASHRYVER WHITETHORN GALATHYNIUS & MANON BLACKBEACK: no you can literally not make me chose they’re both PERFECT. perfect character arcs, perfect stories, perfect vibes, no notes at all✨🔥❤️ two of the most fun MC’s i’ve ever read and super interesting story arcs. Aelin went through so much and I genuinely FELT her journey and Manon was such a fun heartbreaking insane character to follow too I love them both endlessly
2) Elide: okay I LIVE for this girl and I don’t know why she’s so underrated??? like she’s so smart and cool??? survived this whole series with like -100 health and all odds against her and pulls all the baddies because she’s just that good??? is 50% of the reason they win the war??? so funny and generally STANDS ON BUSINESS, like she got the ick from Lorcan and actually made this man GROVELLLL and I love her for it
3) Yrene: ANOTHER underrated queen, i’m obsessed with her😩 there are so few fantasy characters out there like her and I LOVE that in this series of chaos and violence it’s a healer who saves the day and Yrene is so lovely and fun and smart but also stands on business and gets things done and I LOVE her
4) Nesta: I LOVE her and her character arc, she is another one of SJM’s most real/realistic characters and my heart genuinely aches for her, she deserves all the happiness in the world and the only reason she isn’t higher is bc of her choice in men (free her)🤧✨
5) Lidia: This woman literally SAVED the CC series. I would have DNF’d HOSAB if it weren’t for her and her parts were the only bearable ones (besides Nes and Az) in CC3. such an awesome character and her story is so heartbreaking and done so well for just being in one book really?? she’s incredible, I love her, of course she’s related to the queen and king themselves🔥✨
6) Lysandra: an absolute QUEEN and so underrated even though she saves the day countless times and is just so loyal and kind??? her friendships with Aelin and Evangeline are everything. she literally gave her all to fight for a world that had done nothing but hurt her and she’s so brave and beautiful for that, wish we had more of her🤧❤️
7) Asterin: when I tell you I WEPT at her death like a young lad I just JENDKEND for a side character she’s so phenomenal and has SUCH an impact on the entire storyline. her backstory is heartbreaking and yet she’s so full of light and happiness and love for her sisters. BRING MY BODY TO THE CABIN???? LIKE??? gets me everytime and I would SO read a story about her and her hunter boy or her and manon growing up or just her existing again 💔
8) Feyre: I know this feels low BUT i do love her so much, she genuinely starts this all and saved everyone’s ass, her character arc just feels a little incomplete to me and I wish SJM didn’t kick her to the curb because there’s a lot left to be done with her. truly though, I love Feyre and wish the best for her and hope we get to see more from her in the future✨
9) Elain: we’ve gotten so little of her but IDC I love a flower girl❤️🤧 truly though, she’s so intriguing to me and I can’t wait to read more about her (could DEFINITELY be higher after her book) she’s already so kind and fierce and also HILARIOUS, like I have laughed out loud at so many of her scenes😩 her gifts to Azriel being the best gags??? her LOLing when Nesta calls her a bitch??? I know she’s funny AF and we just need to see more of it
10) Emerie & Gwyn: I couldn’t decide again I love them both✨❤️ but really there two are not just what Nesta needed but what I NEEDED to get through ACOSF. their friendships with Nesta have my heart and they’re both so complex and fun even with so little page time??? I can’t wait to read more of them, I feel like both their stories have SOOOOO many possibilities and I am pumped AF for more
One of the most annoying things to me about the “poor Cassian he’s just a sad little brute of a warrior and Nesta makes him feel so inferior” arc in ACOSF is that it’s literally ALL CASSIAN’S OWN FAULT. Yes, his early childhood is especially traumatic and unfair but he was taken in by Rhys and his mother young enough (even earlier than Azriel) that he was given far more luxuries than any of the other Illyrians. The timeline is a bit screwy for the bat boys early days but Rhys took power relatively young after the war and Cassian was immediately put into a high ranking position of political power. He has all the money/power/luxuries he could want and also he’s FIVE HUNDRED+ YEARS OLD.
This man is not some poor sad underdog being belittled by a LITERAL TWENTY YEAR OLD WHO SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE IN POVERTY. Even the foil they try to do between him and Eris for sympathy is ridiculous. Yes, Eris is politically strategic, well dressed, knows how to dance and be diplomatic but CASSIAN COULD BE THOSE THINGS TOO and we know that not just because it’s obvious from his standing (which again he’s had for centuries) but because LITERALLY AZRIEL IS.
Azriel is described as the politest one constantly (even better at it than Rhys), Azriel knows how to dance expertly with Nesta (without needing sudden training from Mor), Azriel knows how to handle Eris and general diplomacy and AZRIEL HAD THE SAME UPBRINGING AS CASSIAN IF NOT A WORSE ONE. Again, the weird dichotomy they try to create between Cassian and Nesta about their social standing is ridiculous enough because it misrepresents Nesta but also the victimization of Cassian as if it’s somehow the worlds fault for his behavior and vilifying of people like Eris and Nesta for calling him out on it is insane.
I think it's fair to say that you can still be insecure about something even when it's no longer applicable or even just irrationally insecure. With that said, I think SJM really over does it. There is no sense that Cassian or Az or Rhys are genuinely beings that are hundreds of years old. They act like college students and seem to be frozen developmentally at like 25 at most.
I do totally agree with the irrational insecurity thing. It happens to the best of us and I even think if this was just something we see in Cassians head it would be understandable/sympathetic. I feel the bigger issue is how he takes that insecurity out on others and projects that sense of inferiority onto others’ view of him and acts out because of it (that’s why I brought up the Azriel parallel, and I think even Rhys does a good job of not letting that get to him)
THAT SAID I did just really want to expand on the comment about the bat boys’ age because I feel like it’s such a big problem/inconsistency for their characters. like truly the bat boys/ic would get so much less hate if they were the same age as the Archerons or even just 100-200 years old. Making them over five centuries old inherently implies they should have a certain level of maturity that is just completely absent and while we know all this terrible stuff happened to them in their youth and more recently when the books start there’s still this huge gap of like 300 years where everything in their lives for the most part should have been…really good???
Rhysand gets hate for being a bad high lord bc even though we know on some level he cares about his people it’s just sooooo hard to realistically believe he’s been unable to do anything about the issues in the CON and Illryia, especially because Velaris isn’t even his doing?? Like it already existed when he took power and yes it’s still mostly thriving but we’re not necessarily led to believe that’s because of him. I have no doubt his 50 years under the mountain led to everything going downhill, but it’s also never implied things were better in the NC before that, he was still “trying” to make changes and if three hundred years of trying has changed so little like maybe you aren’t trying hard enough…
Cassian I’ve read to filth above but I will just say he acts SO juvenile and like a genuine frat boy most of the time. It’s one thing to have a MMC in his twenties talk like that but when he’s a FIVE HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN his creepy sexist gross comments are not cute or funny but a genuine red flag😩 even if it is just his “acting out” over how he feels he’s viewed if he hasn’t resolved that inner turmoil after 500 years i’m not sure he ever will.
Azriel I have a lot of sympathy for because I do feel like he’s still actively stuck in a bad space in his job with obligations we don’t yet fully understand and despite that I do think he is the most mature of the bat boys BUT his whole thing with Mor would make so much more sense on BOTH their ends if it was going on for 10, 20, 100 years rather than FIVE HUNDRED. I am of the belief that their relationship was just a genuine slip up on SJM’s part and they were originally meant to be together, but where it stands it’s just so weird for a literal spy to not pick up on the clues for so long and for Mor to feel like she has to hide who she is from her entire family for so long.
IDK, I just feel like the big unnecessary age gaps are a general problem in fantasy but in SJM’s other books it’s actually done very intentional and the characters who are older (Rowan, Hunt, Manon, Lorcan, etc) actually feel older and like there’s a reason for how long they’ve been alive and not just for a bit.
Actually SO excited for the Shatter Me spin off novel like James Kent as our MMC??? The main trope being reverse GrumpyXSunshine??? His love interest being an assassin??? And he’s a healer??? I NEED IT NOW
. [Mostly focused on side characters but thoughts about our mains too BC why not]
🔥Emerie is one of THE most underrated characters and deserved a bigger storyline in ACOSF (obviously it’s Nestas book but other side characters like Gwyn, Feysand, etc got more time that could have been hers)
🔥I don’t know why people really like Helion or want him with LOA😭 mans has let her be in an abusive relationship for DECADES & I feel like if he really loved/deserved her he would have blood dueled by now. he might make a fine father for Lucien but I don’t want to read a love story that involves a few centuries of abandonment
🔥I like genuinely wonder often if the rest of Lucien’s brothers are evil evil. Like if Eris is playing along to their abusive dad’s whims, how do we know the rest of them aren’t? They likely don’t know Eris is different so why would he know that about them? Lucien didn’t? IDK i’m just curious about more Vanserras
🔥Jurian is genuinely one of the funniest characters👀 his revival may be a little pointless but his vibes are immaculate and he’s underrated
🔥You don’t have to hate Mor for leading Azriel on (there are others reasons to not like her) but she definitely did💀aside from the fact every character including her says it we get literal scenes of it too. like she FR tells Feyre he has a huge dick and just says so many other sexual/romantic things about him that are NOT platonic, it makes sense he’s been confused AF😭
🔥Kallias and Viviane have one of the sweetest love stories in the series and I wish we saw more of them. they also just have such good vibes & if they’re gonna keep popping up for little cameos I want more deets
🔥TW SA: I won’t even argue about Tamlins wrongs against Feyre bc i’ve done so before & it isn’t worth the breath BUT it bewilders me that so many people ignore/excuse what he did to Lucien😭 aside from just the generally abusive vibes he not only ignored what Ianthe was doing to Lucien (when equally if not more depressed people like Feyre/Rhys noticed) but also made him have sex with that creepy ass predator😩 Lucien’s struggle with that is so overlooked in general but still bothers me people ignore Tamlins fault in it and that Lucien is now groveling for his friendship
🔥 While on the topic of SA, i’ve seen a lot of people in the fandom have such a gross attitude about what happened to Rhys recently. like man has plenty of flaws and has done a lot of wrong things but that’s not an excuse to make jokes about him being SA’d for DECADES especially when male SA representation is so rare and it’s dumbass jokes like the kind fans are now making that makes guys feel uncomfortable about speaking up
🔥One more on this topic, the SA Nesta experienced is also SO overlooked, even by the narrative itself. The general fact she was using sex as a form of self harm/punishment is also weirdly addressed a few times but then excused if it’s with Cassian in a way that’s so gross
🔥Feyre and Rhys having Nyx so soon was a bad decision. No matter how many people bring up the “oh they were so close to dying” “oh they don’t want to waste time” blah blah blah doesn’t change the fact that’s a TERRIBLE reason to have kids😭 like does the fact they made that decision kind of make sense given what they experienced? sure! was it at all smart or level headed or much more than a trauma response? literally no
🔥I feel like Rhys’ mom…kind of sucks? She’s spoken about more highly than any of the other ACOTAR parents but she literally forced her son to go to a child soldier camp she knew was full of misogyny, poverty, and a bunch of other barbaric practices, did nothing to help any of the other kids unless she was forced to (Rhys brought cassian home, and Az’s mom begged her to take him, she then let Rhys & Cas beat on this poor traumatized boy) and overall Rhys turned out far from perfect but actually could have been SO much worse when you think about it
🔥On the topic of bad parents KIER BEING ALIVE STILL IS SO STUPID AND MAKES NO SENSE.
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