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
