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The Booktok Debate

This pro-booktok vs anti-booktok debate has been going on for a while now but I’ve definitely seen a spike lately probably because of the release of Onyx Storm and I kinda just wanted to rant about it and just shout to the void because it really pisses me off.

I swear if people had media literacy, this whole debate could finally cease to exist because we would actually be able to just think critically about the books in question and there would be no need to argue about them.

I feel like people have been throwing around the term “media literacy” a lot on TikTok but I genuinely agree that so many people either don’t have it or subconsciously don’t use it. Perhaps this is because people don’t want to analyze media they don’t like or admit it has value or meaning. Or on the other side, people don’t want to acknowledge criticism or accept flaws within a piece of media they love. Either way, our emotions cause us to avoid thinking critically about media or attempting to enter healthy discussions with people with opposing opinions.

How this pertains to the booktok debate…

People should be allowed to read books that are objectively not well written but are fun to read without being considered unintelligent. However, they should be able to analyze and recognize the quality of writing they are consuming and hopefully be aware of how their consumption affects them and things outside of them.

There is a lot of valid criticism about how Booktok has negatively impacted the publishing industry and book marketing and has caused a huge push for more smut. So many books seem like copycats of each other or a Frankenstein-esque amalgamation of popular tropes, plots, characters, etc. We should be able to acknowledge these problems, even if we love Booktok and read those books.

There are definitely a lot of people on Booktok who have a very “I’m just a girl” mentality and just want to “turn off their brain” when reading. 90% of the reason I read is for escapism/entertainment, so I somewhat understand this, but I do fear that this can be a harmful approach to reading (and most things). We can both read just for fun and have a break from reality but also be able to understand what we are reading and form thoughts and opinions on it.

But on the other side of the debate, I think that labeling a book as “bad” is not very intellectual, and all media, no matter how “bad”, can and does have value and can be discussed or analyzed on a deeper level. While I do believe that certain books are objectively not as high quality as others, reading is still subjective, and therefore, saying that all the fans of Acotar or Fourth Wing are dumb for liking them is just condescending. And don't even get me started on that whole "literature vs. books" discourse that was happening earlier this month on TikTok because that was some elitist bullshit.

I love Acotar and Fourth Wing and many other “dumb” Booktok books. But I also know they aren’t the best books ever written, and I recognize their shortcomings. I am aware that they are nowhere near the level of writing as the classics, but I can still think they are good for what they are, and I shouldn’t have to justify liking them. I also agree with people claiming that a lot of the criticism seems pretty misogynistic because we do not scrutinize popular media that has male-dominated audiences nearly as much as these books. At least from my perspective.

Also side-note: there are so many aspects to writing a novel. There��s the prose, writing style, dialogue, world-building, character arcs, pacing, etc. I hate when people criticizing Booktok forget about the aspect of crafting a compelling and interesting plot that keeps people’s attention. There are so many incredible works of literature that are critically acclaimed but are so boring. There is value and skill in writing a book that people can’t put down and adore for having a fun plot. I hate that people try to discredit authors like SJM for being bad writers. She may not have the most beautiful prose and unique themes but she can write a fun book that keeps people’s attention. That is talent and that is valuable.

If we could actually analyze literature like we are supposed to be able to, the anti-booktok people should be able to realize the value of Booktok books despite their opinions and the pro-booktok people would be able to see and acknowledge the issues with those books and the platform and then we could all stop bickering because there’s not much to actually fight about. Like can we just give it a rest already?

There’s so much more to this that I could talk about but if you read all that, thanks for listening to my rant, I’m getting off my soapbox… for now :)

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Why I’m excited for Elain’s book:

Elain is still incredibly traumatized from the cauldron, she’s just better at hiding it from everyone which is why nobody has done an ‘intervention’ for her (I saw someone say Elain used gardening gloves before becoming fae and suggested her lack of using them now is a form of self-harm). I think her book is going to be a similar level of beautiful to Nesta’s along the lines of healing from this trauma.

Elain genuinely HATES what she is still. I don’t think she’s accepted being fae yet. I think her book is going to be a journey of acceptance and learning to love yourself again in the wake of trauma. This has the potential to be one of the most relatable stories.

I’m so excited for her to leave the NC. In ACOSF Sarah mentioned Elain in NC black as being washed out which foreshadows her belonging elsewhere. I have seen so many ideas that she leaves and travels with Lucien on his emissary duties allowing her to see the world (let my girl see the tulips) and she heals on this journey away from the stifling NC and all the babying the IC does to her. On this journey she also finds where she truly belongs which ends up being a diff court from her sisters signifying her growth as a woman independent from her sisters.

Overall: I think Elain’s book is going to be a beautiful story of healing, acceptance, finding where you belong, and remembering how to love yourself again. I think her book is going to be a tear-jerker and I’m so excited. I will be placing an order of tissues with my order of the book.

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Live. Laugh. Love. Lucien Vanserra

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I think we need to take acotar less seriously

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🤗

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I just wanted to say my love for elucien has transpired all odds because I literally went into reading acotar shipping elriel.

I genuinely thought elriel was endgame and that the series was finished before starting it. I saw like two elriel fanarts and never questioned it because I never saw anything about elucien. And when they started interacting in the books I was obsessed, I loved them.

So imagine my surprise at the end of acomaf when Lucien says Elain is his mate. I actually kinda hated it at first because I had already set my mind on elriel and I continued to ship them for a while.

But all those little moments between Elucien in acowar had me questioning. It wasn’t really until I finished all the books and reread some parts and reflected before I realized I actually shipped elucien more than elriel. And now I’m a die hard elucien shipper. I was converted LOL.

Elain and Lucien aren’t even together yet but they just are that couple. My elriel ass didn’t stand a chance against Lucien Vanserra 💀💀💀

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“We need more cold complex female characters” y’all couldn’t even handle nestha archeron

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Sometimes I feel out of place in the acotar fandom because I actually like all the characters…

I hate this nests vs. rhys debate. I’m tired of people hating on cassian for simply being having a relationship with both characters and never picking the “right side”. Characters are allowed to be complex. Why are y’all so black and white?

Yes, Nesta was a bitch but she was also grieving and traumatized. She needed help and now she’s trying to be better.

Yes, Rhysand was a dick but he was also trying to protect his family. He made mistakes out of fear and anger and he realized this.

Yes, Cassian is mated to Nesta but he has been best friends with Rhys for centuries and he’s his High Lord. He can defend and support Nesta but also respect and agree with Rhys without picking sides. Yes, you should support your partner first but he’s shouldn’t have to agree with everything she does or says especially if it’s wrong or disrespects someone he considers his brother.

And no, their actions shouldn’t be excused but y’all literally call them evil for doing things that are morally gray and leave no room for nuance.

And don’t even get me started on the elriel vs. elucien/gwynriel ship wars like stop harassing each other. Ship who you want and leave people alone. Why are you going out of your way to hate on people of the opposing ship? You aren’t going to convince them to switch sides, especially if you’re insulting them. Mind your business.

I love having deeper discussions about characters’ actions and stuff like that but it should never be a method to hate on other people and their opinions. And it’s fine to dislike characters but if you hate the main characters to the point that you are demonizing them then why are you here?

This is literally a book series about faeries like ITS NOT THAT FUCKING DEEP

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— Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

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Jude: And thus, by slowly taking larger and larger amounts of these small doses, our bodies will become used to the poisons, eventually making us immune to even lethal amounts.

Cardan: I thought we were just doing drugs together.

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💥💳

ELUCIEN WALTZ SCENE IM BEGGING

Yes Nesta can command an entire ballroom but all I can think about is the fact that Elain likes a Waltz, the most romantic of dances. 🥹🩷

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Also

Hmmm 👀

Elain is def getting her period in her book cuz why else did Feyre go off on a rant about how awful fae cycles are in acofas 💀💀💀

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Elain is def getting her period in her book cuz why else did Feyre go off on a rant about how awful fae cycles are in acofas 💀💀💀

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Feyre and Rhys - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Artist: @asayris

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I love that in Holly Black’s new card game, Cardan’s special talent is that he can’t be attacked when he’s with Jude 🤣

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𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏 + 𝑬𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏 🌸🪻

This beautiful art was done by the talented @kotikomori

She did an incredible job of creating Elain and Lucien! They look so peaceful and lovely together sleeping in this flowery field!

And thank you to the lovely @foreverinelysian for helping me come up with this idea!

Link to Instagram post

Characters belong to Sarah J Maas

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Cardan and Jude - The Cruel Prince

Artist: @/duck.du