#YES I AM A TAMLIN STAN

[praetorqueenreyna]

SJM I'm begging you, give the people what they want

[bookishly-ariel]

As someone who read the Acotar series once, I dove into the sailboat my brain branded Elriel and by the end of Acomaf I realized it wasn't a small sail boat anymore.

By the time Azriel flew her to the house of wind the boat was decorated with Cobalt sails, flowers, and shadows. At end of Acomaf it was built for the deep seas of a shipping war I knew I'd eventually have to sail through if I wanted to enjoy online content of them.

By the end of Acosf I was looking out across that ocean from a Destroyer.

And through it all my love for the story and the characters was not overshadowed by the ship I had built from the small moments given between two characters who were briefly shown through the eyes of Feyre, Rhysand, Nesta, and Cassian but mostly through Sjm's words.

I loved Feyre's story, but I did not hate her sisters, I did hate her father, tamlin, and more of a dislike for his decision to let Tamlin bring Feyre beyond her breaking point and still support him, Lucien.

(Yes, I loved that papa archeron showed up and saved the day, still mad it took Fae intervention and healing to get him there but Feyre still loved him anyways. Tamlin's help at Hyberns camp was the only thing I let slide cause he owed it to them. Lucien . . . Well, I don't forgive him turning his eye on all the bullshit, but I do hope we get to see him grow and I do have a small ship in my head for him and vassa and a small enjoyment on how him and Gwyn would be as friends if not partners.)

I loved Nesta's story, but I supported them having an intervention because she was killing herself and through her healing, the friends she made and she found herself along the way. Actions taken by Nesta did upset me but so to did the actions and choices of others in the book.

(This book was therapeutic to the eldest daughter in me who was a shit sister to her own baby sister till something happened and we patched our relationship.)

I know I will love Elain's story, but I am content in my knowledge that Feyre shipped Azriel and Elain, humored it aloud to Rhys even.

Nesta wasn't blind either, she too realized her friend was distant and when finding out why she did not chase him off or shut down his feelings and neither did she blast him to the whole Inner circle. She understood and offered a small comfort.

I don't know how anyone who has read the books over and over cannot see beyond the sails of their sail boats.

These characters are more than their ships, and to claim your thoughts and opinions as those of the characters is baffling.

All this to say, You don't decide that someone can't be a Nesta Stan and support Elriel because "Nesta would never"

It's right there in A Court of Silver Flames, did you not read the book? I'm just saying, Nesta is many things but she isn't the type of woman to bite her tongue when she disapproves of something.

It's right there in the books, just saying.

[feyres-divorce-lawyer]

https://www.reddit.com/r/acotar/comments/18rf6ex/in_defense_of_rhys_in_sf/

What's your opinion on this post defending Rhys in SF?

um well yikes. point by point, shall we nonny

feyre was not pro protective shield. she thought it a compromise because the alternative was rhys not letting her leave the river house for the entirety of her pregnancy (horrifying by the way) she traded one restriction over another (also horrifying), that’s not being “pro” something. and if the shield was for protection why did he take it away when they went to hewn city, so smugly announcing feyre’s “pregnant scent” even cassian noticed? it’s all about protecting feyre until he needs to parade her around like some prize he’s won right? op’s right tho, it’s not like tamlin, it’s worse. that shield was so tight, she couldn’t feel hugs or touches from her fucking family, no one could smell her. that is infinitely worse than being trapped in a huge manor, and given how much emphasis sjm put on feyre’s claustrophobia in acomaf, she should’ve not have been ok with it, but of course, feyre’s triggers don’t exist when it’s rhys doing the triggering. “as a high fae male” oh pls spare me. sarah can claim that the possessiveness and control is cause they’re not human and stans can believe it, but when she starts actually writing fae, and not super soldiers with vague, unexplained powers and pointy ears, i’ll believe it. sure it can be assumed that they had discussions on how best to protect nyx, but considering that in those conversation the danger nyx brings to feyre was never brought up, i am not giving rhys the benefit of the doubt that he didn’t somehow manipulate feyre into accepting that shield (again horrific compromise)

op is right again about not telling feyre about the wings being on brand for rhys, that doesn’t make it right. one day y’all will stop using the “morally grey” argument as paltry ammunition and get you some artillery of common sense. for the umpteenth time, actually morally grey characters don’t get their actions idolized or explained away with sympathy. “he tries to do everything himself” he’s not the pregnant one though, is he? i do not give a single fuck about his self-sacrificial tendencies when they deeply affect someone else. the knowledge about the wings was not his to keep secret.

“rhys is helping tamlin but that doesn’t mean he has to be nice” um yes the fuck he does when tamlin’s the reason the ungrateful dick is alive. “tamlin ruined himself” exactly what ruination is this referring to? surely not the fall of his court, which wasn’t his fault. and yea how he’s treating tamlin isn’t just because of feyre, it’s because he’s a shitty person that kicks people when they’re down so he can hypocritically crow about how magnanimous he is offering solutions to problems he caused.

finally, yea we don’t get rhys’ or feyre’s pov in the main book, but using “complexity” as a shield to the criticisms of the former’s actions in this is laughable at best. it’s not a complex thing. he kept life and death information from his pregnant wife who’s made it clear multiple times that she doesn’t like things being kept from her. seems pretty simple to me.

[bookishfeylin]

Feel free to ignore if you're tired of hearing about this, but: your tags about SJM injecting real world morals into her stories and then ignoring them. Suddenly I am entirely clicking with where you are and from what point you're making your commentary. SJM is the one who chose to use modern concepts and buzz words for abuse and PTSD, and she is the one who chose to judge some characters by modern moral concepts but not others. That's what makes it so hard to do the usual analysis of characters, so I just don't. But you, if I understand you, are making your analyses to point out the flaws and holes in HER judgments. To show that SHE made it unbalanced and isn't playing by her own rules.

Yes, this is it exactly. I despise hypocrisy, and Sarah's books are unfortunately the pinnacle of such. The same standards that are used to judge Tamlin and Nesta would also render Feysand and co abusive, but the text (read: Sarah's favoritism) refuses to acknowledge that, doing a disservice to her own themes in the first place.

I also want to apologize in advance for the rant this is going to turn into, because man do I have FEELINGS about this.

Part of the reason the ACOTAR fandom is so toxic is because Mrs. Maas applied real world standards to a fantasy series, creating a conundrum where some characters are allowed to exist in and operate within a fantasy-based morality (like Rhysand, the Inner Circle, and Feyre) whilst others are held up to a stricter, real-world morality and are vehemently critiqued in text for failing to meet the moral standards of our world (Tamlin, Nesta, even Lucien), leaving fans of the latter group of characters to call out the hypocrisy in text for their characters being evaluated by standards that the former aren’t held to whilst fans of the former set of characters happily indulge in such hypocritical writing even while promoting this series as an excellent example of handling of real-world themes like abuse (and yes I did copy and paste this entire paragraph from another post of mine lol).

Some weeks back I saw someone on THAT SIDE of the fandom explain that they hated Tamlin because he abused Feyre (valid!) and pull out a picture of Sarah including the National Domestic Violence Hotline at the end of ACOFAS as evidence that liking him was morally wrong or whatever (I'd reblog the post, but OP is, again, on THAT SIDE of the fandom and sadly has me blocked now :( ).

But that same hotline is the one I've used in my analysis of why RHYSAND is abusive here, here, and here. The same source Sarah includes in these books to make a point about Tamlin being abusive also renders Rhysand abusive. But here's what gets me: The person and others like her who were reblogging that pic of the domestic violence hotline were also whining about people judging Rhysand by real world standards. Yes, I'm serious. For a topic like abuse, one deeply personal to me and many others, Sarah (and her fandom) can't pick and choose what characters to apply real world standards to. Not for something like this.

But we don't even have to use real world standards to call out the hypocrisy in how her characters were written--we can use ACOTAR's own morality as well. Case in point: Nesta's treatment in ACOSF. Locking Nesta up is treated as the right thing to do in ACOSF, but ACOMAF goes OUT OF ITS WAY to show that locking someone up is wrong and is a violation of your personal bodily autonomy, NO MATTER THE REASON. This action is often defended in one of two ways: by stans saying that Nesta was embarrassing Feysand when they needed to be keeping up appearances for the court, or, more commonly, because Nesta was an alcoholic. But neither reply holds water. If Nesta embarrassing Feysand in ACOSF was bad because they needed to keep up appearances as the court rebuilt and prepared for war with the mortal queens and Koschei, then... that justifies Tamlin getting upset with Feyre over the tithe several books earlier. That was his logic for being upset that Feyre gave the water wraith her jewelry, and also his logic for (according to fandom) "stuffing her in dresses"--keeping up appearances for the people and preventing Hybern from finding any weakness to exploit (again, this is according to fandom. In the books, the dresses were chosen by Ianthe but we both know no one pays attention and Tamlin is blamed for everything anyway). So either Tamlin was justified in ACOMAF, or Feysand are wrong. Nesta's alcoholism isn't a good excuse either, because if she were truly an alcoholic, Feysand would've put a healer in the House with her to help her through withdrawal and prevent her from having a seizure and dying, which I'll discuss in more detail in my upcoming post about Nesta. Either way, Feysand's treatment of Nesta was inexcusable by ACOTAR's own rules that say locking people up is bad, and in trying to excuse this some stans accidentally justify Tamlin's behavior in ACOMAF as he had the same excuses.

This also applies to the Inner Circle voting on whether or not to keep Nesta's powers a secret from her--didn't ACOMAF also say that that was bad and controlling on Tamlin's part? Why is Tamlin keeping Feyre's magic a secret abusive and controlling, but the Inner Circle deciding to do the same (even if it failed anyway) is fine?

The hypocrisy that began in ACOMAF in which Tamlin was declared abusive but Rhysand wasn't despite Rhysand... also being abusive spiraled out of control in ACOSF and is ultimately what fractured this fandom, and because of said hypocrisy nothing after ACOTAR 1 is enjoyable for me.

So yes. Beyond ACOTAR 1, I'm forced to evaluate the characters with the real-world morals Sarah decided to randomly include, and in doing so can't help but be faced by this series' own hypocrisy, and I'm hoping my analysis will allow others to see that the hypocrisy ultimately causes it to fold in on itself and destroys its own point.

[thecatsaesthetics]

I think this scene actually proves how much of an unreliable narrator Nesta is, and is not the girl boss moment Nesta stans seem think it is. It shows the exact opposite, and people taking Nesta's "side" in this scene aren't paying attention to the narrative.

"You (Feyre) dragged me into this mess, this horrible place, you are why I'm like this, why I am stuck here" - Feyre did NOTHING to her sisters, Ianthe and Tamlin are the reason Nesta and Elain are fae. Even if Feyre hadn't used her father's house in ACOMAF, Nesta and Elain still would have been turned into fae because Ianthe learned about them from Feyre much earlier and was going to use them to keep Feyre compliant.

Claiming Feyre didn't "care before" - Feyre went out of her way to invite her to Winter Solstice, which is not only a holiday but her own goddamn birthday. Somebody who "does care" isn't doing that, she wanted Nesta around. Rhys also stated he "offered Nesta job after job" in ACOFAS and Nesta declined them all. Rhys isn't offering these jobs because he wants Nesta around, he's doing so because he knows how hurt Feyre is over her sister.

"Your mate's money" - that line is beyond fucked up and anyone claiming this is a "girl boss moment" you're simply wrong. First lets point out Feyre and Rhys are married so his money is her money. Furthermore Feyre is actively working as High Lady, saved the city, and literally sacrificed her humanity to save the entire country from Amarantha.

Second Nesta has been entitled to Feyre's labor/work/sacrifices since Feyre was 14 years old. Feyre is just stating the facts for the first time that Nesta has only ever helped herself to Feyre's money. The only resort Nesta has is "ummm it's not actually your money", this is not the girlboss comment you think it is. Nesta actively has refused jobs, she has refused to do any labor and then cries when someone points this out to her.

"You're always sacrificing for us, your sad little human family" -This implies that Feyre only provided for her family once she became associated with the High Fae. That isn't true. That's incorrect. Nesta and Elain have both admitted that they would have died without Feyre going into the woods (at 14) and hunting. Feyre has been sacrificing for them and has provided for them. Nesta mocking this, isn't a girlboss moment.

"As if things had been so miserable with the Archeron family"- In this own scene she is happy that she was able to hurt Feyre "Another flash of hurt. Nesta's blood sang at the direct blow" There are other moments in the series, but Nesta in one moment is trying to use her words to hurt Feyre and in the next moment is claiming Feyre has no reason to want to claim people who treat her with kindness are her family. That's the definition of an unreliable narrator.

"Elain had chosen Feyre and these people, and left her behind"-Nesta has been actively shoving everyone out, since the battle and yes she is traumatized but shoving people out is not someone "Not Choosing you". But also the way she views Elain is similar to a doll, Elain shouldn't have to be just "Nesta's sister" she should be allowed to be both Feyre and Nesta's sister. She also uses Elain in this scene to try and get out of working, the "Elain needs to be able to see me" when she knows she's been pushing Elain away and Elain is not a child, if she wants to see Nesta she will. It's often discussed how Nesta abuses Feyre but I am also starting to see her treatment of Elain as abusive.

"Feyre had always been her own master. Always got whatever she wished. And now it seemed Feyre would be granted this wish, too." - What in the world is Nesta talking about here? Did Feyre get her wish when she was starving and had no money and forced as a child to hunt? Did she get her wish when Tamlin broken into there home and took her without consent? Did she get her wish when she literally was tortured and killed because Amarantha was pissed off she had bested her?

So inconclusion people who claim Feyre is an unreliable narrator... this entire scene PROVES Nesta is the unreliable narrator. Everything she is claiming about Feyre simply isn't true or supported by facts.

[golemthegolem]

acotar rant cause I am fucking done with Rhys stans

Okay so first off, everyone is entitled to there own opinions, and if you disagree with me that’s fine.

Second this rant has trigger warnings for SA 

I just finished reading ACOSF and it made me go a bit feral. I’ve always hated Rhysand and this book just made it so clear to me that he is abusive and controlling. I get that he’s is hot and also, no wait, being hot is his only positive trait. It just felt so wrong that a so called feminist told us that Rhysand’s SA of Feyre was ok because ‘he had to’ or ‘he felt really bad about it’. Obviously SA is never for the right reasons. Anyway back to ACOSF. 

So first and foremost, the villianising of Nesta. As someone who really struggles with mental health, I loved and empathised with Nesta. But to watch her be insulted, used and taken advantage of by her so called family was really upsetting to me. I acknowledge that Nesta was rude, and at times cruel, but that didn’t mean she deserved what she got in ACOSF. People are really out there saying the house of wind wasn’t a prison when Feyre threatened to have Nesta TIED UP AND DRAGGED there, after she had just been kidnapped and traumatised by Hybern. 

Nesta was slut shamed in ACOSF. I know that her having sex was a coping mechanism, but having her family constantly making fun of her for it rather than really helping just kind of made me uncomfortable. Like it is mentioned in the books that after their first battle all of the bat boys had a six month sized gap in their memory where they were supposedly drinking and sleeping around. The double standards are INSANE. 

Cassian was also abusive towards Nesta in ACOSF. Yes she was rude to him, but he constantly pushed her boundaries by calling her names she said she was uncomfortable with, asking for consent in a very questionable way, and having sex with her when he knew it was unhealthy/a coping mechanism for her. When Nesta was finally vulnerable with him, he threw it in her face, asking why he had been ‘shackled to her’. Then she gave up everything just to be able to carry his child and was finally accepted, and then went to happily live in the house that she could only leave if Cassian permitted, like WHAT.

Also I think that a very important scene to bring to light is the scene where Nesta falls down the stairs. It’s just casually mentioned that Azriel thought Cassian could have pushed Nesta down the stairs, in this book. For someone who cared so much about how feminist and supportive the bat boys are, SJM was just like ‘yeah I mean Azriel thought Cassian could have pushed Nesta down the stairs but he didn’t so it’s fine.

Also, I have seen this mentioned a lot but when Tamlin locked Feyre in a house, he was being controlling, and when Rhys locked Nesta in a house and then literally threatened to KILL her, he is just protecting Feyre. I think with the locking in the house thing, for both Tamlin and Rhys, in the best case scenario it was a misguided attempt to protect Feyre, and in the worst case, a power play to control vulnerable women. Although Rhys claimed he was ‘helping Nesta heal’ it was mentioned that he smirked as she was told everything, like he was enjoying her discomfort. Overall I think that this book felt with themes of trauma and abuse very poorly, but I wouldn’t expect anything more from Sarah. It was basically faerie porn with very bad plot.

Anyway please correct me if any of this is wrong, as I can’t bring myself to re read the acotar series 

[ae-neon]

you mocking feyre for not being able to read is tearing her down for something she can't control.

you say she's barely an adult, but she's twenty years old. you're taking a horrific tragedy that affects 12 million (according to my government's statistics) girls under eighteen are forced into every year and using it to shit on a fictional couple you don't like.

as for the breeding cow and lapdog comments, i seem to have mistaken you for someone else, and if that is the case i apologize.

also addressing the illiterate fans thing, even if i was just an irate nesta anti, you are not a person who's opinion i care about.

all this to say something very simple: the words you use matter. the negative connotation you speak about feyre with (belittling her for her life experience, choice of partner, using housewife as a negative word) matter. there is misogyny in the way you speak, whether you see it or not.

so while yes you absolutely can speak on the misogyny in fandom, you should do it with the open caveat and knowledge that you have several times spoken with misogynistic language. and unfortunately, that language you use does in fact make you less credible within the overall conversation.

"Belittling her for her life choices" why do you keep confusing me with other people? Or are you just making general accusations again?

Telling me to shut up about the misogyny in these books because I'm not cheering the main character's every decision is not the feminist move you think it is

Firstly, feminism is not putting every woman or every action by a woman on a pedestal. Some women are complicit in not just upholding systems of oppression but benefiting from them.

Let's take Feyre for example

Since you obviously know nothing about me: I have said Feyre has every right to stand up for herself, that she has no obligations towards Nesta, that she is a strategic thinker etc

I have also said she has narcissistic tendencies and makes stupid decisions and that she's unsuited to the position of HL - partly because of her lack of education

That last thing is probably the one that got you red in the face but ask yourself why only the criticism is counted as belittling her life choices?

I am not mocking Feyre for being unable to read something she can't control but then rejects the offer Tamlin makes to teach her?( I mocked a stan for using the first few chapters of acotar to call Nesta lazy when in those chapters she chops wood twice)

When I point out Feyre's illiteracy, it is mostly to point out how sjm put no effort into developing the character or showing us how Feyre is suddenly qualified for the highest administrative seat and power over others lives. She - like the rest of the nepotism gang and their greasy king - uphold and benefit off of the labour and oppression of others.

I live in a country where unqualified and corrupt people - including the wives and girlfriends of important men - use nepotism to benefit themselves so excuse me for not being happy for her

Also I don't think I ever used the term housewife in a negative connotation??? - again not sure where this is coming from since I and many other people have actually pointed out how the elder Archerons domestic work in the cabin years is devalued (again, because this book and it's fans tend to be misogynistic)

Now about the child bride thing.

First, I want to explain in the simplest terms possible : removing context and intention from what is said in order to make it seem like meaning can only be derived from the words themselves is not only an obtuse and disingenuous act, it's also an act rooted in racism and misogyny.

I don't have the energy to get into it but for example, certain cultures have practices not rooted in misogyny but rooted in gender. If someone from that culture says "women don't play this instrument and men don't wear black" and you swoop in to tell them they are sexist, are you not being racist and ethnocentric? Context matters.

"cunt" is a word rooted in misogyny but you're not gonna accuse someone of being a misogynist for using it are you?? Sometimes it's not even meant to be an insult, sometimes it's an aesthetic praise, "she got a buzzcut and dyed it green, that with the sock boots, ugh, she looks so cunty"

Sorry for literally having to teach you but with that can you understand that when I say Feyre is a child bride - the context pertains to the fictional book I'm addressing???

I am not talking about 12 year old girls in arranged marriages. I am talking about a fictional character in a book that was sold to teenagers and told them that the kidnapper groom was the "feminist king"

You, suddenly using the very real issue of child sex trafficking and how many girls are affected in your country, as a shield for Feysand of all ships is the act of insanity.

Which do you think adds more to the issue : me saying child bride or sjm writing a book for kids where a 19yo gets kidnapped and then marries her kidnapper?

Maybe the word gets a reaction out of you cause you're finally confronted with the horror of the situation? Idk and idc

Secondly, I don't appreciate this attempt at tone policing. (Another thing you do thats rooted in misogyny and racism - guess you're less credible now or something?)

You don't have to like the way I say things for them to be considered worth anything. Your understanding is not the standard I have to adjust myself to.

The kicker here is that I have said, more than once, I am not an unbiased source of information or content nor have I ever claimed to be

So on every level of this attempt to bash me, you have failed to bring anything worthwhile to the table.

You can just disagree with me because you like Feysand, I'm literally not gonna judge you but you don't have to do Olympics level mental gymnastics to try find some way to discredit my posts. (Which again are just half-joking rants on my personal blog)

[ofbreathandflame-archive]

came back to tumblr just to find that @worldsnotsaid is gone? girl whyyy☹️

Hi anon!

It was kind of abrupt, and I do apologize for that -- truly. It's why I am tackling this ask! But, it was very freeing to delete that blog, and it felt as if a weight had truly been lifted from my chest to see it go. Bittersweet, yes! But absolutely needed. Constantly seeing asks box jump from 300 to 400+, the constant hate messages, the inboxes -- it was all too much for me to tackle, and honestly, it felt as if my blog was just no longer productive at that point.

I am always 100% behind the points made on that blog, and the problems in SJM's writing. My passion for those points will never fade or change for that matter. But I think the book community and publishing are just not ready for an actual change -- and it's tough to have the conversation about racial and abusive themes in books when people pick and choose when to chastise and ignore. It's literally like having a conversation with a wall. I can't honestly have a conversation about tackling racism in the book industry when people can't even let go of a book series that isn't even well written. We aren't being militant about the problems in the book industry, and its exactly why it looks the way it does. I don't know, I think I've grown apathetic to it. The urge for docility among reviewers disguised as 'allyship,' the flip-flop about abuse and abusive themes in books. None of it makes sense. And it's like the legwork to make it happen just doesn't seem worth having someone constantly throw vitriol in your face. It just seemed like it becomes a tit-for-tat straw-man debate in the end, and that -- again -- isn't productive. 'Tamlin stans this' and 'Nesta stans that, and it was like ?? Can we just think outside of that? We can't complain about the way PoC are always treated in the story and then turn around and defend an author who would 100% kill them off and let her white character wear their trauma like a second skin. Like how serious are these conversations when the ones having them are unwilling to stop supporting the author propagating these harmful tropes to other authors. FBAA ran because ACOTAR walked; ACOTAR ran because Twilight walked. These harmful stereotypes in these books melded and made the environment we have today. And it is what is.

As another blog asked, I will not be returning to that blog as it was deleted. But there are so many beautiful and articulate antis in the tag that adeptly explain the problems in this series and in much clearer and more concise ways! My blog was a rambling mess anyways!

Funny addition: And do you know the sheer frustration of typing up an entire post that's 2000+ with links and citations talking seriously about abuse and racism and how its portrayed in the media just for someone to skim the post and make a follow-up, sub-post that starts with: 'Tamlin stans always think.' -- yeah never again.

[taylors-fourth-cat-meow]

what are your #anti sjm unpopular opinions? this side of the fandom is pretty similar in our opinions so i was wondering where you differ. asking this to a bunch of people btw.

Hi anon!!

So ik a lot of people especially Nesta stans hate Elain. But I actually really like her character just for the pure mystery of it. We don't know much about her so her character and all her actions remain open to interpretation. And also I like how she's not the typical girlboss™️ and actually embraces her feminine side. I hope sjm does not squash that to make her a warrior in her book. I am excited for her to find some purpose in the intellectual field. Also because she's Lucien's mate and he's my baby boy. The main reason I am waiting for her book is that we'll learn more about Lucien definitely and maybe get a side of Tamlins story too. Eris I'm sure will also make an appearance atleast maybe get more about his relationship with Lucien. So yes all interesting characters in the series are connected to her in some way so I think her book cud be possibly interesting only if Sjm doesn't manage to butcher it. atp m in this fandom only for TamTam and Lulu 🥰🥰❣️

[nikethestatue]

I'm thinking of leaving this fandom too. Honestly, I truly loved and enjoyed meeting fellow Elriels. One of the kindest and brilliant people I've met online. I've been in this fandom for years now, even before acosf came out. But I can't deal with the general acotar fandom now, and sadly, no matter how much I loved all the Elriel/Feysand contents, and friends here, it's not enough anymore.

I didn't signed up for this. I didn't signed up for the constant bullying, name calling, slut shaming, misogyny, victim blaming, pitting women against each other and etc., I didn't know the fandom will turn out like this, like a true hell for someone who only wanted a break from real life. I'd like to blame acosf because most of the misogynistic take started after it was released.

I didn't signed up for all the dumb takes. Honestly now? I felt SO ashamed of being part of this fandom. I was friends with someone on the other fandom when some people from acotar fandom started making fun of the characters from the other fandom and they started comparing unprovoked. It was so embarrassing that even though I am not mutuals with those people, I still ended up telling my friend I'm not in this fandom anymore.

I didn't signed up for idiocracy or delusions. No, all the takes that gets crazier everyday? No matter how much I convinced myself that it was funny and time will come when they'll be proven wrong and would leave this fandom (because most of them hate what sjm writes/loves. They hate Feysand, they hate the IC, they hate everyone but the two characters) it's not working anymore. It felt like "wow, really, I'm in the same fandom of people who actually think (or better yet not using their minds over a simple fun series) like this?" I hate to be categorized with these people.

I didn't signed up to lowkey get called stupid because apparently I don't have a degree on literature, fashion, or whatever. I hate how I saw a woman in this fandom dragging women down because they have "big job and helps to fight misogyny, what are you doing? I'm above you." when she's the most misogynistic person everyone ever met.

The arguments are repetitive, most posts are the same or just being aggressive. I'm actually just staying on tumblr for the fanfics and theories now but like what I said, the negative side of this fandom wins, and it's so so toxic for me.

Acotar fandom are full of misogynistic people (not all, but most) and they are even proud of it. You will see it on every tiktok, Instagram, Reddit, fb and Twitter posts (especially if it's about Feyre, Elain, Mor, N&C), you'd see the horrible comments against women characters and downplay their nasty behavior as "its just fiction" well yes, but considering how they act like this? What more in real life?

You can't have a decent argument here or have the chance to clear your name because the next thing you know everyone will post you on their Instagram Stories or blog with all their thousands of followers to see and they'll proceed to shun out an entire group.

Oh let me say that even acotar Reddit isn't a safe space for everyone. Not unless you stan Tamlin, Lucien, Eris or Azriel. There are people from Facebook who also infiltrates the elriel group and made fun of us on the comments. This fandom is a shitshow.

And yes, since I'm already in this, I hate how someone would literally badmouth elriels to ARTISTS. Who'd tell horrible things to the point where artists refuse to take comms or draws the ship. I was so baffled when I learned this from a friend. Like really? How petty can people be in this fandom?

It never felt safe anymore. And our feelings? Invalid. Only some group of people in this fandom has a say.

It's like suddenly after acosf, we're suddenly invaded by 5 years old who thinks being a gIrlboSs is cute.

And sadly maybe this is like my goodbye letter to this fandom. (Not to Feysand & Elriel, but I'll just connect when acotar 5 is released) It was such a great ride at first, but suddenly became cancer.

I don't have the heart to actually post this on my blog. I stopped answering anons because I'm slowly distancing myself.

I hope to have another pre acosf days, or better days where acotar readers doesn't compare traumas, wanted a woman character to suffer/punished, doesn't put value on women based on their womb, people who thinks they are above everyone and have to hate on female characters in general.

Ps: when acotar 5 drops, I'll never ever think twice on visiting acotar fandom again (but would never say bye to my friends)

I honestly admire you and the other OGs for staying here for so long. I know what you all went through silently in this fandom, and I admire the strength and class on how you all handled it.

That's all, thanks for reading this. (I'll surely miss sending you anon asks about acotar stuffs lol, I love your response everytime)

Oh Anon. Yes. To all of this.

It's a sad anon, not gonna like, it was hard to read it, because it's so very true.

It's been eye-opening, being in this fandom, as someone who kind of older and been around the block a few times. I thought that something's changed. That women talking about women's changed. That women thinking about women's changed. That we've been fighting the same battles. That we were kind of past appearances, hobbies, inclinations, abilities, and we were going to be accepting and kind towards other women. Nope. Not so much.

That's been the most shocking thing for me to witness in these past few years. The intense cruelty that women are willing to subject other women to...over a book. Over a character. It's weird. And if you are not in it, you wouldn't actually believe it. But it's true.

I think it's the anonymity of online existence that allows people to be like that. Or maybe it's like the Salem Witch trials--young girls being cruel to others only to be heard. Accusing and acting out for attention. Maybe things haven't changed all that much.

I will stay because I have to see this thing through. I think the next ACOTAR book will be announced sooner than we think.

But after it's done, after Elain's book is done, I'll be off faster than a prom dress.

(if you feel comfortable, tell me who you are, so if I don't see you, I know you left)

Hugs. Be in a place that's good for you and your soul and your psyche.

[myclematis7]

*cutely asks you about all the books you’ve read*

The Kingdom of Fantasy. I was OBSESSED with the twin fairies, Blossom and Wither. and their brother, Prince Lucky. basically, all the attractive characters. when I read book 13 (pretty sure that's it), I started off by shipping Flamelet and Winglet, but then of course, Winglet x Lorian grew on me, though I still half-shipped Flamelet and Winglet. and also Flamelet was revealed to be Winglet's sympathetic villain cousin (!) so of course Winglorian became endgame. My favorite book in the series was The Phoenix of Destiny because I was a child and didn't know of the twin thing. Long story short, my mind was blown.

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer. My grade 3 teacher read this book to us and BAM! Loved it since the first chapter. Everyone in my class loved it too, so they borrowed the only copy of the second book from the library. Since I actually had money back then, I bought it. It's still there on my shelf.

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The only criticism I have for these books is Finnick. WHY'D HE HAVE TO DIE, SUZANNE. WHY. WHY. WHY. Catching Fire is definitely my favorite movie and book.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by rick riordan. I am a daughter of Athena. I like the books. I am also very tired so I'll leave it like that. Also, I can't wait for the Disney+ show.

The 39 Clues. Any stans, leave. I literally co-founded the I HATE AMY CAHILL club. Dan, however, is a different story. He's cool. I don't have very much to say about it, other than that I would be a Lucian or Ekaterina. Probably Lucian though. They need more people ever since Natalie and Isabel died.

A Tale of Magic trilogy (so far) by Chris Colfer. Yes, it is separated from TLOS because there was a four-year gap between the two series. This series made me try to draw again. I might draw Xanrik fanart soon. Very soon. I will start as soon as I get home. And I may color it. Also, I need a book with Emerelda, Tangerina, and Skylene POVs.

The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare.

The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE BOOKS AND I DO NOT NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE. READ THEM NOW. RIGHT NOW. (or at least try).

The Throne of Glass series (minus Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash) by Sarah J. Maas. I preferred it when she was Celaena. Now she's basically a whole new person, Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius. Fire powers are cool though.

ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas, plus a bit of ACOMAF, ACOWAR, and ACOSF. Can I just say...wow. What is this series? Why are there so many faeries? Why is Tamlin evil now?

Lockwood and Co. series by Jonathan Stroud. The skull was great, Kipps' redemption arc was great, Holly was great, and everyone was great. I also liked Annabel's locket. It inspired me to wear my own locket every day.

[shallyne]

YES! You get it girl 💙

More muscular and a thicker Feyre only makes sense! Love to all the artists as well but man do some people veer so far off canon when it comes to Feyre’s looks.. It’s why some Feyre stan’s rave when we see accurate Feyre arts that are beautiful. Her description is beautiful yet artists who pay attention to detail will make her sometimes look like the least beautiful sister, with the most bland facial features, no lips (It’s mentioned that she has her fathers full mouth and lips) a bigger nose (Lucien said it’s pert) Rhysand mentioned her curves in ACOFAS. They’re all beautiful and fit different aesthetics but with Feyre being the most power High lords mate, Pulled Tamlin, Rhys and Tarquin? Lucien mentioning her body in a flattering way because he’d seen it UTM (and that was before her even working out and gaining more weight, now that’s she’s had a child she breast feeds and probably has more curves than before)

I saw a plus size Feyre fanart once and I DIED. It was so beautiful, plus size Feyre really pops off. Looking like a GODDESS. I mean she always does but you get the gist, anon.

Ohhhh yeeeee, Tarquin was down BAD for Feyre. I wish Feyre would have fucked him like she told Rhysand. THE DRAMA!

Yep. She really got admired left and right (I don't blame them) from everyone.

Feyre is a shining star for Prythian. She really is the prettiest, look and personality wise. I love her. I'll bow down to her. What a queen, what a goddess.

Yes, I'll take every chance to fangirl over her weeeee

You're right, anon. Some fanarts are a bit far from Canon. I am still thankful for every one tho

[gothicbabydollz]

Wasn't it her family who did that? https://at.tumblr.com/gothicbabydollz/lmfaooo-people-like-lucien-eris-and-tamlin/pqljvsdgfxl3

And anyway-people in this Fandom need to learn to take a joke.

Like they get so serious (sympathizers?Stans? it's called a character preference for the love of god) at the end of the day-it's just a book series...there is no need to tear down real people over it.

I do enjoy Eris as a character.He's one of my favorites ( complex character and he's morally grey without any justiflcation-which I find interesting)And it was obvious that you were joking-that's the end of it.lg that anon wanted you to write an aftercare drabble and got upset when you responded like that but come on-it's not like you're being paid to do all this.You're taking time out of your day and it's not a job or anything (if that makes sense)

I could go on about this -considering it has been a long standing problem in this Fandom.....people take all of this to seriously.It's just a book at the end of the day.Like whoever you want.But tearing down and bullying other real people over fictional characters is ridiculous.Live and let live tbh.

Anyway-thankyou for all the flcs you write.I really enjoy your work.Sorry for all the weird and unnecessary hate you're getting.Hopefully it doesn't de-motivate you.Hope you have a good day 😊

It was, yeah. Eris was the one who found her but just left her there. I’ve heard theories that it’s deeper than that so i am looking forward to hopefully finding out the full story and for more depth into his and Mor’s characters.

You’re so right though, there is way too much hostility within this fandom. Can’t we all just appreciate our love for the books. Yes, people have different opinions but that doesn’t give people the right to shit on others who don’t agree.

I’m glad at least some people realised it was a joke and i’m not just #unfunny✌️ i get that the anon was probably hoping for a piece of writing about that ask. And like, whose to say i won’t do it in the future yk?

Don’t worry, i wouldn’t let something so small get to me. It’s not that deep. But thank you, baby, you’re so sweet. You have a good day too 🫶

[acourtofthought]

Sometimes some people let their ships rule over them and affect their opinions on one character or group of people just based on that. If you like the inner circle then you dislike Lucien/Elucien or if you DO like Elucien then you dislike the inner circle (Feyre included!). Another one: if you like Gwynriel and Nesta and the Valkyries then you dislike the Inner Circle or if you like the Inner Circle especially Feyre then you dislike the Valkyries. You guys, Nesta and Feyre have made peace, calm down. If you like Rhys then you dislike Nesta and vice versa. Don’t even get me started on the whole Tamlin and Tamlain situation.

Meanwhile here I am: I love Feyre and Rhysand, they are the heart of this series, cry all you want but Sarah has made it that way. Let’s be honest ACOMAF, which is Feysand’s story, is what really propelled this series to become wildly popular. I also love Elucien (team doing it in a field of flowers or in the woods with fire in his blood all the way!) and I want Feyre and Lucien to get a proper revival of their friendship again. They give off total siblings vibe—the kind who will yell at the person who hurt you and then yell at you right after whilst saving your ass and then proceed to roll their eyes at you. Why does this sound like it’s happened already? They’ve been friends ever since she was a little itty bitty human! Probably her first friend ever, anywhere! I hope in the Elucien book (it will happen istg, we get some of Feyre and Lucien again) And I want the Archeron sisters to rebuild their sisterhood! I am not a Nesta Stan but I can appreciate her story and I like the Valkyries especially Gwyn! And I like the inner circle too! When Nesta and Rhys had that beautiful moment at the end of ACOSF I was so happy. Even with all their faults and flaws. I am neutral on Tamlin but I’ve moved on from hating him, just like Feyre has, she told him that she wishes he finds happiness too.

Sometimes I feel as if I am the only one who has this stance. Maybe I just like them all too much. I should be angrier. Grrrrrrr…….yep, that’s the extent of my anger and salt.

I actually resonate with a lot of what you just said! Yes, the characters do things we don't like and they make us mad at certain points but at the end of the day, they are all friends and family (I don't want Tamlin to be in that particular family but I hope he finds his own path where he's happy). And yes, maybe right now there's a lot of crazy emotions and frustrations being experienced between the characters but that's what happens when they're all trying to find their way in this new world. But at the end of the day, everyone that gets a POV is meant to be the hero of the story (especially Rhys and Feyre though they have this extra weight constantly on their shoulders because they are the ones in charge. As much as you love your friend, sometimes you don't love your boss, right?). You might not love this character or that character "the most" but I think the author wrote this series hoping that you'll still feel fond of everyone by the main ones by the end of it. I definitely didn't love Nesta for a lot of the series but I'm really happy to see the place she has now found herself in. Thinks of the ups and downs Aelin and Co. went through. There was a lot of dysfunction but when we finally said goodbye to the characters, there was a lot of harmony that existed between them all and I really do think that's what we're working toward in ACOTAR. Maybe once the dust settles people will finally be able to stop pitting this sister against that sister or Nesta against Rhys (and so on) and the discord comes from the unknown of how it will all play out. But I think you're on the right track with how you feel about it because if I were an author, I'd hope for the same feedback from a reader.

[astrababyy]

stans always say that antis moralize shit too much, bringing up concerns about the ic’s actions when it’s “not that serious”, but these are also the same people who will cry about how terrible tamlin and nesta are because he locked feyre in a house and nesta let feyre hunt.

meanwhile, feyre’s destabilized an entire fucking court and felt proud of that — which is not only a war crime, but caused the invasions of summer and actively contributed to the fall of the wall because she made the utterly dumb decision to destabilize the ONE court keeping hybern from his goal.

rhys terrorizes the vast majority of his court like the dictator he claims is jUsT aN aCt. he legit sold them all out to amarantha, letting her torture them so he could protect one freaking city that was already hidden from her view. he groped and debased feyre utm, and he twisted her broken arm and forced her into a deal with him. he is constantly lording his power over others, especially the other high lords, which is just freaking pathetic. he’s got no damn respect for others, clearly shown from his insistence on taking the book from tarquin instead of asking. not to mention that whole pregnancy subplot in acosf.

don’t even get me started on the rest of the inner circle. like, you wanna like them? sure, i don’t give af. im not gonna go around calling you an abuse apologist for liking rhysand. but don’t sit here and say we’re unnecessarily moralizing shit in a book about murderous faeries when, in the same vein, the author herself (and a lot of stans) legit does the exact same thing. like there is no world in which maas can stuff a moral scale into these books and not be a hypocrite without it being anything beyond the characters’ own spite. but guess what? SHE DOES IT ANYWAY.

so yes im going to keep talking about how terrible rhys is as a character. yes im going to keep talking about how much the ic sucks. and 80% of the time, idec when characters are horrible people, but when the author herself and the freaking fandom sit there and say with their full chest that they’ve done nothing wrong, that’s when im like ???no??? ESPECIALLY when they call other people abuse apologists for liking characters they constantly try to moralize like no just no.

so keep your stupid contradictory morality in these books idc, but it means that i am going to judge the absolute unapologetic fuck out of your favs.

[ladydeath-22]

It kinda irks me people compare Nesta’s trauma to those of the Inner Circle. First of all, every single person in the inner circle is 500+. No shit they will have more trauma. 

But I want to focus on TikTok comparing Nesta and Rhys’s trauma. 

Nesta is 24/25, Rhys is 500+.

They said Rhys had to watch his mom and sister die. First of all, that is wrong. He never saw their deaths. However, that doesn’t mean he's not allowed to be traumatized by it. He is, and I grieve for/with him

BUT, Nesta physically saw her mother’s death, as she had to watch her (abusive) mother die slowly from her illness. Not to mention that she literally saw her father get murdered. She literally way traumatized hearing her father’s neck snap that she would rather be freezing than have the fire on. Nesta is the one who had to watch and hear her father get murdered.

Also the fact people say Rhys had to watch Feyre die. So did everyone UTM. So did Tamlin (which is why he locked her up because he thought he was defending her)(again not defending his actions). 

Nesta “saw” or knew Cassian was going to die, which is why she yelled for his name before the Cauldron got activated killing the Illyrian fleet in the air. She saved his life and Rhys had the audacity to look like he was going to yell at her???

Not to mention, after witnessing her father’s murder, she COVERED herself over a gravely injured Cassian....her mate. She too would have witnessed her mates death just like Rhys. 

(TW SA)

Then they go on to say that Rhys was assaulted by Amarantha for 50 years. Yes this is traumatizing. I agree with this. But they use this to invalidate Nesta’s trauma. Cause, Nesta too was assaulted by her ex boyfriend, Tomas Mandray. Who knows what else he would have done to her if she hadn’t escaped. He literally tore her bodice open, and for a boyfriend/ex to do that can be extremely pyschological damaging. 

TO REITERATE: I am not comparing the trauma, I just want to highlight both of these characters trauma. I am not sure who said it (I think Cassian) but he said that when they were younger, they didn’t know how to handle emotions so they got drunk and fucked around Velaris. Because of this, I can’t stand the IC in how they punish Nesta even though they are 24x her age. 

Not to mention, Nesta’s trauma started way before the loss of money when she was emotionally and physically abused by her mother and grandmother. Its like people forget it started when she was a literal child. 

Nesta is still young, she didn’t have years to process trauma and how to handle trauma like the IC did. And it came out in an ugly way, while Feyre’s and Elain’s more favorable. And I do not deny, it was ugly how Nesta did treat Feyre vs Elain.

The fact Rhys Stans are comparing a 500+ year old to a 24/25 year old’s trauma is sickening. Stop. You could highlight Rhys’s trauma without bringing Nesta into it.