#anti Feylin

[viktoriaashleyyx]

Stop reading the books if you don't like any of the IC

I did. Dropped it in the first chapter of ACOFAS. I'm here for fanfics about Tamlin and Nesta getting their happy ever after away from these psychopaths so I can heal and sleep at night. And if anyone wants to write a fanfic about the Hewn city teaming up with a rogue band of escaped illyiran women to overthrow their captors, I will pay you real money for this.

Then why are you even bothering with us?? Just let us enjoy the book as intended

Now bestie, and ima hold your hand when I say this, I am terrified by how quickly you glossed over the enactment of Jim Crow laws in Velaris. Given most of yall are from America, and the disgusting state our country is in in real life, it is more telling what you will accept. Justifying the actions of the IC is the biggest pipeline to the alt right. You can play fantasy all you want but it still shows where your morals lie.

[roxan1930]

Who would be the best character to point out Feyre, Rhysand and the IC's toxic hypocrisy not just to their faces but in front of all the other High Lords too?

Let's be honest, Feysand and th IC are NOT good people. They love to act like they're supposed "freedom fighters", but don't actually help female Illyrian or other "dreamers" in the Hewn City, they lie, they steal, they manipulate and literally destroy villages and whole courts out of pettiness more than anything else without any regret, even for the innocents caught in between

I really feel SOMEONE needs to call them out, and it needs to be in front of the other High Lords, cause I feel too many are too willing to too easily forgive the NC's bullshit and can get their eyes opened.

Also, let's be honest, just whoever does it against the IC will just result in the IC only gaslighting and making excuses how they're supposedly "in the right"

[infiniteetcetera]

I serve the ACOTAR fandom with a defense of Feysand, just not the one you’d expect…

One of the weirdest takes I’ve seen recently is the “Tamlin is actually the better guy so Feyre was better off with him.” Now listen, i’m not a Tamlin hater. Im also not a “Rhys has never done anything wrong and is perfect” type of fan. But this stance is simply so so wrong to me. Despite the flaws of all these characters I think one thing that is very consistent and just factually real in this series is that Tamlin and Feyre were wrong together and her and Rhys (even if you don’t like them together) make much more sense.

Tamlin and Rhys are foils of each other in a lot of ways and both go through a similar journey where their narratives flips in our protagonists view. The reality is, Tamlin has always had red flags and anger issues and been very paranoid and self righteous and Rhys has always been very secretive, manipulative, and controlling. He and all his friends tell Feyre this themselves. There’s textual evidence for both these takes in all the books of the series and despite claims that “Tamlin wasn’t himself in ACOMAF” or “Rhys wasn’t himself in ACOSF” I think if you’re actually paying close attention these two are written very consistently the whole series, flaws and all. They have many similar qualities that make sense from their similar backgrounds and positions in society. But there are differences too, and those differences are key in why Feyre chooses Rhys.

The first big thing is loyalty. Tamlin is loyal to his sense of morality and what he believes is right. Rhys is loyal to the people he considers his family, even above what is right. The two perfect examples of this are their separate paths in ACOTAR and their relationship with friends. Amarantha sexually pursues both Tamlin and Rhysand. They both have terrible histories with her that would make being in her presence awful, but Tamlin refuses to engage with her at all and his people suffer the consequences of it. IM NOT SAYING TAMLIN SHOULD HAVE EVER HAD TO DO ANYTHING WITH AMARANTHA miss ma’am is an irredeemable creep and we all know this, but this is the reality of Tamlin’s circumstances and choices, which directly parallel how Rhysand gave up his bodily autonomy and suffers for decades all because the extra bit of magic Amarantha lets him have is enough to keep his family hidden and safe. Even after all that, when Rhys has nightmares about UTM it’s not about what she did to him, it’s about Amarantha getting her hands on Cassian or Azriel. That’s what Rhys fears more than his lands being taken over or him literally being a sex slave, he doesn’t want his family hurt.

Regarding the second point, Feyre meets Tamlins Spring Court friends and simply doesn’t get along with any of them except Lucien. And Lucien, the one close friend Tamlin has, is constantly mistreated by him and canonically afraid of him. This is not just something new in ACOMAF, it’s sprinkled throughout ACOTAR too that Lucien is willing to contradict and argue with Tamlin because he’s Lucien but when Tamlin says what’s done is done it’s done. Meanwhile, we get snippets throughout the series of Cassian, Azriel, and Mor all directly laughing in the face of Rhys’ orders and straight up arguing with him as an equal. Even when Rhys does pull rank (happens maybe twice the whole series?) none of his friends are ever shown to be even slightly scared of him. It’s usually a combination of respect and guilt that keeps them in line.

I know that sounded like a Rhys defense blurb but it’s really not. If you value loyalty (which Feyre does) then yes, Rhys sounds better than Tamlin. But it should be noted Rhys is willing to do terrible awful gross things and cross villainous lines that Tamlin just won’t, and there’s value and honor in that too. I think this is best exemplified by a conversation Feyre has with Tamlin in ACOTAR about the war. Tamlin mentions he was so young he had to side with his family, but if he were old/powerful enough he would have fought for the humans no matter what because it’s just the right thing. Feyre our human narrator thinks it’s noble but says she wouldn’t do the same. Feyre’s first priority would be her family, even if keeping them safe meant not doing the right thing or doing something terrible like not fighting against slavery. THIS IS WHO FEYRE IS AND ITS ALSO WHO RHYS IS. It’s laid out for us so early it’s still a shock to me everytime someone claims something was suddenly changed in ACOMAF.

The next big thing for me here is going to sound simple but it’s personality. The few times Feyre sympathizes most with Tamlin and relates to him is when he’s discussing his flaws. When he mentions being called a wild beast she recalls how Nesta called her the same. She relates to Tamlin in being loved “thorns and all” and overall the thing these two bond over is this idea of being wild, untamed, and unrefined but that’s not who Feyre is, it’s who’s she had to be to survive. Feyre did not enjoy hunting, her dream was always to stop hunting and just paint and live an easy quiet life. Tamlin does have other interests, but overall the wild/hunter/violent part of him is predominant enough that he still clings onto it even though it does not benefit him. While on the surface these two seem to have things in common, Feyre’s shared traits with Tamlin are things she was forced into and doesn’t always like about herself.

Rhys on the other hand, these two are actually so incredibly alike. They have the exact same sense of humor (there are literally dozens of examples of this). They both value loyalty and protecting their family above all, even if it means being controlling, overbearing, and morally wrong. They both value being able to fight and take care of themselves because it’s necessary, but even this feeds into an I’ll do it myself mentality.

I’m going to get controversial here in saying this but I would argue even Rhys keeping the pregnancy thing from Feyre is something Feyre would 100% do in his position. That’s why she forgives him. Not because he’s got her manipulated or mind controlled to hell, but because it’s WHAT SHE’D DO TOO. Rhys wasn’t hiding it from her to force her to give birth or anything, he didn’t want her to worry and take on any burden. He wanted to control the situation and take care of her himself. That doesn’t make it right, but for someone who sees the world as he does (Feyre) it makes sense. There’s literally countless times throughout the story Feyre lies, sneaks off, and just generally hides thing from Tamlin, Rhys, and others. She goes to see the Suriel in secret during the war despite knowing Rhys would have let her go if she told him because she doesn’t want him involved and putting himself at risk. Her decisions are on a lesser scale than Rhys’ decisions, but that’s because she’s had less power than Rhys for most of the series. At her core though, Feyre’s morality and instincts are a lot like his. They are mates for a reason and honestly out of all of SJMs series, the pair of mates that make the most sense to the core of the term (except maybe Rowaelin)

Overall, I understand people have issues with this couple and with Rhysand that are valid (I can and will fight the Feyre haters though) but anyone who argues Feyre was better with Tamlin is just factually wrong and I think it’s a misunderstanding of her character and a weirdly infantilizing/patronizing take to make it seem like Rhys is manipulating Feyre all the time and she’s just too silly goofy to see it. We know for sure he is not manipulating her with his powers all the time (despite what the evil Rhys truthers think). Feyre might be younger and less experienced than Rhys but I promise you all she is not stupid. She knows what she’s doing with this man and has a lot more culpability in their relationship than people think. If that means you don’t like Feyre then I guess so be it (be wrong🙄) but I would say despite Rhys’ many flaws (and I do think there are a lot and a lot of people are valid in not liking him) him not loving Feyre and manipulating her is not one of them. He may still lie and keep secrets from her from time to time but this is something he confesses to her he struggled with in the past and would continue to struggle with in their relationship. Feyre knows this. She knows who Rhys is at his core even if some readers don’t and she loves him not because she thinks he’s flawless but because she understands his flaws and values his virtues over them. They’re still learning to work as a couple and pushing past the obstacles together, they’re both still healing from immense trauma the haunts them . Again they are not perfect, but they are definitely the most functional ACOTAR pairing we’ve seen so far and work not because they’re both heroes/good guys but because they’re both willing to be bad or good when the need calls for it.

[emarley1992]

[nightlyteaandpaper]

I said this once, and I'll say this again, while Tamlin and Rhysand are both abusive but on different wavelengths, I am still frustrated that Feyre did not say anything to Tamlin about her PTSD and still got mad at Tamlin for not knowing.

Tamlin does not have the power to read minds (as well as he was dealing with his own trauma), but do you know who has the power to read minds? Rhysand. This is why I am less impressed that Rhysand knows how to cater to Feyre vs. Tamlin. He has not one, not two, but three bonds they can communicate through. Rhysand, for a while, saw every detail of Feyre's life, read every thought that coursed through her empty head, and could hear every thought--he better know what she was feeling. This is not impressive, this is expected.

[stargirlfeyre]

Personally I feel like abusers don’t deserve love or happiness and that’s why Tamlin won’t get either.

[azrielsshadows42]

Tamlin in ACOMAF, thinking he's getting inside info on Rhysand

Tamlin: Get on my level

Rhysand: Unfortunately to 'get on your level' I'd need a boat ride to the Mariana trench and cinderblock shoes.

[darklinaforever]

It's crazy how history can repeat itself over and over in the ACOTAR fandom...

In the past people have contradicted the obvious voice that volume 1 posed for Feysand endgame by saying that Feyre would obviously end up with Tamlin.

In the past, people have also contradicted the obvious voice that Volumes 2 and 3 posed for Nessian Endgame, saying that Nesta would end up with Eris because of SJM's revealed dance scene. (And I say that by actually shipping Neris as a fanon. Because let's face it, I prefer Nessian. But Neris really has very interesting potential for me)

And now, people are contradicting the logical and obvious voice that volume 2, but especially volumes 3, 3.5 and 4 have put in place for Elriel endgame by saying that Elain will obviously end up with Lucien... Small bonus with Azriel who apparently will end up with Gwyn for these illuminated.

It's really crazy and ironic how much of this fandom NEVER learns the lesson !

[nicolemabes]

Whose actions caused Feyre direct pain? Tamlin. Whose actions caused Feyre to decline mentally and physically? Tamlin. Whose actions were a direct response to a danger, but instead of letting her chose how to deal with it, instead ignored Feyre’s wishes to train? Tamlin. Who tried to take her away against her will multiple times after she decided to leave the spring court? Despite her insistence that she wanted to stay in the night court?? TAMLIN.

You don’t get to discount Feyre’s trauma just because you don’t like who caused it.

And for the record yes, Rhysand also caused her harm UTM. Yes he also put a shield on her while she was pregnant. Yes he waited to tell her that she could die giving birth. However, Feyre understood completely the danger she was in both UTM and as a pregnant High Lady after a war. She understood why he wanted to delay the shattering of what was an incredible time in their lives, at least until he knew he had worked tirelessly and could truly find no answer to the question she would ask. And she decided that those reasonings were enough for her to forgive him of those actions. She won’t let him forget it, and Rhysand will gladly take any punishment. She only forgave after she got the full story, and deemed it worthy. That’s why many of us also forgive Rhysand of those actions, because the victim of those things decided she would.

You’re allowed to like/dislike whoever you want. You’re allowed to decide you would/wouldn’t have forgiven. But you don’t get to decide Feyre is a hypocrite, or tell her she’s wrong for forgiving someone of what they did to HER.

[highladyofterrasen7]

A really underrated part of acotar is feyre’s character development in realising she deserves better then tamlin

[sukaaxo]

‘be glad of your human heart feyre, pity those who don’t feel at all’

im convinced feyre lost her human heart UTM and that’s why shit fell so fast with tamlin to the point that even lucien was like ‘mmmm feyre slow down’

i think the mate bond between feyre and rhys only rlly properly snapped into place when she turned fæ bcz human feyre was not equal to rhys and she still had all these human like qualities that connected her to tamlin more but then as soon as she transformed she became like ‘worthy’ as she lost her human heart and her wants and needs changed to that of someone on par with rhys.

tamlin provided soft affection whereas rhys provided power affection and feyres ideals switched up after she died so she no longer was interested in the poetry, picnics, art, dances and starlight pools tamlin gave her but wanted the power, abilities, control and dominance rhys offered her.

this very much proves why we cannot hold these characters to human morals and values bcz they do not hold themselves to the same standards.

[viktoriaashleyyx]

Why do some of us not *hate* Tamlin?

I am pro-tamlin, not pro feylin. I would prefer Tamlin to never have to deal with the NC ever again. If SJM never types his name out again I will be happy.

Tw: light mentions to DV, SA, and Divorce.

Feyre is written in a way that makes it feel like she is intentionally manipulating us against Tamlin to justify her leaving him the way she did, and to put Rhysand up on a pedestal.

The abrupt and sloppy way SJM handled Tamlins' character assassination induced my fight or flight. Let me explain:

My parents divorced when I was 4, and I had to learn, quickly, how to interpret people's true intentions and empathize with where they are coming from vs just blindly listening to someones account of what happened. My father got custody of us and would use the same elements against my mom that Feyre uses against Tamlin. I HAVE to read between the lines or I would fall to the intentional manipulation.

"She left me so she probably cheated" "he trapped me in the house" "she has a new boyfriend so she doesn't care about you anymore" "he hit me [when I was actively TRYING to get him to hit me to sway public opinion of him]"

Everytime Feyre left for the NC, she did so kicking and screaming. Every indication Tamlin could see was that she did NOT want to go with Rhys, until he gets a letter from her saying to not come looking for her that she doesn't want to be with him. Tamlin didn't know she could read or write. Had that been my love I would assume it was a ransom note too, written by someone else. Had she actually spent 1 hr winnowing to Tamlin, tell him face to face, then winnow back (with an escort) he MIGHT have gotten the hint.

A tithe was a weird thing to use to show how cruel Tamlin is, considering how 2/3 of the night court live in constant fear, children's bones are broken for misbehaving, the CoN are trapped there. SJM really showed us that she has no political knowledge what so ever. I barely started ACOFAS and when Feyres talking about the unnatural sum of her money, my first thought is "You don't amass that level of wealth without oppressing someone." Lucien said that Tamlin would be expected to hunt down those not able to pay the tithe, but when we get to Tamlins actual actions he just said "get it together in 3 days or pay double next time". In my initial reading, I interpreted it as another mask (like how Rhysand acts). Tamlin does this due to tradition, he is expected to act a certain way, but *I felt* he had no intention of acting out what he said. It was just a line he was expected to say to send the wraith away without others expecting the same.

Feyre and Tamlin were not right for eachother because they were not eachothers mates. People can exist fine separately, and be incredibly toxic together. From page 1 we see Feyres inherent inability to empathize with anyone, she has it bad, she has to hunt, therefore her sisters don't do anything. But she also can't cook, so who was preparing the meat she brought home? It gave me "housework isn't real work" vibes. Feyre also doesn't communicate very well, which would explain why a literal mind reader was able to help her better than Tamlin was. I saw Tamlin trying but not being able to help her because he couldn't read her mind.

Feyre didn't want to be trapped in a manor for a few hours while she was displaying manic behavior, but she condoned her sisters be trapped in the HOW for 6 weeks immediately after losing their lives. She condones the treatment of the people in Hewn city and supports the literal Jim Crow laws placed against them in Velaris when all they wanted was to leave. She condones and supports trapping Nesta in HoW after the war just to force Cassain on her so Feyre can play matchmaker.

Feyre is an inherently self centered sociopath. She can read minds and still can't develop a shred of empathy.

Just leave Tamlin alone. Damn.

[thecatsaesthetics]

The parallels of these lines

Tamlin “High Lords only take wives. Consorts. There has never been a High Lady

“Not consort, not wife. Feyre is High Lady of the Night Court”

Literally it’s the same line in reverse. Also the implication of Feyre having sex with Tamlin during a scene where she feels something is off (they are literally at the closest they could be physically) and Rhys and Feyre being physically separated but knowing they are more united then ever…

This is why ACOMAF is her best book.

[baenakinskywalker]

irl bestie is reading acotar right now and she said she’s just getting to where the romance starts. in book 1. with tamlin.

time to poker face until she gets to acomaf! 🤭

[sonics-atelier]

Feylin is mid.

[bonniesfamiliar]

TBH, the only good things that came out of the ACOTAR universe are: Elriel, The Archeron Sisters and the Suriel.