#anti acomaf

[ofbreathandflame-archive]

I think people are purposely ignoring the issues when it comes down to both (1) Feyre's decision to get pregnant and (2) the pregnancy plotline in general. Motherhood does not equate to weakness - not inherently. Traditionally, though, we've seen motherhood and/or pregnancy used as a conduit to disempower women in both literature and entertainment industry as a whole. The issue is not that Feyre decides to get pregnant, but that the pregnancy and motherhood status has resulted in Feyre's prominence in her own series diminishing. I know this because even people on the pro-side have complained about Feyre's lack of appearence in the last two books.

First and foremost - it's not misogynistic to critique Feyre's decision to get pregnant because Feyre is fictional, so the choice is the authors - and readers have the right to question the author's decision, especially when it undermines the the whole theme of the first three books. Or at least provides some contentions to it.

Secondly, Feyre's role is diminished after her pregnancy. The entire pregnancy plot is written to...disempower Feyre. Feyre is not able to do combat, she's not 'allowed' to leave Velaris. Rhys covers Feyre in a shield so strong and so heavy, that her own family cannot hug her, or even smell her natural Fae scent. Feyre is not allowed to make a decision about Nyx...and ultimately Feyre dies as a result of this pregnancy without ever knowing the severity or have any control on how she would like to approach the issue. And - within SJM's work - motherhood is generally indicative of hyperviolence and fridging. And as I've mentioned earlier, it's not until SJM becomes a mother herself, that we see semi-positive representations of motherhood and pregnancy (see: Yrene, Ember, Feyre). And even with those examples, two of the three characters are at the receiving end of extreme violence and pain as a result of their pregnancy.

And on the flipside, Rhys's role in the Maas-verse has only increased. He's the secondary antagonist in SF, and is the one who has the most conversations with and about Nesta, even though Feyre is her sister. He's the one featured in HoFas as a primary character - not Feyre. And the only comments we even get about Feyre or in relation to her have to do with....motherhood. So, even within this short-frame of time, Fatherhood is not shown to hinder or diminish Rhys role, if anything he's even more prominent not just in his own series, but across all of SJM's works.

If Feyre was prominent and written like a character similar to Catelyn from asoiaf - then I would not complain. I could respect the decision, even if it misaligned with my own opinions. But in this case, I believe Feyre's pregnancy and her role as a mother have acted a conduit to disempower and ultimately fridge Feyre. And I think the criticisms that derive from the plotline are worth having conversations about.

[alexcollix7]

I’m sorry but Feyre talking about tyranny when Rhysand is literally keeping a bunch of people trapped in a mountain, essencially as prisioners, because he views them all as “evil and savage”???? When she destroyed an entire court and ruined it’s citizens lives??? GIRL SHUT THE FUCK UP WHAT YOU THINK YOUR HUSBAND IS? WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE? How the hell do you think those people, who are forbidden to ever go outside, view you? Who watched their court be destroyed view you?

[foxcort]

reading acomaf. you know the book where feyre has a panic attack because the rose petals down the aisle on her wedding day remind her of blood. and then i reach chapter 39 where she’s serving amren blood. not just reluctantly passing her a container. but. like. taking out a jar. unscrewing the lid. “letting the tang of blood fill her nostrils.” asking amren if she’d like her to warm it up.

[yaralulu]

I will not let anyone forget that the minute feyre was back in spring with her insane revenge plan in mind,the first thing tamlin does is admit his behavior in acomaf was wrong and he apologizes without trying to make excuses for anything he did. And we see him in acowar actually trying to be different and going through with his words here.

A man reflecting back on his behavior and admitting he’s wrong and apologizing without giving us a 7 page monologue full of excuses?? Unacceptable!!! Kill him!!!

[achaotichuman]

Human Nesta would shake Nessian Nesta by the shoulders screaming "What the fuck is wrong with you???!!!!"

Human Feyre would be drawing her bow trying to shoot Feysand Feyre just so she would never become her.

Human Elain would look at Elucien Elain and be like, "Nice."

[merwgue]

"Tamlin was misogynistic because he said there's no such thing as high lady!!".........well jolly gee, there's actually no such thing as high lady....if someone, a fully fleged adult with full cognitive ability, said they want to be a tree.....you'd say...you can't be a tree.....right?

[bookishfeylin]

Hmmm mutuals correct me if I’m wrong but. We’re told Feyre can’t shift herself back into Illyrian form or even wider hips because “it might hurt the baby” right?

But she was originally in an Illyrian form when Nyx was conceived. And then she shapeshifted back into being High fae, right? So doesn’t that mean he’s NOT, in fact, harmed or affected by her shifting given she got into this predicament in the first place by shifting into a High fae after his conception? Therefore Rhysand was wrong and this whole dilemma happens solely because he thinks he knows everything?

@longsightmyth @feyres-divorce-lawyer @ae-neon @ofbreathandflame @positivelyruined

@andramoreaux

@tamlindair

@foxcort

[hunnyy-bunnyyy]

The dissonance between era inspiration in ACoTaR is one of the more brushed over flaws in the book series. Looking at the Inner Circle's fashion alone, we jump between "literal scraps of fabric" (Under the Mountain, Court of Nightmares) to "orientalist painter's imaginings of the Ottoman Harem" (clothing described during Feyre's first few visits to the Night Court) to "modern 'corset' dress" (Feyre's Starfall dress, majority of Mor's clothing, most of the clothes drawn in fan art) to "modern -- almost sci-fi style -- skin-tight leather armor" to "sweater and leggings combo".

Then, between courts, we have Helion wearing Spirit Halloween's take on the ancient Grecian tunic; Feyre's Spring Court wedding dress looking like an 1830s fashion plate; and Dawn heavily implied to have traditional East Asain clothing (e.g. kimono, hanfu, hanbok).

On top of all of that, some of the Dawn Court's small cities ". . . specialized in tinkering and clockwork and clever things. . ." which -- combined with Lucien's metal eye and Nuan's mechanical hand -- implies a sort of post-industrial revolution time period. However, a decent chunk of the fandom says that ACoTaR is medieval; which, yeah, it's medieval themed in the first book -- sans the "dress" Rhysand forces Feyre to wear UTM.

The wild inconsistencies in ACoTaR's inspiration leads, not to a rich and diverse world, but a world that seems ramshackle and haphazard -- like it's creator simply threw together a board on Pinterest and called it a day. This is a major part of why the world building is so abysmal, it relies on convenience to the plot and whatever pleases the aesthetic whims of the author. Cultures deemed "pretty" or "badass" are thrown together, irregardless of how far apart they actually are. This is not only disrespectful to the narrative, but to the readers and the cultures used as inspiration.

All of this to say: Sarah J Maas is a bad author, not just because of the way she handles serious topics like power dynamics and abuse, but also because she cannot put together a world that is even the slightest bit cohesive.

[lunamond]

I actually love reading all the theories by the Acotar fans who noticed the weirdness of the switch-up in Tamlin's characterisation between Acotar and Acomaf and try to come up with canon reasons for it.

That said, I also think that a lot of the people looking for a genuine canon explanation are majorly overestimating SJM's writing ability.

The problem was never that Tamlin comes out from Utm a less than stellar partner for Feyre and that their relationship falls apart, trauma can do that. It's how it happens that is the issue.

As an example, in Acotar, Tamlin frequently surprises Feyre by how little he enforces rank in his court. He is frequently shown to hang out among his people as an equal. He even explains that he changed a lot of these things in his court after his father’s death, which resulted in a lot of his father's courtiers leaving because they didn't like his more hippie approach. All this happened not only prior to Feyre showing up in the SC but also which before Amarantha. Rhysand even mocks him for this, so we know this isn't just an act Tamlin put up to charm Feyre.

But then, in Acomaf, Tamlin is all about court life and upholding the traditions of his father. If this was meant to be a trauma response to Utm, it was very poorly written and thought out.

I don’t doubt that his experiences Utm might impact his ruling style and even turn him into a harsher ruler.

However, after how adamant he was about rejecting his father's legacy, no amount of trauma would suddenly cause him to decide "yeah no actually dad was right!". Especially knowing that his father was a slaver and bffs with Amarantha.

It's doubly infuriating, because suddenly Tamlin's lack of rank enforcement and staunch opposition towards the supremacy of High fae culture is suddenly given to Rhysand, who in Acomaf is all about being buddies with the IC and torn up about the discrimination present in the other courts. Despite literally having been the character mocked Tamlin for those very things in Acotar.

It's these kinds of inconsistencies that make the shift not work, and they are unfortunately not easily fixed with a convenient headcanon about how Tamlin was secretly an asshole all along or how he has a broken mating bond with Amarantha or whatever reason people can come up with.

In a lot of ways Rhysand's characterisation suffered as much as Tamlin.

Many on his good traits and justifications for his bad traits have to be tacked on in Acomaf, despite directly contradicting his prior characterisation. And even post Acomaf, they don't always make sense with what is shown on the page.

By retroactively justifing all his flaws and wrongdoings, SJM literally robbed Rhysand of any opportunity to go through a genuine character arc. If he was already doing everything right from the beginning then there is no room left for him to grow.

As much as I dislike his character and Feysand as a ship, it's actually a shame how much untapped potential there is.

[browneyedartist01]

"You still think I'm some kind of monster-"

Yes, you sexual assaulted a girl in the name of the greater good.

Also side note: I hate the vague "after what you did to me.", because it's like sjm knows she can't ignore what happened, but she also can't admit to Ryhsand doing something that evil/have Freye falling in love with her abuser, let alone trust him.

[purplewitch6666]

Rhysand's SA of Feyre UTM is real, and the way it is brushed aside is hard to reconcile. So let's talk about it (inspired by an amazing fanart of Feysand UTM).

1. "Drink, you'll need it." "No." "Drink."

The faerie wine is a way to control Feyre, stripping her of her ability to resist or even fully remember the SA she endures. By forcing her to drink against her will, Rhysand takes away her awareness and her consent, putting her in a position where she can't defend herself, can't remember, and can't even process the trauma of what is happening to her. The fact that she loses entire chunks of time under the influence of the wine, along with his mind manipulation, is incredibly dark. He exploits her vulnerability in the worst possible way, taking advantage of her defenseless state to make her an object of display and control.

And the blackouts likely make it easier for her to excuse his actions later because she can't fully recall the details—her memories of the abuse are fragmented, which makes it hard for her to confront the reality of what happened. By removing her memories of the trauma, Rhysand essentially robs her of the ability to even begin healing from it, which is both abusive and manipulative on a profound level. That line where Feyre admits to looking forward to the faerie wine is heartbreaking and reveals the depth of her trauma and desperation. She's so overwhelmed, so physically and mentally trapped UTM, that she starts viewing the wine as a reprieve.

When Feyre clings to the chance of escape, even if it means blackout oblivion, it's clear she's developed a trauma response—a desperate coping mechanism to endure her circumstances. She craves that brief numbness, however forced, to escape the horror of her reality, even though the wine also strips her of her autonomy and memories. This moment does not show her acceptance of what is happening to her, but rather how deeply damaged Feyre is, to the point where the very thing that is hurting her becomes something she grasps onto for a sense of relief.

She's left with only the tools of her abuser, clinging to the one thing that allows her to survive, even if it means blacking out parts of herself. And that's one of the saddest aspects—she's forced to use the very method of her exploitation as her survival mechanism, and it reveals how utterly trapped she feels. It's incredibly troubling to see this suffering reframed as some sort of prelude to romance, especially when her trauma responses, like craving the oblivion of the wine, go unaddressed later.

2. "From the neck down, I was a heathen god's plaything."

Dressing her up like that is another layer of control and degradation. Rhysand doesn't just make her a spectacle, he strips away her agency and autonomy in how she presents herself, reducing her to an object—"a heathen god's plaything." It is a costume designed to sexualize and dehumanize her, reinforcing his control while robbing her of any in how she looks or is perceived. Feyre is reduced to a pawn in his game, forced into a role where her dignity is actively stripped away. And that lack of choice over her appearance isn't a small detail—it shows how calculated his cruelty is, how every element is crafted to control and humiliate her while leaving her feeling exposed, objectified, and powerless.

Fast-forward to the Court of Nightmares, and it's disturbing to see Feyre wear a similar costume with Rhysand's approval and guidance. In ACOMAF, it's framed as Feyre's choice, as part of a scheme they're in together, but the undertone is still there—that her body, her appearance, and her sense of self are manipulated to play into Rhysand's strategy. While she consents this time, her "consent" is given within a framework that echoes her previous trauma, with Rhysand guiding her actions in a place where she once felt utterly degraded. This creates a troubling dynamic, as she's stepping back into a role of objectification and sexualization, one she didn't initially choose. It's like Feyre is reenacting her trauma in the name of strategy, and Rhysand, rather than considering the impact of such an act, almost seems to encourage it.

The narrative attempts to pass this off as empowering, but it feels unsettlingly manipulative. Feyre is using her own trauma against herself in a sense, allowing herself to be dressed up, touched, and paraded in a way that directly mirrors her exploitation UTM. Rhysand's involvement in this scheme blurs the line between a partnership and a twisted repetition of his control over her. What's especially disquieting is that it’s framed as something clever, as if allowing herself to be objectified is her best option, which glosses over the ways this echoes her previous abuse. The lack of self-reflection or deeper acknowledgment from Rhysand about how disturbing this could be for her is another glaring omission. It's treated as if the past doesn't matter, as if she can simply step back into this role and play along.

3. "As soon as his finger left my skin, the paint fixed itself."

Rhysand deliberately puts Feyre in degrading positions, like having her sit on his lap or by his feet, dance between his legs, turning her into a kind of possession to flaunt in front of everyone. That sort of physical control and forced closeness is a form of SA, plain and simple, and it is deeply violating for Feyre. But let's talk about the non-consensual touching that Rhysand engages in that is frequently excused because it is on Feyre's waist and sides. Let's look at this scene when Rhysand demonstrates how the magical ink on Feyre's body works:

I braced myself as he ran a finger along my shoulder, smearing the paint. As soon as his finger left my skin, the paint fixed itself, returning the design to its original form. "The dress itself won’t mar it, and neither will your movements," he said, his face close to mine. His teeth were far too near to my throat. "And I’ll remember precisely where my hands have been. But if anyone else touches you—let’s say a certain High Lord who enjoys springtime—I’ll know."

What is particularly alarming about this is Rhysand's ability to fix the ink that he smudges with ease. This suggests that he might be touching Feyre anywhere on her body without leaving a trace, only choosing to smear the ink in a way that is minimal and non-incriminating as a deliberate tactic to create an illusion of consent and innocence to ensure that Feyre believes he isn't crossing any boundaries, while the reality is far more sinister. Since Feyre is blacking out each night, she has no way of knowing the extent of his actions.

This creates a disturbing dynamic where Feyre is left questioning her own experiences. The boundaries Rhysand establishes through selective touching serve to confuse and trap her, making it easier for him to maintain control. The knowledge that he could be touching her inappropriately without her knowing adds a layer of psychological torment. It underscores his power over her autonomy and reinforces the idea that she is never truly safe from him. The smudged ink is merely another tool of deception, allowing Rhysand to manipulate her perception of what is happening to her body.

4. "I spent my days sleeping off the faerie wine... to escape the humiliation I endured."

Yes, this line is important because it reveals just how deeply broken Feyre feels UTM, using sleep to escape the horror and humiliation forced upon her by Rhysand. Her days blur together in a haze of faerie wine and sleep, a desperate attempt to shut out the reality of what she is enduring. Sleeping through the pain, drinking away the humiliation—these are raw trauma responses, the signs of someone who feels so trapped and powerless that unconsciousness becomes her only refuge. It's not a choice born out of comfort or peace, it's survival, an act of shutting down just to endure the next day.

This level of psychological exhaustion—using sleep to escape humiliation—shows the depths of what Rhysand's SA does to her. Each day, she wakes to a fresh cycle of abuse and trauma, so she retreats in the only way left to her: shutting her mind and body down. Even without full memories, a part of her mind understands the darkness she is facing and tries to find any means of survival. Yet, that's the last we see of Feyre's trauma responses to her SA by Rhysand.

In ACOMAF, we see Rhysand haunted by nightmares of his SA by Amarantha. His distress is severe enough that Feyre even helps him through one of these episodes when she is staying with him at the Townhouse. It's clear that his trauma around the abuse he suffered under Amarantha is still raw and unresolved. But it raises an unsettling question: why does Feyre no longer seem to exhibit any nightmares or trauma responses tied specifically to her SA by Rhysand?

Feyre's lack of nightmares surrounding her experiences with Rhysand, especially given her coping mechanism of sleeping off the humiliation, feels absurd. It implies a troubling erasure of her trauma, suggesting that either she is suppressing these experiences or the narrative chooses not to engage with them. Instead, we see her nightmares focus on other parts of her trauma UTM—like the faeries she killed to save Tamlin—but the specific horror of being abused by Rhysand is conspicuously absent.

5. "Don't get me started on what you did to me Under the Mountain."

When Feyre tries to bring up her SA in ACOMAF, it's dismissed with barely any meaningful confrontation or healing process. Rhysand's near-breakdown and avoidance make it seem like his feelings take priority over Feyre's trauma—a strange and uncomfortable narrative choice. Feyre deserves closure, and readers do too. It's painful to see the story shift to make him the hero without ever fully grappling with that past harm. The lack of acknowledgment or accountability not only undermines Feyre's agency but also misses the chance to explore the complex journey from trauma to healing.

What's even more disturbing is how Feyre's SA by Rhysand is recontextualized to excuse his behavior as somehow protective or necessary. It creates a twisted narrative where his cruel choices are somehow reframed as noble or sacrificial, without ever allowing Feyre her rightful anger or trauma over that experience. The absence of a real, open discussion about this later on in the series—one where Feyre's trauma isn't overshadowed by Rhysand's guilt or anger or avoidance—is a glaring gap.

In failing to fully address the impact of Rhysand's SA on Feyre, the narrative ultimately deprives her—and the readers—of the resolution and healing that her trauma demands. The fact that her suffering is left unexplored while his is highlighted skews the focus, suggesting that his redemption and guilt matter more than her recovery. This imbalance not only erases her experience but distorts her journey from survival to empowerment. A truly powerful narrative would allow her to confront him and reclaim her voice, addressing the harm he inflicted.

There's so much more to unpack here that I'm sure I'm missing—like the nightmare fuel that is Chapter 54. Anything else you guys would add?

[ofbreathandflame-archive]

the outcry behind nesta's decision to help bryce further makes no sense when you think about maf and the whole situation with the tarquin/summer court.

bc like...feyre and rhys didn't even attempt to ask tarquin for the book. they literally stole it under the guise of a political meeting. the book (i believe, pls correct me if im wrong) was an ancestral summer court artifact and they stole it. thats why ive literally ignored all of the 'poltical' and 'common sense' motivators people have assigned to rhys. rhys is not a diplomatic person. and to take it a step further: rhys +feyre's actions against the summer court actually does cause tangible consequences that TARQUIN has to step up and take the brunt of - yet he still chooses kindness and consideration and honesty towards the night court. much more a reflection of the goodness of his character than any political prowess on the night court's end. tarquin has to deal with (1) refugees from a whole other court (2) the destruction of his court (for a second time; the people were still rebuilding), (3) the theft of his ancestral weapons without compense and yet his character is still expected to be disrespected in his own home. he asks the night court to leave...and they say no (i believe). feyre literally tries to buck up with him after she literally aided in the destruction of the summer court...for a second time.

bryce, by all intents and purposes, is a much more diplomatic person for even asking (and thats saying a lot bc she's, in general, the worst iteration of aelin/rhys/byrce character trio, on a writing level) because we know the night court would have just taken it if they were in bryce's position. so when yall spin the narrative that rhys + cassian ABUSIVE (lets call a spade a spade here) behaviors are somehow politically motivated to berate nesta, i need us to really think about how the night court would have responded had they'd been in bryce's position.

just something i thought abt yesterday

[alexcollix7]

People who get mad at others for pointing out Rhysand sexually assaulted Feyre are so funny to me, because the author who chose to make him do it???? Like there are a million other qays she could have made Rhysand look like villain without assaulting the girl he is supposed to end up with, yet she CHOSE to write those scenes. If you want to be mad at someone be mad at sjm for making rhysand be an assaulter and trying to justify it later on.

[bookbitchx]

Somewhere between ACOTAR and ACOMAF, the entire series turned into the Rhysand show, and you can't convince me otherwise.

[yaralulu]

Tamlin executing the sentries that were on guard when feyre left the spring court was the most out of character shit to ever happen I can’t believe that’s even canon.

Tamlin who refused to send his sentries over the wall even if it meant potentially saving his court? Tamlin who canonically does not enjoy violence and killing? Tamlin who rhys makes fun of for not being cruel enough? That tamlin killed his sentries just like that 😍?? That’s some bullshit and you know it sjm.

[achaotichuman]

”Oh he is written for the female gaze” That man sexually, physically, emotionally and mentally abused and tortured her their entire relationship then they had straight vanilla missionary sex that is as male gaze as you can get.