#it IS sjm critical though

[novaricewrites]

If Magic Chooses-

So we know the magic in Prythian ties the land, Courts, and the High Lords and can be vaguely sentient (as with the Cauldron).

It's unclear how it chooses the High Lords but the magic seems to be deliberate and adheres faithfully to whoever it chooses. Even Amarantha couldn't fully access it despite all that she did - she could only prevent the Lords from using it against her.

So imagine if this was explored.

E.g: The time when Feyre and the IC stole the Book of Breathings from the Summer Court as guests - literally committing a crime worthy of a magical death sentence. This then left the Summer Court open to Hybern's invasion, further enabled by what Feyre did in the Spring Court.

This didn't just harm the High Lords. It harmed the Courts in a major way. The very land and the people living in there were devastated by it. And it must have caused mass turmoil that even the magic sensed.

So imagine because of this intricate connection to the land, the people and the High Lords - it caused Feyre's bond to the Spring and Summer magic to become hard to control or even the magic rejecting her.

The kernels of magic are technically still the High Lords'. They're not Feyre's magic but were gifted like handing her a scale off their essence. And it would make sense if the magic reacted to the state of the High Lords (and deeper the courts themselves) if they experienced deep, visceral emotions & damage thanks to Feyre.

Magic being fickle about who wields it would sort of suit the capriciousness of Faeries. It would also require Feyre to use her wits and sense to navigate situations instead of resorting to the Feysand tactics of Lie, Steal and Justify.

It would give actual consequences and gravity to her actions, and add depth to why her being a Made Fae is a big deal. She is now attached via these kernels of magic to the land in a way that she can't run from. Just as High Lords (even those reluctant like Tamlin are).

Just the plot potential and character development. And the internal conflict over actions that we never got.

[lainalit]

Acotar is essential fae twilight

Both main couples are the blandest of bland chicken

But the big difference between them is that in Twilight's found family, the Cullens are atleast interesting as characters, meanwhile the inner circle out here being just a different taste of blandess to feysand 

[extremely-judgemental]

Why is every male character smitten by the female lead in every one of SJM's books? First Feyre. Then Bryce.

People can just be friends and not want anything more. Does she know? It's as if she can't show her characters are likeable and make the readers like them without telling how much men are simping for them.

[ennawrite]

saw someone say feys*nd is the best love story SJM has and ever will write and I’m just like ….

god, i hope not.

Also, her love stories in ToG are eons above anything in ACOTAR lmao. I especially appreciate how *most* of them don’t start off with abuse and or drugging 😭

[sad-scarred-sassy]

Elucien has the power to redeem the entire series for me. Please Sarah, don’t mess it up, you got it!!

[goldenspringmornings]

getting real tired of seeing thinkpieces/theories about how one or another of the archeron sisters is gonna “fix” Illyria. it’s giving white savior. Illyria doesn’t need another colonizer telling them what’s best for their people

[bangtanjjks]

Ah.... I think a part of the reason why the ACOTAR fandom have felt more hostile lately is because people can never just peacefully making up scenario of two character or more kissing around here without getting someone else write a whole ass essay with "proof" on why that pair will never work™ ..... You can't ship anyone in peace in this fandom without having One (1) person trying to debunk your ship😭 once or twice is fine. But with every single ships that's not canon? That's just tiring.

Example:

*some post about rhysta and how their dynamic will work if they're in a relationship*

Some person: making a 5 paragraphs essay on why rhysta will not work in a romantic relationship backed with proof of excerpt from the book like they're quoting the bible

I get IT!!!! WE'RE FANTASIZING ABOUT TWO FICTIONAL CHARACTERS KISSING. this is NOT the academic/scientific community, I do not need to have you peer review the text of two pair of characters fucking just because of canon

[tleeaves]

The art is lovely and now I'm gonna ramble because that's what I do when I care about something.

For the love of women, please PLEASE can fan artists remember to add muscle to their Shadowhunter ladies? I'll commend Bowater for cleverly giving James that sculpted and lean look without making him a beefcake (nothing against beefcakes, I'd love to hug them), but Cordelia is once again suffering from Arms And Shoulders Too Slender It's Hard To Even Imagine Her Picking Up A Sword. There is some there, yes, but artists shouldn't be afraid of giving particularly Female Main Characters weight and toned muscle. Cordelia is supposed to be nearly the same height as James as far as I can remember, and she's curvy, and full, and she wields a sword like it's second nature to her. Please explain why she looks so tiny in James' lap.

Also I'm pretty sure marriage runes are supposed to go over the heart whenever possible (thinking about Will's parabatai rune being over his heart instead -- he didn't get Tessa to draw over the scar, did he??) and... either I'm looking at the picture wrong or James' rune is not over where his heart should be.

For the matter, where are their other runes and scars?? James' Voyance rune isn't even on his hand. And I'm pretty sure he's right handed. I could have that wrong though.

Another thing: no one can ever decide what Cordelia's hair looks like and it's the funniest thing to me. This is what happens when all you do is vaguely say the colour is like fire but also like rose petals but also a flowing river of those things but also is Red (probably for redhead, but then from there I never understand where the rose petal analogy comes from considering the typical rose is a deep bloody colour -- I do acknowledge the existence of those light orange varieties though which might more closely resemble red hair). In the end, I'm glad readers can infer what they want and imagine the characters how they like.

Anyone else think James looks like he's built like a tennis player? Oddly specific, maybe, but it was a thought I had. Mostly the arms and somewhat narrow body.

James' hair is nice, his eyes are an interesting take on gold in the shadows. Bowater managed to also make him look closely related to his father, so bravo for that.

In the end, the focus is obviously on the marriage runes and not other physical aspects outside of it being clear that this is James and Cordelia. Bowater's style is very beautiful and elegant. Love the way fabric and lighting is done too. I'll add also that it is possible to be a smaller person who is slender but still strong so I mean Cordelia's not necessarily done wrong, I just interpret her appearance differently. Obviously, they're both hot and they're both attractive and I have my qualms with the series, chronicles, and author -- the fandom I am so-so on, though I'm still here, aren't I? And I'm taking the time to ramble about my thoughts on a piece of fanart -- but this is good. Gorgeous, even. Both James and Cordelia are beautiful.

[theweeklydiscourse]

Now that I’ve escaped the labyrinth of coursework and essays (for now) maybe I’ll finally have the time to write a bit about the (mis)use of feminist rhetoric in the ACOTAR series. It’s something that’s been on my mind for a while and I’ve always been bothered by how the series goes out of its way to apply a shallow understanding of feminist concepts to justify the existence of its dark romance scenes.

[bookofmirth]

I was trying to be positive about hofas for a while after it came out, have I waited long enough

[ifacotarwasgood]

CHAPTER 4 - page 12/?

original word count: 2843

revised word count: 1521

click for ch 4's full comparison document.

original:

My father nodded, covering his mouth with a hand. The beast growled his warning and prowled out into the night. I made to follow him but paused to look at my sisters, still crouched by the fire, as if they wouldn’t dare to move until I was gone. Elain mouthed my name but kept cowering, kept her head down. So I turned to Nesta, whose face was so similar to my mother’s, so cold and unrelenting. “Whatever you do,” I said quietly, “don’t marry Tomas Mandray. His father beats his wife, and none of his sons do anything to stop it.” Nesta’s eyes widened, but I added, “Bruises are harder to conceal than poverty.” Nesta stiffened but said nothing—both of my sisters said absolutely nothing—as I turned toward the open door. But a hand wrapped around my arm, tugging me into a stop. Turning me around to face him, my father opened and closed his mouth. Outside, the beast, sensing I’d been detained, sent a snarl rumbling into the cottage. “Feyre,” my father said. His fingers trembled as he grasped my gloved hands, but his eyes became clearer and bolder than I’d seen them in years. “You were always too good for here, Feyre. Too good for us, too good for everyone.” He squeezed my hands. “If you ever escape,

revised:

I could smell my doom on its breath as it said, “Now.” Now. Elain gaped. My heartbeat crashed in my ears as I gathered clothes and tried to remember everything I needed to tell my family. “The venison should hold you for two weeks,” I said, pulling on an extra sweater to bulk up against the cold. “Start with the fresh meat, then work your way through the jerky—you know how to make it.” “Feyre.” My father took hold of my elbow, but I shook it off to fasten my cloak with trembling fingers. Nesta and Elain hovered a few feet away, clutching each other. “The money from the pelts is on the dresser,” I said to my father. “It will last you a long time, if you’re careful.” Once I’d secured the cloak’s last tie, I lifted my gaze. My eyes stung as I had the unexpected impulse to memorize the lines of my father’s face. I turned away, blinking hard, and stuffed my hands into worn gloves. My voice came out hoarse. “When spring comes, hunt in the grove just south of the big bend in Silverspring Creek. The rabbits make their warrens there. Ask Isaac Hale to show you how to make snares. I taught him last year.” My father nodded. The beast growled as it stalked through the broken door frame into the night. Time to go. My father took me by both shoulders. His gaze slid past me, toward the door, and under his breath, he said, “If you ever escape, or convince them that you’ve paid the debt, don’t return.” He shook me slightly. “Do you understand? Go somewhere else. Make a name for yourself.” I barely registered his words. I forced myself to nod then turned to my sisters. Elain flung herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her, tight enough my cheek was crushed against her neck. She smelled of wool and the rose oil she used to perfume her hair. When she released me, shuddering with sobs, she pressed a hand to her mouth, unable to speak. I turned to Nesta, whose proud face was so like our mother’s. “Whatever you do,” I said quickly, “don’t marry Tomas Mandray. His father beats his wife, and none of his sons do anything to stop it.” Nesta’s eyes widened. She said nothing, but as I turned toward the door, she reached out and gripped her hand over mine. Almost so fast I could’ve imagined it, she squeezed tight, then let go. Nothing stood between me and the open door. Beyond, the beast was a shadow. Somehow, I took one step, then another, until I passed the edge of the cottage’s

[littlefeltsparrow]

Remember kids, violations of autonomy are only bad when they happen to Feyre! If Feyre considers asking Rhysand to mind control her sisters, that’s perfectly ethical and not questionable at all! After all, her character is unimpeachable and she would never DREAM of being like those other villains, when SHE does those things it’s totally fine.

What the fuck Feyre. What. The. Fucking. Fuck.

[wingsdippedingold]

The thing that always gets me about SJM is that she says she loves Nesta so much, but at every point Nesta is degraded or self-hating.

The way Nesta is written and people react to her, it’s pretty clear that she’s not actually a bitch but just guarded and cautious of an unfamiliar/ hostile environment.

SJM often writes scenes like this (screenshot stolen from @theladyofbloodshed )

In this Nesta’s in an odd position, where she’s portrayed as the victim of Mor’s ire. However, the characters that regularly antognize Nesta (Amren, Rhysand, Mor, etc.) are never acknowledged to be antagonistic towards her, only that Nesta herself is antagonized. Nesta’s character exists in a weird limbo where she’s meant to be a a wrongfully hated character to the reader, but the people who do wrong her are also supposed to be in the right.

SJM wants to write Nesta to be the underdog mc who defies her haters and becomes someone beloved, but the issue is she’s hated by characters the narrative wants you to also love, and whom Sarah can not bring herself to let ever be in the wrong, because then it would break the idea that they’re infallible and make the rest of their faults also up for criticism.

At every point where she’s put in a bad position, it’s acknowledged that the blame is not hers, but the narrative doesn’t place the blame anywhere else, essentially making what happened entirely a product of Nesta and no other character’s actions. We see how dreadful Nesta feels in ACOSF, much of it at the hands of the ic, and the narrative wants us to sympathize and understand her situation, but with no outlet to fault her situation towards the ic and no attempt to make it known that these feelings that are a product of the ic’s actions are directly a product of the ic.

SJM also writes Nesta to be one of the only characters who self-reflect on their actions and find fault within themselves. None of the ic ever introspect on their actions and effect on other courts and people, contributing to Nesta being the wrong ones and them being correct, simply because the narrative has not made the effort to explore wether or not they’re wrong, whereas it has with Nesta. Nesta’s actions were explored and allowed to be negative because it is what allows her to change her mind, but because she’s the only one changing her mind, she only becomes more and more fitting of the ic’s standards and the series’s idea of moral correctness.

The inverse is also an issue because Sarah writes the ic to be “morally gray”, which grants them the excuse of “you can’t expect them to always be perfect/good, they’re supposed to be morally gray” but the issue with that notion and archetype in this case is that the never face any repercussions or criticism by the narrative, but rather the people opposing them, effectively establishing them as the moral high ground. You cannot defend them as “morally gray” when the narrative has done nothing more than to portray them as always in the correct even in their “morally gray actions.” Discussing their character in that way while not acknowledging how the narrative treats them absolves them of their own faults and is a slippery slope when analyzing the characters in the story.

This is one of the reasons I think so many people find it hard to like Nesta or actually sympathize with her like SJM wants; because their favorite character hates Nesta, though acknowledged to be unjustly, the character themself is not acknowledged to be unjust, therefore portraying their actions to be correct.

This was written really quickly and I just woke up from a nap, but if anyone else wants to discuss this topic, I’d love to see it!

[goldenspringmornings]

sooooo excited for this fic to get to a place i'm comfortable actually posting it (im notoriously bad a finishing fic unfortunately) because i wanna talk about my illyrian worldbuilding😭

[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.

[hunnyrants]

amren is quite literally just a repeat of nesta's grandmother but worse. I cried for her when she knelt in front of Amren, she deserves someone to stand up for her.

This just made me sad.