#misunderstandings that exist due to Maas’s terrible writing.

[theweeklydiscourse]

Ive just been thinking that it seems like for some people the entirety of acotar is a need for reader, aka Feyre, to get vindicated by the world so therefore get upset when acosf doesn’t do that. It has to do with the correlation of how some people claim to have a Nesta in their lives . What was interesting to watch was SJM undertake the story from the perspective of these so called Nesta people that according to the story are abusive (I say the term loosely because never is it explicitly implied Nesta is abusive people just choose to run with it because of self insert reasons above) and addresses that they are whole individual persons that exist aside from where some have them in a bubble in their head. Wether the reader is mad at said individual or made their peace for this *abuse then that is up to them as an individual to come to terms with yet SJM introduced Nesta who arguably represents these “people” and brings to the table that they should also be allowed to grow and be loved because, as I mentioned, they are individuals who should not be defined for whoever they are in their world. Maybe a tough pill to swallow but it goes to show Feyre is constructed to be the scape goat for readers who refuse to explore outside of this constant victim mentality, who get satisfaction when they find *that guy* that makes the world revolve around them and acosf was a slap in the face when it in fact does not (according to some Nesta didn’t apologize enough). It’s indeed confirmed further when Nesta who has done the most and actually acknowledged Feyre’s contribution in front of all the High Lords is still seen as someone that needs to do more and behave better. Yet still it seems like SJM was only semi aware of this concept because there’s people, me included, that opinionate she failed to represent Nesta fairly by way of what SJM writes under the rug (ex. Papa Archeron’s neglect and Mama Archeron’s sheer abuse towards Nesta amongst other things) and what she chooses to highlight (Nesta was unkind so she needs to break) in comparison to the freedom, self inserty-ish, feelings she allows the reader to get in others *coughFeyrecough* What are your thoughts?

Thank you for this very insightful ask anon!

Examining the wish fulfillment narrative of ACOTAR is a fascinating task, especially when you pair literary analysis with fandom analysis. From the very start of A Court of Thorns and Roses, it is clear that Maas aims for the reader to identify with Feyre as a kind of Y/N figure that will eventually receive a fantasy romance of epic proportions.

In order to reach the height of the fantasy, the reader-identified character must begin in a place low enough to make the ending that much sweeter. Case in point, Feyre seems like the oppressed youngest daughter who so generously provides for her ungrateful family members like a true virtuous heroine. But that is not the case (despite what many believe). On the contrary, Feyre slaves away for her family (whom she dislikes and resents) for little reason other than an obligation she *thinks* she has to a woman she didn’t even care for. The reasoning is foggy, and the characterization even more so. But what remains clear to me is that the overall wish fulfillment narrative relies on the gratuitous depiction of her suffering to strengthen its appeal.

Hence, why Nesta is characterized as a selfish and unnuanced villain in the first few chapters of ACOTAR. The uncomplicated “evil stepsister who’s not a stepsister” approach to Nesta strengthens Feyre’s position as a tragic victim. Because of the lack of context and bad writing, readers can easily fill in the blanks with their own experiences and respond accordingly. Nesta can represent any mean person because her initial characterization is so flat. But…when Maas chooses to elaborate on why Nesta was like *that* during the first book (hundreds of pages later), readers refuse to accept it because the damage was done. She can’t undo the self-inserty nature of the series because it’s already embedded in the text. To add insult to injury, Maas can’t even let hatchets stay buried. Instead, she digs up the same resolved conflicts over and over again to sustain the wish fulfillment fantasy.

ACOTAR basks in the victim mentality, but it is Feyre who embodies this concept the best. By suffering through the cartoonish incompetence of Elain and the equally cartoonish cruelty of Nesta, Feyre obtains her precious role as the long-suffering heroine that will be rescued by a handsome saviour. The Unresolved Textual Tension podcast described it as “suffering/tragedy porn” which I feel is accurate because it heightens the victim narrative and enhances the pleasure the reader-identified character will receive. This is where the satisfaction you mentioned comes in. Our Y/N (aka Feyre) doesn’t need to lift a finger in romance because Rhysand is automatically obsessed with her due to an arbitrary magical bond that compels him to her. Rhysand validates the indulgent victim mentality that Feyre maintains throughout the series (stagnating her character development as a result).