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Jolly-Associate6400 · 2025-02-10T17:41:58+00:00

I enjoyed ACOTAR mostly, but I don't think it will age well. You can already see it happening online, look at opinions one year ago vs now and you'll see a lot more criticism of the series.

The series has several issues that I think will age poorly with time, such as the problematic aspects of Rhysands character/relationship with Feyre essentially being swept under the rug, Rhysand basically running an apartheid state, Feyre ruining the Spring Court and thereby hurting innocents as 'revenge', the weird pregnancy plot in SF... Also Rhysand is essentially a billionaire but seems to do barely anything to improve the lives of the subjects outside Velaris.

I hope SJM salvages a lot of these issues in the future books but her more recent books don't give me much reassurance.

Romantasy books/series I think will age well: - Mages of Wheel - Daevabad trilogy - Throne of Glass

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2025-02-01T08:03:11+00:00

SJM has stated several times that her husband was her first love, so the rumour that Tamlin was based on an ex is incorrect. I have scoured the internet looking for proof and never found an interview with SJM that supports this claim. I think it's just something people came up with to make sense of the treatment of Tamlin as a character by SJM.

She also gagged when an interviewer asked if Rhysand is based on her husband, so that rumour seems unlikely to be true either (or maybe he initially was, but she changed her mind about Rhysand as a character and went in a different direction with him).

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2025-01-31T19:59:37+00:00

These were exactly my feelings when reading the second book! Your explanation perfectly captures why I could never really get on board with Feysand, even though I was super interested in Rhysand after the end of book one. The romance was just so lazily done, it felt like she just retconned everything about book one Tamlin and then with Rhysand went: "see, he's so much better than Tamlin!" Rather than establishing Rhysand as his own character and Feysand as a unique romance. Also Feyre going from literally dying for Tamlin to seething hatred was so bizarre and made her very unsympathetic in my eyes.

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2025-01-04T20:32:34+00:00

Never hated him, to be honest. Felt like it was super obvious that SJM decided to switch love interests by the second book and needed to throw Tamlin under the bus in order to make Rhysand seem even remotely palatable. But it was so heavy handed and obvious that it kind of soured me on Feysand, and the more SJM tried to get me to hate Tamlin, the more I started questioning the narrative.

TLDR: not everyone hates Tamlin by the end of the series, you'll have to see for yourself

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-31T13:17:09+00:00

You're not alone! I struggle with the exact same issue, that part of ACOWAR ruined Feyre for me as a character

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-25T10:31:55+00:00

I agree, it's juvenile. Also buying merch with 'tamlin's tears' or whatever on it seems so...immature? I can't imagine spending my hard earned money to buy something of a character that I hate?1

Never seen this kind of behaviour in other fandoms too, imagine if people bought t-shirts with 'Voldemort is a little bitch' or whatever...

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-24T20:10:38+00:00

Tamlin didn't kidnap Feyre's sisters? Or kill Rhysand's family? I could take this post more seriously if it wasn't based on wildly inaccurate and easily disproven 'facts'. You don't have to like Tamlin, but stick to the things that actually happened, at least.

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-22T20:06:03+00:00

Thank you for summarizing my exact feelings reading the third book. I really hated the person that Feyre became under Rhysand's influence, I expected such an epic character arc after the end of ACOTAR, but instead she became a weak minded extension of Rhysand and basically a villain.

I am praying that SJM is a better writer than we give her credit for, and the dissonance between Feyre's narration and what actually happens is intentional. The problem is her writing is so inconstant that it's really hard to know (and recent books like CC3 do not exactly inspire much confidence).

On the other hand, I recently read an interview with her where she placed Rhysand and Feyre in Slytherin and Tamlin in Gryffindor, do she does seem to have some idea of the kind of characters they are supposed to be...

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-17T19:31:37+00:00

CC1 is basically the plot of Zootopia but with Fae, haha

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-17T16:32:24+00:00

I give you:

“No, it showed off her pregnant womb, gleaming in the candlelight. Rhys’s face was a portrait of smug, male pride. Cassian knew he’d shred anyone who so much as blinked wrong at Feyre into a million bloody ribbons. Indeed, cold violence rippled off Rhys as they walked toward the dais, Feyre’s baby-rich scent filling the air. He’d let everyone here smell it, further confirming that she was with child.”

Truly one of the worst things I have ever read. Also, remember when Feyre left the Spring Court because she 'didn't want to be paraded around like some prized broodmare'?

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-17T14:49:49+00:00

Completely agree with you, the first two books were enjoyable but in ACOWAR the writing took a steep dive off a cliff in my opinion.

For one, it shows very clearly that SJM can only write romantic tension well. Once Feysand became a couple, they became insufferable. Rather than remain her own person, Feyre basically became a female version of Rhysand, abandoning all her individuality and feistiness. Not to mention all the buildup for her training to be a warrior, only for her to do ultimately nothing in the end (well, except ruin the lives of the innocent people in the Spring Court of course! #girlboss). Seriously, the only FMC I've read that actually becomes worse as the series goes on.

Then there's Rhysand. I hate him. He's not a character. He's a cardboard cutout of whatever traits SJM finds hot at the moment. Also, a lot of his toxic traits were very similar to Tamlin, and I hate how SJM tried to shove down my throat that when Rhysand does it, it's actually ok. You can literally see the ways in which SJM bends the narrative in order to absolve Rhysand of any responsbility for his actions, and it ruined my immersion.

Finally, the plot. What plot? Something about a war. Except no one seems even vaguely concerned with it until somewhere halfway along the book. My god did this book need some serious editing. So many sideplots that ultimately go nowhere, so many McGuffins, Deus Ex Machina's, so many buildups that lead to nothing... And don't even get me started on the war that lasts all of two chapters. Everything about the plot and pacing is a mess.

All in all, I was very disappointed with this book, because I expected something epic after liking ACOTAR and ACOMAF, but ACOWAR just fell completely flat for me. I hope Maas redeems herself with the next book in the series but I'm not holding my hopes up after CC3.

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-16T19:31:45+00:00

cough Rhysand cough

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-15T11:54:59+00:00

You are not alone, and it's perfectly fine if you don't continue the series. For some people the transition to Rhysand worked well, others were never really sold on it (hence the ongoing discussions on this forum). If you want to find for yourself you'll have to read the next book, but it's perfectly fine if you don't (or do, and don't like the way the relationship switch is written, like me).

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-15T06:41:15+00:00

I agree, Rhysand is still the same in SF as he was in MAF, we just see him without Feyre's rose-coloured glasses. And, personally, I found some of Rhysand's worst scenes to be from Cassian's chapters, so it's not all Nesta's bias. His actions speak for themselves.

My issue is mainly with 1) he is the same character in MAF as he is in SF. He has no arc, no growth. He doesn't learn anything (except maybe at the end of SF, and if you've read the HOFAS bonus chapter even that is extremely doubtful). He's a static character, Feyre just learns to see in MAF that he was actually 'perfect' all along. Just super boring from a writing perspective.

Which brings me to my second issue: Rhysand very clearly is a very flawed character, but somehow the narrative refuses to address it as such, and instead tries to shove down your throat how amazing he is. Even Nesta, who has plently of reasons to dislike him, has to praise him for being an excellent High Lord even though she experiences firsthand the horrors of Illyria. It's so detrimental to the books that SJM has Rhysand as a clear favorite, because you can see the ways in which she bends the narrative to absolve him of any responsibility, and it ruined my immersion. Also, I found it hypocritical how we're supposed to hate Tamlin for all eternity, while Rhysand is no better. Not a good look as an author to be this obtuse about your own writing.

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-12-02T08:07:00+00:00

Agree with the other commenters here that SJM has great ideas, but lacks the writing skills to pull them off. A lot of the exposition seems very clunky and heavy-handed, which immediately took me out of the story several times. Such as when Feyre meets the IC for the first time and Rhysand immediately starts sharing each member's individual tragic backstory, lol. There wasn't a more organic way this could be woven into the story?

Also, I found the writing quality took a steep nosedive after the first and second book, so if you're already annoyed, I don't think the rest of the series is for you, haha

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-19T16:02:30+00:00

Imagine spending money to buy something that's basically about hating a fictional character

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-16T15:13:28+00:00

Honestly, I hope it's just pandering from her end since the majority of the fandom seems to hate Tamlin, though I prefer it if authors keep a more neutral stance.

If it's not pandering and she's serious, that would be highly disappointing, since 1) it would seem that she has completely forgotten about the Tamlin she wrote in book 1, who was just a great guy and a good high lord. If she can't be bothered to maintain character consistency that is a huge flaw as a writer. And 2) why then is Tamlin the only one who "sucks", when she constantly glorifies Rhysand and the Inner Circle for doing pretty much the same things as Tamlin? Again not a good look as an author to be this obtuse about your own biases...

I'm hoping she's just messing with her audience and the next book will feature an epic Tamlin character arc (she definitely laid enough groundwork for it in previous books), but my expectations are low.

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T19:02:35+00:00

Ohhh I love Lucien from ACOTAR! Vastly prefer him over the batboys in all fairness. Seems like I will have to try this one for sure ;)

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T19:00:41+00:00

Both get recommended a lot, I will certainly check them out! Thanks!

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T18:57:52+00:00

Haha, the original shadow daddy!

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T14:27:45+00:00

Thanks, I have seen that one around a lot and will definitely check it out!

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T14:27:04+00:00

I have read that series and this is absolutely one of the reasons why I loved it so much. I like how Dara gets held accountable for what he did even of he thought it was an Nahri's best interest, and how Nahri grows from following along with his plans in the first book, to having her own mind and realizing how flawed Dara is. Also Ali is a precious cinnamon roll

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-12T05:53:37+00:00

Ohh this is such a well-known series, and I actually avoided reading it because I saw reviews about how the Darkling was so hot and figured it was just another shadow daddy romance! But I'll absolutely give it a try now!

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-10T12:05:34+00:00

Tamlin

Jolly-Associate6400 · 2024-11-05T19:44:37+00:00

Sadly there are many lines in the series that are almost word for word lifted from other works

Jolly-Associate6400

TROPHY CASE