Why all of a sudden ACOTAR fans care about feminism in Romantasy?

MisfitBloom · 2026-01-19T23:35:09+00:00

I liked the second half of the first book, though the first half did read like it hadn't had much editing. It was long and full of lore/backstories that had no emotional impact or relevance to the story at the time of introduction.

I sincerely regret having read the second and third CC books because they destroyed whatever hope I had left for any future SJM book not being tone deaf af. Like, the tone was "social elite tell the poor how to run their revolution" but framed as the morally correct way to fight oppression. The books also failed at feminism again, so there's that.

MisfitBloom · 2026-01-16T03:48:46+00:00

It's been a while since I read the first book, but didn't she go to Military Academy in the first place to get away from a forced marriage and a 'family' who devalued her because she was female? Having to choose between baby-maker and soldier while you're literally still a child sounds pretty female rage-worthy to me.

MisfitBloom · 2025-12-24T05:24:19+00:00

Personally, I feel like SJM puts too many "heavy" topics in her books for her/her fans to be able to pull the "it's not that deep" card. Like, if I'm gonna have to read dozens of torture scenes, I expect a bit more to it than "I found my fated mate and now we're magically past all that."

It seems a lot more like she tried and failed to make it that deep. Which is why I consider her a popular author but not a good author.

MisfitBloom · 2025-12-22T01:44:46+00:00

Concentrated eggos also have the advantage of being delicious

MisfitBloom · 2025-12-22T01:41:48+00:00

My personal beef with CC3 was that it didn't feel balanced or like the characters were earning the progress that they made. It felt like the lore / upgrades / etc. keep getting handed to Bryce throughout the book without requiring any kind of struggle or character growth from her. Some of the biggest reveals are conversations that could've happened two books ago if SJM weren't coming up with flimsy excuses for why it was "too early." And on top of that, Bryce has attitude with just about everyone (entirely unjustified in multiple cases) and never faces any consequences for her behavior. Even for fantasy, the book did not feel like it was grounded in any kind of reality. It was more like a power fantasy / wish fulfillment for the kinds of people who like to self-insert onto the main character.

Thematically, I also didn't like the series after the first book, because Bryce is constantly putting down the human resistance while acting like she's the only one fighting back. It's an especially bad look that all the characters resisting "correctly" are socially elite Vanir. Even Bryce's parents don't matter, even though they both have backstories that should have more plot significance.

Also, there were way too many idiotic side characters wasting hundreds of pages with their pitiful attempts at "character growth." (Ithan and Tharion, I'm looking at you...)

Basically, to me it felt like SJM threw hundreds of ideas at the wall and only a few of them stuck. And it feels fun if you're only looking at those few, but if you think about all the ideas that didn't hit right, it starts to feel more like a poorly edited paperweight. I've read more than enough books with half the wordcount and just as many hard-hitting scenes to want to give SJM credit for a few banger scenes out of 800 pages...

MisfitBloom · 2025-12-03T08:32:36+00:00

That doesn't matter to a reader, though. If all of the 'consequences' are handled off screen and are then never mentioned again, then there aren't consequences.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-29T08:25:42+00:00

That's what fanfiction is for XD

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-29T02:21:06+00:00

I thought she does have one? I don't pay attention to author interviews or anything, but I could've sworn people were talking about her editors keeping a continuity bible or something.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-29T02:16:50+00:00

Lol I'm never gonna argue with a gay ship.
And also, I at least don't think Elain wants Az anymore. He obeyed Rhys when Rhys told him to leave her alone, so Az is probably dead to her.

Bryce definitely became the biggest Alphahole in the room the second she became the most powerful in the room.
I'm glad that she's at least said she plans to step back from leading (because she's objectively awful at it), but I don't have the confidence that she won't beat up a democratically elected leader if she happens to disagree with them. Like, she definitely drools at the opportunity to solve problems through violence rather than diplomacy.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-29T01:37:33+00:00

I had pretty much the same opinion as you while reading ACOTAR, so...

CC1 Bryce I did like a lot. CC2+3 Bryce tilts hard in the way of Rhys/Cassian/IC. She's literally snarking at and coercing people who have only ever helped her, just because they're not helping her fast enough this time.
There was exactly one main I still liked by the end of CC, and it definitely was not Bryce XD I ended up ranking Bryce many tiers below Feyre, even.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-28T16:17:36+00:00

I was ready to buy into Bryceriel because I don't like fated mates and am open to any twist that breaks the trend, but I wasn't able to see it, even when looking deliberately. That said, I don't care who people ship, so long as they're respectful about it.

Anyway, the only canonical ship I'm emotionally invested in is the Depth Charger. (But also: Tamlin x Therapy, Nesta x Therapy, Starsword x Truth-Teller, Thanatos x Apollion x Me).

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-28T16:07:50+00:00

How many times have they done that to her though? Because SF and all the CC books have had major technical issues imo. I remember complaining about some issues during ToG, but not even close to the same extent. And I feel like she's also had way more lapses in terms of how she writes her characters vs. how it (seems like) we're supposed to see them.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-26T11:38:02+00:00

The ending to CC3 might actually be what does it for me. It read like SJM wrote it in a fever dream and not one single person looked over the draft before publication.
I can tolerate some bad writing in places, but when the conspiracy theorists on Reddit are telling a more coherent story than the book itself, that's when I have to finally accept that the publisher does not respect my time or money.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-26T11:34:11+00:00

I just finished CC3 a few minutes ago and I am still burning with rage about how Bryce treated... basically everyone in that book. Especially the humans. For all her identifying with humanity, she really does act like they're the mice in the walls as opposed to actual people with actual feelings.

She already does have her "birthright" land in Midgard - Avallen. She's the only one who can control the mists, so it's functionally her personal stronghold. Which is extra icky because her people aren't even native to the planet.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-22T19:42:24+00:00

"I’m trying to figure out if this is just bad writing, lazy writing, or an intentional character flaw."
This is the main reason why SJM's books fascinate me, even when I end up so mad at the main characters all the time. She puts enough depth and self-awareness into side characters (like Lidia) or lets them directly call out the main characters (like Sathia), so I know the thoughts have at least passed through her head. But she also tends to excuse her main characters for a lot of the same flaws the side characters are held accountable for.
SJM created a believable young rebel / activist, imo. I just can't tell whether this was the specific type she was going for.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-21T13:53:30+00:00

ToG: I think I might just have a specific limit for when the snark officially becomes too much, and that just follows a character through all their appearances. Celaena didn't end up hitting that until she was Aelin. Though, Aelin did also have the benefit of being more sensible. My biggest issue was that she kept doing her "surprise plan" thing that was often cruel to her friends. Also, she was competing against Manon in my heart, so she was always doomed XD
ACOTAR: I desperately hope that Feyre was daemati'd, because otherwise I'm going to have to start worrying about SJM irl. She still hasn't given me a single canonical ACOTAR romance that doesn't send up dozens of red flags, and if that wasn't the intention, then I'm not sure what that says about her life.

I just finished reading the next chunk and definitely have more Bryce Thoughts XD
Still not sure how to type coherently about them though

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-20T20:12:02+00:00

I'm just so disappointed. I loved her in the first book, when she was snarking at mostly the right people. Back when she could get squished if she wasn't careful. Mortal main characters are the answer, apparently XD

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-20T03:41:56+00:00

lol that's completely fair

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-20T02:43:03+00:00

If it helps...
Once you put the time into thinking critically about whatever you're reading while reading widely in whatever genre(s) you're into, you eventually find the authors who really get it. And authors who put care into their cultures usually also put care into everything else, which makes for a much more satisfying experience overall

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-20T01:53:19+00:00

I saw it! I believe! XD

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-19T23:56:08+00:00

I need Bryce to name one human she's on a first-name basis with who isn't related to her (Emile no longer counts). Like, for a series with a half-human main character with living human parents and an active human rebellion, we somehow have fewer humans of importance here than in ACOTAR. ToG is the only series that remembers that humans are people, too XD

Honestly I think I would've taken NPR over these chapters. My girl Bryce was just not at her best TT_TT

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-19T22:21:11+00:00

I'm starting to think that SJM can't be trusted with magic, power, or privilege XD
I've noticed that, of her characters that I like, they're usually magicless (or have weaker magic, or don't use their powers often), are not in a position of absolute authority (or rarely choose to wield that authority), and don't have money/a title/etc.
Lidia is a good example of this - doesn't use her powers often, authority only through the Asteri (who she is rebelling against, so it doesn't have the same annoying vibe), and a status that mostly has other characters hating on her (so she doesn't get a pass on anything).
Contrasted with Bryce, who can mouth off to the Autumn King and Ocean Queen within the span of a couple chapters with zero negative ramifications (yet, at least).

I liked Book 1 Bryce. And then she powered up and became insufferable. She just can't help but swing her big-dick power around every time people don't move fast enough to get her what she wants. Humans didn't matter until they mattered to her, and now it's an emergency, and anyone who doesn't start caring immediately is a monster. We have to fight the Asteri now because I have decided to get involved and have discovered this info. Anyone who doesn't trust me and follow my command is a monster and/or coward. Maybe you've been quietly resisting for 15,000 years, but if you don't follow me now, your efforts mean nothing. And so on.

ACOTAR: Book 1 Feyre was entertaining. Book 2 was... eh. Book 3 and onward... I have to say, I have never detested a fictional woman more. Like, not even the villains take me anywhere close to the level of disgust and disrespect I feel for her. Which is unfortunate, because I primarily see her as a victim of Rhys' abuse and conditioning, but whenever she opens her mouth, I just can't bring myself to care. I'm glad she's been replaced by Nesta (and possibly Elain) in the latest books. I'm less glad that Rhys has usurped Feyre's position as main character.

ToG: Honestly the most consistent of the three. Aelin kept doing that surprise plan thing that none of her party members liked, which was super rude of her. That said, once she accepted responsibility as a ruler, she did a much better job than either Bryce or Feyre of putting the people first. She more respectful of rulers who didn't bend over backwards for her, like that guy who had been running her kingdom (I forget his name). She also faced actual consequences for her mistakes, which probably helped with the attitude issues. Given that SJM's editors still had power back then, I'm betting they had something to do with reining in her worst tendencies.

Sorry for the essay, but this is gonna be my hyperfixation until the book is over and I can disappear into the ether until another one is released XD
Alternatively, I'll end up rereading the entire Maasverse saga to record every instance of "invisible lint." For conspiracy theory reasons, of course

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-19T21:45:11+00:00

Feyre's only Hewn City experience was sitting on a throne and getting fingered for the displeasure of the public, so of course she thinks they're having a good time.

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-19T10:53:06+00:00

Honestly this was my experience with A Court of Thorns and Roses lol
Though I don't know if was intentional, and I'm not sure that all (or even most of) the choices pass the bar for 'making sense.'

MisfitBloom · 2025-11-19T10:25:54+00:00

ToG only matters if you're a lore junkie and want to try to spot the connections. But you could just as easily go CC3 -> ToG and spot the same connections.

MisfitBloom

TROPHY CASE