"You shouldn't criticise/analyse SJM's characters/worldbuilding because it just isn't that deep." Is a take I see a lot when someone analyses or criticises SJM, and while I get where you're coming from, I do have a couple of issues with this take.

First of all, it's important to be able to criticise all media, even your your favourites, no matter how good or bad they are. Media of all formats is a product of it's time and goes a long way into helping us learn about the sociopolitical climate of the time it was written, from the past, present or future. As a result, no piece of media can be considered 'perfect' or without points to criticise, and analysing it can give us perspective on issues we may not even realise exist. This is true for most, if not all media, from books to news channels to music or tv shows.

If you don't want to analyse or criticise it though, that's fine. Just ignore posts and videos of people who do, since there's no use in telling them that they're wasting their time. Some people enjoy criticising/analysing the media they consume, but if you don't, then just let them be.

Now, here's the bigger issue I have with this take. It might really not be that deep to you, but it might really be that deep for other people. Especially since SJM books have a pretty young fanbase. The books are YA, and are advertised as being for ages 12 and up.

Many kids, young girls mostly, that read, even just the first book, are shown Feyre forgiving Rhys at the end of the book after SA-ing her for three months or Feyre getting back with Tamlin after he watched her get tortured for three months, and romanticise it. Then there's the second book, where she ends up with Rhysand despite what he did, and even lets him do it again at the CON.

Nesta is pressured by Elain and Feyre to let her use their home for something incredibly dangerous despite her very reasonable concerns, only to then be insulted by Feyre's friends for a situation he wasn't even there for, only for some romance to between them to be hinted at. In Acowar she's further pressured by her sister, and strangers who hate her, to put her healing and coping from her trauma aside to push her clear boundaries to help her sister even more despite her and her friends not having a great track record of holding up their ends of deals from Nesta's experience.

And don't even get me started on the train wreck that was ACOFAS- ACOSF. If these actions and behaviours were acknowledged as being toxic or wrong, that would be fine, somewhat. However, the narrative paints these characters and behaviour in a positive light, despite the fact they aren't. For young readers to look at this, and to idolise these characters and their behaviours, thinking that it's what they want in a partner, is disturbing.

It's fine to not want to critique or thoroughly analyse a book, but discrediting people who do, especially if they're pointing out harmful behaviour being perpetuated in said books, is not. Ignoring the harmful behaviour these books perpetuate is making you a part of the problem, and I truly hope that your view on this behaviour would change if it was coming from a living person instead of a fictional one. Be it towards you or somebody you know.

Bitches will use the first book of the series as a reason to hate Nesta even though SJM wrote her as a caricature to fulfill the role of evil sister. Obviously she was unnecessarily cruel, that was her ONLY character trait. She wasn’t meant to be a fleshed out character with her own story.

And no, Rhysand Stan’s can’t use this as a gotcha for excusing his actions under the mountain. He was changed from villain to hero, but his character remained constant and his actions are argued by the narrative to be justified, so what he did was entirely him. Nesta on the other hand was unfinished and a minuscule part. Her backstory is literally the only good reason to not like Nesta, but it’s not even a good backstory BECAUSE she was never meant to be a main character, Rhysand was.

The difference

Mostly the pre-acomaf but R/hysand sad songs continue.

WHY DOES NO ONE EVER MENTION AMARANTHA CALLING FEYRE “Feyre Darling”

Heyy feysanders, you know your beloved acomaf “feyre darling” scene? Did you ever notice that Amarantha, the big bad, called feyre that? it is so weird and disgusting that rhysand called her that oh my god😭

Hanging on by a thread for a multitude of reasons.

So, looking up acotar fan art one inevitably gets smacked in the face with Fey/sand at some point. And if it's not them with their kid or cutely holding hands, it's something like this:

(There are watermarks on the fanart and I got them from Pinterest...middle one is someone called ignartio, I didn't find them on instagram though)

Why are people making a big quantity of art of this particular part of acotar? Are there truly people thinking that this is in any way appealing? Let's recap.

Feyre goes under the mountain, a comparatively dumb little girl. To save her lover Tamlin and maybe her friend Lucien if she's already at it. Faces crunchy Amaranth and doesn't get the riddle right (not wanting to belittle her here bc acotar Feyre was somewhat of a cutie, but that riddle was easy af, way to make her seem like an idiot.) Anyway, get's beaten to unconsciousness after blurting out her name because Lucien would have rather died than to give it away.

Little Feyre get's her three trials and a bunch of tasks for inbetween, i.e. cleaning that hallway. Other than that, people leave little Feyre relatively alone.

Until that self serving prick comes along and thinks to himself "Hey, why not treat her like an object and humiliate her in front of hundreds if not thousands of people, for shits and giggles?" So he proceeds to have his lackeys dress her up in what is essentially a handkerchief and paint her, so everyone can see where he put his grimy hands. And then he drugs her and has her dance for him, barely half aware of what's going on around her. All the while touching her. And the next morning she awakes with a killer headache, barely any memories and the need to throw up.

"But he did this to protect her!" - From what? Nobody cared for her beyond the trials. She was not used as entertainment by anyone else. They had their orgies and whatnot. There was no passable reason to be doing this to her.

"But he only touched her waist and hips!" - So you're telling me that you'd find it okay if somebody drugged you and "only" touched your waist and hips? Touching somebody without their consent, especially in such a vulnerable state is simply gross.

"But he had to keep his mask-" - Shut. Up. His "mask" did not include this particularly disgusting shit he pulled. He could have just let her alone, nobody would have batted a lash. Feyre was a comparatively uninteresting human girl. Had he not made her dance practically naked, no one would have missed her there.

My point, you ask? Stop romanticising what Rhysand did to Feyre under the Mountain. Stop trying to justify it. Those were the actions of an entirely sick individual.

Ember Quinlan is the realest one for stepping into Prythian just for five seconds and realizing how horrifying Rhys and his treatment toward Nesta are.

I’m having thoughts. As much as I rage against SJM on here, I would love for her to prove me wrong. Redeem* Tamlin. Give him his own version of Chapter 54. She’s done such a thorough job of stripping this character of whatever shreds of dignity he might have had left post-ACOMAF**, that it would be a Herculean literary effort at this point to get the stan portion of the fandom to love the guy again and finally stop selling those stupid “Tamlin’s Tears” mugs on Etsy. Go ahead Janet. Do it. I dare you. I will eat every word I’ve ever written about you being a one-note author that basically writes the same three characters over and over again.

*Him needing redemption is arguable as he not only apologized, he risked his life in the war and helped bring Rhysand’s apologist ass back to life.

**I actually think the way he verbally dismantled Rhys and Feyre during the HL summit was fucking masterful and exceedingly dignified. At least more dignified than referring to your own copious amounts of power and making vague threats of physical violence.

I'm just going to come out and say it: I don't understand the world building in the ACOTAR series. Isn't it supposed to have a medieval setting? That's how it was in the first book. So why did Feyre make soup FROM A CAN? Why was she wearing a turtleneck and leggings? Why was she using a baby stroller? Those are all relatively modern inventions as far as I'm aware. It also seems like all the other courts and the mortal realm have strictly old fashioned/medieval settings except the Night Court. The Night Court's themes (their buildings, the way they dress, etc) seem futuristic. Except Velaris. It has a very modern atmosphere. So altogether, I've noticed medieval, modern AND futuristic themes in the ACOTAR series. Has anyone else noticed this? I think it's very creative but I don't think it makes much sense. Idk maybe I'm wrong.

I tend to forgot that Failsand also locked Lucien inside the house of wind:

“There’s one way out—the stairs to the city. It, too, is warded—and guarded. Please don’t do anything stupid.” (Feyre)

“So am I a prisoner?” (Lucian)

I could feel the response simmering in Rhys, but I shook my head. “No. But understand while you may be her mate, Elain is my sister. I’ll do what I must to protect her from further harm.” (Feyre) (he literally helped Feyre and left his home for Elain yet she thinks he’s dangerous??)

“I would never hurt her.” (Lucian)

A bleak sort of honesty in his words.

“You are free to wander where you wish, into the city itself if you feel like braving the stairs, but there are two conditions: you are not to take either sister, and you are not to enter their floor. ” (Rhysand)

He is, in fact, a prisoner.

Same thing that was said to Nesta:

“….You will not be a prisoner. But there will be no one to fly or winnow you down to the city. If you want to venture into the city proper, by all means, go ahead. That is, if you can brave the ten thousand steps down from the House.” (Amren)

She is, in fact, a prisoner.

Who would chose Nesta?

Cassian doesn't deserve Nesta. Fight me on this. Nesta would risk life and limb and death all over again for him. She'd face her trauma, climb mountains (regardless of how ethical it may be), and put her pride aside for him.

She would face her traumas and search for the cauldron for Elain and Feyre. For the court they love. She gave up her powers for Feyre and Nyx. She fought a war for Feyre. She faced Braylin, and found the trove so Nyx wouldn't grow up in a war-torn world.

Yet not a single Character would put her first, the way she puts them first. They didn't even try to accommodate her trauma by finding an alternative for baths, despite her telling them the issue and them promising to help.

Not one would love her unconditionally the way she loves them, or sacrifice for her, what she'd sacrifice for them.

I wanna ask Rhys stans/fans what their estimate (to the nearest hundred thousand) on how many little girls have been legally mutilated under his reign.

Just don't ask. We don't want to be rude to OuR LorD AnD SaViOr ThE MoSt PoWeRfUL HiGH LorD.

edit: R/hysand art by Charlie Bowater

HOFAS/ Ember and Randall’s Bonus Chapter spoilers but-

Why is no one talking about the fact that during Rhys’s outburst to Nesta he literally told her she should have unalived Bryce the moment she stepped through the portal? Like this is the man SJM excepts her audience to Simp over. Like as a political leader I understand why he was a little miffed (this is coming from a Rhys anti) but when I try to give Rhys an inch, he again proves how awful do a character he truly is. Like dude chil. No wonder Ember told you to fuck off with your BS, there’s a difference between being an authoritative figure and letting your emotions and feelings get the best of you, like worst SJM character I swear.

Back in my #1 Rhysand hater phase

The stupidest thing about feyre is that she loses her shit at rhys for not telling her they’re mates (which I actually think was decent of him? Not manipulating her with the bond or forcing it on her?) and ghosts him for over a week before making him grovel but she’s totally fine with him & madja deciding she’s too feeble & fragile to know about her own body & pregnancy and conspiring to let her die rather than tell her & risk her fetus’ life shapeshifting. Like. Sarah Janet have you heard of consistency

There is no inequality in the Night Court

or poverty, or racism, or neglect, or shit leadership, or corrupt morals, or withholding of crucial medical information