#rather an anti feyre stans post
Note
You’re right, Feyre stans are rarely just Feyre stans.
hi anon!
yep! this was specifically solidified for me after silver flames came out. feyre stans have been conditioned to always validate rhysand's intention over feyre's opinion. again - feyre has established that she:
(1) does not want rhysand to speak about her sisters in a disrespectful manner. feyre validates rhysand emotions about her sisters - meaning she isn't saying (and im not saying) that rhysand doesn't have a right to feel a certain way about her sisters. but that rhysand's feelings should not manifest in jabs and disrespectful words:
“Rhys said smoothly, “I’m not entirely sure Velaris is prepared for Nesta Archeron.”
“My sister’s not some feral animal,” I snapped.
Rhys recoiled a bit, the others suddenly finding the carpet, the divan, the books incredibly fascinating. “I didn’t mean that.”
feyre to rhysand.
“So she keeps saying, over and over,” Amren grumbled.
I shot her a glare. “Careful.”
feyre to amren.
that's a boundary being set - clear as day. feyre does not approve or condone outright disrespect of her sisters. this has nothing to do with how we believe xyz or what rhys has a right to do, but what feyre has established as a no go.
(2) that she does not feel comfortable with rhysand being overly protective, to the point he withholds information, is overly violent, or conflicts with her wants:
“It’s hard to shut down my instincts.”
Instincts. Just like … like someone else had instincts to protect, to hide me away. “Then you should have prepared yourself better,” I snapped. “You seemed to be going along just fine with it, until Keir said—”
rhys to feyre; feyre to rhys (acomaf)
(3)feyre doesn't care about instincts (as is an excuse used in sf), here she is telling rhys straight up that he needs to prepare himself better. bc she DOES NOT feel comfortable with the way rhys expressed his frustration. and again feyre is sympathetic to his reasonings, but she does not believe his intentions (in this case) justify the way he chooses to go about these things.
“I craned my neck to look up at him. “Never lie to me again. Not about that.”
feyre to rhys (acowar)
(4) again - feyre establishing a boundary. never lie to her about anything, especially important things.
feyre (and also fucking amren) also establishes that she doesn't believe that keeping her sisters couped up in the house of wind to be productive or helpful:
“If you want to start convincing your sisters, get them out of the House. Being cooped up never helped anyone.”
amren to feyre (acowar)
and nesta has established to rhys that she wants no interest in cassian:
“Nesta had made it clear enough she had no interest in Cassian—not even in being in the same room as him. I knew why. I’d seen it happen, had felt that way plenty.”
rhysand to az (acofas)
feyre also establishes - to rhys - that her she knows her sisters don't do well with public humiliation, and making a scene:
“ “I shouldn’t have asked her in public. I made a mistake.”
and
“I loosed a long sigh. “I should have considered that telling strangers what happened to her in Hybern might … might not be something she was comfortable with. My sister has been a private person her entire life, even amongst us.”
feyre to rhys (acowar).
im saying allll of this to say that in sf - rhysand literally takes all of these boundaries and shits on them. even his creation of the intervention conflicits against what feyre establishes: (1) her sister is a private person, and will not respond well to public humilation (2) nesta wants nothing to do with cassian (3) her sisters are not healty being in the house of wind and (4) feyre wants to be looped in and considered every step of the way. even the act of creating an intervention that goes so instinctively against feyre's wishes is an act of deep disrespect. that feyre stans can see these moments and still justify them bc their hatred for nesta and obsession w/ rhys trumps their 'love' for feyre. its a conditional like. here feyre is the victim and instead of writing metas and ff about feyre being done dirty by rhysand - they flock to justify rhysand's point to the point where they're willing to ignore feyre's opinions. its not abt how much we like / dislike the sisters. but how rhys's behavior conflicts against feyre's wants and boundaries. its about how those feyre stans would rather validate rhys then stand by feyre's emotions. to imply that rhysand's actions were appropriate means u place his actions above feyre.
feyre is adult and mature enough to manage her emotions, she not a child, she is perfectly able to stand-up and put her foot down. and she has - on multiple occasions retorted and fought back against her sisters - to consistently pretend feyre is a child who needs rhys to cosign and stand body-guard when feyre is perfectly able to do it herself says so much abt those 'stans' than they are willing to admit.
like feyre was able to face down tamlin - her abuser - all by her damn self. she's not some child who needs people to consistently defend her by undermining her opinions. if she wanted rhys to be an asshole to nesta - we would have saw that. instead we got this:
“That’s enough,” Feyre snapped at Rhys. “I told you to keep out of it.”
He dragged his star-flecked eyes to his mate, and it was all Nesta could do to keep from collapsing onto the couch as her knees gave out at last. Feyre angled her head, nostrils flaring, and said to Rhysand, “You can either leave, or you can stay and keep your mouth shut.”
we got feyre telling rhys and amren that she did not want them to behave that way. and even after that. both rhys and amren continue ignoring feyre's requests. feyre is not respected - these are not the actions of people who respect her as an equal. she's a child to them , and they believe they know better.
idk - if i were a feyre stan- yall would never have shut me up if my fav was treated like a doormat and sidelined. i would have been writing scathing metas on rhys and the ic. - i wouldve been explaining exactly why rhys withholding information was wrong - not just vaguely saying he was wrong and then justifying why he did it. i would have been an amren hater #1 for how she continually undermined feyre. idk...yall are not real feyre shooters. like damn your fav is catching strays by the author and the readers and you're only focused on how nesta factors into that equation?? like youve got bigger problems to worry abt here. feyre has been continually and consistently phased out of her own story by the author and that don't bother yall? hmm couldnt be me tho.
#anti sjm#anti rhysand#anti feyre#anti feysand#anti acosf#anti acomaf#anti sjm: feyre archeron#this is actually not an anti feyre post#rather an anti feyre stans post
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your favorite character being largely disliked by both the stans and the antis is actually so devastating. where am i supposed to go
there are three main opinions about mor in this fandom:
1. she’s fine bc she’s feyre’s bestie but you don’t really care about her personally (probably bc she’s queer because the stan girlies used to LOVE mor when moriel was semi-canon. i remember. i was there)
2. she’s fine but annoying bc she ~lead azriel on~ (main opinion on the acotar subreddit). never mind that if this was true, it would be as a result of a retcon, because again, pre acowar, moriel was going to be canon. sarah made mor sapphic because we were asking for more lgbt characters. (again. i was there.) and besides, i frankly don't think it is true, because azriel is the fucking spymaster with a million chances of knowledge at his fingertips and mor spent 80% of her time at a gay bar so idk how he couldn't have fucking known?
3. or she’s the fucking worst because she was. idk. mean to nesta. you know who else was mean??? and people love that about her because it's a result of trauma, it makes her flawed and relatable? literally nesta T_T this is not anti nesta i just don’t get it.
4. she's the fucking worst because she… supposedly lied about eris? ?? i'm not even going to begin to unpack this. why y'all IMMEDIATELY take the man's side and think what he's saying is bible… i don't fucking know. learn to decenter men in your life my friend. sometimes women ARE telling the truth even if they're basic or pick mes or whatever.
mor’s traumatized as hell and definitely has as much to back up her occasional cattiness as nesta had to back up her literal life long bullying. but few people will give her a feminist reading. few people will analyze how sarah wrote her story or what that means. few people will even give her credit as a real villain. she’s just an annoying pick-me bitch and that’s the end of it.
think about the lack of grace rhysand gives nesta. think about what that might mean for mor, to whom rhys (and his friends) was a sort of savior, because her life in the hewn city was that bad that somehow dealing with rhysand is better. that was who she grew up with; that was what she was taught to see as good because at least it wasn’t keir.
not to mention that her life is shaped around her survival via her desirability to males. ESPECIALLY as a sapphic woman can you imagine what that would do to her psyche?
but no. no fan posts about her. no headcanons. nothing nada. just me and the mor week posts and the occasional obligatory stan reference bc she's part of the main cast.
i understand being annoyed bc of the double standard in canon between her and nesta's heavy drinking, but even then i see posts all the time about "i would love rhys if it weren't for the narrative's worship of him!" and none for mor because she's just a ghost. she's nothing to anybody. despite being A MAIN CHARACTER!
not to mention but like. generally positioning yourself perpetually in opposition to the paradigm rather than just having values whether they're popular or not is not a great way to go about things. i completely understand liking eris regardless of what he's done - i am a tamlin stan despite the fact that he was very well abusive in acomaf - but the fact that there are antis out there who are so convinced mor is lying, or who want sarah to write that storyline, is so digusting to me. women in groups you don't like, political sides you don't like, women you think are annoying - they still deserved to be believed. don't give into respectability politics. come on now.
#im sorry i know this is so stupid#i just like. im so tired.#i've literally loved her since acomaf came out and as much as i was upset about the way sarah handled her coming out i was sooo happy she#was sapphic bc i'm bi and she was already my fave! so like! omfg!#but there is no content out there for her and it drives me insane. i feel so lonely.#morrigan#pro mor#pro morrigan#sjm critical#anti sjm#anti eris#pro inner circle
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So, I saw a Feyre stan say they might leave the fandom because of the anti-Feyre attitude post-ACOSF and because of all the Nesta, Valkyrie, and Tamlin stans on Tumblr.
I have a few things to say.
1. Most Feyre antis were antis before ACOSF, although I'm sure her actions in the book have led to a lot more. But, let's be honest, Feyre messed up a lot in that book. She spent the past few books hating on Tamlin only to become him by locking Nesta in a house. If you can't see that Feyre's worthy of criticism than maybe you're too in love with the character.
2. Feysand's story is done. They were MC's in the original trilogy, but have been reduced to side characters for this spin-off trilogy. Considering ACOSF was Nesta's book, and the most recent book in the series, of course a good portion of the fandom talk is going to be centered around her and her friends, the Valkyries. Feysand are essentially irrelevant now, except for when they're stealing the spotlight from the Valkyries becoming the first females to win the Blood Rite. But, think about it this way, Nesta stans suffered through years of Feyre's POV to only get one book dedicated to Nesta. At least Feysand stans had four books to enjoy.
3. This fandom is split. Half love Feysand, while the other half can't stand Feysand. But this fandom is unified in our love of the Valkyries (except for a few jealous Feysand stans). The Valkyries are the greatest thing to happen to ACOTAR and we know we're going to get more of Nesta, hopefully more of Gwyn, and the Valkyries in general. So, once again, of course that's going to be what this fandom talks about. Like I said before, Feysand is done.
4. Regarding Tamlin stans, I think there's a lot more now since Feyre pulled a Tamlin and no longer has the moral high ground to look down on him. But, rather than getting annoyed at Tamlin and Nesta stans, maybe try acknowledging that Feyre royally messed up in ACOSF.
Either way, if you want to leave the fandom, go ahead. No one's stopping you. Feysand hasn't been relevant since ACOFAS and they won't be MC's again. But don't complain about how many Nesta stans there are (especially on Tumblr) when Feysand stans have bullied us off of every other social media platform. Nesta stans are a force to be reckoned with, and Feysand stans have united us on this one site, so yeah...you're going to hear us loud and clear.
#acotar#acosf#nesta#gwyneth berdara#nesta archeron#gwyn#nesta acotar#antifeyre#nesta acosf#valkyrie trio#tamlin#antifeysand#gwynsand friendship#acofas#nesta deserves better#valkyries#gwyneth#nesta stan#valkyrie#gwyn acotar#nesta supremacy#the valkyries#gwyn berdara#nesta is a boss#gwyn acosf#nesta and feyre#gwyn supremacy#nesta x gwyn x emerie#pro gwyneth#nesta baby we got you
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anti-sjm sentiments increase after every book she releases, which is great, but something deeply uncomfortable I'm realizing, especially in the anti-acotar community, is that ... a lot of new antis do not actually care about the deeply problematic elements and patterns of sjm's works, but only care about them in the context of their favourite character. It's the same mindset as the stan community with the "anti" name.
some Feyre stans, for example (or rather Feysand stans, idk if she has stans of her own because sjm hasn't given her a fucking personality to stand on) are very disillusioned and pissed off with the crap Rhys pulls on her in acofas and acosf, but fail to understand that it is not a random 180 degree character change, it's a perfectly predictable pattern of behaviour from the time he abused her in acotar, something they still continue to dismiss or deny.
Tamlin is another character - while there has been renewed attention given to the way he's treated very unfairly in the narrative (which is good!), some new fans of his veer very close to outright woobificafion. I read a post that criticized Feyre for getting together with rhysand so fast after Tamlin, because it was - I kid you not - disrespectful to Tamlin and her relationship with him. yeah. the dude who emotionally and physically abused her - that's who she should be respecting. I've seen his relationship with Lucien get romantisized as well.
Nesta fans (and I'm one of them so it's doubly irritating) are rightfully furious at how badly sjm treats her, and how the narrative harps on that while blissfully ignoring the crap that other characters have done. But there's...no need to deny & dismiss the fact that she genuinely was very shitty to Feyre in the beginning of acotar (and feyre is very shitty to her now). Like, it's fine to acknowledge it lol, it doesn't mean to have to like Nesta less as a character. And so many stans also ship her with Cassian, which I genuinely do not understand because if they really cared about her, why the fuck are they shipping her with her abuser? Some of those people were rightfully outraged after Silver Flames, but it's the same as feysand fans - they ignore the pattern of abuse that's been existent since Wings and Embers. and some Nesta fans ship her with ERIS of all characters, good god.
Mor's treatment is a fucking mess. She's dismissed by a lot of people, and from what i've seen, there are quite a few Nesta stans vehemently hate her. Which I get to an extent, because she was terrible to Nesta in acosf, but maybe acknowledge that this is the same person who helped Feyre contrary to Rhys's wishes in acomaf, and the fact that she's queer was a complete retcon by sjm followed by a downgrade in her narrative importance, her powers, and her likeability. And that Azriel pursuing her for 500+ years is is fucking CREEPY, she is terribly unnerved and uncomfortable by it, meaning she in *also* in a deeply toxic situation. and I think sometimes she's blamed for sleeping with Cassian, too, idk. People who write pages describing how unfairly other female characters are treated but make no room for her are automatically disregarded by me lol.
... anyway, yeah. I'm not sure this makes sense, I don't remember exact details of the series so maybe I've missed my mark at places, but this is what I've observed.
No I think you're right - it's frustrating when there are problems with a series (especially serious ones) that people either don't see or ignore until it impacts a character or facet of the story they care about.
And yes, while the treatment of women in the series is pretty crappy, the treatment of women IN the series by fandom is even crappier. Whatever you (general you) feel Mor's sexuality is, it shouldn't matter: someone who has shown no interest in another person for 500 YEARS is not at fault for the other person continuing to lust after them, and it rubbed me the wrong way that the only way Feyre could excuse Mor not being into Azriel was that Mor is into women.
In short, the books tie into and encourage protagonist-centered morality, and while the books themselves hold Rhys up as the ultimate protagonist, fans are going to have different favorites.
(I’m sorry this took so long to answer, apparently I typed it up and put it in drafts?!)
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I posted 1,727 times in 2022
That's 568 more posts than 2021!
97 posts created (6%)
1,630 posts reblogged (94%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@kayla-2
@dreaminginvelaris
@aqueerincrisis
@highqueenmorrigan
@colorlesschristmastree
I tagged 131 of my posts in 2022
#my posts - 93 posts
#pro feyre - 82 posts
#feyre archeron - 68 posts
#feyre - 52 posts
#acomaf - 27 posts
#acotar - 25 posts
#pro feysand - 25 posts
#feysand - 23 posts
#rhysand - 21 posts
#anti nesta - 20 posts
Longest Tag: 138 characters
#i’m not actually sure what to tag this but it’s getting anti tags cause i’d rather not tag it nesta and have her stans coming onto my blog
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
““No,” he said baldly. “Unless you do. I need you protecting me from our enemies with your water-wolves.” I snorted. He’d made me tell him that part of my tale over and over.” acomaf
I’m sorry but why isn’t this talked about more? This is literally so cute. I’m imagining them laying in bed after the attack on Velaris, and Rhys just stares at Feyre in awe as she recaps her tale.
She was outnumbered, fighting completely by herself. The civillians in the area were being attacked, but when their attackers spotted Feyre, they all focused their attentions on her. She needed allies. She runs back to the bridge and slams her foot on the ground, and all of the sudden 5 foot tall wolves of water appear from the Sidra!
Rhys is 100% blushing and curling his toes by this point in the story.. but then Feyre goes on.
The wolves drowned their enemies on dry land, all while Feyre herself winnows and continues attacking. They flee, because Feyre is strong. She is powerful. And they were not prepared for someone with powers and abilities as versatile and usable as Feyre’s. They were not prepared for someone who controls all magic and can use all things.
They retreat. But Feyre doesn’t let them, her wolves grow wings and surround the Attor-ilk, freezing them mid air and letting their frozen solid bodies shatter on the ground.
Rhysand’s High Lady left no survivors, she was water and air and power.
She finishes telling her story and Rhysand is just there, he’s out of breath from picturing her beauty and courage.
And then he asks her to tell him again.
So she does.
127 notes - Posted March 1, 2022
#4
The Main Character for a Reason. 🧎🏻♀️
Art Credits: @gabi.cooley.art on instagram and commissioned by: @literallyliterarydesigns
130 notes - Posted March 17, 2022
#3
Just a reminder that Nesta never apologized to Feyre face to face for what she did, and the things she thought about and contemplated internally are not a reflection of growth with her relationship with Feyre.
“Nesta isnt feyre shes not gonna use pretty words and apologize” She did with Amren. And Cassian. And Gwyn. And Emerie.
“she apologized through actions!!” I quite literally do not give a fuck that she “sacrificed” the powers she didn’t want and never bothered to learn. And FYI for those who haven’t read that scene in a while, Nesta’s bargain asked the cauldron to show HER how to save Feyre and the baby. Meaning, if Nesta had gotten off of her lazy, entitled, “woe is me” ass, and trained her powers, she could have saved them herself and still have the powers yall love to post about and hype up.
If you like her, good for you. But don’t try to get on my dick talking about how i’m misunderstanding the text, or trying to bring a traumatized woman down, or won’t let someone recover from her trauma. Cause first off, I can dislike that little shit as much as I want. Just like you can dislike Feyre.
I will never understand Nesta stans and they won’t ever understand me. But it is fine for me to not want to move on from her prior actions, there are Rhys antis who still obsess over what he did UtM and that is fine, if it left a foul taste in your mouth and you can’t look at him the same, so be it. Nesta did the same with me. I will never look at her and see what her stans do, I will always remember that Feyre had to hide money from her. I will always remember Nesta telling Feyre that someday no one will remember she existed. I will always remember that when Feyre described herself getting brutally and violently murdered, all Nesta did was make the situation about herself, and tried to shame her sister for her new life. End of story. I don’t care if Nesta becomes a saint of kindness I will still get on this app every day and reblog posts reminding y’all what a piece of shit she was for the first 25 years of her life.
161 notes - Posted March 28, 2022
#2
A Goddess of the Hunt and a Lady of the Night
art by the talented @faithfularts._ on instagram!
185 notes - Posted May 22, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
Lovelier Than a Shining Star 🌌
ac: elthericarts
194 notes - Posted June 13, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
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reading ACOTAR and liking nesta is so exhausting. i feel SJM doesn’t really understand nesta as a character that well, even though she created her. and especially after ACOSF i just feel that nesta really deserved better.
in book 1, she tells feyre that she wants to go travel and see the world. after ACOSF she’s essentially “locked” in a house where the only way out is asking someone to let her out or walking down 10,000 steps. which is ridiculous. if i wanted to go somewhere but had to walk 10,000 steps to get there i’d stay home instead.
somewhere in ACOWAR, nesta tells feyre that being a warrior isn’t the only strength that exists or something like that and what do you know? nesta becomes illyria’s next top warrior. where was smart nesta that calculated the number of ships that they needed? i love that she found her sisters through training and helped empower women but ugh nesta was literally described as being cunning and smart and calculating and it seems like such a waste. why does sarah ignore nesta’s amazing traits to make her into another female warrior character?
nesta losing her powers. oh my. i know a lot of people think that it’s so amazing she sacrificed them for her sister and it is but … she’s literally described as a death goddess throughout the ENTIRE book, is SJM trying to tell me it makes more sense for her to randomly be able to give them away rather than be able to pull feyre from death/the other side? i guess maybe sarah thought this was the redemption nesta needed but some people genuinely like nesta and it’s so annoying to have to read sarah doing fan services to feysand stans/nesta antis. i know she has some power left but it just feels like sarah didn’t like anyone being more powerful than rhys. why hype up nesta’s otherworldly ancient powers for multiple books only to take them away in the lamest way possible without ever even having delved into them?
i know some people loved nesta’s mental health journey and some aspects of it are nice but she ends her story by having to accept all the blame and apologise to everyone without ever getting an apology in return. she still hates herself by the end of it, doesn’t think she deserves love but will work to be worthy of it for the rest of her life. great healing arc!
yeah overall SJM really ignored her previous books and just wrote a lazy redemption arc instead of simply giving nesta a proper healing arc. not everyone is going to like her and that’s ok! ugh i feel like nesta was really done a disservice, both in her relationship and in her story. the day i stop thinking of ACOSF and how nesta deserved better is the day i’ll know peace. 😭
You see Anon this is the problem with SJM in general because I feel like she thinks that a woman has no worth unless she’s a warrior. Don’t get me wrong I love female warriors and I love Nesta being one, but it does deter her from her original character. I feel like SJM wrote this specific storyline because it’s what sales for her and because of fan service to the fandom. I, in general, have major issues with ACOSF (it’s why I’m writing Hearts Set Aflame) because in my mind her healing journey was way different, the only thing I feel was reasonable for her to take accountability on was her part in what happened to Feyre, however Nesta has already made up for it on 4 separate occasions. And yet this fandom still hates her?? She was quite literally a teenager, and coming from someone who’s been taking care of herself since she was 18 I know how realistically hard it is to just keep yourself afloat, much less your sisters. Hell Feyre shouldn’t have even had to do it, and that was my main issue with ACOSF in general was the father storyline. One thing I always stood by Nesta on was her hatred of her father. Because she was the only one who truly held him accountable for what happened to all of them. I don’t blame her for her anger towards him because one it happened when again she was a teen girl, that and losing her mother figure, friends, status, and home never helped, I feel like no one takes into consideration the toll that has on someone’s mental health. How Nesta deals with trauma is actually the most common way people handle it. And she has every right to feel angry at her father neglecting her when HE’S supposed to be taking care of them. Not Nesta, Not Feyre, and Not Elain. I also already wrote a post earlier about how I disliked how Cassian handles these situations. The IC treats them like all didn’t come from the same family nor every gets her sisters side of the story, which is normal, but still. Also I hate how people hated Nesta in ACOWAR. She pushed her trauma to the side to help them and ended up making it worse, her and Elain killed the king, and she saved Cassian twice, and yet the IC still can’t see that there’s a good side to her??? Seriously?? With everything they’ve done in their 500 years…I just feel like SJM just writes the characters around the plot she wants rather than focusing on characters which makes all her works suffer. But again I can talk about this subject for hours
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Why Nesta Stans Stan Nesta: For The People Who Don’t Get It.
I think one of the biggest misunderstandings towards Nesta fans is that we don’t acknowledge or understand that she emotionally, mentally, and verbally abused Feyre. We know. We very much know. And if you come across a fan who doesn’t, then please educate them! I’m not afraid to say that this past week I was educated on this as well.
I think a lot of anti-nesta’s focus on Nesta in ACOTAR, whereas Nesta stans see the progression of her character throughout all three books. Nesta stans see her potential to grow, learn, and change. This in no way makes her past actions excusable. Nothing can do that. But clinging to the idea that someone isn’t able to evolve will cause more harm than good, especially in cases like Nesta’s where they have shown they have the ability to evolve (examples coming later in the post).
Not all abusers can learn from their mistakes; some are just too far gone and don’t see their actions as wrong. But some can, and I believe Nesta is one of those who can. My reason for this belief comes from reading ACOWAR.
1.) Nesta holds herself back from saying something insulting to Mor after she says something in a rude tone to her, and instead approaches Feyre. This shows that a) She’s learning to hold her tongue instead of saying something stupid, and b) She says something nice to Feyre, which she wouldn’t have done two books ago. I’m not saying her being nice to Feyre makes up for how she acted towards her before, but the point is to show that Nesta is now uplifting Feyre instead of tearing her down.
“Where is he?”
“Who?” Rhys crooned.
“Cassian.”
I didn’t think I’d ever heard his name from her lips. Cassian had always been him or that one. And Nesta had been … pacing in the foyer.
As if she was worried.
I opened my mouth, but Mor beat me to it. “He’s busy.”
I’d never heard her voice so … sharp. Icy.
Nesta held Mor’s stare. Her jaw tightened, then relaxed, then tightened—as if fighting some battle to keep questions in. Mor didn’t drop her gaze.
. . . . .
“Mor was watching both carefully—the warning she’d given my sister ringing silently between them. And Nesta, Mother damn it all, seemed to remember. Seemed to rein in whatever words she’d been about to spit and just approached me.
And nearly made my heart stop dead with shock as she said, “You look beautiful.”
2.) Nesta didn’t know Feyre couldn’t read, so if I see one more post using “Nesta didn’t teach Feyre how to read,” as another example of how Nesta abused her, I’ll scream. There are a lot of other examples to show her abuse, but not this one. Nesta clearly wanted to teach Feyre how to read if she knew she couldn’t.
“I didn’t know you couldn’t really read,” Nesta said as she paused before a nondescript section, noticing the way I silently sounded out the words of a title. “I didn’t know where you were in your lessons—when it all happened. I assumed you could read as easily as us.”
“Well, I couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you ask us to teach you?”
I trailed a finger over the neat row of spines. “Because I doubted you would agree to help.”
Nesta stiffened like I’d hit her, coldness blooming in those eyes. She tugged a book from a shelf. “Amren said Rhysand taught you to read.”
My cheeks heated. “He did.” And there, deep beneath the world, with only darkness for company, I asked, “Why do you push everyone away but Elain?” Why have you always pushed me away?
Some emotion guttered in her eyes. Her throat bobbed. Nesta shut her eyes for a moment, breathing in sharply. “Because—”
2b) The reason why I highlighted the last part is because I think Nesta is showing shame here. I think she is ashamed of what she did, and she can’t be ashamed of her actions unless she knows her actions were wrong. Like I said up top, an abuser who can’t change is one who doesn’t see their actions as wrong; Nesta sees her actions as wrong.
3.) When they’re running from the Ravens the King of Hybern sent to kidnap Nesta, we see a moment of trust between the sisters that I don’t think we’ve ever seen anywhere else in the entire series. I love this because it highlights their growing trust in one another.
“I gripped Nesta’s fingers in my free hand. She glanced at me.
I need you to trust me, I tried to convey to her.
Nesta read the emotion in my eyes—and gave the barest dip of her chin.”
4.) In that cabin, Nesta basically left Feyre to fend for herself. In this excerpt of them escaping the Ravens, you see Nesta not wanting to leave Feyre.
“Run toward the light,” I breathed to Nesta. “I’ll hold them off.”
“No.”
. . . . .
We didn’t have time—for whatever was down here to find us. We didn’t have time—
“Run,” I breathed. “Please.”
She hesitated.
“Please,” I begged her, my voice breaking.”
5.) So many people try to shit on Nesta for trying to cross the wall but not actually crossing it because she couldn’t find a hole, which I think is so stupid cause it’s not her fault if she couldn’t find one. You can tell from this quote that even the simple act of trying meant the world to Feyre, so I hate it when people try to diminish what she did.
“Rhys stared her down. But Nesta looked to me—and I could have sworn fear shone there, and guilt and … some other feeling. “You told me to run.”
“You’re my sister,” was all I said. She’d once tried to cross the wall to save me.”
5b) An extra scene from ACOTAR to show ya’ll just how much this meant to Feyre:
“My hands slackened at my sides. “You went after me,” I said. “You went after me—to Prythian.”
“I got to the wall. I couldn’t find a way through.”
I raised a shaking hand to my throat. “You trekked two days there and two days back—through the winter woods?”
She shrugged, looking at the sliver she’d pried from the table. “I hired that mercenary from town to bring me a week after you were taken. With the money from your pelt. She was the only one who seemed like she would believe me.”
“You did that—for me?”
Nesta’s eyes—my eyes, our mother’s eyes—met mine. “It wasn’t right,” she said again. Tamlin had been wrong when we’d discussed whether my father would have ever come after me—he didn’t possess the courage, the anger. If anything, he would have hired someone to do it for him. But Nesta had gone with that mercenary. My hateful, cold sister had been willing to brave Prythian to rescue me.
“What happened to Tomas Mandray?” I asked, the words strangled.
“I realized he wouldn’t have gone with me to save you from Prythian.”
And for her, with that raging, unrelenting heart, it would have been a line in the sand.
I looked at my sister, really looked at her, at this woman who couldn’t stomach the sycophants who now surrounded her, who had never spent a day in the forest but had gone into wolf territory … Who had shrouded the loss of our mother, then our downfall, in icy rage and bitterness, because the anger had been a lifeline, the cruelty a release. But she had cared—beneath it, she had cared, and perhaps loved more fiercely than I could comprehend, more deeply and loyally. “Tomas never deserved you anyway,” I said softly.
My sister didn’t smile, but a light shone in her blue-gray eyes. “Tell me everything that happened,” she said—an order, not a request.
So I did.
And when I finished my story, Nesta merely stared at me for a long while before asking me to teach her how to paint.”
5c) Remember how in the beginning of ACOTAR Nesta insulted Feyre’s paintings? A couple hundred pages later she just asked Feyre to teach her. Nesta was already progressing (albeit at a snails pace I know) in ACOTAR, before anything had really happened.
6.) Back to ACOWAR, in this excerpt Nesta is asking Feyre why she didn’t hesitate going into the Battle of Adriata. I think the reason Nesta asks this question is because in the cabin, Nesta thought Feyre was trying to help their family in order to gain power over them, rather than an act of selflessness. It forces Nesta to think about her actions in the past, and, in the hopes of doing better, she decides to go to the High Lords meeting with them to fight alongside them. Feyre’s selflessness inspired Nesta to do better, and Nesta took the opportunity to do so. This is growth.
“Nesta only spoke when I rose to my feet. “You’re going to that meeting in two days.”
“Yes.”
I braced myself for whatever she intended to say.
Nesta glanced toward the front windows, as if still waiting, still watching.
“You went off into battle. Without a second thought. Why?”
“Because I had to. Because people needed help.”
Her blue-gray eyes were near-silver in the trickle of morning light. But Nesta said nothing else, and after waiting for another moment, I left, winnowing up to the House for my flying lesson with Azriel.”
. . . . .
“I felt Cassian’s attention slide to us, felt them all look as Nesta said, “I’m going with you.”
No one said anything.
Nesta only lifted her chin. “I …” I’d never seen her stumble for words. “I do not want to be remembered as a coward.”
“No one would say that,” I offered quietly.
“I would.” Nesta surveyed us all, her gaze jumping past Cassian. Not to slight him, but … avoid answering the look he was giving her. Approval—more. “It was some distant thing,” she said. “War. Battle. It … it’s not anymore. I will help, if I can. If it means … telling them what happened.”
“You’ve given enough,” I said, my dress rustling as I braved a solitary step toward her. “Amren claimed you were close to mastering whatever skill you need. You should stay—focus on that.”
“No.” The word was steady, clear. “A day or two delay with my training won’t make any difference. Perhaps by the time we return, Amren will have decoded that spell in the Book.” She shrugged with a shoulder. “You went off to battle for a court you barely know—who barely see you as friends. Amren showed me the blood ruby. And when I asked you why … you said because it was the right thing. People needed help.” Her throat bobbed. “No one is going to fight to save the humans beneath the wall. No one cares. But I do.” She toyed with a fold in her dress. “I do.”
7.) In front of the entire IC and all the High Lords, Nesta makes it clear that she wouldn’t have survived those years in the cabin without her sister. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is the first time she’s ever even acknowledged or spoken about it.
“She looked to Kallias and Viviane. “I am sorry for the loss of those children. The loss of one is abhorrent.” She shook her head. “But beneath the wall, I witnessed children—entire families—starve to death.” She jerked her chin at me. “Were it not for my sister … I would be among them.”
My eyes burned, but I blinked it away.”
8.) When Nesta senses something wrong at the High Lords meeting, she comes so close to saying she cares for Feyre, and cares for her safety. Cause really, the only person there who she would admit to caring about would be her sister (I know Cassian is there but she wouldn’t have admitted that lets be honest lmao). Also, in the first book Nesta was very selfish and only cared (outwardly) about herself and Elain. We see her being selfless here.
“Something is wrong,” Nesta insisted.
“I’m not doubting you feel that way but … If none of the others are picking it up—”
“I am not like the others.” Her throat bobbed. “We need to leave.”
“I can send you back to Velaris, but we have things to discuss here—”
“I don’t care about me, I—”
9.) Book one Nesta wouldn’t pick up a pinky to help anyone or anything, but in ACOWAR she basically becomes a medic. She gets her hand dirty.
“No, Nesta only made sure that Elain was dozing in her tent, and then offered to help cut up linen for bandages.”
. . . . .
“How do I fix it?” she asked. Her hair had been tied in a loose knot atop her head earlier in the day, and in the hours that we’d worked to ready and distribute supplies to the healers, through the heat and humidity, stray tendrils had come free to curl about her temple, her nape. Faint color had stained her cheeks from the sun, and her forearms, bare beneath the sleeves she’d rolled up, were flecked with mud.
. . . . .
“I helped with the wounded long into the night, Mor and Nesta working alongside me.“
10.) When Nesta was pacing outside of the tent waiting to hear about Cassian’s condition, Mor attacks her again for literally caring about his well being. And Nesta, again, bites her tongue, says nothing, and walks away. I’m currently working on another post that goes in depth about the relationship between Nesta and Mor, but the point of this excerpt is to highlight how Nesta’s immediate response is to no longer bite back when someone comes after her. That being cold and bitchy all the time isn’t worth it (although I do think Nesta would be in the right here to say something back if she wanted to).
“I squinted at the watery light—the very last before true dark. When my vision adjusted … Nesta stood by the nearest tent, an empty water bucket between her feet. Her hair a damp mess atop her mud-flecked head. Watching us emerge, grim-faced—
“He’s fine. Healed and awake,” I said quickly.
Nesta’s shoulders sagged a bit.
She’d saved me the trouble of hunting her down to ask her about tracking the Cauldron. Better to do it now, with some privacy. Especially before Amren arrived.
But Mor said coldly, “Shouldn’t you be refilling that bucket?”
Nesta went stiff. Sized up Mor. But Mor didn’t flinch from that look.
After a moment, Nesta picked up her bucket, mud caked up to her shins, and continued on, steps squelching.”
11.) When the sisters slept beside each other after Elain was saved, Feyre points out how different they sleep now. Instead of fighting with one another over the space, they held onto each other. This symbolizes their growing togetherness and how before, they were against each other, and now, they’re a team.
“A moment later, another warm body nestled on my left. Nesta’s scent drifted over me, fire and steel and unbending will.
Distantly, I heard Rhys usher everyone out—to join him in checking on Azriel, now under Thesan’s care.
I didn’t know how long my sisters and I lay there together, just like we had once shared that carved bed in that dilapidated cottage. Then—back then, we had kicked and twisted and fought for any bit of space, any breathing room.
But that morning, as the sun rose over the world, we held tight. And did not let go.”
12.) Nesta tells them to use her as bait to get the King of Hybern away from the cauldron. Literally a suicide mission. Probably the most selfless act she’s done this entire series.
Nesta stared toward that armada, toward our father fighting in it. “Use me. As bait.”
I blinked at the same moment Cassian said, “No.”
Nesta ignored him. “The king is probably waiting beside that Cauldron. Even if you get there, you’ll have him to contend with. Draw him out. Draw him far away. To me.”
13.) Nesta doesn’t stop fighting the King of Hybern after already spending all her power trying to do so. She starts to lure him away from Cassiand and the cauldron in order to buy Feyre more time.
“Nesta rushed to him, kneeling.
Not to comfort.
But to pick up his Illyrian blade.
Cassian tried to stop her as she stood. As Nesta lifted that sword before the King of Hybern.
She said nothing. Only held her ground.
The king chuckled and angled his own blade. “Shall I see what the Illyrians taught you?”
He was upon her before she could lift the sword higher.
Nesta jumped back, clipping his sword with her own, eyes flaring wide. The king lunged again, and Nesta again dodged and retreated through the trees.
Leading him away—away from Cassian.
She managed to draw him another few feet before the king grew bored.
In two movements, he had her disarmed. In another, he struck her across the face, so hard she went down.
Cassian cried out her name, trying again to crawl to her.
The king only sheathed his sword, towering over her as she pushed off the ground. “Well? What else do you have?”
Nesta turned over, and threw out a hand.
White, burning power shot out of her palm and slammed into his chest.
A ploy. To get him close. To lower his guard.
Her power sent him flying back, trees snapping under him. One after another after another.
The Cauldron seemed to settle. All that was left—that was it. All that was left of her power.”
14.) Do I even have to say it?
“Nesta surged to her feet, staggering across the clearing, blood at her mouth from where he’d hit her, and threw herself to her knees before Cassian. “Get up,” she sobbed, hauling at his shoulder. “Get up.”
He tried—and failed.
“You’re too heavy,” she pleaded, but still tried to raise him, fingers scrabbling in his black, bloodied armor. “I can’t—he’s coming—”
“Go,” Cassian groaned.
Her power had stopped hurling the king across the forest. He now stalked toward them, brushing off splinters and leaves from his jacket—taking his time. Knowing she would not leave. Savoring the awaiting slaughter.
Nesta gritted her teeth, trying to haul Cassian up once more. A broken sound of pain ripped from him. “Go! ” he barked at her.
“I can’t,” she breathed, voice breaking. “I can’t.”
The same words Rhys had given him.
Cassian grunted in pain, but lifted his bloodied hands—to cup her face. “I have no regrets in my life, but this.” His voice shook with every word. “That we did not have time. That I did not have time with you, Nesta.”
She didn’t stop him as he leaned up and kissed her—lightly. As much as he could manage.
Cassian said softly, brushing away the tear that streaked down her face, “I will find you again in the next world—the next life. And we will have that time. I promise.”
The King of Hybern stepped into that clearing, dark power wafting from his fingertips.
And even the Cauldron seemed to pause in surprise—surprise or some … feeling as Nesta looked at the king with death twining around his hands, then down at Cassian.
And covered Cassian’s body with her own.
Cassian went still—then his hand slid over her back.
Together. They’d go together.
I will offer you a bargain, I said to the Cauldron. I will offer you my soul. Save them.
“Romantic,” the king said, “but ill-advised.”
Nesta did not move from where she shielded Cassian’s body.”
15.) Nesta killed the King of Hybern. Killed their biggest foe, the person who was going to rip apart their entire world. I know Elain stabbed him, but as she herself put it:
“Elain fell into step beside me, peering at Lucien. He noticed it. “I heard you made the killing blow,” he said.
Elain studied the trees ahead. “Nesta did. I just stabbed him.”
16.) And finally, Nesta walks in side by side with Feyre into the treaty meeting. This also symbolizes the bond they’ve been forming with each other, that goes beyond just sisterhood.
“I offered my hand to my sister. “I want you here for this. With me.”
Nesta considered that outstretched hand. For a moment, I thought she’d walk away.
But she slid her hand into mine, and together we walked into that room crammed with humans and Fae. Both parts of this world. All parts of this world.”
All these examples show a different Nesta than the Nesta in book one. She has become selfless, more aware of her own actions, and grown up.
To close this out, it was so painful reading ACOFAS because of the regression of Nesta and Feyre’s relationship when they were going down such a good path. I think the reason why SJM made Nesta go down an even darker hole than Feyre (not trauma wise, I’m not comparing the two, but recovery wise) is because she wanted to show another example of how trauma can have an effect on people.
All of the IC are still healing, but they’re all healing relatively the same way, ie. surrounding themselves with each other and going about business as usual. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, if it works for them then thats amazing.
But it’s disappointing when I read people vilify Nesta for not healing the same way, and not wanting to interact with the IC, or for distancing herself from her sisters. Like, it’s obvious she’s hurting, and I don’t even think she knows how to heal herself or knows what to do. People who are severely depressed don’t know how to get out of it, so calling her a bitch for not wanting their help is so tone deaf and narrow minded. No one is a terrible person for pushing people away. The girl has just literally become a shell of herself.
When people say Nesta stans are “glorifying abuse” because they like Nesta, it’s sad because they really just relate to Nesta’s depression. They relate to her feeling devoid of feeling, and relate to how she pushes those closest to her away because she doesn’t know how to deal with her pain. Most importantly, they saw all of the examples I listed when reading, and saw Nesta growing and evolving, and they want to see her become a better person. They want to see her fight and confront her own demons.
It’s not about discarding her abusive behavior. It’s about confronting it and hoping she learns and grows from it.
#nesta#nesta archeron#acotar#acowar#a court of thorns and roses#feyre#acosf#a court of silver flames#sjm
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With each passing day i just realize how much i hate nessian. I think Cassian and Nesta would be much better off without each other. The union of the two limited them both, but Cassian was the one who lost the most.
It is unbelievable to think that Cassian in over 500 years did not learn to play the game of thrones (or to behave like a courtier) when he had to face all the Illyrian contradictions during all that time being mainly a conflict mediator. Not just using your strengths, but your brain.
Cassian also stayed in Velaris for almost 50 years taking on the role of Rhysand alongside Mor, Az and Amaren. So you’re telling me that Cass with all these experiences didn’t learn or didn’t want to behave like a player? I know that he is immortal, that the idea of time for him is different, but saying that he didn’t learn anything about political relations, bluffing or how to deal with conflicts is ridiculous and makes all Illyrians look like ignorant people that you don’t you need to use your brain, just physical strength.
But that was never what the narrative in the books showed, Cassian was simply a conflict mediator so how suddenly does Cassian not know how to act coolly with Eris? I understand that there is a story between them because of Mor, even so, Cassian should be used to Eris' cunning. All this just so that Nesta has a role in how to teach Cassian how to make poker face.
Cassian who has a much greater experience than her on politics, after all this is the person who participated and survived two wars and always walked with the best players of Prynthian. And he doesn't even have to be like Rhysand, as in many moments the acosf narrative has put it as a behavior parameter for Cassian. Cassian just needed to be himself and act on his own experiences. He could be a great observer for example, rather than a stupid person who talks too much during a political meeting and that needs to be taught by Nesta how to face guys like Eris. Eris that he has known for years!
So I just hated his development, Cassian was restricted to being Nesta's coach and her friend with benefits. His traumas and experiences were shaped to suit Nesta. On the other hand, I just always hated it when he wanted to have what Rhysand had with Feyre. It gave me the horrible feeling that Nesta had to make Cassian happy, being her mate, adjusting her body, being a warrior and probably a general. I'm just exhausted from the ACOTAR series, I still read it because I'm in love with Rhys and Feyre, but acosf made me really want to just drop everything. The situations for the most part were just ridiculous, the conclusions to the conflicts were unreal or lazy and one of my favorite characters was completely ruined to provide a plot line for a character that I particularly hate. The same goes for Nesta, she could have done a lot more had she not been limited to Cassian.
This is not an anti post Nesta, but I will use this tag as always, because I hate interacting with your stans
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Metaphorical Rape in ACOMAF
Rape tw. This post is an anti, nit-picking one. So please, if you are just going to fight against it, don’t even read it, (especially if you are a stan who cannot see the ugliness in the clear rape). This has been tagged as anti! If I have a stan who comes here pulling the “it was in my tag” stuff, well—you’re utterly wrong, stop trying to get into fights with people who know how to enjoy a book and yet see it as majorly/minorly problematic.
So, I’m about to start a course on creative writing and it has been broken up into three different categories: romance, horror and science-fiction. And I’ve basically been reading all the given articles and essays that they’ve suggested will help us pass the topic.
The current one I’ve been reading for the romance genre is solely focused on discussing the difference between “old school” and “new school” romances. Unfortunately, there is a whole heap of rape discourse in it that I’m having to claw my way through.
After this whole issue in regards to the sexism/homophobia/racism portrayed in some of Sarah J Maas’ writings, her stories are the only thing coming into mind. I’m still having trouble finding ACOTAR/ACOMAF as bad as the t*g series... however, I did notice this one thing.
The article, by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan: A Brief History of the Romance Novel. 2009.
Though they suggest that the ‘rapist’ in old school romance has died, they also bring up the topic that—actually, it’s not gone from any of our romances. It’s actually moved on into more genres, especially that of paranormal (which you could easily add fantasy into).
The metaphorical rape we’re talking about here is “...in which heroines are often changed or transformed without their consent, even against their express wishes, by the hero.” (Heroine being, generally, female. Hero being, generally, the knight in shining armour—some male character.)
At first I rolled my eyes, thinking how stupid a protagonist could really be to hate becoming an immortal vampire, (sure, you’d hate the fact you can’t go into sunlight... have to survive on blood...) But, then I realised this is exactly what happened to Nesta and Elain. It’s hard to say whether Feyre was in a similar situation, whether she was as apparent to hating the Fae—and I’m not going to make any assumptions as it has been a while since reading the books.
But Nesta hates the Fae. She finds her sister disgusting, from what I remember. To me, Nesta is that sister who would throw you out for dating someone that was a different race... which, she kind of does, in a sense.
But Nesta herself, as well as Elain, both go through this ‘metaphorical rape’ or non-consented transformation that they truly expressed their hatred for. To reach, it mimics a person “giving themselves” to someone unwillingly in some metaphorical sense. If I’m going to prove my point about this fact—that yes, it may not be that they were raped by a man or woman, they were forced to become something they didn’t want, then here is some excerpts from the novel that show both Elain and Nesta did—not—want—this. (From the UK Paperback).
- Page 603: Elain was shaking, sobbing, as she was hauled forward. Toward the Cauldron.
Nest began thrashing against the men that held her.
Hell, even Tamlin said stop. Even he could see that this was wrong—and since when does he seem to have cared about a woman..?
- Page 604: Elain’s foot hit the water, and she screamed—screamed in terror that hit me so deep I began sobbing.
Nesta was still fighting [as you would], still roaring through her gag.
- Page 605: ...all I could think of was my Father. What he would do, what he would say, when his most beloved daughter looked at him with a Fae face.
This one annoyed me the most, having to re-read it my immediate thought was how selfish it was for Feyre to think that. Her sister was just forced to do something against her will and yet, yet all she can think about was, “Boy, Dad is gonna be super upset.” Rather than, “Elain, I am here for you. Our father is here for you, and Nesta will be too.”
To have a plot move forward by the rape, physical or metaphorical, is absolutely disgusting and I’m upset with myself for not noticing it sooner. To say that the females in this book bring upon us some amazing feminism and storylines that go against the stereotypes, I can’t say I agree with that. Old school romances were built on rape of the virginal heroine.
Unfortunately, Sarah J Maas has included it in her works as well. Whether it was intentional or not... I’m still disappointed, in all honesty.
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stans are actually very funny bc they often time talk themselves into the weirdest corners.
the whole point of criticizing acosf and its handling of nesta's character is to prove the point that sjm...doesn't like nesta as a character. that's is literally THE point - that sjm often abandons her moral themes (abuse, trauma, assault, etc.,) for character's deemed as undesirable or villainous to a capacity - and its through the handling of those 'vilified' (i.e. main character opposed - not even villianous) that we can gauge the extent to which sjm actually believes the ideals of her story. like - it is alarming that the only tolerable, empathetic parts of the a court of silver flames were the moments you could tell where ripped straight from sjm's own life (the hiking, training, mind-stilling etc.,). any actual characteristics about nesta weren't explored...like at all. her relationship with feyre and elain, with her mother, her trauma from her sexual assault, her conflicted relationship with her grandmother, her life before the cabin, her life during the cabin. in 800 pages - i still don't know mama archeron's name. what was life like in the cabin? what did nesta do all day? what was the dynamic? what was going on between elain and nesta?i don't know anything about her and nesta, we don't know anything about nesta's human life, her conversation with clare bedor, her relationship with clare beddor, moments with her dad - not even touching moments with him (and part of this story is her finding love for her dad). mind you we read 800+ pages and we learned absolutely nothing about her.
we essentially read sjm's emotional journey in one part, and a taming of the shrew narrative in another. i think the only way sjm had genuine interest in exploring nesta's story is through essentially self-inserting herself and avoiding the actual plot-points she set up in the first three books. like did nesta have childhood friends? if losing the wealth so drastically affected her life wouldn't she reminisce about it a lot? would she yearn for her mother? who were her childhood friends, how did she function at court?
and the whole point of saying alll of that is to argue the misuse of these topics - serious discussions abuse are only reserved for certain situation, and others its completely undermined in a way that only reinforces the negative ideals to begin with. (i.e. nesta needs to abused bc..." "the intervention was harsh but" - pair that with discussion around what feyre needed in acomaf - and it makes much more sense).
nesta antis often jump between the fact that nesta is so favored that sjm nerfed feysand to 'redeem her' and arguing that sjm secretly does everything in her power to embarrass and secretly laugh at people who like nesta's character. (1) we've gotta pick one or the other (2) in my humble opinion - sjm would have always given feyre a pregnancy plot like this regardless of whether this was nesta's book or elain. its literally so sjm. im shocked people are surprised she pulled the pregnancy as she did.
as with the tamlin discussion we had under this post - i think the story undermines its discussion of abuse with feyre/tam by essentially insinuating that tamlin (when placed in the same victimized position as feyre) should have sucked it up and braved out his abuse with amarantha (and the same with rhysand as well - esp with the deliberate foil of rhysand's 'willingness' v. tamlin's unwillingness). and when we start to have a real conversation ultilizing our own irl analysis and standards we really see how harmful and rather sisyphean the conversation becomes. instead of engaging with these topics earnestly, they only engage in them to prove a point - which is how the issue began in the first place. the whole issue with rhysand isn't the fact that he engages with harmful, potentially villainous positions. no - its that the book wants to prove that tamlin is wrong by justifying rhysand's actions. so even though rhysand and tamlin almost always have the same written and expressed intentions in their abuse of feyre, the book flocks to justify one, and eschews the other. and thats why we get so much reactionary critcism of rhys that is surface: people only admit the problems because they know antis will, not because they actually believe their are issues in the story.
and perhaps im still speaking into a void here but i can tell there's tension between pro stans wanting to have these serious conversations but understanding they can only really introspect so far until the conversation begin to prod at the validity of the topics being brought forth. so stans have to jump between invalidating the romantasy genre ("its just faeries") and treating this book as a serious topic (cue: "sjm put a hotline in the back of the book"). this is also the exact reason why the racism conversations stall (i.e. why inherent superiority is always passively emphasized - despite cc1 + 2 centering human oppresion there is no human in the ensemble cast. despite the fact that illyrian women are the most oppressed - rhys has no illyrian women - or reg illyrians (not his brothers) in his inner circle. aelin 'sacrificing' her human body).
#anti sjm#anti rhysand#anti feyre#anti acosf#anti feysand#anti sjm: nesta archeron#anti nessian#queue0118
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The way rhysand recreates what happened utm is evidence he didnt actually hated that he was "forced" to assault Feyre (poor rhys). Rhysand stans looove to justify what he did UtM. They feel sorry for HIM, not for feyre, because they think he must have felt so bad ☹ If he feels so bad, then why recreate the same scenario? Sjm likes to fetishize abuse and paint it as a "necessary evil" later. I've read a post about how feyre calls herself in acomaf: the high lord's whore. Interesting. Its such a trigger for rhysand AND feyre (she burned the LoA when Beron called him that) and yet, this is how they portray her.
hi anon!
this. again - i think this is also dependent on how people are choosing to read this story. bc often i find that people who justify these scenes often rely soley on what the book argues at a certain point, rather than actually looking and analyzing how the characters actions reflect against previously established information.
what i mean: if the story argues that rhysand earnestly feels terrible for having to put feyre in that situation utm, then he wouldn't have agreed or offered the con scene. it just would not happen. remorse does not manifest in recreating the very situation that you say caused you distress or shame. its not being introspective.
and this is how we get into what im gonna dub 'toxic canon' (this is a BIG problem in the asoiaf fandom) - where people use canon in a way that isn't comprehensive. if the story says 'this person was forced to do this,' - despite there being no evidence to actually support that "canon" statement." or they use the canon in a way that isn't wholesome, meaning they chunk the canon and do not look at how information given compares against information established.
so the story established that rhys feels sorry for drugging, embarrassing, and sexually assaulting feyre - but the story also have rhys recreate that same environment - which he gets pleasure from. it pleases and arouses him to see feyre back in that position. that negates the feeling of shame - he can't say 'i was forced to do this and i would not do it again if not for the circumstances" and thennnnn have him do that very thing when presented with an actual choice. its looking at a narrow piece of canon and not how that piece of canon actually reflects against the story as a whole.
so we can pick out a quote that says - "rhysand always gives me a choice' but how well does that statement actually reflect the story as a whole? how true is that piece of 'canon' if it is weighed against the events of the story.
its also a conversation about the problems in the romance genre as a whole, where violence is used in a way deemed 'necessary' by the author to negate the severity of the actions. its victim blaming in nature. bc we have to question why is violence against women always a plot point in this story - and why do the stories always use the rhetoric of necessity to support and justify said violence.
and this is why i really never agree with those rabid 'feyre' stans (feysand) stans, because they always analyze the story just this way. they write with the underlying idea that sjm will always agree with them bc they recognize the bias in the writing. they write with the implicit understanding that even if the quotes they use aren't actually supported by the comprehensive events of the story, sjm agrees with them bc she loves feysand (cue the 'feysand is the center of the universe' or the 'why read the books if you hate them') bc you only say anti-intellectual things like that bc you know the story will never actually challenge the characters. or when you know the entire series is catering to them at every turn.
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This might be a big ask idk but I reeeeally don’t wanna sit through ACOSF so I was wondering if you could summarize important events that might carry into the next in series? Like any new characters or world building that might pop up in later books? If not, totally understand. If so, you’d be saving me an entire book’s worth of dealing with Nesta. Either way, thank you for your time! Have a great day!! 🖤
I’m going to throw myself off a bridge I spent 30 minutes typing this post only for it to disappear. Anyways i am very angry but i shall RETYPE EVERYTHING FOR YOU ANON SO PLEASE APPRECIATE ME AND BE NICE TO ME. Also this is going to be a long post made for this ask specifically so if you’ve already read acosf no need to read through this.
1) The conflict with the illyrians that was hinted at in acofas was solved off page and is no longer something that you need to be worried about.
2) Acosf takes place around a year and a half after the war, Nesta isnt doing great so shes brought to the house of wind to train.
3) The human queen Briallyn that was turned fae but came out super old and decrepit is plottin. She wants revenge and power and teams up with Koschei, the sibling of the Carver and the Weaver, to get power and her youth back. He’s trapped at his little lake but gives her the brilliant idea of finding the dread trove.
4) We find out that there are other objects that have been made by the cauldron, three of which stand out against all others. The harp, the mask, and the crown. The harp has 26 strings and can open or close any door, physical or otherwise, the strings go from smallest to longest, the longer strings being the most powerful and unpredictable. Ex: u wanna open the front door but don’t wanna get up? Pluck the very first string. You wanna open a portal to the fuckin.. ducktales universe, pluck the 25th string. The 26th can stop time and whatnot. The crown can control minds at a very powerful scale, like rhys looks like a little chicken next to the crown, we don’t see much of it because for the majority of the book it is with Briallyn. The mask can control and summon the dead, I’m not sure if it can be used to speak to ghosts but we know it can raise actual tangible corpses and control them. Nesta is drawn with these three a lot. Oh oh oh and apparently there are 26 worlds for each of the harps strings (unless i just made that up in my head and am imagining things)
It’s believed that there was once a fourth trove disappeared many moons ago.
5) We discover that the powers Nesta stole from the cauldron were death powers. They seem to be capable of a lot of destruction but outside of that I’m unsure of their uses. At the end of the book she makes a bargain with the cauldron and sacrifices those powers to save Feyre.
6) Feysand has a baby, his name is Nyx and he is born with Illyrian wings. His wings almost kill Feyre as for some reason illyrian women have like wider pelvises and Feyre simply did not have that.
7) Nesta and Cassian are mates and everyone is on good terms by the end of the book. Briallyn is defeated and things are goin well. Nesta and Cassian will be permanently living in the house of wind as Rhys gave it to them after Nesta’s magic gave the magic of the house a personality. Like yk how before they could ask for anything and it’s spelled to give it to them? It’s like that but now it has an attitude and personality.
8) Over the course of the book Nesta becomes close friends with two women. Gwyn, and Emerie. Gwyn is a priestess who lives in the library in the mountain. She was originally one of the priestesses that was attacked in ACOMAF by Hybern when they were looking for the feet of the cauldron. Emerie is an illyrian woman whose wings were clipped, she lives in Windhaven and owns her own shop.
9) We learn about the valkyries, which were a group of all female warriors that existed 500 years ago before they all died fighting in the war. Gwyn introduces Nesta to the valkyries and their history and special breathing techniques. Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie, and many of the other priestesses working in the library train to fight like the valkyries over the course of the book using the written techniques and fighting styles. They successfully revive the group and perform the ribbon ceremony, officially making them valkyries. Nesta leads them and I’d expect to see them in future books.
10) Nesta and her friends are forcibly brought into the blood rite which was rigged by Briallyn to cause problems. This is where Nesta eventually kills her. Gwyn and Emerie won the blood rite, becoming Carynthian, and Nesta becomes Oristian. Carynthian = reached the tippy top. Oristian = made it onto the mountain but not all the way up.
11) Helion has pegasi.. several of them 😌
12) On top of the dread trove, there are two powerful magical swords that were made by the cauldron. Narben and Gwydion. Narbens location is unknown but was believed to have been found by Amarantha and then tossed in the sea when it refused to be wielded by her. Gwydion was the sword of the first high king of prythian. Before there were courts there was a high king, Fionn. He used the sword to free Prythian from monsters called the Daglan that would like hunt and murder and enslave people and were just evil. Gwydion is said to have a twin blade. As of acosf the location of Gwydion is unknown, however more is revealed about it in crescent city. Fionn had like a wife who betrayed him with his general or friend or some shit (i don’t remember) and then dipped out, if you want more about her and him check out the cc3 theories and hosab theories.
13) The harp is found under the prison, it’s resting on an 8 pointed star, which again correlates to CC so I won’t speak on it too much cause i’m unsure what you’ve read. We find out that the prison indeed used to have inhabitants that were betrayed by someone and locked underneath the prison and left to like.. die terribly.
14) It’s looking like Eris is going to be relevant, he appears several times and is currently an ally of the NC. His soldiers were kidnapped by Briallyn and its looking like he has some things to say, specifically in regards to Lucien and Mor. He also has dogs.
15) As a mental health exercise and for training, Cassian takes Nesta to a forge so she can see how swords are made and appreciate the process. The blacksmith gives her a try whacking the hot metal, she thinks very hard during this and spits out some magic into the swords (not literally but yeah). She winds up making the swords into Made objects similar to Narben and Gwydion. One is a long sword, which Nesta names Ataraxia, it’s likely going to be the most relevant. Then one is a dagger and is given to Eris so he shuts his yap, and the other is like a medium sized sword?
Uhmm these are the most important things! But really focus on the stuff related to the dread trove. And just be prepared for fighter Nesta.
If you want to understand the next books you will need to read CC though, unfortunately. I haven’t read the first book since like,, it came out, and i’m barely halfway through the second. I think yaz-the-bookish has made posts talking about them but don’t quote me on that.
If I think of anything more I’ll reblog this post again with additional pieces of info.
If you’d like to hear my complains about acosf and the character development in it as a nesta anti, feel free to send another ask :)
#anti nesta#i’m not actually sure what to tag this but it’s getting anti tags cause i’d rather not tag it nesta and have her stans coming onto my blog#acosf#acosf summary#pro feyre#feyre#feyre archeron#my posts#asks
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