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oristian · 16 days

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ELUCIEN vs VASSIEN | MAASVERSE SPOILERS

People truly think that Lucien Vanserra, the most loyal to a fault male in this entire series, is going to up and pick Vassa over his mate? Lucien “moon on a string” Vanserra is going to pick a human female over his mate when the bond has not even been explored yet?

The bond between Elain and Lucien has not canonically been explored yet and would have to be explored in a book shared between their POVs. Vassa is mortal and Lucien picking her would mean that one of them would have to give up their life as they know it—Vassa would have to either give up her entire kingdom and life in the mortal lands to be with Lucien in Prythian, or Lucien would have to give up his entire life in Prythian to move to the mortal lands to be with her. The ACOTAR series does not yet support that a fae could give up their immortality, and we do not have enough evidence to support that Vassa would want to give up her mortality. That means that Lucien would lose Vassa in only a handful of decades when she grows old. Romantic, right?

Vassa, who is trying desperately to break her curse. Vassa, who is now the last willing Queen for the mortal lands as two sisters are dead and the others have run away. Vassa, who has endgame-written dialogue with Jurian.

“But, how can Elain and Lucien possibly get together in one book when they can’t even be around each other?”

💜 Feysand — Feyre hated Rhysand at first and fell in love with him throughout ACOMAF. It took them one book to go from enemies, to friends, to lovers.

🖤 Quinlar — Similar to above. Bryce and Hunt were indifferent towards each other and, throughout the book, grew into sexual attraction which then grew into romantic attraction. One book.

💛 DayNight — Reminder that at the end of CC2, Ruhn found out who Lidia truly was and he saw her as both an enemy and a betrayer. It took them interacting in HOFAS to fix that “enemies to lovers” trope between them.

— Other notable mentions: Chaol and Yrene both met, fell in love, got married, and got pregnant all within the same book. Nesryn and Sartag met and got together in one book. Elide and Lorcan had a falling out and ended up getting together in one book. Nessian may have had distinct scenes in other books, but their relationship grew in one book.

— Also, saying that Elain is currently tied to Azriel and cannot possibly fall in love with Lucien is once again disproven by how SJM writes. Aelin was with Sam, Dorian and Chaol all before Rowan. Rowan was with another woman and she was pregnant before Aelin. Dorian was with Aelin and Sorscha before Manon. Elain was also with Graysen before both Azriel and Lucien. Nesta was with other men before Cassian physically and was going to be engaged to Tomas. Feyre was with Isaac and Tamlin before Rhysand. Bryce was going to be with Conner before Hunt. Chaol was with Aelin before Yrene. The list goes on and on.

Saying that Elain and Lucien will not be able to fall in love within one book lacks evidence to support that argument. This is how SJM typically writes her couples. This is also the first mating bond that we’ve seen where both parties are aware of said bond. Even if SJM was going down the rejected bond trope, she doesn’t have enough time left in the series to successfully explore it AND we would need both Elain and Lucien in the same book to be able to gain both POVs of such a thing happening. To even think that Lucien, if he is rejected, will immediately get with Vassa when we know that rejected bonds affect the males more lacks water.

#sjm is a gwynriel and elucien shipper #elucien endgame #elucien supremacy #pro elucien #gwynriel #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #elain and lucien #pro lucien #pro elain #anti elriel #acotar #sjm #sjm universe #maasverse #vassa acotar #anti vassien

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nikethestatue · 3 months

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I know that sometimes the people in this fandom can come up with the worst takes in existence, but I think if you have a considerable number of people questioning if a mated pair who have already had their HEA are going to remain together or break their bond, then maybe the writer hasn't done such a great job with their romance. No one could ever doubt that Feysand and Rowaelin (and also Quinlar imo, but I know not everyone agrees) are going to stay happily together forever, but Nessian? They're not a side couple like Elorcan or even Daynight, they had a whole 800 pages to themselves and yet I'm less sold on their romance than I was in ACOWAR. Maybe it's just me, but a man in a romance book with split loyalties who isn't willing to swing for his girls 100% is unattractive to me. If I have to read about Az appreciating Mor's beauty I might just gauge my eyes out, if he doesn't stand up to Rhys at least ONCE the book is over for me.

So here is what I think happened--I feel like large chunks of info are missing, because of the re-write. I feel like like there is information that was there, whole scenes, which SJM took out. I also think that the 7 million bonuses that we got were originally in the book. I think they were part of the first draft.

There is absolutely, 100% something missing from Cassian/Nesta interactions, because I think they were cut. That line in the Ember and Randall bonus, where Nesta looked at Cassian and then thought that he was the one she was disappointing the most--that screams a missing scene.

I won't be surprised if we get something in the next book, which will say that Cassian KNEW that she was giving the Mask to Bryce, and that he implored that she didn't do it, but then agreed with her in the end, and hence, the scene between all of them yelling at each other reads so weirdly.

Or he warned her not to do it, and she did it anyway, and was now feeling guilty.

It sucks but I have to chuck some of it to the awful editing of this book, and the fact that it was rewritten, carved up, stitched back together and we got a Frankenstein monster now.

I dont think that the bonus scenes were simply a money grab--I think SJM wanted to include them and build a fuller picture for all of these couples and interactions.

Like if we think about the Azriel bonus in ACOSF, it reads like a bonus, because it's not from Nesta's POV, she isn't even present, it's from a completely different POV, kind of random, dealing with things which have nothing to do with Nesta as the MC.

However, the Az/Nesta/Bryce bonus, for example, definitely feels like it was part of the book, and not as a bonus. It was very organic and within the rest of the overall scene, also dealing with what SJM originally promised--the differences and advances in Midgard vs Prythian.

Basically, what i am trying to say is that I am not taking HOFAS as any indicator for the Nessian relationship. I think it's just a cut up mess, and I think initially Cassian played a bigger role, which was thrown away.

I mean. let's remember, people also hated Quinlar and thought that Bryce would end up with Az.

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bookofmirth · 4 months

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I know most didn't doubt quinlar, but now that we know they've made it to endgame does this make elucien look even more promising to you? elriels should be worried, sjm really does love her fated mates. As an elucien, I guess I'm just really happy right now. Also, this means sjm was being completely honest in her interview last September when she confirmed quinlar are mates mates, so I hope this narrative that she is intentionally deceitful with the fanbase stops.

yeah people doubting quinlar was a weird fever dream, but at least that one was over relatively quick.

Look, they should have been worried from day one, but... here we are. She gave Bryaxis a mate. She made a joke about the House of Wind getting a mate. She's already told us what happens when a mating bond is rejected and it's bad shit. Every single book describes the mating bond as being the end-all-be-all of romance. Every single character (who grew up fae) wants one. They revere it. Every single book that comes out there are more mates and they are always endgame, it's just evidence on evidence and I guess if people want to ignore that... well that's their business.

I agree that she's not deceitful - people just have crazy expectations that don't match up with the reality of the type of author she is.

#antielriel #ask #anon #it's been almost 8 years of this lol #hofas spoilers #house of flame and shadow spoilers #spoilers #house of flame and shadow

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acourtofthought · 8 months

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I'm 100% reading the next ACOTAR books (even if it's an E/riel book, I'll give it a shot even though I have 0 interest in them as a couple) and I have no idea who the next one is about but I can't help but hope for an Elucien book :(

I like Elain and I want to learn more about her, but Lucien has been one of my favorite characters since book 1 and I want his POV so badly. I'm almost convinced they're next. I feel like there's no urgency for Gwyn and Azriel's story, since Gwyn was just introduced in the previous book and Az has only just begun to get over Mor.

Though I'm petty and I hope Gwyn and Lucien are somehow related lol there's no way she won't like him

I want to tackle your last comment first.

Can I tell you how much I cackle at the thought of Gwyn being related to Lucien which means Az would then be Lucien's in-law? 😂😂😂 And Lucien having a whole "but are you good enough for my cousin / niece, etc?" moment? I'm sure SJM would never write that but I take delight in it from time to time.

On to the rest....

I'm with you, I will absolutely read an E/riel book if that's what SJM writes and I'm sure I'll enjoy it well enough (though right now, I also have no interest in a book about them). I don't absolutely love the Crescent City series but I like Quinlar together (even though they aren't in my top SJM favorite couples). TOD wasn't my favorite TOG book but I still liked who ended up with who. SF isn't my favorite ACOTAR novel but I still like Nessian together.

Something I feel SJM does so well is write spectacular romance. I'm not even talking about the smut, I'm talking about the way she takes two people, places them in one another's orbits but throws a whole bunch of shit their way before they actually fall in love. Her romances feel so real to me, they build so beautifully (no insta-love which I struggle with) so by the time they get together, the depth of feelings between them seems powerful. And she never writes that awkward teenage love stage between her endgame couples. They're not silly and giddy or shy around one another as they're falling in love. They act like adults who communicate, call one another out and throw hard truths at each other, talking about the deep stuff.

So if E/riel is endgame, she will give them that treatment.

I've yet to see it in their interactions though (especially when you consider neither party is against chatting with the other) which is a huge part of why I don't think they're happening.

But Elucien would be on a whole other level.

Imagine SJM giving us an entire book of two people whose strengths lie, not in their skills as a warrior (though Lucien does have that going for him when necessary) but in how clever they both are? How observant they are? How good they are at getting what they want because they're just so good at knowing exactly what to say to people? Where people are ready to hand them over whatever they want because they're just so damn likeable? How no one has any idea what the hell they're thinking half the time because they're always so polite and well mannered, they rarely lash out, yet you know they must have a million and one things going through their mind and you just know that under the surface there's this incredible passionate side to them that they only share with one another?

Everyone wins with an Elucien endgame. Az because he can get his own mate. Elain and Lucien so they aren't forced to feel a tug to one another for eternity. Feyre because her first friend in Prythian becomes her brother-in-law. Rhys because he gets connections all over (listen, it's a valid reason for a High Lord). Nesta because she knows that Lucien would never be disloyal to her sister and knows Elain would never struggle with the tug of an unfulfilled bond. Cassian because he already feels bad seeing Lucien's disappointment.

This part Gwynriels may want to turn away from because they won't like it as much (nothing bad, just in regards to the next book) 😬🙈

Lucien's story has been building since book 1. Now only that but SJM has been thinking about Lucien's story long enough that she completely retconned his father in book 2, the same time she began planning for Elain's future journey. She continued setting up for their novel in book 3 when she introduced Koschei and Vassa. She again continued setting up their journey in the novella when she told us how much of a concern it is that Springs borders have been left unenforced (a plot we know would be related to Lucien considering he told Feyre it's not that he doesn't want to return to Spring, it's that he can't because of her schemes). She set them up even more in SF by telling us how Spring had been made for someone like Elain, by telling us Lucien is now permanently stationed there, by introducing the idea of Elain traveling to the continent south of the tulip fields and having Lucien set his sights on Koschei in the same part of the continent. We have Feyre say they'll help one sister before helping the other, we have Lucien showing powers of a High Lord and we have Elain finally standing up for herself as well as Amren and Rhys telling us that Elain is ready for more.

Az and Gwyn featured heavily in SF because they are Nesta and Cassian's best friends and Nesta's journey was about her learning who she was outside of Elain. But that doesn't mean anything we learned about them needs resolved before Elucien's story needs resolved.

Lucien's internal struggles were introduced in his POV in ACOWAR. Az's internal struggles were introduced in ACOSF. Elain's trauma was presented to us in ACOMAF. Gwyn's trauma was presented to us in ACOSF.

Now all these characters traumas are equally valid and equally difficult for them to overcome, they all deserve their stories to be told. However, I'm not sure why Gwynriels story should trump that of Elucien's when Elucien has been waiting their turn since books 1 and 2. We have witnessed their traumas occurring on page throughout the series, Lucien being SA, abused by Tamlin, his mates indifference, being chased out of Spring, fighting in his first war, his brothers trying to kill him again. We've seen Elain's kidnapping (twice), her being held down and forced into a Cauldron, her body violated when she was made, the rejection of her fiance, witnessing war, stabbing a man, seeing her father murdered, Az's rejection, knowing her sisters don't believe in her and is probably aware her sisters don't seek her out for anything more than "pleasant companionship",

I think Gwyn is a fantastic character and perfect for Az and I already see the crumbs for them. But.... I do think their story can still wait just a bit because it's not been as long coming.

And I get why SJM had to put Nessian's story first but she's been vocal about her love for Lucien for years now and though his story had to be put on hold for Feyre's and Nesta's, I can't imagine she suddenly just stopped wanting to tell his story. She's built it up in every single book since the start.

I also don't know what she'd do with Elain and Lucien's characters in yet another book that they were not the main POV. We'd have another Solstice of Elain hiding from Lucien. More IC scenes with Elain in the background and SJM having to continue demonstrating how she doesn't quite fit in (which she already did in SF), more scenes of Rhys talking about how they need Spring up and running and how they're worried about what Koschei's up to (things that will only be resolved in an Elucien book). It would all start feeling a bit repetitive.

With that said, I'm not SJM and who knows if her idea of what makes sense matches with my idea of what makes sense. The way I view this could be completely different than hers. There are way more people who think Gwynriel will have ACOTAR 5 so sometimes that makes me wonder if I'm crazy for being so strong in my convictions 😂

#elucien #pro elucien #elucien book

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darklove9314-blog · 3 years

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Reason Why I think Elain and Azriel won’t end up together but Elain and Lucien will

(Disclaimer: I am mutual on both ships. This is just my personal opinion based off SJM’s writing style)

So personally as a ship I don’t mind Elriel, they won’t ever be a favorite ship of mine or one I’m particularly interested in, but I do see the appeal of their story and it’s something I could appreciate if I read it. However, some of the theories I’ve seen of how SJM will pair up Elriel doesn’t tend to match with what SJM likes to write about.

For me SJM’s writing (or rather what she’s trying to go for with her writing) boils down to four things. Enemies to lovers who start our having a mutual dislike for each other, banter, opposites attract, and mating bonds. Most of her main couples fit all these points (Rowaelin, Feysand, Nessian, Quinlar ,with the exception of the mating bond,etc, etc) but the two that don’t fit into that are Elain and Azriel.

Elain and Azriel aren’t enemies to lovers. They start off being fairly civil to one another. Which most SJM pairings don’t. As far as I remember, Elain and Azriel also don’t have banter with one another. (I don’t think the earplugs thing counts, but I’ll give Elain a point for the hilarious inside joke), while you could argue that Elain and Azriel are opposites they also have a fair deal in common, so much so that I don’t think they would grow or learn from each other if they did end up together. (I mean I may be wrong on this who knows with SJM at this point), but they also aren’t mates. Don’t get me wrong, I would also love a story where the two main love interest weren’t mates, but again that’s not SJM’s style. But one thing that fermented the idea they wouldn’t end up together was one scene in ACOSF. It was in this one scene that I decided that they probably wouldn’t be endgame.

In a scene of ACOSF, Elain wants to go after the trove , but Azriel states to Cassian that he doesn’t think Elain should be exposed to the darkness of the trove even though that’s Elain’s choice not his. So not only is he disregarding Elain’s choice, but he’s also thinking that he knows what’s best for her…instead of idk allowing her to make her own choice, She needs someone who won’t disregard her choice to be involved. And this situation also reminds me of how he’s like with Mor as well. Elain like Mor is perfectly capable of defending herself with the right training, but if Azriel keeps holding her back she’ll never become the person she so desperately wants to be. There’s also the factor that Azriel had loved Mor for centuries and had never moved on from her and Elain who just recently had gotten over what happened with Grayson (at least that we know of) but Elain and Azriel do remind me of people who get together for a time just because they want someone so they won’t be lonely. Not because they genuinely have an interest in each other. Or want to help each other grow as individuals. I think it’s attraction and desire not love but that’s just my opinion on that.

Now with the Elucien pairing I feel like SJM is going to pair them together despite their lack of scenes together, because they fit in the criteria SJM writes about. They would be enemies to lovers, because I feel like both have a mutual distaste for each other(yes you can argue that Lucien doesn’t dislike Elain, however he dislikes the bond as much as he does. He probably only wants it fo work because so many other things in his life have been taken from him.), which can lead us to then bantering about not wanting to be involved with each other. I can see their banter being 10/10 honestly, they also have enough differences to where I think they can grow from each other, and lastly their mates. And SJM loves her mates. Pair that with how Elain is described as so many things Lucien is involved with… she needs sunshine,Lucien is the son of the high lord if the day court. Lucien is a fox while Elain is a fawn, Elain’s love of flowers and Lucien being a member of the spring court, Elain feeling like she fits in more with humans and Lucien finding a home with the band of exiles. I just feel like there’s so many more directions that SJM will go with Elucin. But if she ends up with Azriel that’ll be okay too.

#elain archeron

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amhamwrites · 2 years

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***HOSAB SPOILERS***

Okay let me just explain why I think Quinlar isn’t endgame.

I know there will be some folks on here who have reread the books a thousand times, so correct me if I misremember. I’m new to Sarah J Maas books, but they’ve taken over my life since January 🤷‍♀️

So my reasoning is that:

Hunt and Bryce got together way too easily. I suppose that they had that period in HOSAB when they weren’t TOGETHER together, but overall, they never had many barriers to overcome in their relationship. I think that’s why (personal opinion) a lot of the heat was just sucked right out of their relationship in HOSAB.

Is it just me or did they basically just DECIDE that they were mates. 🤨 If this was the real world, I’d be like, Sure, you can pick your soul mate. No rules. But this is not the real world. This is the Maasiverse where mates are destined to be together and the revelation of one’s mate hits them like an effing freight train. Basically, Bryce and Hunt had this awkward conversation in bed where they went from “I love you, but I’m scared to admit it” one minute to “we’re basically married except way more hardcore because you can’t divorce a mate.” I find this fishy.

Lastly, the revelation about Quinlar’s mated-ness came at a strange place in the novel—about halfwayish I think? Maybe a little later? Generally speaking, big moments in the storyline happen at the inciting incident, the midpoint, or somewhere in Act 3. The thing with Bryce and Hunt just felt like it was tied in a bow too easily and far before it should have been.

So based on that, here’s my theory.

Hunt and Bryce are currently separated. I think they’re going to have a big, beautiful reunion in Crescent City 3, followed by *dundundun* Hunt’s death. Like real death, not Rhys/Feyre dYiNg like a hundred times and then getting magically resurrected. (Don’t get me wrong, I love those scenes, and I don’t care at all that they’re repetitive. I read them, and I just want to cry into a pillow about mates and love that conquers death. 🥺)

But I think poor Hunt is going to for real die, and it will be tragic, and it will utterly break Bryce. But then we’ll have this glorious story of her learning to live with grief. Then she’ll get her *actual* mate, and it will turn out that Hunt was her Shahar. 😭

I hate that I think this will happen, but I’ve somehow made peace with the whole RuhnXLidia situation, so if I’m right I’ll get through it somehow.

Please, someone tell me how wrong I am.

#quinlar #bryce quinlan #hunt and bryce #sjmaas #sjm fandom #hosab spoilers

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acourtof-ash-and-ruin · 2 years

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Continuing my Ted talk on why Quinlar is endgame… House of Earth and Blood spoilers ahead!!

(If you want to see parts 1 & 2 click the link below!)

Part 3 (The Canyon)

This isn’t the first time, but it’s becoming more obvious, Hunt is picking up on when Bryce is hurting physically (typically a mate kinda thing) and honestly emotionally too but this is just focus on physical pain…

“She rounded a corner sharply, biting down on the groan of pain as her leg objected. Hunt’s gaze snapped to her, but she didn’t look at him.” (Pg.373)

No specific quote(s) for this but… the amount of times Bryce and Hunt’s PoVs mention his wings brushing against her just 🥰

And then again we have Hunt picking up on Bryce’s emotions…

“Bryce’s chest constricted to the point of pain. Hunt glanced her way then, his brows rising.” (Pg.414)

Rooftop moment (Pg.448-449)

Then this sweetness:

“Hunt grinned. Her little smile was like seeing the sun after days of rain.” (Pg.458)

“Only sorrow lay there. And something like understanding. Like she saw him, as he’d seen her in that shooting gallery, marked every broken shard and didn’t mind the jagged bits.” (Pg.460)

The apology meal 🥺 (Pg.480-487)

CHAPTER 54

“‘I was so worried about you,’ she whispered, stroking his hair again. ‘I…’ she couldn’t finish the sentence. So she made to step back, to head to her room and change into dry clothes and maybe get some sleep herself. But a warm, strong hand gripped her wrist. Halted her. She looked back, and found Hunt staring at her again. ‘What?’ A slight tug on her wrist told her everything. Stay.” (Pg.502)

Hunt didn’t even need to look at Bryce to know her leg was bothering her…

“‘You should see a medwitch about that leg,’ he said now. Hunt didn’t look up from where he was leading through some report Justinian had sent over that morning for a second opinion.” (Pg.513)

Hunt can’t stand the thought of her in pain.

“‘Your mother loves you. She cannot—literally, on a biological level, Bryce—bear the thought of you in pain.’ He let go of her chin, but his eyes remained on hers. ‘Neither can I.’” (Pg.533)

When he gave her the white opal 🥺 (Pg.538)

These quotes:

“‘I never realized it,’ she murmured. ‘That you and I are mirrors.’” (Pg.556)

“‘You’re the person I don’t need to explain myself to—not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don’t run away from it.’” (Pg.556)

When Hypaxia assumed this:

“A hum of approval as the medwitch looked between Bryce and Hunt. ‘You two have such a powerful bond.’” (Pg.564)

And this moment:

“Hunt leaned forward, putting his cool brow against hers. ‘I’ve known who you were this whole time. I never forgot you.’” (Pg.567)

“‘I’ve got you,’ he murmured. “Sweetheart, I’ve got you.’” (Pg.567)

Bryce’s anger and fury/rage after they cut Hunt’s wings off is very mate-like ngl… (Pg.575)

#hoeab spoilers #hoeab #house of earth and blood #crescent city #cc hoeab #hosab #house of sky and breath #sjm #sarah j maas #hunt x bryce #bryce quinlan #hunt athalar #quinlar #ruhn danaan #danika fendyr #ithan holstrom #fury axtar #tristan flynn

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fynslife · 4 years

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Thoughts re Bryce x Hunt (HOEAB)

(spoilers, duh / also spoilers for TOG and ACOTAR)

TW: I do mention canonical abuse and drug use in passing

I recently finished Crescent City (HOEAB) after putting off reading it for a while given the numerous reviews about the heavy world-building in the first 300 pages or so. Safe to say I have some thoughts on the novel, namely that I think it’s the weakest of Sarah’s works when considered in the same vacuum as TOG and ACOTAR. I’ll probably do a full review at some point, but today I just wanted to say a bit about my thoughts on Bryce and Hunt as a couple, because I need to know if I’m the only one that feels this way lmao.

I think what’s bothered me most about the pairing of Bryce and Hunt aka Quinlar, is that I don’t really feel that Bryce had a choice in her relationship. Please hear me out. In their respective series, Aelin and Feyre both, in my opinion, have a good level of autonomy over their romantic choices, and I don’t feel that this is the case for Bryce. In TOG, Celaena/Aelin initially chooses between Dorian and Chaol, and then later finds love with Rowan. We see Aelin develop through her relationships, experience her perspectives and priorities change and therefore we as readers are happy with the choices she makes that eventually lead her away from Chaol, and to Rowan. Aelin grows as a person and realizes what she both needs and wants in a partner as the series progresses, which allows her to find and accept her mate. Throughout the series, Aelin has always had romantic options, so seeing her end up with Rowan feels natural and right, and comes after she has explored relationships that naturally dissolve on their own.

Similarly with Feyre in ACOTAR, while the situation is different in that Tamlin is abusive, Feyre still retains autonomy in her choice of romantic partner. Rhys doesn’t try to stop her being with Tamlin, he just works hard to give her the space to sort through her emotions and work out what she wants and needs on her own. When she does choose Rhys, we as readers know exactly why as we’ve seen their relationship blossom from her perspective, and so we support it! Feyre doesn’t choose Rhys because there are no other options – she chooses him because time and time again he has proven to be her match. Rhys earns Feyre’s love, and this is against the backdrop that Feyre is beautiful and desired by most Fae, so she really could have picked anyone!

In contrast, when I look at Bryce and Hunt I feel there’s a bit of a sticking point. At the start of HOEAB we’re presented with Connor, and throughout the novel we get insights into how Bryce feels/felt about him. Bryce’s thoughts essentially boil down to she knew they were going to end up together and she was happy and excited for that future. The only reason they hadn’t got together yet was because she wasn’t done with her party days and she was nervous about how strongly she felt for him, at least that’s how each Connor flash back read to me. It’s evident, in my opinion, that he was her mate. They knew it and so did everyone else. It was only a matter of timing, but they were unquestionably, inevitable. Bold of me to say, I know. So when Connor died (I had no idea that this was coming as I didn’t read the blurb beforehand) I was blindsided. I kept expecting him to come back somehow, as to me it was clear that he was the preferred romantic partner for Bryce. Cue Hunt’s entrance to the narrative.

If I sound a little bit salty now, it’s because I am! Hunt is introduced and it becomes clear that this is going to be Bryce’s new partner, based on that fact that aesthetically he fits the descriptor bracket of both Rhys and Rowan respectively. In my opinion, their romantic arc is a bit lazy. To link this back to what I’ve already said about TOG and ACOTAR, I feel that Bryce has essentially no choice now when choosing her partner. The relationships we saw her in before Connor died were marked as frivolous and meaningless, and her would-be boyfriend is then murdered before Sarah even tries to lift their relationship off the ground. This leaves Bryce with no significant former romantic relationships (unlike Aelin and Feyre) and really no other romantic pursuits as the book progresses. We are immediately supposed to jump aboard the Quinlar ship, even though we have no one else to root for. Hunt is (at this moment in time) Bryce’s only viable option for a romantic interest in the novel.

Bryce doesn’t choose Hunt because he’s the best person in the line up, she chooses him because he’s the only person in the line up. Yes you can debate that once they’re friends this is a different case, but initially, and for a good portion of the novel, Hunt is the only viable male we see her interacting with with any sort of regularity. Does this not feel slightly Tamlin-esque to anyone else? Not in terms of abuse, as Hunt clearly does not display any abusive traits, but in the sense that when Feyre/Bryce are at their lowest, Tamlin/Hunt appear in the narrative, and provide them with the ‘love’ and support they both so desperately crave.

Now this isn’t to say that Bryce and Hunt don’t have some good moments, because they do! What bothers me, is that unlike Feyre and Aelin I don’t feel that Bryce has had the same space to choose her partner. I think Sarah knew that if she didn’t kill Connor right away, the Bryce x Connor ship would be too strong and wouldn’t leave the door ajar for Bryce x Hunt. I think she knew the only way she could’ve made Bryce x Hunt the preferred ship would be to completely torch Connor’s character in the second or third book, or to kill him off at a later point. I personally don’t feel that Bryce and Hunt would’ve ended up together, had Connor not been killed. I recognize that you could argue the murder is a necessary plot device, but I think it’s a lazy one! Killing off Connor is the easiest way to avoid having to resolve ship-conflict, or having to explore the idea of loving two people at once if that’s the route she wanted to take idk.

It’s possible SJM will bring Connor back in a later book, I noted that there are necromancers in this world so it’s not completely off the table I don’t think, but if she does I worry it’ll just be a throwaway plot line to solidify Bryce and Hunt.

As the novel is classified as an “Adult” read, I just wish that SJM had done more to explore grittier aspects of romance. Ie. the loving two people at once, dealing with grief and loss and seeking an equilibrium after that, or even just a more serious look at Bryce’s drug abuse?! There were so many opportunities that I feel got skipped over in favour of a hastily patched together romance (forged by trauma no less, yikes) and an at-times hard to follow murder investigation.

As I said at the start, I think HOEAB is the weakest of SJM’s books that I’ve read, which is disappointing, as we know she can do better. It’s also worth noting that I don’t hate Bryce and Hunt together, I just feel that Bryce lacked autonomy in her romantic choices because SJM quite literally killed off her only other option. I would’ve liked to have seen some deviation from the norm of love interest – I’m as much a fan of wings as the next person, but must all the key love interests be aesthetically the same just in different fonts? Could we not have run with the sexy werewolf just this once?

Anyway this was a bit of a ramble, but did anyone else feel like this? I have a lot of thoughts on the book but none of my friends have read it yet and I need to process with someone, so pls do hit me up xo

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acourtofthought · 1 year

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Here's something I really don't understand. If e/riels think that sjm changed her mind since she said they will heal together because they.. aren't getting along. What did they think she meant by "tension and healing" ? Surely they didn't think that would mean that she would jump into his arms and forget about her human life and former lover and the way they were both ripped away from her in a traumatic way?

The fact that E/riels ignore the pattern of every other single SJM couple is impressive. It is DENIAL to look at Feysand, Rowaelin, Quinlar, etc. and think Elain and Lucien not getting along right now means they won't end up together. Is it not uncomfortable for us to see Elain and Lucien together right now? It's painful and unpleasant and stressful. All things that fall under tension between two individuals. I'm so glad SJM wrote Elucien in the way she has, as difficult as it is to see. I love that Elain didn't instantly fall at his feet and that Lucien didn't instantly get over Jesminda the second he realized he had a Mate. I love that we're going through all this emotional turmoil because when they finally make it through to the other side it's going to be amazing. Logic dictates that if we're currently in the tension phase, the next thing we can expect is Healing.

#pro elucien #elucien #elain archeron #lucien vanserra

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acourtofthought · 1 year

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We have this whole scene here:

Cassian swallowed hard. “There's no loophole. If I interfere, we're both dead. And even if I did, Nesta would kill me if I jumped in to save her. She'd never forgive me for it.”

He'd had nothing else to do except contemplate it these past days. Nesta’s fate was her own. She was strong enough to forge her own path, even through the horrors of the Blood Rite. He'd taught her the skills to do so himself.

And even if the laws had allowed it, he would never take that away from her: the chance to save herself.

As there are people who still insist on saying that that Azriel scene wanting to say what Elain can or cannot is something romantic and an endgame sign.

These people's minds are alienated by so many common romance novels about the savior hero that they don't see that endgame couples are like that.

The women saving themselves and the males proudly rooting for them. Have they learned nothing from Rowaelin? Feysand? Nessian? Quinlar?

Some people will never learn that SJM's books the male who doesn't trust his beloved's potential, doesn't end the day with her (forever).

The excerpts you just shared are amazing. Cassian and Nesta are 100% in love at this point. He also knows they are mates though she's still hesitant to officially accept it. He's still acknowledging that she is capable of making it through without him. After his initial lapse in judgement where he wanted to go in and get his confirmed mate out, he wasn't acting irrationally or feral or out of character. So not only is it strange they act like Az should be going ballistic over a female (Gwyn) he still doesn't know is his possible mate but it's wild they also see nothing wrong with Az voicing his opposition to Elain after she herself spoke up about doing something more. Especially when there were things the IC could have done to ensure her safety while attempting it.

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