@@Pepperroni08 Book characters can have talents, but it should be developed, like any other character trait. In ACOTAR, Feyre just kinda paints stuff sometimes and the paintings look like paintings. I'll admit, she is described as taking note of colour and texture a lot, and in ACOMAF, her painting skills are used to develop her character a bit more, which I like, but I still find it hard to visualize the things she paints. Also (but this is might just be my personal opinion), a lot of the painting stuff feels a bit out of place in this book.
Me after hearing that apparently killing faeries allows you to live in a lavish estate with a hot guy: **loading up a shotgun** look faeries I just want to talk
Kill me if you want... but I do ship it. (Right now half way in second book. I will let you know if I change my mind) Edit: I have finished the book and yes I do ship. 🙃
I like what it has to say about what good people will do in awful situations. And going forward, how people go on with their lives after surviving something you perhaps should not have
"I became aware of every pore in my body" sounds like something you'd say after walking into locker room full of sweaty middle schoolers, not during a romantic scene
Nabs 2099 but it was Tamlin who sent the wolf and expected it to be killed by a mortal girl, and he schemed everything so that Feyre could fall in love with him because the condition to the curse break was for a mortal to fall in love with Tamlin 🤷🏻♀️
Tamaki742 Tamlin did NOT want to kill his people. He actually stopped sending them for a few decades because he couldn't handle watching and letting his people die. But when the curse's limit is near, he decided to start doing it again. He sends his servants against because he knows that if he doesn't break the curse, it won't only hurt him but ALL of his people. None of them (Tamlin, Lucien, and the Spring Court people) wanted to accept Feyre. But they knew it was the only key to survival. They knew that if they wanted to break the curse and have some sort of chance of freedom, they would have to invite Feyre into their homes. Alis explains that. Also, Alis and Lucien's behavior emphasizes that. Alis and Lucien, from the beginning of the book, already establish that they don't want to treat Feyre with kindness and that they only do it because they have to. Hell, even Tamlin doesn't want to do it. But they all do it anyways. Tamlin did bad things and was especially abusive to Feyre, but he cared about his people. I kind of hoped Maas would redeem him but I know that would've been hard, considering what an ass he was in the series.
YES!!! Amarantha was one of the dumbest villains I've ever read. She's "so powerful" but gets defeated by the easiest riddle and dies in like 10 seconds. Love your in depth reviews!
Fayre is the dumbest heroine I've ever read! I remember desperately hoping that she would answer the riddle so that she wouldn't have to kill two innocent people begging for mercy (which is a type of love, DUH!)
Mustard Seed she gets kind of better by the second book. And by better I mean she goes from extremely stupid to just stupid. I guess that’s an improvement.
Yo! If I'd have been Feyre before Amarantha repeated the riddle the book would've ended. I did a freaking double take and asked outloud "is she joking". Unfortunately no, Amarantha was not.
I hate how it’s not discussed enough how Rhysand treated Feyre at the party thing. I feel so bad reading that. It was so sad. He made her wear an uncomfortable stripper “dress”, painted her whole body, made her drink, and didn’t he make her sexually dance on him? (Sorry for my English)
My only thought in his defense (kinda, cuz the whole escort ordeal is stupid) is that I think his reasoning with the paint is to comfort Tamlin. I think by having her covered in the paint he’s showing Tamlin that it’s all a rouse. Tamlin can see that Rhysand isn’t touching her beyond her waist and arms (the author makes that very clear.) But overall, the MANY nights of her being his sexy little date have no meaning and are deeply upsetting for anyone but esp women to read
He also tortures her by twisting her broken arm till she agrees to his deal and tells her that of he would def rape her but he's scared of Tam. But mind you if Tam wasn't here she woulda already been raped. Super feminist shit right there wtf
“I cannot stand being inside the head of someone so opposed to common sense.” Seriously, this seems to be a growing problem in post-Twilight YA novels, especially fantasy/ urban fantasy (my genres of interest, for better or worse). So many bland, reader-insert protags I just want to shake while screaming, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”
So me and my friend decided to do something really dumb and painful: a SJM marathon. Horrible idea, yes. So she did Throne if Glass and I did this series. So we both started at the same time, and then we met up after doing the first book in our respective series. The first thing she said was “ I am confused and mildly offended. You?” I grabbed this book, flipped to a random page, and then looked her in the eye without blinking and said: “Pain can bark and Maas ran out of words halfway through the book and just decided to pick random words out of a hat the rest of the way.” Then we just got ice cream and stared into the distance thinking of what we’ve seen and done.
oof yeah there is a reason I refuse to read either series now ( I say that Like I didnt just attempt to read ACOTAR yesterday) I refuse to got beyond the 2nd book TOG and read the first ACOTAR and won't be reading the rest
Wait, Feyre cheats on the trial in this book, just like how Celaena cheats on one of the Tests in Throne of Glass. Did Sarah J Maas cheat a lot in school or something?
@@Angelica-sq9lhyeahhhh i noticed sooo many similarities btwn tog & acotar when i was reading them, like girl you couldnt be a lil bit more creative? Lmfao
You can’t always know if you like the book or no. That’s only her opinion and I personally think that the book has a great plot twist. I feel like almost all her videos are about books she doesn’t like.
Kind of an unpopular comment here, but I actually do like the series. I agree with many of your points because as much as I do like her books she does tend to repeat odd descriptors a lot (take a shot everytime she says the word "molten", I dare you). What I love about the series is that the next book is spent not only further establishing the world, but also showing that A) your first love isn't always your last, B) that it is okay to say no to an abusive relationship, and C) focuses on the family one can create for themselves. I think that this book is probably my least favorite in the series because, as you said, it felt very boring at times, info-dumpy, and Tamlin was just not a good love interest. Everyone who has read the series hates Tamlin and loves Rhysand and Lucien, so you're definitely not alone in that. I was totally laughing or nodding my head in agreement for most of this video because you had some really good points to make! I truly think SJM didn't know where she wanted this series to go when she wrote ACOTAR, but ACOMAF is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. TW// suicide I was seriously considering suicide when I was rereading ACOMAF, and Feyre's storyline through her depression to her own self-salvation and finding love in her new, closest, and comforting friends in the Night Court truly saved my life. Rhysand's cousin, Morrigan, says this line that I will probably never forget: "Don't let the hard days win." It has become my mantra because such a simple quote has truly reshaped how I approach each day. Even though you weren't a fan of this book, I do recommend at least giving the second book a chance (but not page 23-24,,,Tamlin is literally so sexist in those scenes it disgusts me and no one should ever have to read those pages without intending on finishing the entire book). Sorry for the long ass essay I just wrote! I really liked this video though and I'm really glad you brought to light your feelings about the book, because that's what this platform is for! Conversations like this.
Hey, thanks so much for the comment! I've actually had quite a few great comments already from people who love the series. I totally get it when you find a book that really speaks to you and helps you through a hard time. To me, that book is Blood Red Road, which a lot of people don't like! That's the wonderful thing about storytelling... it communicates a world of different things to different people just based on their personalities and experiences. Thanks for staying respectful, and I'm glad you found a series that you love :)
I am totally of the same opinion. The first book did not make much sense but the second one changed the whole world upside down and suddenly it was much more enjoyable to read.
When i read it for the first time i quite enjoyed it but when i read that for like second time i find it boring and meaningless I think acomaf was waay better and it added deep to the world and in general to the storyline
when i read this book i was so confused why i didn't like it. everyone raves about sarah j mass's books and i felt extremely underwhelmed reading acotar. im glad someone else realized this book doesnt live up to the hype (in my opinion).
I've never and will never read this series but somehow I've ended up watching a tonne of rant videos about it over the past few days. I love hearing people bitch about it
Same. I feel bad because my friend loves Sarah J Maas's books (though I believe she likes the TOG series more) and gushes about it to me all the time and I'm just here like... Watching rant videos about the series she likes :") I just think watching people discuss the problematic aspects of these books is immensely interesting lol
honestly i've read all the books to rant about them and now im very confused to why i'm still reading them when i didn't really like them in the first place but i can say book 2 was better
Don’t ever trust an author that can put out a novel or more per year. Don’t trust a female fantasy writer under the age of 40. Don’t trust any male writer under the age of 40. Don’t trust a booktube author-ever!-regardless of their education, age, content or subscriber volume. 999/1000 fantasy book submissions are terrible. 1/1000 are good. 1/10,000 are publishable. 1/100,000 get published. 1/1,000,000 makes it big. Why people think there is no hierarchy in art is beyond me. It’s steeper than it is in sports. In art terms, writing’s hierarchy it’s about equal to music. Too many fancy themselves making a chart topper or being the next Rowling. It’s ridiculous.
Is it bad that I hope you read the second and third books just so I can enjoy watching you rip them to shreds? You judge books so eloquently that I just wanna grab some popcorn and watch all day.
I do hope you will read the second one because people are nuts about it, they say it's much better than the first, but when I tried to read it my reaction was: jfdshifdhi??!!. I'm curious what you would think of it.
Amarantha was my biggest disappointment with this book, which is really freaking impressive considering... basically everything you've mentioned. Really, I just hate that all the villainous ladies in this series are actually Secret Fools and get Grisly Ends, whereas the villainous dudes all secretly have hearts of gold and are super smart and get redemption arcs (because the author wants to sleep with them? because she knows that readers do? you decide!) Don't read the rest of the series. I was blinded by book two because it was better than book one, but in retrospect it's just a rebranded book one. Like, "oh... I hate the canon I've created. Here's a do-over." And book three is straight up hot garbage. Steer clear.
The romanticized abuse in both relationships is what makes me the most angry; not only is it clear that both men have physically hurt her MULTIPLE TIMES, but they continually manipulate and abuse her mentally. I will never blame a victim for the abuse they endure but I will blame the author that uses it for a romantic plot and makes it seem like there is nothing wrong with it.
That’s why I had to stop reading her works. They just put me back in a bad place. I am so sick. SO SICK. Of the romanticized alpha male being treated as something hot. Worst of all is that she condemns Tamlin for being a dick (fair) but Rhys isn’t much better. But Rhys gets a pass because Sarah’s vagina gets a little damp whenever she writes about him.
@Aliyah Anibas He TWISTED Feyre's BROKEN arm!!! Only a Stockholm syndrome can make her not run off screaming or try to kill him whenever they meet 🤦♀️
It made absolutely no sense to my why Tamlin was in love with her. She was so boring and so stupid, and honestly such a child compared to him. Tamlin is this immortal, powerful, ethereal being to Feyre, and Feyre is a murderer idiot child to Tamlin. Like what is he attracted to?? I don't get it
Honestly one is the biggest problems I had was why didn’t feyre just tell them that she didn’t really know the wolf was a faerie?? Like yes she had considered that the wolf might be a faerie but ultimately decided he was a regular wolf before killing him and ultimately killed the wolf so that she could feed her family with the deer. Also, tamlin LITERALLY SENT THE FAERIE TO DIE FOR THE CURSE AND EVERYONE KNEW IT. The faerie was purposefully disguised as a wolf so a human would kill him and everyone was aware that this was the case so why all the spring court faeries were so mad about their friend being murdered but was literally sent to BE MURDERED was strange to me.
What I don't understand about these books is just how many people absolutely love them?? I read them last year because of the hype but even before I was paying attention to the problematic things, nothing about them really stands out. I guess they work as self-projection-pleasure reads, but even then, why would you want to imagine yourself with any of these guys? Twilight is in the same category, and it's a problematic hot mess, but at least there isn't any sexual assault or literal torture performed by the love interests. I'm actually glad to hear you liked Rhysand as a villain though, I 100% agree. He's great as an antagonist and the only thing that salvaged ACOTAR for me. Unfortunately in the next books Maas decides to make him a token sexy-uber-good-boy love interest which is 1. boring 2. gross 3. like really super gross, he didn't need a redemption arc Maas stop it
Seriously. This book has a 4.5/5 on goodreads, then I finally got around to it and it was soooo painful. It was trash in the boring way, even not the fun way.
What's worse is that ACOTAR is actually getting a movie in the future. I'm not sure if I should be terrified or excited at the prospect of future riffing materiel.
Terrified. Can you imagine if it gets to be a blockbuster by the sheer power of gullible teenagers? It will get sequels! And, some movie historians might mention it to my kids and grandkids. I don't want to subject my future children to this series' horror. They are more damaging than the original horror stories by the Grimm Brothers that most fairytales are based on.
@@zaiemrys5917 And then it'd end up like Divergent that gets nowhere. Or idk, Mortal Instruments, that's lucky enough to get a TV series that's actually better than the original. Like let's be honest here, YA adaptations like these are fads, they're not strong enough to be as popular as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or the Tolkien saga.
Zai Emrys+ Well, if my generation had to put up with Twilight movie sega, I think the younger generation, teenagers and younger, can do the same with those movies. Either way, they could make for awesome riffing materiel like those movies.
I just recently discovered booktube and I have been LIVING for reviews of bad books, especially yours. It has done SO MUCH to rekindle my motivation to be an author! The novels I want to write are more YA/adult in nature, and I am just so consistently disappointed in the YA material that's been available lately. It's all so cliche, predictable, and not very entertaining. I skimmed the first few chapters of ACoTaR and thought it was atrocious, and yet it's a bestseller! It made me think that there was no point in writing anymore if everyone just wants the same mediocrity over and over. When developing my books I wrote them with the intent of keeping them focused on popular genres, but with many unconventional elements. I want to be sure that my books are special and different, that people that are as tired of the same things as I am would appreciate the uniqueness. I've been so disappointed and worried to death that all of my time and effort would be for nothing. But all of these booktubers criticizing these well selling novels gives me hope. Maybe I'll never have fame and notoriety that Sarah or Stephenie Meyer have, maybe my fan base will never be as nearly as big. But I feel so comforted to know that there will be people out there that will love my books, and I hope that you'll be one of them.
I would have liked seeing her go thru fairy court for her crimes and punishment was serving the family and romance happens from there. Something like that.
I was drinking when you said 'honey that is not cute'. The words, the expression, and the execution was just perfect. I accidentally snorted and the pepsi went up my nose.
I had no idea it was a retelling of Beauty & the Beast, and never got that vibe while reading, so it definitely wasn't just you lmao. What drove me insane with ACOTAR was the fast-paced relationship with Tamlin, the sex scenes that might as well have been taken off Wattpad, and then she introduces Rhys and you just know... you KNOW she's going to put Feyre and Rhys together because she did the same thing in TOG. Literally. She gave us Aelin and Chaol, then two books later tried to make the readers despise Chaol so she could justify Aelin finding her "true mate" Rowan. Having read both series, she repeats pretty much everything she writes. The relationships, especially, and the side characters always have the same personalities. Nothing feels developed enough, like you said, and it's just to the point where it's annoying now. I got ACOTAR box set for Christmas, thought I might like it more than TOG (because that series annoyed the shit out of me too), and here I am being forced to read three books because my mom spent money on them .-. Glad you got to stop. It doesn't get any less frustrating or dumb.
I only continued this series because I wanted to know what would happen with Nesta. It's a very unpopular opinion, but I think Nesta is one of the most compelling characters I've read about (yes, she's trash and cruel, I am aware) and honestly I think her potential is lost on SJM, the fandom, and the ACOTAR world
I actually think the same thing. The only reason I'm going to read the rest of this serie is for Lucien and Nesta. I loved Lucien because he make sense and Nesta intrigued me so I want to know more about them.
@@soumeya3483 same.only lucien's and nesta's story is worth exploring.but,sjm will ruin them.dont hope.sjm will make them feysand worshippers by the end of her upcoming novels like how she did to chaol and that old man darrow.everyone in her books conveniently licks the boots of her mary sue,white female characters and their precious,always horny mates(who are also white af,but described as golden for some godforsaken reason)
@@cupofkeyshae I actually didn’t like ACOSF, but only because I felt the crushing length wasn’t justified, and the sex was really overwhelming. but I continue agreeing that Nesta is a more interesting character that SJM doesn’t know what to do with. I would also argue that Elain has a lot of potential as a different sort of female lead, in line with Anne Elliot in “persuasion” (the book), but if Maas doesn’t know how to work with Nesta, she knows even less how to portray delicate strength that doesn’t involve holding swords
For the story, why didn't the writer make it so that the main character (sorry, her name was so boring I already forgot what it was) kill and skin the fairy, but instead of a fairy taking her away, she sells the pelt. The pelt turns the wearer into a monster, and the beast tracks her down. The beast then forces her to help find a cure, and slowly they start to become friends. That would have (I think) made more sense, and would have felt less contrived.
It's such a low bar when Rhysand is considered one of the best characters because he has a modicum of intelligence. He should have just stayed as a villain. Lucien is the best, but even he couldn't get me to read the rest of this shit series (and I heard Maas ruins him anyway. Because that's what she does).
Ew. I didn't know that happened because I stopped after the ACOTAR (didn't have it in me to finish the others). I've read enough reviews of this and her other series to know that she hates when main characters aren't in straight relationships and apparently to be alone is a fate worse than death. SJM can go choke on her heteronormative stories and her fake wokeness. She's getting as bad as CC.
Milo M The reason Lucien ends up mated with Elain was because Maas wanted Lucien to help the Night Court. It was stated that not all mates are perfect for each other. Tamlin and Rhysand's parents are a perfect example of that. Rhysand and Feyre discuss that maybe Lucien and Elain aren't meant to be and maybe destiny wanted them together for a different reason. I think Maas was trying to say that Lucien's purpose resided with the Night Court. If he wasn't mated with Elain, I'm pretty sure he would still be with Tamlin. And if he was with Tamlin, they wouldn't have won in the war or at least wouldn't have the help that they did. After all, it was Lucien who got Miryam and Drakon AND Vassa and Vassa's people to fight in the war.
In the words of (Abridged) Seto Kaiba: fuck destiny. Besides, Maas's reasoning for Lucien's Arbitrary Assigned Girlfriend™ just makes the whole mess worse. Ugh.
Easily Distracted Author How does her reasoning make it worse? She's moving the plot in a way that's clever. It meant that the mate bond wasn't just to get Rhys and Feyre together but to get Lucien to help with the Night Court. She didn't ruin Lucien. In fact, she may have made him better. If he was stuck with Tamlin, he wouldn't have been such a great help to the war. He might've helped Tamlin pick up more men for the army, but Maas already proved that Tamlin could do it himself. And he would also be stuck with Tamlin and not doing much but doing Tamlin's bidding. At least he can now do things on his own accord.
I personally enjoy the story. If you didnt enjoy this, maybe read a different called Cruel Prince? I didnt enjoy that myself, but I've found that some people who disliked this book series loved that.
I’ve had arguments with friends that maas herself is a trash writer, and their defence is ‘YA doesn’t have to be good and just because you have a lit degree you’re being a snob’ Um No Being a young adult doesn’t mean you ‘deserve’ trash literature to project upon. Stephanie Meyer has better craftsmanship than Maas and I have no shame saying that. Everything Maas does has me turning into Inigo Montoya “this word does not mean what I think you think it means!” The overall annoyance is that this kind of literature perpetuates that young readers are stupid and shouldn’t have literature ask them to engage in any thought. You can have fairy romances that involve brain cells, and the lack of this is encouraged by some publishing departments more interested in pushing a quick buck. This is trash, and it’s bad trash. I hate the overmarketing, and the readers who try to sell it as good are full of crap. It’s trash, admit it, and sell it with that warning.
Agree! I am by no means a literary snob - I mostly read YA and romance - but this book annoyed me so much! The writing, both the style and the plotting, was awful!
I'm actually insulted that it was also a Tam Lin retelling (Ballad of Tam Lin, a Scottish story) and even used his name on one of the most problematic characters, EVER. It doesn't even incorporate the essence of the story and borderline bastardazing it. The thing I hated about Maas' books is giving a premise then delivering something entirely different from what was promised and I deeply loathed all her female MCs because they are soooo unlikable. Let's face it, all of them are basically Mary Sues even if they were 'flawed' (not really). The portrayal of relationships are toxic, shallow and immature and while the idea was good (again, except the 'fairy tale' thing) it was executed poorly and the focus was more about romance than character development. I need to find a good YA book. Any recommendations? Please?
Anna- banana my last video is a fantasy recommendation vid! And yeah, a few people have said that it incorporated Celtic ideas but that they were also really let down by that!
As a person who loves fairy tale retellings and YA novels (they're my guilty pleasure), I have been hearing a lot of people rave and applaud this book ever since I got into booktube as a whole. I love the original Beauty and the Beast and I'm a sucker for any retelling of these stories, so when I heard about this book, I was thinking, hmm this sounds interesting I might give it a read. Then I started to realize that a lot of people hyped this book up a lot and after reading a few more YA books and watching some rant videos, I can safely say that I dodged a bullet when it comes to this series. From the way you described the entire book, Jordan, I'm surprised it even got approved and published, and the editing sounds even worse from how it's described. I don't mind unlikable protagonists, in fact I like the dynamic, but from how Fayre sounds it seems to me she's just another Mary Sue who everyone likes and has no qualms with. Also the fact this book has a lot of "suggestive" themes also kind of turned me off from reading it overall, since I don't approve of any romance that has rapey tendencies. Overall I'm glad you put this review out, I love your rant videos and I've been waiting for one about ACOTAR, so today is a good day, love your channel and have a nice day.
I totally concur! I love retellings as well and Belle is one of my all time favourite, so forward than her time. What do you think about 'A Curse so Dark And Lonely'? I've heard it is a beauty and the beast retelling... I hope I'm not disappointed this time...
I haven't heard of this book or the author. But by the way your talking, she seems like those authors that fall into the same category of all sap, no substance, like the authors of books like Twilight, Divergent, or the Mortal Instruments. Books lots of people like because there's a girl, some jokes, a hot guy, and a bad guy. Doesn't raise the bar or challenge the reader in anyway. By the way, great review. This book sounds absolutely messed up. "Hey, kids. Let's skin a fairy."
NightbreedGaming not that it makes much of a difference but the fairy was in animal form when she killed it. Anyway I still agree 100% with what you said
The Mortal Instruments had some plot. Some of the characters are great others not.Granted it was dull in some parts because of the lengthy sentences. The part with Lilith was dreadful. I did not enjoy reading pages of Jace and Clary's relationship The only redeemable parts are the bits about Malec while soul crushing was interesting. Jace was over hyped for the character he was. Clary was boring and plain. Alec and Magnus were actually quite amazing I think. Valentine was horrible he made a horrible villain . Sebastian was better? The small redemption he had at Coh was fine not great. Coh was probably the best being the most entertaining and being the one with the most plot.
Some Background Pikachu Alec is 18 while Magnus is a lot older but at least Alec is a legal adult. He could be like 15 and be dating him which would be gross.
Rhysand sexually assaulting Feyre was the worst part of this book for me. It actually triggered me that he drugged her and then did that, night after night. It made me hate his character.
it’s the reason i couldn’t finish the series. the way it’s just brushed past and when she finally confronts him he goes in detail about his own trauma and then never so much as utters the words “i’m sorry” was just too much. i cannot enjoy a series where the main couple’s relationship is founded upon sexual and physical abuse and coercion.
Yes, my gals!! I have been hoping one of you would do a video on acotar! Dreams do come true. It had been a very, VERY long time since I read a book as frustrating, dull, and uncomfortable as this one.
And i “clicked my tongue!” (Seriously why tf was this said like 12 times in the book? If i took a shot every time i read that line i’d be in hospital for alcohol poisoning)
I never really understood why everyone liked SJM so much, and at some point in time I even tried forcing myself to read and like her books. But now I realized I don't really care and her books are trash.
She really is trash. The worst part is almost everyone recommends her books like they're the best thing ever and as great fantasy stories... for me they are more romance/smut with a little bit of fantasy. The worldbuilding is super underdeveloped and you spend more time reading about how the protagonist finds that guy hot than actually getting an interesting plot.
I enjoyed this series the first time I read it, but I did have many issues with it. I picked up because I was under the impression it was somewhat inspired by Celtic folklore with a Beauty and the Beast backdrop. I was so disappointed with how SJM handled few Celtic themes she DID include 😒However, what drove me away from the fandom was her crazy followers. Make one good natured critique and they go nuts. I despised Feyre from practically the first page and never liked her or sympathized with her from then on. And as much as I liked Lucien, believe me, Maas ruins him in the later books. Your review/rant touched on everything that has bugged me about this book from the beginning. I love your description of Feyre “She was a dumb murderer at the start of the book and she’s a dumb murderer at the end of the book.” 😂
The use of the cauldron from Celtic mythology was always something that confused and frustrated me. 😐 So supposedly all fae were dumped out of it? Uh-okay...
Garland Thompson Right? I don’t mind people interpreting mythology in their own way, but she kinda butchered it lol Celtic myths are epic already. They really don’t need improvement
That's exactly what I thought too! And plus, why just pluck out the cauldron as a muguffin and why not the other three artifacts from the ancient Otherworld cities from the Tuatha De Dannan? *Sigh* Such untapped potential. And when I read it, I kept reading the series in hopes of some more references, but the cauldron was an overstated artifact. The only other one was Lucians mechanical eye which could be in reference to the king with the silver arm, but that was it!
I also really think Lucien is an underrated character. I wish that SJM spent a little bit more time on him. he has a pretty complex backstory and seems more wellrounded than the pretty boys in the book.
Jordan, you look ready to hurt someone for like the first 12/13 minutes, lol. The quote about her pores is still funny to me! I can't believe Maas really tried to make romantic scenes out sexual assault; I was gonna try this series because Beauty and the Beast retellings are my fave, but I can't stand romanticism of sexual assault. Your expressions made review even better :D
I love how you actually go into depths of the flaws and give examples. It's hugely refreshing! I've watched too many book reviews that just go through the list of what they don't like and not genuinely give evidence. It's one thing to watch a rant about a book, but actually give proper criticism makes you one of my fav reviewers in booktube! ALSO you are SO pretty !! Love your stuff!
i *hated* this book. i wish Tamlin had actually been "ugly" (i know beauty is subjective, but give him a hunchback or a bald spot or acne or SOMETHING outside of the realms of literary beauty, rather than him just being a chris hemsworth lookalike, ugh). if it's a beauty & the beast retelling, MAKE HIM PHYSICALLY UNDESIRABLE TO FEYRE. a sexy masquerade mask is not good enough. i hated rhysand too, he was abusive from the start, and forcing feyre to get drunk and dance with him half-naked at the faerie parties seemed creepy and a little rapey to me. he seems to only get away with it because he's attractive. like is there any unattractive men in this book??? even lucien is described as good looking???? UGGGH. also, that ridiculous scene where tamlin is in heat after mating, and he unconsensually kisses feyre and she slaps him...... then IT'S NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN. HE FACES NO CONSEQUENCES FOR FORCING HIMSELF ON HER EXCEPT A SLAP ON THE CHEEK. i hate this f-ing book (sorry if you've mentioned any of these points in your review. i had to comment 3 seconds in because i hate this book so. gotdamn. much) 😚
What made Tamlin undesirable was the fact that he was fae. The whole series derives from the prejudice between the humans and fae. It wasn't about appearances, it was more about race. The story was about overcoming the differences between races/species. In the series, there is never any discrimination against other skin colors. Only species. You can kind of think of the High Fae as the dominant race, Lesser Fairies next, then the humans. And Feyre never knew love, that's why she accepted the things Tamlin did to her. In the second book, Feyre even realizes that their relationship was never good in the first place and that she may have only loved him because he provided her with a safety and took her from the hell hole she once lived in. Tamlin does receive punishment later in the series. And about Rhysand, he only did that because that was the only way he could take her out of the cell without being suspicious. He had to act that way in order to actually save her. If he hadn't taken Feyre out, she would've likely loss her will to fight. It's explained in the book, you should try to read more thoroughly. Feyre also explains that while he touched her, his hands never went below her waist. He never went past any boundaries. He mostly did it to distract her and Feyre knew that. More of it is explained in the second book. And of course all the characters are attractive. It's a fictional book! I guess you can also say that most of the characters are attractive because they're all fae. Fae are exceptionally beautiful. But whatever. This book wasn't the greatest (boring and cliche), but it's supposed to lead us to the second and third book in the series. The second book is really really good and I suggest you read it. The character development is well done and it's really encouraging. The romance is a spectacular slow burn. Maybe it will change your mind, maybe it won't. And if you don't read it, that's fine. Just try? :)
the fact that Tamiln is such a horrible person on the inside is what's meant to make him unattractive and ugly, but Feyre doesn't find this out until the end of the book and the start of the second book. ppl need to read the whole series to actually gather enough information to be able to make a valid opinion.
I quit Maas after the sequel to ACOTAR. Her writing is problematic. But what made me quit ALL of her writing was ACOTAR as it more and more bothered me. Yes, it's a retelling. But what I would challenge this book with isn't just problematic content, but plagiarism. This is very controversial... but this book and the second are eerily similar to Holly Black and Anne Bishop. Some her lines are almost taken straight out of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy. Some of the characters are straight out of that series too. It reads as an average fanfic someone would've put online and forgotten existed. I get paying homage to your favorite authors... but, yeah, she really rides that line of plagiarism and I think she gets away with it because not many YA readers are familiar with the Black Jewels books.
I hate so much how she's become this like god of fairy fiction to the point where people have even started accusing other people who have been in the genre before her of copying her. The amount of people i've seen try and claim that holly black is copying SJM makes me wanna cry because Black has been that dark romance fae writer since before it was trendy, and she is leagues better at it.
@@Samzillah I hate that Holly Black's writing is so boring now ever since she joined a writing group with SJM and that awful incest/dracohermione writer. Also Leigh Bardugo who stands with Israel. I think what happened to Susan Dennard was awful but that group doesn't deserve her anyway.
I love how your reviews are very thorough. I actually loved this book and this series but hearing other peoples opinions and perspectives on it is interesting
Wow...I've seen a lot of reviews about how bad and frustrating this book is, but nobody went into as much depth as you did. Yikes! That is...astronomical in how frustrating it sounds...the logic just doesn't seem to exist does it!
I have to say I absolutely adore your reviews not only 'cause you explain what the book is about to people who haven't read it, but you're very direct and clear about what you like and didn't like about it. I forgot how much I enjoyed your reviews haha
God I loved these books when I was younger and hearing about them now is so jarring cause they're so bad and I'm just like, a) how did I enjoy these and b) how did anyone let this kind of stuff get published and marketed to children? I read them when I was a young teenager and it's so shocking because of all of the abuse. It's good that you stopped here cause they only get worse.
You're gonna make a hell of an author one day. I've been binge watching half of your channel and I don't know how I didn't come across it before. As a wanna be author myself, I salute you. Stay awesome, and finish that first book.
Rhys would have been a great antagonist. TBH, he should have been the main villain pulling the strings above Amarantha. He's better as a bad guy than a love interest.
Abt what you said abt the protag (i cant spell her name oops) and the servants, SJM just doesn't understand class at all. I've read a decent bit of Catwoman (spoilers), and the most she said in the parts I've read is "being poor bad, and rich women are whiny brats." No criticism of the wealthy beyond the misogyny she directs at the characters in the novel, and no depiction of lower class existence that goes past being a quirky backstory for Selina.
Being a DC fangirl, that really pissed me off. Selina, when she's written well, is a foil for Batman. Like Bruce Wayne, she is compassionate and will help out others in need. Unlike Bruce, she is more willing to cross the line and do questionable acts in order to achieve that goal, including killing. She isn't is some holier then thou bitch, that's for sure. But yeah, I totally agree that SJM has no clue about class divide. Really makes me wonder if SMJ's a sliver spoon or something.
@@sorcerersapprentice I think in the very least she's along the lines of 'a poor person is just a temporarily embarrassed billionaire' if she doesn't come from a middle or upper class background
@@christinag2420 After looking into her background more, apparently SJM came from an upper class family and went to one of those posh universities in New York. Safe to assume that she has some pretty wrapped ideas around class divide and other social issues. Explains her bad representation in her other series as well. Doesn't excuse her shitty writing mistakes, but it explains a lot.
I actually got curious to know how exactly that first choice of the protagonist between death and live your dreams as punishiment for murder was wrote in the book , and why the author thought that was plausible. If it was death or life in prison, ok, but extreme opposite opitions is just so weird.
"Often the descriptions did not have what I think was the intended effect" See the THREE TIMES the phrase "my bowels went watery" was used when I think the author meant her stomach flipped and not that she shat her pants.
I came here to find this comment. I know it's meant to emphasise how horrified she is by something, but instead I just keep thinking...ew, go change your pants, girl 😫
You know what book you should read to cleanse yourself of this awful experience? Six of Crows - so good it will heal your soul ;) (Joking, honestly anything you read is fine by me as your reviews are my fav in the booktube world. Can't wait for the day you do read SoC though, so excited for your thoughts.) I don't think I'll ever read any SJM...her writing just sounds too problematic, both in regards to my social perspectives and my perspective on the quality of writing as a whole. This review was really well done, can't wait for your next video. Also, I hit like before I hit play, as always
The great thing about this book is the fact that if you don't look too closely at the story, it seems really cool and awesome. But then you poke one hole and the entire thing falls apart.
I actually love this series and Sarah J Maas' books, and I disliked The Cruel Prince. I heard so many good things about that book, but I did not enjoy it!
Wow. I literally share 100% of the exact same gripes with this book. Feels so good to be validated when so much narrative surrounding this series is just pure googly-eyed love.
I dearly love this series, I am ACOTAR trash. However I totally agree about the first books structure and story, I was bored with the first half, she focused way too much on parts of the plot that weren’t relevant, like the trials were good, but could’ve been great with more detail and I didn’t rlly like feyres character, until later books but this doesn’t change my love for the series, I think as a whole it’s great and develops beautifully as you read on and it rlly depends on ur taste as a reader. I like cheesy fantasy books 😏😏
Ramieverse ! To each their own, but I honestly think this book is highly problematic with how it portrays romance (*cough* abuse *cough*), while claiming to have feminist themes. Other than that - the plot is weak, the villain is teribble and overall, even if you overlook certain aspects, there's not much to enjoy imo. There's tons of better stuff out there to read, even if you just want something, you know, to just have fun with and not overthink it. To me this book isn't even worth reading as a guilty pleasure 💁
I’m so grateful for this review. I’m struggling with finishing this book. WTH are all these fairy servants doing waiting on a fairy killer? And the dialogue…good lord…stilted and unbelievable. And what an annoying personality for a protagonist. Silly book. I’m 340 pages in. It’s like running through water to finish a page. Life’s too short
cos i don’t really look into the plot details of books i actually enjoyed acotar quite a lot. i find it better to just read a book for my own pleasure, not to find faults and look at it in great depth. just my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own. 😊
this is one of the best reviews of this book i've ever seen. you literally took all of the words out of my mouth. this book frustrated me to no end, and you really vocalized my issues with the beauty and the beast "retelling".
also you brought up the mural and 100% when i read that scene i imagined the mural from parks and rec but only bc it was the only mural i could pull out of my imagination
i totally agree with your view on rhysand, though i feel like my negative feelings towards him make it harder for me to admit to him being the smartest one in the book (even though he definitely is lol) i actually cried while reading the book bc i kept thinking about how abusive and shitty rhysand is and how girls actually love him and want him as a "boyfriend" it's kind of sickening. i think that makes him a really good villain, but i hate that most people don't even see him as a villain at all which feels wrong to me. if he was presented solely as a villain then i would have so much less of an issue with him.
Dear Jordan you understand me 😭 I didn’t like thorns and roses but I also wasn’t a fan of throne of glass. And don’t listen to people who say that the second book is super fantabulous amazing cause it’s somehow even worse (it will ruin everything great about Rhysand in this book) and I hate it so much, I will never understand the Sarah Janet Maas hype :(
I love how you looked like you were ready to scream when you were starting with the spoiler section. I think the way her family treats her is terrible but the way she seems to want to leave her family be just so they'd realize how much they need her, all in all just a terrible family dynamic all over. Her amoral disregard for the fairy that she killed was already enough to ruin her as a character for me but the curse comes up and any character growth that she might've had is just instantly discarded because heaven forbid the audience realize what a terrible person the protagonist is. Where is Avatar's awesome exposition when you need it. It just sickens me that SJM went so far as to have a redeem arc for Rhyse that has the two ending up together and the majority of the fandom just accepts it. There's no reason at all for their relation to ever be okay and so much of what Rhyse said was "excusable" was really just done because he wanted to with no "forgivable" explanation. He should've been the villain, he was so much worse and so much more intimidating than Amerantha. I laughed so much in this. "My cheekbones are just too sharp," & "I don't like the second option" I was literally tearing up as I watched it. The sarcasm was strong in this one. Sorry for the long comment, I wronte it as was watching the vide. This book just gaze me so many emotions.
Haha I get it! Notice how I didn't talk much about the family from the book? It's mostly because they're completely irrelevant to the story after the inciting incident, but I also had wayyyy too much to say and this video is already too long. I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
I needed more explanation on the magic system it was so soft type of magic like it had no limitations I need restrictions I need to know how it works it just showed these fairies can do magic to no extent
Also, i thought it was so weird that feyre never felt bad or doubtful about killing and skinning (wtf) that first fairy even though she suspected it might be one and obv later has many fairy friends. Thats so stupid and illogical smh
My sister and her friends love this book series to death. As for me.... I couldn't finish it. The various reasons as to why this was the case were mainly because The characters annoyed/frustrated me to no end and the lack of actual plot. This book along with cinder, are one of handful books i can never see myself from actually liking and/or giving it another chance. Plus from what I've heard after the second book even fans of this series started hating on it.
Damn girl! I was waiting for you to make a video about this! I've never read this book (and never will, because it's written by Sarah J Maas, and since i read ten chapters of Throne of Glass and hated it with all my being i decided to NEVER read anything from her) but i heard it sucks (paperbackdreams is one of my booktube queens after all)
I know I'm a little late to the party, but thanks thanks thanks for this review. You summed up every single one of my thoughts about it and why I really don't get how this could have become so ridiculously popular. Thanks!
I loved this book as a teenager but now as a young adult i hate it. it's a mess, a problematic mess full of cheap hetero tropes, poor world building and characters written like they have only two brain cells. This series should be an example of what to do or not to do with retelling. ☕🐸
How did I not know about these videos?! You're my new favorite person 😍 I've already crossed two books of my queue because of these in depth reviews, such a time saver, but also fun to watch!
When I read the riddle, I kept thinking "It's gonna be Love, isn't it?" Then after a long several chapters I very nearly threw my copy of the book in anger.
Most of my notes reading this book dealt with how inconsistent Feyre’s character is. She spent all of the first couple chapters moaning about how awful her life was and how much she hated her family. Then proceeded to spend the rest of the book complaining about how she had to get back to her family. This disconnect made it really hard for me to objectively read the rest of the series because the initial premise for Feyre’s actions doesn’t make sense.
(WARNING MAJOR SPOILERY COMMENT) I read this book and enjoyed it for the most part. When I read I don’t really analyse how things are portrayed as much as I probably should because I enjoy some crappy books, I just love reading and collecting books I guess? But one major issue I had with this book is the Deus Ex Machina at the end. There was no real explanation or build up to the way Feyre dies then comes back to life as a Faerie. Why we had to watch the aftermath of her death in Rhysands eyes or why she was even killed if she was brought back to life. Then her coming back to life as one of the Fae. It shook me, I’ve been told it is explained better in the second book, but throughout the novel we have no idea that it could or will happen, no foreshadowing and nothing that tells us how powerful enough Fae are to bring back humans, then also turning that human into a Faerie at the same time. It really bothered me how casually glossed over this scene was because in the chapter after it she was alive and felt a little different because her body was that of High Fae. I don’t know if I was the only one who thought this though. In the end I am just interested in where the hell these books are going which is why I am going to most likely continue reading them.
The thought of Feyre painting Andy Warhol-like cracks me up
Haha I know right? But who knows... maybe she is?
So book characters can't have talents, got it.
@@Pepperroni08
Book characters can have talents, but it should be developed, like any other character trait. In ACOTAR, Feyre just kinda paints stuff sometimes and the paintings look like paintings. I'll admit, she is described as taking note of colour and texture a lot, and in ACOMAF, her painting skills are used to develop her character a bit more, which I like, but I still find it hard to visualize the things she paints. Also (but this is might just be my personal opinion), a lot of the painting stuff feels a bit out of place in this book.
Super late, but to me, any painting will always = Bob Ross
This comment is GOLD!
Me after hearing that apparently killing faeries allows you to live in a lavish estate with a hot guy: **loading up a shotgun** look faeries I just want to talk
hide the shotgun, it makes your intentions too obvious.
Also, make sure your shells are make of metal, not lead.
I thought the exact same thing 😂😂
😂😂😂😂
Complete the book and then speak
"I do not ship Feyre and Rhysand."
Me: oh honey...if you continue this series you've got a big storm coming...
Nerds Ahoy! RITE THANK GOD I CONTINUED THE SERIES RHYSAND 😭
Kill me if you want... but I do ship it. (Right now half way in second book. I will let you know if I change my mind)
Edit: I have finished the book and yes I do ship. 🙃
@@shadowcat2895 Rhysand is better than Tamlin, by like a lot.
especially book 2 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤡🤡
I like what it has to say about what good people will do in awful situations. And going forward, how people go on with their lives after surviving something you perhaps should not have
Kills a fairy.
Your punishment: be treated like a queen in the world of fairies. How logical.
Sounds like a Black guy who only dates white women.
Paul Sheppard W what?
You do realize that's because of the curse he was trying to break right?
Exactly like wtf?
Lara Maria omg now i get it
Me getting kissed by my one true love: **becomes acutely aware of armpit pores**
Jessica Boros good thing Tamlin is actually a sort of Rapey ab
Usive ass hat yay rhys
Hot
@@Jesusfsmums and Rhys wasn’t abusive and manipulative? Sis, lmao.
Honestly, same
.....who said that though?
"I became aware of every pore in my body" sounds like something you'd say after walking into locker room full of sweaty middle schoolers, not during a romantic scene
The little red haired girl from across the street omg true
Lol! Oh my lord...that just sounds so gross
Like me after p.e.
*Gets violent dodgeball flashbacks*
She could have written: “I became aware of every nerve-ending in my body.” That would have made more sense.
"Hey you killed and SKINNED my friend, prepare to DI-woah heyyyy you're actually pretty hot, wanna come over to my place instead?"
Nabs 2099 but it was Tamlin who sent the wolf and expected it to be killed by a mortal girl, and he schemed everything so that Feyre could fall in love with him because the condition to the curse break was for a mortal to fall in love with Tamlin 🤷🏻♀️
SombreDiamant okay sure, but it’s funny
@@SombreDiamant Yeaaaa but that's stupid. Also that shows that Tamlin is willing to sacrifice people as long as it benefits him, which is horrible.
Ha Ha ha it really is ridiculous how that happens
Tamaki742 Tamlin did NOT want to kill his people. He actually stopped sending them for a few decades because he couldn't handle watching and letting his people die. But when the curse's limit is near, he decided to start doing it again. He sends his servants against because he knows that if he doesn't break the curse, it won't only hurt him but ALL of his people. None of them (Tamlin, Lucien, and the Spring Court people) wanted to accept Feyre. But they knew it was the only key to survival. They knew that if they wanted to break the curse and have some sort of chance of freedom, they would have to invite Feyre into their homes. Alis explains that. Also, Alis and Lucien's behavior emphasizes that. Alis and Lucien, from the beginning of the book, already establish that they don't want to treat Feyre with kindness and that they only do it because they have to. Hell, even Tamlin doesn't want to do it. But they all do it anyways. Tamlin did bad things and was especially abusive to Feyre, but he cared about his people. I kind of hoped Maas would redeem him but I know that would've been hard, considering what an ass he was in the series.
YES!!! Amarantha was one of the dumbest villains I've ever read. She's "so powerful" but gets defeated by the easiest riddle and dies in like 10 seconds. Love your in depth reviews!
And when you find out that the answer to her riddle was "love"?! I smacked my forehead when i read that part, i thought it was so stupid and cheesy!
Fayre is the dumbest heroine I've ever read! I remember desperately hoping that she would answer the riddle so that she wouldn't have to kill two innocent people begging for mercy (which is a type of love, DUH!)
Mustard Seed she gets kind of better by the second book. And by better I mean she goes from extremely stupid to just stupid. I guess that’s an improvement.
@@nootnewt3 From beneath rock bottom to rock bottom, huh?
Yo! If I'd have been Feyre before Amarantha repeated the riddle the book would've ended. I did a freaking double take and asked outloud "is she joking". Unfortunately no, Amarantha was not.
Feyre: What is the curse?
Alis: 4 pages of Prythian History without answering the question.
Feyre: What is the curse?
I hate how it’s not discussed enough how Rhysand treated Feyre at the party thing. I feel so bad reading that. It was so sad. He made her wear an uncomfortable stripper “dress”, painted her whole body, made her drink, and didn’t he make her sexually dance on him? (Sorry for my English)
I Love ur Comment and Agree. :)
And twisted her arm till she agrees to a deal with him.
ew wtf???
My only thought in his defense (kinda, cuz the whole escort ordeal is stupid) is that I think his reasoning with the paint is to comfort Tamlin. I think by having her covered in the paint he’s showing Tamlin that it’s all a rouse. Tamlin can see that Rhysand isn’t touching her beyond her waist and arms (the author makes that very clear.)
But overall, the MANY nights of her being his sexy little date have no meaning and are deeply upsetting for anyone but esp women to read
He also tortures her by twisting her broken arm till she agrees to his deal and tells her that of he would def rape her but he's scared of Tam. But mind you if Tam wasn't here she woulda already been raped. Super feminist shit right there wtf
“I cannot stand being inside the head of someone so opposed to common sense.”
Seriously, this seems to be a growing problem in post-Twilight YA novels, especially fantasy/ urban fantasy (my genres of interest, for better or worse). So many bland, reader-insert protags I just want to shake while screaming, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”
Haha omg I know, it's so bad!!
Oh man, I feel you.
Yesss! This is what I’ve been saying!!
So me and my friend decided to do something really dumb and painful: a SJM marathon. Horrible idea, yes. So she did Throne if Glass and I did this series. So we both started at the same time, and then we met up after doing the first book in our respective series. The first thing she said was “ I am confused and mildly offended. You?” I grabbed this book, flipped to a random page, and then looked her in the eye without blinking and said: “Pain can bark and Maas ran out of words halfway through the book and just decided to pick random words out of a hat the rest of the way.”
Then we just got ice cream and stared into the distance thinking of what we’ve seen and done.
oof yeah there is a reason I refuse to read either series now ( I say that Like I didnt just attempt to read ACOTAR yesterday) I refuse to got beyond the 2nd book TOG and read the first ACOTAR and won't be reading the rest
Ngl, even reading the most terrible thing seems fun when you do it with a friend.
Wait, Feyre cheats on the trial in this book, just like how Celaena cheats on one of the Tests in Throne of Glass. Did Sarah J Maas cheat a lot in school or something?
No, she just writes the same story changing her character names.
@@Angelica-sq9lhyeahhhh i noticed sooo many similarities btwn tog & acotar when i was reading them, like girl you couldnt be a lil bit more creative? Lmfao
I'm so glad these kind of videos exist... Not only protects my wallet, but also teaches me what NOT to do in a book
Glad you find them helpful! :)
Same here!
Yes, I too find the negative reviews to be the most useful!
Yes! I was sitting here listening to her rip this book apart & making sure that my first novel is not committing any of this tomfoolery.
You can’t always know if you like the book or no. That’s only her opinion and I personally think that the book has a great plot twist. I feel like almost all her videos are about books she doesn’t like.
i become aware of every pore in my body when i run into someone from my school out in public.
Oooh true that
Kind of an unpopular comment here, but I actually do like the series. I agree with many of your points because as much as I do like her books she does tend to repeat odd descriptors a lot (take a shot everytime she says the word "molten", I dare you). What I love about the series is that the next book is spent not only further establishing the world, but also showing that A) your first love isn't always your last, B) that it is okay to say no to an abusive relationship, and C) focuses on the family one can create for themselves. I think that this book is probably my least favorite in the series because, as you said, it felt very boring at times, info-dumpy, and Tamlin was just not a good love interest. Everyone who has read the series hates Tamlin and loves Rhysand and Lucien, so you're definitely not alone in that. I was totally laughing or nodding my head in agreement for most of this video because you had some really good points to make! I truly think SJM didn't know where she wanted this series to go when she wrote ACOTAR, but ACOMAF is one of the most amazing books I've ever read.
TW// suicide
I was seriously considering suicide when I was rereading ACOMAF, and Feyre's storyline through her depression to her own self-salvation and finding love in her new, closest, and comforting friends in the Night Court truly saved my life. Rhysand's cousin, Morrigan, says this line that I will probably never forget: "Don't let the hard days win." It has become my mantra because such a simple quote has truly reshaped how I approach each day.
Even though you weren't a fan of this book, I do recommend at least giving the second book a chance (but not page 23-24,,,Tamlin is literally so sexist in those scenes it disgusts me and no one should ever have to read those pages without intending on finishing the entire book).
Sorry for the long ass essay I just wrote! I really liked this video though and I'm really glad you brought to light your feelings about the book, because that's what this platform is for! Conversations like this.
Hey, thanks so much for the comment! I've actually had quite a few great comments already from people who love the series. I totally get it when you find a book that really speaks to you and helps you through a hard time. To me, that book is Blood Red Road, which a lot of people don't like! That's the wonderful thing about storytelling... it communicates a world of different things to different people just based on their personalities and experiences.
Thanks for staying respectful, and I'm glad you found a series that you love :)
I agree with all of this, I really do think ACOTAR was a mess, but I do love ACOMAF.
I am totally of the same opinion. The first book did not make much sense but the second one changed the whole world upside down and suddenly it was much more enjoyable to read.
I think the point of the first book was to make Tamlin as inatractive as it is possible
When i read it for the first time i quite enjoyed it but when i read that for like second time i find it boring and meaningless
I think acomaf was waay better and it added deep to the world and in general to the storyline
when i read this book i was so confused why i didn't like it. everyone raves about sarah j mass's books and i felt extremely underwhelmed reading acotar. im glad someone else realized this book doesnt live up to the hype (in my opinion).
"I don't ship Fayra and Rhysand"
...
Yeah, 'bout that. Guess what Maas did?
Sionna Dehr so I’ve heard :(
What did she do? I'm not interested in reading those books but can you please tell me?
Dani Just Dani she paired Rhysand with Feyra. Apparently that was her endgame
@@sionnadehr3313 oh....well isn't that peachy
Dani Just Dani and she turned Rhys into a total wuss while she was at it
*sigh*
I've never and will never read this series but somehow I've ended up watching a tonne of rant videos about it over the past few days. I love hearing people bitch about it
Dude I do that all the time
Jordan Harvey I feel so vindicated
Same. I feel bad because my friend loves Sarah J Maas's books (though I believe she likes the TOG series more) and gushes about it to me all the time and I'm just here like... Watching rant videos about the series she likes :")
I just think watching people discuss the problematic aspects of these books is immensely interesting lol
honestly i've read all the books to rant about them and now im very confused to why i'm still reading them when i didn't really like them in the first place but i can say book 2 was better
Don’t ever trust an author that can put out a novel or more per year.
Don’t trust a female fantasy writer under the age of 40.
Don’t trust any male writer under the age of 40.
Don’t trust a booktube author-ever!-regardless of their education, age, content or subscriber volume.
999/1000 fantasy book submissions are terrible. 1/1000 are good. 1/10,000 are publishable. 1/100,000 get published. 1/1,000,000 makes it big.
Why people think there is no hierarchy in art is beyond me. It’s steeper than it is in sports. In art terms, writing’s hierarchy it’s about equal to music. Too many fancy themselves making a chart topper or being the next Rowling. It’s ridiculous.
Is it bad that I hope you read the second and third books just so I can enjoy watching you rip them to shreds? You judge books so eloquently that I just wanna grab some popcorn and watch all day.
I do hope you will read the second one because people are nuts about it, they say it's much better than the first, but when I tried to read it my reaction was: jfdshifdhi??!!. I'm curious what you would think of it.
Yeah I'm never going to read the books but I love listening to her reviews anyway!
And forth is literally a shit. I hate it more than anything else
Winter Sonnet totally. When I was reading the second one I thought it was even worse... I couldn't finish it xd
Lol the second book sucks
Amarantha was my biggest disappointment with this book, which is really freaking impressive considering... basically everything you've mentioned. Really, I just hate that all the villainous ladies in this series are actually Secret Fools and get Grisly Ends, whereas the villainous dudes all secretly have hearts of gold and are super smart and get redemption arcs (because the author wants to sleep with them? because she knows that readers do? you decide!)
Don't read the rest of the series. I was blinded by book two because it was better than book one, but in retrospect it's just a rebranded book one. Like, "oh... I hate the canon I've created. Here's a do-over." And book three is straight up hot garbage. Steer clear.
so reverse feminism? reverse misogynist? reverse sexism? 😂
The romanticized abuse in both relationships is what makes me the most angry; not only is it clear that both men have physically hurt her MULTIPLE TIMES, but they continually manipulate and abuse her mentally. I will never blame a victim for the abuse they endure but I will blame the author that uses it for a romantic plot and makes it seem like there is nothing wrong with it.
That’s why I had to stop reading her works. They just put me back in a bad place. I am so sick. SO SICK. Of the romanticized alpha male being treated as something hot. Worst of all is that she condemns Tamlin for being a dick (fair) but Rhys isn’t much better. But Rhys gets a pass because Sarah’s vagina gets a little damp whenever she writes about him.
It bothers me even more is that ToG is also full of abusive and toxic relationships and people are praising it into heaven
Aliyah Anibas I know what and that‘s great, but it doesn‘t make up for the abuse he put her through (In my opinion of course):)
@Aliyah Anibas He TWISTED Feyre's BROKEN arm!!! Only a Stockholm syndrome can make her not run off screaming or try to kill him whenever they meet 🤦♀️
She’s a hunter in a harsh dystopia of sorts and fighting is common among both types of beings. Applying our human rules to them is nonsensical.
It made absolutely no sense to my why Tamlin was in love with her. She was so boring and so stupid, and honestly such a child compared to him. Tamlin is this immortal, powerful, ethereal being to Feyre, and Feyre is a murderer idiot child to Tamlin. Like what is he attracted to?? I don't get it
Honestly one is the biggest problems I had was why didn’t feyre just tell them that she didn’t really know the wolf was a faerie?? Like yes she had considered that the wolf might be a faerie but ultimately decided he was a regular wolf before killing him and ultimately killed the wolf so that she could feed her family with the deer. Also, tamlin LITERALLY SENT THE FAERIE TO DIE FOR THE CURSE AND EVERYONE KNEW IT. The faerie was purposefully disguised as a wolf so a human would kill him and everyone was aware that this was the case so why all the spring court faeries were so mad about their friend being murdered but was literally sent to BE MURDERED was strange to me.
What I don't understand about these books is just how many people absolutely love them?? I read them last year because of the hype but even before I was paying attention to the problematic things, nothing about them really stands out. I guess they work as self-projection-pleasure reads, but even then, why would you want to imagine yourself with any of these guys? Twilight is in the same category, and it's a problematic hot mess, but at least there isn't any sexual assault or literal torture performed by the love interests.
I'm actually glad to hear you liked Rhysand as a villain though, I 100% agree. He's great as an antagonist and the only thing that salvaged ACOTAR for me. Unfortunately in the next books Maas decides to make him a token sexy-uber-good-boy love interest which is 1. boring 2. gross 3. like really super gross, he didn't need a redemption arc Maas stop it
Seriously. This book has a 4.5/5 on goodreads, then I finally got around to it and it was soooo painful. It was trash in the boring way, even not the fun way.
Twilight is leaps and bounds better than this book, and I don't even like Twilight.
"Rhysand is abusive"
_loudly sips tea_
What's worse is that ACOTAR is actually getting a movie in the future. I'm not sure if I should be terrified or excited at the prospect of future riffing materiel.
OH NO
... HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH SHITTY YA ADAPTATION. Christ.
Terrified. Can you imagine if it gets to be a blockbuster by the sheer power of gullible teenagers? It will get sequels! And, some movie historians might mention it to my kids and grandkids. I don't want to subject my future children to this series' horror. They are more damaging than the original horror stories by the Grimm Brothers that most fairytales are based on.
@@zaiemrys5917 And then it'd end up like Divergent that gets nowhere. Or idk, Mortal Instruments, that's lucky enough to get a TV series that's actually better than the original. Like let's be honest here, YA adaptations like these are fads, they're not strong enough to be as popular as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or the Tolkien saga.
Zai Emrys+ Well, if my generation had to put up with Twilight movie sega, I think the younger generation, teenagers and younger, can do the same with those movies. Either way, they could make for awesome riffing materiel like those movies.
I just recently discovered booktube and I have been LIVING for reviews of bad books, especially yours. It has done SO MUCH to rekindle my motivation to be an author! The novels I want to write are more YA/adult in nature, and I am just so consistently disappointed in the YA material that's been available lately. It's all so cliche, predictable, and not very entertaining. I skimmed the first few chapters of ACoTaR and thought it was atrocious, and yet it's a bestseller! It made me think that there was no point in writing anymore if everyone just wants the same mediocrity over and over. When developing my books I wrote them with the intent of keeping them focused on popular genres, but with many unconventional elements. I want to be sure that my books are special and different, that people that are as tired of the same things as I am would appreciate the uniqueness. I've been so disappointed and worried to death that all of my time and effort would be for nothing.
But all of these booktubers criticizing these well selling novels gives me hope. Maybe I'll never have fame and notoriety that Sarah or Stephenie Meyer have, maybe my fan base will never be as nearly as big. But I feel so comforted to know that there will be people out there that will love my books, and I hope that you'll be one of them.
SAME. I know I should study for my finals but all these reviews are SO MUCH BETTER than microbiology 😂
Trust me, I get it😭
we need more ppl like you to show that you can like YA but still be intelligent and critical!!
I would have liked seeing her go thru fairy court for her crimes and punishment was serving the family and romance happens from there. Something like that.
i don’t know why but you got me laughing at “fairy court”
I was drinking when you said 'honey that is not cute'. The words, the expression, and the execution was just perfect. I accidentally snorted and the pepsi went up my nose.
I had no idea it was a retelling of Beauty & the Beast, and never got that vibe while reading, so it definitely wasn't just you lmao. What drove me insane with ACOTAR was the fast-paced relationship with Tamlin, the sex scenes that might as well have been taken off Wattpad, and then she introduces Rhys and you just know... you KNOW she's going to put Feyre and Rhys together because she did the same thing in TOG. Literally. She gave us Aelin and Chaol, then two books later tried to make the readers despise Chaol so she could justify Aelin finding her "true mate" Rowan.
Having read both series, she repeats pretty much everything she writes. The relationships, especially, and the side characters always have the same personalities. Nothing feels developed enough, like you said, and it's just to the point where it's annoying now. I got ACOTAR box set for Christmas, thought I might like it more than TOG (because that series annoyed the shit out of me too), and here I am being forced to read three books because my mom spent money on them .-. Glad you got to stop. It doesn't get any less frustrating or dumb.
Was gonna buy this book but its either people like it or hate it. But this review pretty much settled it.... Issa skip.
I only continued this series because I wanted to know what would happen with Nesta. It's a very unpopular opinion, but I think Nesta is one of the most compelling characters I've read about (yes, she's trash and cruel, I am aware) and honestly I think her potential is lost on SJM, the fandom, and the ACOTAR world
I actually think the same thing. The only reason I'm going to read the rest of this serie is for Lucien and Nesta. I loved Lucien because he make sense and Nesta intrigued me so I want to know more about them.
@@soumeya3483 same.only lucien's and nesta's story is worth exploring.but,sjm will ruin them.dont hope.sjm will make them feysand worshippers by the end of her upcoming novels like how she did to chaol and that old man darrow.everyone in her books conveniently licks the boots of her mary sue,white female characters and their precious,always horny mates(who are also white af,but described as golden for some godforsaken reason)
this comment aged pretty well
@@cupofkeyshae I actually didn’t like ACOSF, but only because I felt the crushing length wasn’t justified, and the sex was really overwhelming. but I continue agreeing that Nesta is a more interesting character that SJM doesn’t know what to do with. I would also argue that Elain has a lot of potential as a different sort of female lead, in line with Anne Elliot in “persuasion” (the book), but if Maas doesn’t know how to work with Nesta, she knows even less how to portray delicate strength that doesn’t involve holding swords
In the first book she’s not compelling at all
rip it to shreds sis
Don't you mean rip it to ribbons?
For the story, why didn't the writer make it so that the main character (sorry, her name was so boring I already forgot what it was) kill and skin the fairy, but instead of a fairy taking her away, she sells the pelt. The pelt turns the wearer into a monster, and the beast tracks her down. The beast then forces her to help find a cure, and slowly they start to become friends. That would have (I think) made more sense, and would have felt less contrived.
Please write that book, it sounds so much more intriguing
Can I add that to my possible fanfic au of this book? And I emphasize might.
It's such a low bar when Rhysand is considered one of the best characters because he has a modicum of intelligence. He should have just stayed as a villain. Lucien is the best, but even he couldn't get me to read the rest of this shit series (and I heard Maas ruins him anyway. Because that's what she does).
she loves doing character assassination to make other characters (love interest) look goog
Ew. I didn't know that happened because I stopped after the ACOTAR (didn't have it in me to finish the others). I've read enough reviews of this and her other series to know that she hates when main characters aren't in straight relationships and apparently to be alone is a fate worse than death. SJM can go choke on her heteronormative stories and her fake wokeness. She's getting as bad as CC.
Milo M The reason Lucien ends up mated with Elain was because Maas wanted Lucien to help the Night Court. It was stated that not all mates are perfect for each other. Tamlin and Rhysand's parents are a perfect example of that. Rhysand and Feyre discuss that maybe Lucien and Elain aren't meant to be and maybe destiny wanted them together for a different reason. I think Maas was trying to say that Lucien's purpose resided with the Night Court. If he wasn't mated with Elain, I'm pretty sure he would still be with Tamlin. And if he was with Tamlin, they wouldn't have won in the war or at least wouldn't have the help that they did. After all, it was Lucien who got Miryam and Drakon AND Vassa and Vassa's people to fight in the war.
In the words of (Abridged) Seto Kaiba: fuck destiny. Besides, Maas's reasoning for Lucien's Arbitrary Assigned Girlfriend™ just makes the whole mess worse. Ugh.
Easily Distracted Author How does her reasoning make it worse? She's moving the plot in a way that's clever. It meant that the mate bond wasn't just to get Rhys and Feyre together but to get Lucien to help with the Night Court. She didn't ruin Lucien. In fact, she may have made him better. If he was stuck with Tamlin, he wouldn't have been such a great help to the war. He might've helped Tamlin pick up more men for the army, but Maas already proved that Tamlin could do it himself. And he would also be stuck with Tamlin and not doing much but doing Tamlin's bidding. At least he can now do things on his own accord.
Never clicked so fast. I hate this book so much. The “relationships” are honestly atrocious. Thank you so much for doing this. *virtual hug*
I personally enjoy the story. If you didnt enjoy this, maybe read a different called Cruel Prince? I didnt enjoy that myself, but I've found that some people who disliked this book series loved that.
Soul Fall Oh no, that book was awful too, lol.
@@evermoreisamasterpiece It truely was. I was so lost through out the whole thing. xD
I’ve had arguments with friends that maas herself is a trash writer, and their defence is ‘YA doesn’t have to be good and just because you have a lit degree you’re being a snob’
Um
No
Being a young adult doesn’t mean you ‘deserve’ trash literature to project upon. Stephanie Meyer has better craftsmanship than Maas and I have no shame saying that. Everything Maas does has me turning into Inigo Montoya “this word does not mean what I think you think it means!”
The overall annoyance is that this kind of literature perpetuates that young readers are stupid and shouldn’t have literature ask them to engage in any thought. You can have fairy romances that involve brain cells, and the lack of this is encouraged by some publishing departments more interested in pushing a quick buck. This is trash, and it’s bad trash. I hate the overmarketing, and the readers who try to sell it as good are full of crap. It’s trash, admit it, and sell it with that warning.
tbh that happens often.
If standards are this low maybe I have a shot!
Thank you! Oh my god, I felt like I was being talked down to, and I wanted to gouge out my eyes...
They are trash not even worth being salvaged from the dump. Some trash can be turned into art, most YA novels need to be incinerated pronto!
Agree! I am by no means a literary snob - I mostly read YA and romance - but this book annoyed me so much! The writing, both the style and the plotting, was awful!
were the books trash? yes. do i still love them anyway? *yes*
Same. Like I'm not kidding myself, they aren't good, but I found it fun in a mindless way.
vaingloire saaaaaaame
I swear this what I thought. But man I love it.
me with the selection lol
Same lmao. Like they suck but not twlight suck.... But like... I LOVE IT.
I'm actually insulted that it was also a Tam Lin retelling (Ballad of Tam Lin, a Scottish story) and even used his name on one of the most problematic characters, EVER. It doesn't even incorporate the essence of the story and borderline bastardazing it.
The thing I hated about Maas' books is giving a premise then delivering something entirely different from what was promised and I deeply loathed all her female MCs because they are soooo unlikable. Let's face it, all of them are basically Mary Sues even if they were 'flawed' (not really).
The portrayal of relationships are toxic, shallow and immature and while the idea was good (again, except the 'fairy tale' thing) it was executed poorly and the focus was more about romance than character development.
I need to find a good YA book. Any recommendations? Please?
Anna- banana my last video is a fantasy recommendation vid! And yeah, a few people have said that it incorporated Celtic ideas but that they were also really let down by that!
@@JordanHarveybooks Thank you! I will definitely check it out!
I'm so glad someone else finds it insulting that this author ruins the name of Tam lin.
Diana wynne Jones did a better tam lin retelling with fire and hemlock
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. She´s a master
As a person who loves fairy tale retellings and YA novels (they're my guilty pleasure), I have been hearing a lot of people rave and applaud this book ever since I got into booktube as a whole. I love the original Beauty and the Beast and I'm a sucker for any retelling of these stories, so when I heard about this book, I was thinking, hmm this sounds interesting I might give it a read.
Then I started to realize that a lot of people hyped this book up a lot and after reading a few more YA books and watching some rant videos, I can safely say that I dodged a bullet when it comes to this series. From the way you described the entire book, Jordan, I'm surprised it even got approved and published, and the editing sounds even worse from how it's described. I don't mind unlikable protagonists, in fact I like the dynamic, but from how Fayre sounds it seems to me she's just another Mary Sue who everyone likes and has no qualms with. Also the fact this book has a lot of "suggestive" themes also kind of turned me off from reading it overall, since I don't approve of any romance that has rapey tendencies.
Overall I'm glad you put this review out, I love your rant videos and I've been waiting for one about ACOTAR, so today is a good day, love your channel and have a nice day.
I totally concur! I love retellings as well and Belle is one of my all time favourite, so forward than her time. What do you think about 'A Curse so Dark And Lonely'? I've heard it is a beauty and the beast retelling... I hope I'm not disappointed this time...
@@sp-iw5hk I haven't heard of it before, but I'll be sure to check it out later, thanks.
I haven't heard of this book or the author. But by the way your talking, she seems like those authors that fall into the same category of all sap, no substance, like the authors of books like Twilight, Divergent, or the Mortal Instruments. Books lots of people like because there's a girl, some jokes, a hot guy, and a bad guy. Doesn't raise the bar or challenge the reader in anyway. By the way, great review. This book sounds absolutely messed up. "Hey, kids. Let's skin a fairy."
NightbreedGaming not that it makes much of a difference but the fairy was in animal form when she killed it. Anyway I still agree 100% with what you said
The Mortal Instruments had some plot. Some of the characters are great others not.Granted it was dull in some parts because of the lengthy sentences. The part with Lilith was dreadful. I did not enjoy reading pages of Jace and Clary's relationship
The only redeemable parts are the bits about Malec while soul crushing was interesting. Jace was over hyped for the character he was. Clary was boring and plain. Alec and Magnus were actually quite amazing I think. Valentine was horrible he made a horrible villain . Sebastian was better? The small redemption he had at Coh was fine not great. Coh was probably the best being the most entertaining and being the one with the most plot.
Isn’t Malec pedophiliac because Magnus is over 3000 and Alec is around 16?
Some Background Pikachu Alec is 18 while Magnus is a lot older but at least Alec is a legal adult. He could be like 15 and be dating him which would be gross.
I surprised the author didn’t make him younger
people hating acotar as much as i did give me life. thanks for this video jordan!
Rhysand sexually assaulting Feyre was the worst part of this book for me. It actually triggered me that he drugged her and then did that, night after night. It made me hate his character.
it’s the reason i couldn’t finish the series. the way it’s just brushed past and when she finally confronts him he goes in detail about his own trauma and then never so much as utters the words “i’m sorry” was just too much. i cannot enjoy a series where the main couple’s relationship is founded upon sexual and physical abuse and coercion.
I recommend you to read the 2nd book.You will get all the explanation you need.
I'm glad that I wasn't the only one who found the riddle easy
I was so excited for this video and it DID NOT disappoint!! So brilliantly put into words why this book sucked
The Authentic Observer haha thank you!! ❤️❤️❤️
Yes, my gals!! I have been hoping one of you would do a video on acotar! Dreams do come true. It had been a very, VERY long time since I read a book as frustrating, dull, and uncomfortable as this one.
I love you both! ❤
I loved it. I love the entire series actually. No where near better than Castle Of Glass series though.
This video was so good, a spider walked down my spine.
And i “clicked my tongue!”
(Seriously why tf was this said like 12 times in the book? If i took a shot every time i read that line i’d be in hospital for alcohol poisoning)
This series is a guilty pleasure of mine, but I absolutely loved how you tore it apart, haha, you were 100% right
I never really understood why everyone liked SJM so much, and at some point in time I even tried forcing myself to read and like her books. But now I realized I don't really care and her books are trash.
i tot the ACOTAR series was pretty good but TOG i couldn’t even get past the first book. (even though i forced myself to book three)
@@xinriji I re-read every book in this series lol
@@vedanshisreeramoju3700 Yeah
That's fine hon, just keep reading what you find interesting!!🖤
She really is trash. The worst part is almost everyone recommends her books like they're the best thing ever and as great fantasy stories... for me they are more romance/smut with a little bit of fantasy. The worldbuilding is super underdeveloped and you spend more time reading about how the protagonist finds that guy hot than actually getting an interesting plot.
I enjoyed this series the first time I read it, but I did have many issues with it. I picked up because I was under the impression it was somewhat inspired by Celtic folklore with a Beauty and the Beast backdrop. I was so disappointed with how SJM handled few Celtic themes she DID include 😒However, what drove me away from the fandom was her crazy followers. Make one good natured critique and they go nuts.
I despised Feyre from practically the first page and never liked her or sympathized with her from then on. And as much as I liked Lucien, believe me, Maas ruins him in the later books. Your review/rant touched on everything that has bugged me about this book from the beginning. I love your description of Feyre
“She was a dumb murderer at the start of the book and she’s a dumb murderer at the end of the book.” 😂
The use of the cauldron from Celtic mythology was always something that confused and frustrated me. 😐 So supposedly all fae were dumped out of it? Uh-okay...
Garland Thompson
Right? I don’t mind people interpreting mythology in their own way, but she kinda butchered it lol
Celtic myths are epic already. They really don’t need improvement
That's exactly what I thought too! And plus, why just pluck out the cauldron as a muguffin and why not the other three artifacts from the ancient Otherworld cities from the Tuatha De Dannan? *Sigh* Such untapped potential. And when I read it, I kept reading the series in hopes of some more references, but the cauldron was an overstated artifact. The only other one was Lucians mechanical eye which could be in reference to the king with the silver arm, but that was it!
I also really think Lucien is an underrated character. I wish that SJM spent a little bit more time on him. he has a pretty complex backstory and seems more wellrounded than the pretty boys in the book.
"Every pore" yikes that is not hot
Jordan, you look ready to hurt someone for like the first 12/13 minutes, lol. The quote about her pores is still funny to me! I can't believe Maas really tried to make romantic scenes out sexual assault; I was gonna try this series because Beauty and the Beast retellings are my fave, but I can't stand romanticism of sexual assault. Your expressions made review even better :D
I love how you actually go into depths of the flaws and give examples. It's hugely refreshing! I've watched too many book reviews that just go through the list of what they don't like and not genuinely give evidence. It's one thing to watch a rant about a book, but actually give proper criticism makes you one of my fav reviewers in booktube! ALSO you are SO pretty !! Love your stuff!
Queen of reviews is back at it again ♥️
i *hated* this book. i wish Tamlin had actually been "ugly" (i know beauty is subjective, but give him a hunchback or a bald spot or acne or SOMETHING outside of the realms of literary beauty, rather than him just being a chris hemsworth lookalike, ugh). if it's a beauty & the beast retelling, MAKE HIM PHYSICALLY UNDESIRABLE TO FEYRE. a sexy masquerade mask is not good enough.
i hated rhysand too, he was abusive from the start, and forcing feyre to get drunk and dance with him half-naked at the faerie parties seemed creepy and a little rapey to me. he seems to only get away with it because he's attractive. like is there any unattractive men in this book??? even lucien is described as good looking???? UGGGH.
also, that ridiculous scene where tamlin is in heat after mating, and he unconsensually kisses feyre and she slaps him...... then IT'S NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN. HE FACES NO CONSEQUENCES FOR FORCING HIMSELF ON HER EXCEPT A SLAP ON THE CHEEK.
i hate this f-ing book
(sorry if you've mentioned any of these points in your review. i had to comment 3 seconds in because i hate this book so. gotdamn. much) 😚
I get what you're saying, but Rhysand really only did that so that Amarantha wouldn't torture Feyre to death.
TAMLIN ISNT THE BEAST..... You should read the whole series.
What made Tamlin undesirable was the fact that he was fae. The whole series derives from the prejudice between the humans and fae. It wasn't about appearances, it was more about race. The story was about overcoming the differences between races/species. In the series, there is never any discrimination against other skin colors. Only species. You can kind of think of the High Fae as the dominant race, Lesser Fairies next, then the humans.
And Feyre never knew love, that's why she accepted the things Tamlin did to her. In the second book, Feyre even realizes that their relationship was never good in the first place and that she may have only loved him because he provided her with a safety and took her from the hell hole she once lived in. Tamlin does receive punishment later in the series.
And about Rhysand, he only did that because that was the only way he could take her out of the cell without being suspicious. He had to act that way in order to actually save her. If he hadn't taken Feyre out, she would've likely loss her will to fight. It's explained in the book, you should try to read more thoroughly. Feyre also explains that while he touched her, his hands never went below her waist. He never went past any boundaries. He mostly did it to distract her and Feyre knew that. More of it is explained in the second book.
And of course all the characters are attractive. It's a fictional book! I guess you can also say that most of the characters are attractive because they're all fae. Fae are exceptionally beautiful. But whatever.
This book wasn't the greatest (boring and cliche), but it's supposed to lead us to the second and third book in the series. The second book is really really good and I suggest you read it. The character development is well done and it's really encouraging. The romance is a spectacular slow burn. Maybe it will change your mind, maybe it won't. And if you don't read it, that's fine. Just try? :)
the fact that Tamiln is such a horrible person on the inside is what's meant to make him unattractive and ugly, but Feyre doesn't find this out until the end of the book and the start of the second book. ppl need to read the whole series to actually gather enough information to be able to make a valid opinion.
I love your review! Especially, when you got extremely passionate about "the things that don't make sense," it was beautiful.
I quit Maas after the sequel to ACOTAR. Her writing is problematic. But what made me quit ALL of her writing was ACOTAR as it more and more bothered me. Yes, it's a retelling. But what I would challenge this book with isn't just problematic content, but plagiarism. This is very controversial... but this book and the second are eerily similar to Holly Black and Anne Bishop. Some her lines are almost taken straight out of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy. Some of the characters are straight out of that series too. It reads as an average fanfic someone would've put online and forgotten existed. I get paying homage to your favorite authors... but, yeah, she really rides that line of plagiarism and I think she gets away with it because not many YA readers are familiar with the Black Jewels books.
I hate so much how she's become this like god of fairy fiction to the point where people have even started accusing other people who have been in the genre before her of copying her.
The amount of people i've seen try and claim that holly black is copying SJM makes me wanna cry because Black has been that dark romance fae writer since before it was trendy, and she is leagues better at it.
@@Samzillah I hate that Holly Black's writing is so boring now ever since she joined a writing group with SJM and that awful incest/dracohermione writer. Also Leigh Bardugo who stands with Israel. I think what happened to Susan Dennard was awful but that group doesn't deserve her anyway.
I love how your reviews are very thorough. I actually loved this book and this series but hearing other peoples opinions and perspectives on it is interesting
Wow...I've seen a lot of reviews about how bad and frustrating this book is, but nobody went into as much depth as you did. Yikes! That is...astronomical in how frustrating it sounds...the logic just doesn't seem to exist does it!
Logic doesn't exist in this fantasy world.
I love hearing other ppl opinions on books even if I don’t agree with it because it really opens my eyes on things I didn’t see when I read it
I have to say I absolutely adore your reviews not only 'cause you explain what the book is about to people who haven't read it, but you're very direct and clear about what you like and didn't like about it. I forgot how much I enjoyed your reviews haha
Mine S. thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoy them :)
God I loved these books when I was younger and hearing about them now is so jarring cause they're so bad and I'm just like, a) how did I enjoy these and b) how did anyone let this kind of stuff get published and marketed to children? I read them when I was a young teenager and it's so shocking because of all of the abuse. It's good that you stopped here cause they only get worse.
You're gonna make a hell of an author one day. I've been binge watching half of your channel and I don't know how I didn't come across it before. As a wanna be author myself, I salute you. Stay awesome, and finish that first book.
I swear this book is like a weird cross between Twilight and Fifty Shades of Gray. (Only with fairies instead of vampires.)
Not too far off actually ahah
Rhys would have been a great antagonist. TBH, he should have been the main villain pulling the strings above Amarantha. He's better as a bad guy than a love interest.
I love how this is an actually helpful review, not just “Read it, it’s awesome!”, or “Worst thing ever. Don’t read it.” Thanks!
Abt what you said abt the protag (i cant spell her name oops) and the servants, SJM just doesn't understand class at all. I've read a decent bit of Catwoman (spoilers), and the most she said in the parts I've read is "being poor bad, and rich women are whiny brats." No criticism of the wealthy beyond the misogyny she directs at the characters in the novel, and no depiction of lower class existence that goes past being a quirky backstory for Selina.
Being a DC fangirl, that really pissed me off. Selina, when she's written well, is a foil for Batman. Like Bruce Wayne, she is compassionate and will help out others in need. Unlike Bruce, she is more willing to cross the line and do questionable acts in order to achieve that goal, including killing. She isn't is some holier then thou bitch, that's for sure. But yeah, I totally agree that SJM has no clue about class divide. Really makes me wonder if SMJ's a sliver spoon or something.
@@sorcerersapprentice I think in the very least she's along the lines of 'a poor person is just a temporarily embarrassed billionaire' if she doesn't come from a middle or upper class background
@@christinag2420 After looking into her background more, apparently SJM came from an upper class family and went to one of those posh universities in New York. Safe to assume that she has some pretty wrapped ideas around class divide and other social issues. Explains her bad representation in her other series as well. Doesn't excuse her shitty writing mistakes, but it explains a lot.
I 100% agree with you, I don not want to be impolite but this book is trask to me. I truly do not understand why it is so popular😂😂
I actually got curious to know how exactly that first choice of the protagonist between death and live your dreams as punishiment for murder was wrote in the book , and why the author thought that was plausible. If it was death or life in prison, ok, but extreme opposite opitions is just so weird.
"Often the descriptions did not have what I think was the intended effect"
See the THREE TIMES the phrase "my bowels went watery" was used when I think the author meant her stomach flipped and not that she shat her pants.
I came here to find this comment. I know it's meant to emphasise how horrified she is by something, but instead I just keep thinking...ew, go change your pants, girl 😫
Lmao It definitely gave IBS vibes.
I honestly love to binge watch your rant reviews. It's not only so much fun, it's informative too.
Dora Lalić haha thanks!
You know what book you should read to cleanse yourself of this awful experience? Six of Crows - so good it will heal your soul ;) (Joking, honestly anything you read is fine by me as your reviews are my fav in the booktube world. Can't wait for the day you do read SoC though, so excited for your thoughts.)
I don't think I'll ever read any SJM...her writing just sounds too problematic, both in regards to my social perspectives and my perspective on the quality of writing as a whole. This review was really well done, can't wait for your next video.
Also, I hit like before I hit play, as always
Renne Bright I'm late but yessss!! I LOVE six of crows and it's way better than this Maas bullshit
Gals, I've just read Six of crows and see no parallels whatsoever. Why is the book mentioned in many comments?
Omg! Yes, all hail queen bardugo!!🖤
Jesper my baby
The great thing about this book is the fact that if you don't look too closely at the story, it seems really cool and awesome. But then you poke one hole and the entire thing falls apart.
Your makeup is 👍👍👍
Thank you :)
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is basically a non-shit version of this book. Fleshed-out fairy world, complex characters, and awesome plot.
I actually love this series and Sarah J Maas' books, and I disliked The Cruel Prince. I heard so many good things about that book, but I did not enjoy it!
C.C. L. I looooved the cruel prince
The Cruel Prince is so so so good
Minus how shady Holly Black is
ty!
I’m writing a book series and this helps me so much on what NOT to do
Wow. I literally share 100% of the exact same gripes with this book. Feels so good to be validated when so much narrative surrounding this series is just pure googly-eyed love.
I dearly love this series, I am ACOTAR trash. However I totally agree about the first books structure and story, I was bored with the first half, she focused way too much on parts of the plot that weren’t relevant, like the trials were good, but could’ve been great with more detail and I didn’t rlly like feyres character, until later books but this doesn’t change my love for the series, I think as a whole it’s great and develops beautifully as you read on and it rlly depends on ur taste as a reader. I like cheesy fantasy books 😏😏
Ohh girl, I've been waiting for this. Truly, one of the most cringeworthy books I've ever read.
Really?! Guess im not buying it. My friends been telling me its nice
Ramieverse ! To each their own, but I honestly think this book is highly problematic with how it portrays romance (*cough* abuse *cough*), while claiming to have feminist themes. Other than that - the plot is weak, the villain is teribble and overall, even if you overlook certain aspects, there's not much to enjoy imo. There's tons of better stuff out there to read, even if you just want something, you know, to just have fun with and not overthink it. To me this book isn't even worth reading as a guilty pleasure 💁
I’m so grateful for this review. I’m struggling with finishing this book. WTH are all these fairy servants doing waiting on a fairy killer? And the dialogue…good lord…stilted and unbelievable. And what an annoying personality for a protagonist. Silly book. I’m 340 pages in. It’s like running through water to finish a page. Life’s too short
cos i don’t really look into the plot details of books i actually enjoyed acotar quite a lot. i find it better to just read a book for my own pleasure, not to find faults and look at it in great depth. just my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own. 😊
this is one of the best reviews of this book i've ever seen. you literally took all of the words out of my mouth. this book frustrated me to no end, and you really vocalized my issues with the beauty and the beast "retelling".
also you brought up the mural and 100% when i read that scene i imagined the mural from parks and rec but only bc it was the only mural i could pull out of my imagination
i totally agree with your view on rhysand, though i feel like my negative feelings towards him make it harder for me to admit to him being the smartest one in the book (even though he definitely is lol) i actually cried while reading the book bc i kept thinking about how abusive and shitty rhysand is and how girls actually love him and want him as a "boyfriend" it's kind of sickening. i think that makes him a really good villain, but i hate that most people don't even see him as a villain at all which feels wrong to me. if he was presented solely as a villain then i would have so much less of an issue with him.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the review :)
My problem with Maas: she writes the same story over and over
Dear Jordan you understand me 😭 I didn’t like thorns and roses but I also wasn’t a fan of throne of glass. And don’t listen to people who say that the second book is super fantabulous amazing cause it’s somehow even worse (it will ruin everything great about Rhysand in this book) and I hate it so much, I will never understand the Sarah Janet Maas hype :(
I love how you looked like you were ready to scream when you were starting with the spoiler section. I think the way her family treats her is terrible but the way she seems to want to leave her family be just so they'd realize how much they need her, all in all just a terrible family dynamic all over. Her amoral disregard for the fairy that she killed was already enough to ruin her as a character for me but the curse comes up and any character growth that she might've had is just instantly discarded because heaven forbid the audience realize what a terrible person the protagonist is.
Where is Avatar's awesome exposition when you need it.
It just sickens me that SJM went so far as to have a redeem arc for Rhyse that has the two ending up together and the majority of the fandom just accepts it. There's no reason at all for their relation to ever be okay and so much of what Rhyse said was "excusable" was really just done because he wanted to with no "forgivable" explanation. He should've been the villain, he was so much worse and so much more intimidating than Amerantha.
I laughed so much in this. "My cheekbones are just too sharp," & "I don't like the second option" I was literally tearing up as I watched it. The sarcasm was strong in this one.
Sorry for the long comment, I wronte it as was watching the vide. This book just gaze me so many emotions.
Haha I get it! Notice how I didn't talk much about the family from the book? It's mostly because they're completely irrelevant to the story after the inciting incident, but I also had wayyyy too much to say and this video is already too long.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
@@JordanHarveybooks definitely did and it's important to be selecive on what needs to be discussed so I totally get.
I needed more explanation on the magic system it was so soft type of magic like it had no limitations I need restrictions I need to know how it works it just showed these fairies can do magic to no extent
Also, i thought it was so weird that feyre never felt bad or doubtful about killing and skinning (wtf) that first fairy even though she suspected it might be one and obv later has many fairy friends. Thats so stupid and illogical smh
My sister and her friends love this book series to death. As for me.... I couldn't finish it. The various reasons as to why this was the case were mainly because The characters annoyed/frustrated me to no end and the lack of actual plot. This book along with cinder, are one of handful books i can never see myself from actually liking and/or giving it another chance. Plus from what I've heard after the second book even fans of this series started hating on it.
It seems that way!
Damn girl! I was waiting for you to make a video about this! I've never read this book (and never will, because it's written by Sarah J Maas, and since i read ten chapters of Throne of Glass and hated it with all my being i decided to NEVER read anything from her) but i heard it sucks (paperbackdreams is one of my booktube queens after all)
JCV Kat has some really good rant reviews of ToG book 5 and also of ACOTAR and ACOMAF
YesssSSS another Maas roast, we have been blessed!!!!
Not roasting Maas, just her book!
I know I'm a little late to the party, but thanks thanks thanks for this review. You summed up every single one of my thoughts about it and why I really don't get how this could have become so ridiculously popular. Thanks!
Just finished reading this book and came looking for this. Thank you for expressing how I felt as well.
I loved this book as a teenager but now as a young adult i hate it. it's a mess, a problematic mess full of cheap hetero tropes, poor world building and characters written like they have only two brain cells.
This series should be an example of what to do or not to do with retelling.
☕🐸
How did I not know about these videos?! You're my new favorite person 😍 I've already crossed two books of my queue because of these in depth reviews, such a time saver, but also fun to watch!
Thank you so much! :)
I love your earrings 🙌
Thanks so much :)
When I read the riddle, I kept thinking "It's gonna be Love, isn't it?"
Then after a long several chapters I very nearly threw my copy of the book in anger.
Most of my notes reading this book dealt with how inconsistent Feyre’s character is. She spent all of the first couple chapters moaning about how awful her life was and how much she hated her family. Then proceeded to spend the rest of the book complaining about how she had to get back to her family. This disconnect made it really hard for me to objectively read the rest of the series because the initial premise for Feyre’s actions doesn’t make sense.
ACOTAR is one of my favorite books, but what you mention is very true. I saw that as well, but decided to look past it.
(WARNING MAJOR SPOILERY COMMENT)
I read this book and enjoyed it for the most part. When I read I don’t really analyse how things are portrayed as much as I probably should because I enjoy some crappy books, I just love reading and collecting books I guess?
But one major issue I had with this book is the Deus Ex Machina at the end.
There was no real explanation or build up to the way Feyre dies then comes back to life as a Faerie. Why we had to watch the aftermath of her death in Rhysands eyes or why she was even killed if she was brought back to life.
Then her coming back to life as one of the Fae. It shook me, I’ve been told it is explained better in the second book, but throughout the novel we have no idea that it could or will happen, no foreshadowing and nothing that tells us how powerful enough Fae are to bring back humans, then also turning that human into a Faerie at the same time. It really bothered me how casually glossed over this scene was because in the chapter after it she was alive and felt a little different because her body was that of High Fae.
I don’t know if I was the only one who thought this though. In the end I am just interested in where the hell these books are going which is why I am going to most likely continue reading them.
This is explored a lot in the second book as you mentioned so stick with it as it makes more sense
The level of "dead inside" I get from your eyes in the first minute and a half... just... like, can you teach me?!