So, I think it’s pretty obvi that I’m in love with this series by now, and I think it’s so cute to look back on my posts of ACOTAR and the first few books that are full of my skepticism of the series. Even though that was barely more than a month ago, my opinion on this series has changed so much, especially where my ranking of the books falls.
I know that the main reason for books in general is the plot, but I would like to contest this with my one piece of evidence: romantic fantasy. This is a genre I am entirely making up because it is the one I belong to. It’s essentially people who love both romance and fantasy books, especially if you combine the two. I don’t think people who read romantic fantasy read it because of the plot or factual accuracy. In fact, if you look at the majority of the (made-up) genre, there are a ton of plot holes (nice intended, huh?) and questionable choices. I can’t count how many times I’ve read something questionable in a romantic fantasy book and 100% agreed with it, but wouldn’t have stood for it IRL. And, by questionable, I mean lines said by a character or comments from the author that would not have flown very well in the actual world; slightly misogynistic or toxic things I would be quick to call out in the real world but find myself sighing and getting heart-eyes when I see them in romantic fantasy books.
The point I’m trying to make is that romantic fantasy books can get away with, or, more accurately, are praised for, a lot of things other genres aren’t. I think this is because romantic fantasy readers have a couple of screws loose, but I don’t want to get into that discussion. The thing I want to focus on is that one of those screws loose in my own brain was discovered while reading this book.
If you’ve read this book, you’ll know that it has virtually no plot. If ACOMAF wasn’t already, like, six years long, the 200 pages of A Court of Frost and Starlight would have probably been added on to the end of it. But, although that reason for the book’s existence is plausible, I think SJM made this book its own thing for a very specific reason…for all the screws-loose-romantic-fantasy-readers like me to die over, of course!
Question: Have you ever fangirled/boyed/othered so hard over something/one that anything it/they do(es) is cute to you? That would be a “yes” over here, and specifically over ACOTAR.
As I said, my opinion of the series has changed over time and pages, but the biggest thing that has developed is my undying and extremely unreasonable fandom love for the series and characters. I think romantic fantasy readers like myself have a few screws loose because we absolutely adore scenes in books that are devoted to our favorite ships or friend groups. For me, good ship material of Feysand trumps any plot or worldbuilding of Prythian any day. Period.
Romantic fantasy readers love to throw their books across the room when the guy everyone hates (echem, Tamlin) enters the room, giggle uncontrollably when characters start catching feelings or laugh their asses off over a dad joke from our comfort characters. All of these are things I do regularly when reading but were definitely in high amounts while reading ACOFAS. The book is just SJM making hella good fanfiction for all the Feysand, Azlain, and (debatably) Nessian shippers. I loved the book because I am a supporter of all of these ships, and I stand by it when I say that this is probably the best book in the series. I think that’s proof enough that a screw’s loose, right? Someone send help!
Genre: adult fantasy, romance
Age: 15+
Rating: 10/10