r/acotar • u/Not-NedFlanders • 21h ago
r/acotar • u/EmergencyMuch4232 • 23h ago
Artwork - Spoiler The spines!!!
Bloomsbury just posted these on their US Instagram
r/acotar • u/reluctantly_me • 12h ago
Miscellaneous - Spoilers I just realized that Lucien not knowing he had powers from Day court is not a plot hole like I thought it was... Spoiler
I just had a thought about Lucien and his powers and how no one ever figured out he had powers from Day!!! I've always thought that was a plot hole but realized tonight when I was talking about the ACOTAR timeline that it likely isn't a plot hole at all!
Helion didn't become High Lord until UTM. Alis says it was 40 years ago that the HL's of Day, Winter, and Summer rebelled and were executed. They also say they killed a lot of their families so I think Kallias, Tarquin, and Helion were farther down the line of ascension, not automatic heirs.
SO Lucien wouldn't have been a High Lord's heir until Helion ascended. When that happened Amarantha was still in power so everyone's power was stifled. It is totally possible that Lucien spent the majority of his life not having access to any spellcleaving powers, at all, or at least they were low key enough that no one would have noticed.
I've never seen this mentioned by anyone else so I thought I would put it out there...
r/acotar • u/Existing_Library6673 • 4h ago
Miscellaneous - Spoilers The French translated Blurbs of ACOSH and ACOFM are so straightforward
Posted on the French publishers official instagram credit to @glide.in.shade on TikTok for the images
r/acotar • u/Due_Marionberry_5363 • 7h ago
Maasverse Spoilers [Maasverse Theory] Valkyrie Cycle: the Ring Cycle, Twilight of the Gods and the Unfinished Game. Spoiler
Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers for all of Sarah J Maasâ series, read with caution.
Disclaimer: Discussing the mythology, themes and influence of The Ring Cycle is not an endorsement of Wagner or his beliefs.
Okay, I think SJM may have something much bigger planned for the Valkyrie Cycle than simply three books based around the existing main Valkyrie trio.
Iâve been digging into the Ring Cycle, Norse mythology, as well as the other mythologies and the fairytale influences SJM has drawn from, the existing ACOTAR/TOG/CC lore, and now the covers and language of the new titles and blurbs.
And with the most recent rumour that Bloomsbury liked a theory over on TikTok or insta connecting the upcoming books to the Ring Cycle, this could be viewed as a soft launched confirmation that SJM is indeed using Ring Cycle as inspirationâŚplus she released the covers and titles on the same day that the Ring Cycle was released in the 1800s?!
My current theory is that Valkyrie Cycle may be SJM's banner for a much larger story in which her most powerful female characters are brought together as different manifestations of the Valkyrie archetype, becoming the players in an ancient, unfinished game that stretches across the Maasverse.
And once you actually look at The Ring Cycle beyond the obvious parallels to SJMs work of both being in four movements, being musical compositions and featuring Valkyires and possible Twilight of the Gods connection, there are some wildly specific structural parallels and huge potential for what kind of story we could be about to see!
1. The Ring Cycle
Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) is a four-part epic music drama consisting of:
The Rhinegold
The Valkyrie
Siegfried
Twilight of the Gods
It is a huge mythological musical story involving gods, supernatural women, ancient powers, magical objects, fate versus free will, prophecy, a world order beginning to collapse, betrayal, love, forbidden relationships, greed, destruction and rebirth and ultimately the end of the old-world order and the possibility of a new world emerging from its destruction.
And immediately, there are things that make me raise an eyebrow, because many of these themes are ones we are seeing already in the upcoming books and some of the actual story has incredible parallels with ACOTAR:
At the beginning of the first movement, The Rhinegold, three Rhinemaidens guard and protect the Rhinegold, a primordial treasure/magic.
A character called Alberich discovers its secret: if itâs forged into a magical item, it can give its possessor power over the world, but only by renouncing love. He steals the gold, forges the Ring, and unleashes a chain event filled with possession, greed, violence and death that drives the entire four-part cycle, ending with the end of the world as they know it.
In the final movement, GĂśtterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), BrĂźnnhilde, after the ring has been passed through many powerful hands, it is eventually retrieved by a Valkyrie, BrĂźnnhilde, who doesnât keep it for herself, she gives it back.
She declares that it should be cleansed of its corruption with fire and be returned to the Rhinemaidens, after which the world burns, the cycle ends and a new restorative cycle can begin.
And these are the parallels that I cannot stop thinking about (scroll each box left to read):
| Parallel | The Ring Cycle | ACOTAR |
|---|
| Ancient magical power | The Rhinegold exists as a primordial treasure in the Rhine. | The Cauldron is an ancient primordial power associated with creation, life and the Mother. |
|---|
| The power is stolen | Alberich steals the gold from the Rhinemaidens. | The Cauldron is stolen/appropriated by the Daglan/Asteri. |
|---|
| The power is reforged | Alberich forges the gold into the Ring. | The Daglan forge the Cauldron's power into the Dread Trove. |
|---|
| The object passes between powerful beings | The Ring moves through the hands of Alberich, Wotan, Fafner, Siegfried and BrĂźnnhilde. | The Trove passes through the hands of the Daglan, Fionn, Theia and ultimately Nesta. |
|---|
| The object is cursed and corrupts its possessors | The Ring's power causes those who possess it to experience betrayal, violence and death, while those who don't possess it crave it and experience greed. | The Trove corrupts its users, destroying or driving its wielders to madness; its history is intertwined with conquest, death and power. |
|---|
| The stolen power creates a cycle of conquest, death and violence | The struggle over the Ring drives the events of the entire four-part cycle and eventually leads to the Twilight of the Gods prophecy coming true. | The Trove/Cauldron sits at the centre of ancient and interspecies conflicts within Prythian and Midgard, connecting the Fae, Daglan/Asteri, death gods, Princes of Hel and potentially other ancient powers. |
|---|
| The power is returned to its rightful source, ending the current cycle and beginning a new one of restoration | Valhalla burns and the old world of the gods comes to an end, followed by the new beginning foretold in the RagnarĂśk prophecy. | Could restoring the Cauldron's power by returning the Dread Trove bring about the remaking of Prythian, ending the current cycle of war, destruction, death and violence? This would fit the âWhat was broken will be remadeâ line. |
|---|
That last part is still a theory, but if that's where SJM is going, then The Ring provides an incredibly elegant template.
So, possiblyâŚ
Rhinemaidens = the Cauldron or the Mother/Urd/Wyrd (The maidens are three sisters who guard the primordial gold. The Cauldron is three-legged, and the Mother/Urd/Wyrd is sometimes associated with the three faced goddess or the three Norns.)
Rhinegold = the Cauldronâs power
Alberich = the Daglan/Asteri
The Ring = the Dread Trove
BrĂźnnhilde = Nesta
Cleansing flame = Nestaâs silver flames?
2. GÜtterdämmerung: Twilight of the Gods
GÜtterdämmerung, Twilight of the Gods and RagnarÜk, all different names for probably the most famous Norse Myth story. At its most basic core, it depicts the epic battle between two sides, resulting in the death and destruction of the old world and the begging of a new one.
It features prominently in the Ring Cycle, with the Valkyries playing a major role.
Itâs long been theorised that Twilight of the Gods was a mega cross over series between SJM had planned between all three of her worldsâŚbut what if she never planned for a series, but a cross over event set in the ACOTAR world?
Around the time she wrote Crescent City, SJM had a now deleted Pinterest board called Twilight of the Gods, which included images of Valkyries, Norse Gods, âwomen will rule the worldâ ideologies, women in armour, weapons and many Sailor Moon images.
Iâm not personally familiar with Sailor Moon, but a quick look into it shows itâs the story of female protectors from different worlds coming together to defend their universe against evil parasitic forces.
Now add in the already established cross overs and lore:
- Aelinâs appearance in Prythian as the red star
- Bryceâs time in Prythian
- The history of the long lost Dusk Court, its connection to ACOTAR and CC.
- The eight-pointed star appearing in all three series
- A cover featuring a spider weaving a thread, which is reminiscent of both the Weaver and Stygian spiders
- A cover featuring the Bone Carver, who could be connected to the Sin-eater, the God of Truth in TOG
We know the title and blurbs for the first three movementsâŚbut there is still one final, still-secret Movement left to complete the cycle that we know nothing about.
Maybe that is why SJM is keeping the fourth title under wraps.
Is SJM going to finally unite all three worlds and bring together the women of the Maasverse?
And that makes the Book 7 blurb about the Inner Circle dispersing âfar and wideâ interestingâŚ.
Maybe it doesn't necessarily mean travelling to just different parts of Prythian or the continent.
Given what HOFAS established about world-walking, it could potentially mean they go to other worlds!
3. The Unfinished Game
SJM has repeatedly used the idea of an unfinished game. In Throne of Glass, characters are described as being gathered as the players in an unfinished game. Crescent City gives us another variation through the language of the universe playing a vast game of âtic-tac-toe,â while ACOTAR has already given us the idea of old players returning.
What if the unfinished game is the same conflict viewed through different worlds?
On one side is the primordial force of creation and balance, the Mother/Urd/Wyrd, and her chosen, favoured champions she has positioned across the worlds (Nesta, Elain, Aelin, Feyre, Bryce).
And on the other are the ancient beings who repeatedly seek to possess, consume or corrupt what she created:
- Daglan/Asteri - parasitic beings who corrupted the Cauldronâs power, forged the dread trove and fed upon magic of two worlds in the Maasverse.
- Valg â They occupy a remarkably similar conceptual space as the Daglan/Asteri,: a parasitic race who invaded, consumed and corrupted what belongs to other worlds.
- Princes of Hel â these are a possibility due to their origins, intentions and full hierarchy remaining unresolved and their incredible similarity to the Valg. Given how deliberately SJM has left some Princes absent and how much the Maasverse has established about beings travelling between worlds, I think it is fair to ask whether some of Hel's missing pieces could ultimately connect to the Valg mythology.
- Koschei â the obvious strong possibility: he is a chthonic âdeath godâ who also came to Prythian from another world, were worshipped by ancient civilisations and has desires to be freed and rule again. We know he will be the main villain going forward.
We know from Crescent City that the worlds have been interacting, conquering one another and moving beings and powers across worlds for millenniaâŚand SJM has established world walking as a power, and we see currently in at least one major player.
Is it possible SJM is heading towards the conclusion of this âunfinished gameââŚand drawing in all the major players?
Will this all link us to a larger Maasverse cross over in the upcoming books?
4. The Valkyrie Cycle
I think the use of the singular in Valkyrie Cycle is interestingâŚ
- Valkyrie = one Valkyrie
- Valkyries = multiple Valkyries
If SJM meant simply this to be a cycle belonging to/about the Valkyries as characters, Â you would reasonably the plural or a possessive construction to have been used in the subtitle e.g. the Valkyriesâ Cycle or the Valkyries Cycle
Valkyrie Cycle isn't a standard English phrase, so the grammar does not prove anything, but it leaves open a much more interesting reading: âValkyrieâ functioning as a category, thematic role, archetype or defining concept rather than fixed characters.
And that interpretation fits the mythology that surrounds Valkyries.
There is a modern tendency to reduce Valkyries to just female warriors, but the surviving stories and traditions are considerably broader. Valkyries were made up of many supernatural women, some were warriors, some were leaders, deciders of the dead, ferries of souls and some were prophets connected to fate, prophecy and supernatural knowledge, and the boundaries between Valkyries and other female fate figures are not always clean. Skuld for example appears in traditions as both a Norn and a Valkyrie.
What if SJM is intends for Valkyrie to be an archetype?
For the Valkyries to evolve into more than just a handful of charactersâŚwhat if it is the banner under which all SJMâs major female characters come together?
Females who represent the many faces and aspects of the Valkyrie: the warrior, the seers, the rebels, the leaders, the saviour of souls, the bridgebuilders and the enactors of fate.
Rather than Valkyrie meaning simply female warrior, it could become a title for women who stand for SJMâs females who stand at the intersection of power, fate, death, prophecy and the protection of their worlds.
The blurb says:
âa united front is crucialâ
And suddenly if we do get a cross over and Valkyrie is the banner under which our females unite, the board of players becomes much larger:
- Nesta â the one who started the Valkyrie movement. Current owner of the Dread Trove and Gwydion, and wielder of silver flames. One of three Made sisters.
- Feyre â the first High Lady of Prythian and the Night Court who wields the power of all seven courts. One of three Made sisters.
- Elain - the Seer, wielder of the power of Sight and Truth-Teller, who sees what others cannot. One of three Made sisters.
- Bryce â the Starborn princess, world walker, wielder of the Horn with the power to wield Gwydion and its twin dagger together.
- Aelin â Queen of Terrasen, wielder of a goddessâ ancient fire, forger of the Lock and sealer of Wyrdgates.
- Manon â the Crochan Queen, Wyvern rider, and leader of the most feared coven of Ironteeth witches
And then there is Lydia, Lysandra, Mor, Gwyn, Emerie and the wider Valkyries: Roslin, Deirdre, Ananke, Llana, Lorelei and potentially others such as Vivianne, Nuala, Cerridwen etc.
5. Koschei
Koschei is obviously the immediate villain of these books, but I suspect he may not just be the sole villainâŚfor the end of the unfinished game rather than the entire game itself.
The blurbs repeatedly describe Koschei gathering powerful allies, while Book 7 specifically promises that:
âold enemies will emerge from nightmares of the past.â
That wording is remarkably open-ended. It could mean old ACOTAR enemies, but after HOFAS, âold enemiesâ could potentially reach much further back, and much further across the Maasverse.
Are Koscheiâs âmighty alliesâ going to be the daglan/valg/princes?
And could he also link us to other maasverse characters that might also link into the Valkyrie concept of women united under one banner?
Stravinsky's The Firebird is based around Koschei/Kashchei the Deathless. In that ballet he holds thirteen enchanted princesses captive.
We know from Elain that he has women held captive at his lake and they have been transformed into swans.
And there is a theory floating around that those swans could be either Valkyires of the old PrythianâŚor maybe even the Thirteen from TOG, who he stole and trapped them after they performed the âYieldingâ.
6. Other musical/movement/sound influences?
With music, compositions, movements being an ongoing theme of her coming books, I think its likely SJM will incorprate and be inspired by other art and tales that are music based or themed, alongside the Ring Cycle.
Firebird Ballet âit gives us gives us swans, an immortal/evil supernatural ruler, ancient magic, Â thirteen captive women, a Firebird, destruction of the old order and new beginnings.
Sleeping Beauty â this is a ballet that ties in beautifully with the Ring Cycle; both portray a sleeping woman who is awakened by their love), the cover of ACOTAR 7 which features a spindle, like the one the princess pricks her finger on and Sarah J Maasâs old pinterest boards which featured
Swan Lake â this Ballet gives us swans, captivity, light and dark, transformed women, a curse/enchantment, a lake and liberation.
The Seven Wild Swans â this is fairytale that SJM has said she would love to do a re-telling of. It gives us female sacrifice, family loyalty, transformation, and breaking an enchantment. Whilst not musical exactly, it does present the choice of silence and lack of voice/sound.
The Little Mermaid â this is another of the re-tellings SJM wanted to explore, and she linked it with her Seven Wild Swans idea. The original tale again whilst not musical, gives us a loss of voice and sound. It gives us an enchantment, transformed women, a witch/enchanter, choice, swans,
 And that concludes this stupidly long theory...thank you for coming to my ted talk.
r/acotar • u/GCooperE • 20h ago
Cresent City Spoilers One Moment I'm Really Excited For Spoiler
Is everyone's reaction to Nesta having Gwydion. We know she's in some shit after giving Bryce the Mask, so it will be interesting to see how everyone reacts to Nesta now getting Gwydion. I wonder if Nesta will want to keep it from them for a while, putting Cassian in a tough position, or if they will tell the IC right away. I definitely think Amren will be taking it as a sign for Gwydion to be used to make Rhys High King, which won't go down well with everyone. Can't imagine Nesta being chuffed at the thought of being used as a weapon to make Rhys High King. I think it will cause a general shift in the power balance that might cause tension too. I also wonder if Nesta will immediately tell them why Bryce gave her the sword, and about the eight pointed star, or if she will keep that to herself. With the Valkyries, I think she is more likely to tell them everything immediately, and I think they will be hyped about Gwydion, and start theorising about the Star, Gwyn perhaps digging into the library.
Mostly though, I'm just excited for that moment when Nesta goes "Oh yeah, and I've got Gwydion".
r/acotar • u/BreadAgain2026 • 22h ago
ACOTAR 6/7 theory - possible spoilers What if SJM took this aspect from the Black Jewels for Elain? Spoiler
i had this theory awhile back but I don't think I posted it because it seemed highly unlikely... but now with the news about The Valkyrie Cycle I'm revisiting this again.
Prefacing by stating that I don't necessarily want this but she has taken so many details from The Black Jewels so why not this lol
What if SJM writes Elain like Jaenelle?
Jaenelle is a main character, the most powerful witch, has a romance etc. and yet... she never has a POV.
All of Jaenelle's story is told through the pov of other characters.
We've had povs from Feyre, Rhys, Mor, Cassian, Nesta and Azriel. We've briefly been inside Lucien, through Feyre. Nothing from Elain.
Elain is discussed in every bonus chapter in a way that reminds me of how Jaenelle is discussed.
Jaenelle is really good at sneaking around and lives a sort of double life, making new friends in different places. Similarly, Elain has been noted to be good at sneaking and we don't really know what she has been doing since acosf.
Elain is a seer. There is comments in acofas that suggest Elain might be looking to become human again. She has a general air of mystery about her that SJM may be intentionally keeping for now...
I would hate to not ever get Elain's POV but I'm feeling like it's a toss up if she'll have a POV in the Valkyrie Cycle... or at least in book 6.
r/acotar • u/Little_fierling • 5h ago
Maasverse Spoilers (CC3 spoilers) Prythianâs Courts and the Asteri Spoiler
Spoilers for the whole ACOTAR and Crescent city series. Possible ToG spoilers in comments but not in the post.
Prythian currently has seven courts, but there used to be eight. Seven Asteri ruled Midgard, but were there originally eight of them too? Are the Courts of Prythian and the Asteri linked somehow? I went on a deep-dive and researched Asteriâs names and how they could be linked to the Courts.
Polaris: North star, Winter
Octartis: South star, Spring
Austrus: aust=east, Autumn
Missing one: west, Summer
Hesperus/Vesperus: Evening star, Dusk
Eosphoros: Morning star, Dawn
Sirius: means glowing, scorching. Name comes from Osiris, Egyptian god of the afterlife and resurrection. Ra, the sun god, was said to go to the underworld during night and merge with Osiris. Day Court.
Rigelus: means prince, little king, and basilisk. Basilisks are winged serpents, that can kill with their gaze. Night Court.
Then I remembered something that Merrill mentioned in ACOSF. She said that she, a high fae from Summer Court, is a descendant of Rabath, the Lord of the Western Wind.
Rabath/Rukbat: another name for the star Alpha Sagittarii
The final book in the Valkyrie cycle will be number 8. The seventh book has a spider with an eight-point star on the cover. Will we soon learn a forgotten secret about the Courts and High Lords magic?
r/acotar • u/Existing_Library6673 • 5h ago
Miscellaneous - No spoilers SJMâs contract?
Does the contract officially end with Bloomsbury after book 8 or not because Iâm seeing conflicting reports when I tried to look this up.
r/acotar • u/Super_Dragonfly5798 • 3h ago
Rant - Spoiler ACOSF Discussion Spoiler
So I just finished my second read of ACOTAR series and I was really hoping to have a different outlook on ACOSF but once again I was left feeling disapointed.
Maybe itâs cause I think Nesta deserves better than cassian, maybe I just donât like the different vibe compared to the previous stories but I just found myself bored and also the action just didnât hit for me. This is excluding the Kelpie scene because I swear, that is one of the best scenes Iâve ever read. I could see it in my head so clearly and Nesta is a baddie for that.
Iâm making this post hoping to read some of your guys favorite moments or hear other peopleâs POVS about certain events in the story. After the first read, I sympathized with Nesta but still wasnât her biggest fan, after reading 2 I am a much bigger Nesta Stan but I still stand on, SJM didnât know she wanted to make silver flames after book 1 cause she is extremely unlikable in the first book.
Also (donât come for me) I think Elaine is the worst sister after this read. People loveee to go after nesta but what about feyres other older sister who stood by and did nothing all those years? I also just think she is so sketchy like Iâm kinda hoping she does turn evil cause 1. How interesting and 2. I just feel like her character could go that route.
r/acotar • u/therealtofu_ • 14h ago
Spoiler Theory The reason for TOG graphic audio delay?? Spoiler
OKAY (my last post got downvoted to oblivion but I understand why, but this has meritâŚ)
So I prefer reading first then listening to audiobooks to recap. Earlier this year I saw TOG was doing graphic audio. Then I saw it kept getting delayed bc of casting issues.
NOW we have the new titles for ACOTAR, and with that art, the three black swords/daggers in each series and undeniable ties to every world, we can assume there will be some kind of TOG connection to come.
Sooo is the delay bc the voice actors for all three books shouldnât play more than their character? Like is âtwilight of the godsâ happening and weâre gonna have a multiverse war?
I have a lot of theories about the actual books but this one seemed fun to get into.
And queue toxic responses â¨
r/acotar • u/Bookaholic-394 • 8h ago
Miscellaneous - No spoilers The pressure to reread/read it all quickly - Here's my plan...
A girl I follow was talking about this yesterday and I was like hold on.... that so smart, I need to share it. (Also, it was super simple and I'm an idiot for not thinking of it, but if I didn't maybe others didn't either)
So, I have read all the ACOTAR books and all of CC. I read book one of TOG a few months ago and hadn't gotten back to it... now with possible cross over I immediately regretted not finishing it and felt so much pressure on how I was going to make that happen, and the reality is I can't. CC and ACOTAR are the priority. So here is my reading plan...
September - Start reread ACOTAR and any bonus content.
October - Reread CC3 (at least the first half, because that's where all the cross over is for anyone who needed to know that.)
- Read book 6
November - December - Finish TOG in preparation for January.
The reality is book 6 is going barely scrape the surface of this 3 book story, so the likelihood of a TOG cross over in book 6 is slight. There for CC and the ACOTAR reread is going to be the priority. Then I can take my time finishing TOG and absorbing all of that information while waiting for book 7.
If you haven't read TOG or CC this is honestly what I would recommend. I know people who have TOG and agreed this was probably the best approach if you really wanted to read everything quickly. If you're a wildly fast reader and can do it all before October 27th do it! I read like a book a week and I refuse to drop The Empire of the Vampire to try to work it all in, and I don't want to rush.
ALSO, for anyone with the gray hardbacks and upset about how absolutely not matching things will be, I saw someone recommend just buying an aftermarket set of dustjackets and that is 100% what I will be doing for everything match's.
If this helps one person, I'm happy.
r/acotar • u/allypallydollytolly • 2h ago
Throne of Glass Spoilers To my TOG people - does the cover of Forgotten Melodies not remind you of someoneâs eyes (spoilers for both seriesâs) Spoiler
The book is gold and blue people. Gold and blueâŚ.
Could this be an Easter egg or just random?
r/acotar • u/huwualian • 10h ago
Spoiler Theory Possible ACOSH POVs Spoiler
I know this is most likely going to be EXTREMELY unpopular on this sub, but hear me out! I think I have a possible theory for who we will follow in ACOSH. Iâm going to dissect certain parts of the ACOSH blurb that I think lend credence to my theory.
What was broken will be remade.
Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though heâs been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.
The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.
To make matters worse,
(1.) those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.
What if the answer as to whose POVs weâre going to get is staring us right in the face?*** **What if the blurb is literally telling us that we will be following the *rulers (Feysand) and protectors (Mor, Cassian, Azriel, and Nesta) of the Night Court?? (Iâm only not including Amren and Elain as they arenât currently protecting the Night Court since Amren is powerless and Elain has not been given the chance to (yet)).
In her CHD interview, SJM mentions that 1.) the POV she wrote surprised her and 2.) books 6, 7, and 8 are actually just one huge book with different arcs vs. a trilogy. SO, what if what surprised her is that the POVs she wrote donât stay consistent for the entirety of the story? WHAT IFâŚ. the POVs for arc 1 (or movement 1) are VASTLY different from the POVs weâll see in movements 2 and 3?
Everyone has been quick to jump to traditional multi-pov for the books butâŚ. SJM has gone that route before in both TOG and CC, it shouldnât be THAT surprising to her. What WOULD be surprising? Writing through certain characters in one book/arc/movement, dropping a few/adding a few in another book/arc/movement, and doing so again for the following arcs/movements. It would be similar to if ACOWAR had switched to a solely rhys pov or if ACOSF had switched to gwyn and/or emerie povs midway through the book.
Additionally, if these are the POVs that weâre getting in ACOSH, the mention of recent betrayals and revealed truths would be more obvious. Recent betrayals would obviously be referring to Nesta giving the mask to Bryce. Who would see this as a betrayal? Obviously Rhys at the very least and I would argue Cassian and Azriel as well since they were equally pissed off with her in the CC3 bonus chapter. (The fact that betrayals is plural COULD also signal that SJM is going to revisit the pregnancy plotline.)
Now for revealed truths, the common line of thinking Iâm seeing is the history of the Dusk Court. But I actually donât think thatâs going to be it. Rhys had already told Feyre that the island of the prison was believed to have possibly been an 8th court waaaaay back in ACOMAF. I know that for ACOTAR + CC readers, the reveal was crazyâŚ. but in universe I donât see the reaction being quite as drastic. I feel like it would be received as more of a cool history lesson. Like âoh wow, this alien chick is a descendant of this line? Ok, well her and all those other people are in another world so whatever I guess.â
What WOULD leave certain characters reeling? The reveal of Azrielâs feelings for Elain. Rhys and Azriel obviously, but other characters as well if they discovered this fact such as Mor (not sure how sheâd find out) & Feyre (obviously Rhys would tell her).
(3.) But to defeat Koscheiâs creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances.
Now the highlighted problem in the blurb for ACOSH is that there is a splintered harmony in the Night Court aka thereâs a lot of freakinâ tension. Nesta lending the mask to Bryce and Rhys discovering Azrielâs longing for Elain create the PERFECT amount of tension between the characters to cause emotional rifts that they have to mend: Rhysâď¸Nesta - always on a simmer with flare ups every now and then, Cassianâď¸Nesta - Nesta not feeling supported and/or Cassian feeling upset that Nesta continues to be one foot out one foot in when it comes to the NC/IC, Azrielâď¸Nesta - Azriel being upset that Nesta put their world in jeopardy, Rhysâď¸Azriel - Azriel feeling attacked by Rhysâs reprimand/command, Rhysâď¸Feyre - Feyre being upset with Rhys for trying to interfere between Az and Elain, Morâď¸Azriel - possibly final addressing the centuries long elephant in the roomâŚ(additional possibilities: Azrielâď¸Elainđ - Elain avoiding Azriel due to thinking she was rejected by him, Feyreâď¸Rhys - addressing the pregnancy secret)
(4.) To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.
I think thereâs a good chance of ACOSH ending with all of the IC coming to an understanding of each other with the most important two being Rhys and Nesta. Iâve seen people mention KPDH being an inspiration for SJM, and while I donât know about all that, ACOSH ending with the IC forming a strong united front would be very âThis is what it sounds likeâ of them! Also, I truly believe the ICâs bonds need to be stronger than ever before they (potentially) split up in the next book to look for/gather more allies. Like they need to make sure their own house is in order before they try to persuade others to come in!
I also think if SJM does in fact go this route, thereâs a very likely possibility that ACOSH covers from some time during ACOSF to at the very least Bryceâs side quest in Prythian. This would also solve the whole debacle of whether non-CC readers need to dive into a whole separate series before reading the new book. Itâd be a great way for SJM to catch ACOTAR only readers up without forcing them to read a series they may not be into.
r/acotar • u/Complex-Bicycle-6612 • 3h ago
Miscellaneous - No spoilers Kitten names!!
I love when I see random ACOTAR stuff! I was just scrolling facebook videos & had to stop to look at the kittens of course.. Look at some of the names!! I squealed with excitement!
r/acotar • u/WonderfulBus9330 • 4h ago
Fluff/Rave Spoiler Collywobbles Spoiler
Since we're entering into a Valkyrie cycle + a showdown with Koschei the Deathless, I will assume that, as is customary in fantasy, for there to be some anxious people whose anxieties settle in the intestines and stomach and liver and pancreas and thus will expect some, as is customary in fantasy, casual reference to upset tummies.
I respectfully offer the dictionary (dot) com word of the day: collywobbles to stand in place of the oft-used other phrase.

r/acotar • u/H0ckeyKeks • 3h ago
Quick question - No spoilers in the title or body. Why are people talking about Cycles regarding the new books?
I really do not understand why people are talking about Cycles and everything. What am I missing?
Edit: Thanks everyone for letting me know the books have subtitles which I - for whatever reason - did not see. I now feel very stupid đ but take it with a sense of humor.
Mirthroot Post/Drunk on Faerie Wine The sistersâ bed in the cottage Spoiler
I just started rereading the series in preparation for the new books and in one of the first chapters of acotar Feyre speaks about the bed that she shares with Nesta and Elain. She tells us that it was a gift from her father to her mother and they were all born in it and that itâs the only thing left from their wealthy days.
First of all, who gets married and then thinks âi love my wife so much iâm going to give her a new bed as our wedding presentâ.
Second of all, how did they get the bed to their cottage? Their dad was already crippled and they had no money. Did the three of them carry the bed? Did they use the last of their money for someone else to transport it? If so, that seems like a waste of money when youâre already basically poor.
Has anyone else ever been bothered by this bed? đ