YMMV / A Court of Thorns and Roses

Spoilers for the first book are unmarked

A to B

• Abandon Shipping:
  • You'd be hard pressed to find any remaining Tamlin/Feyre shippers following A Court of Mist and Fury, especially after Tamlin allies with the King of Hybern to try and get Feyre back, after his controlling and entitled behavior drove her away.
  • When the second book came out many people agreed with Feyre that Mor and Azriel would make a cute couple and looked forward to seeing how it would pan out. However, after Mor stated definitively in the third book that she wasn't romantically interested in Azriel and actually prefers women, a lot of shippers drifted away from the pairing; Azriel is now primarily shipped with Elain, with whom he appears to share a mutual attraction, or Gwyn, whom he also gets mutual Ship Tease with.
  • After A Court of Silver Flames, many readers are starting to jump ship with Rhysand/Feyre, as Rhysand increasingly shows characteristics of being a groomer and abusive partner (intentionally or not). In Silver Flames Rhysand's actions are scarily similar to Tamlin's in A Court of Mist and Fury, such as locking Feyre up without her consent, withholding information from her because he thinks she's not strong enough to handle it (even when said information is about keeping her alive) and making decisions regarding her well-being without consulting with her. He also flaunts Feyre before his male peers and makes disgusting comments about their sex life but grows irrationally angry if she dares to speak to another man. Some readers have further noted that although Rhysand acts like she's on equal footing with him politically, he appears to be the one calling the shots. The author goes through leaps trying to prove they're the superior ship but for many readers it's getting harder not to see their relationship as being just as abusive and toxic as Tamlin/Feyre, if not more so.
  • Feyre/Lucien had a decently-sized following after the first book, continuing into the second book. By the end of the second book though, most shippers realized it was never going to happen because it's made clear Feyre and Rhysand were the Official Couple of the series; many remaining hold-outs were subsequently turned off the ship due to Feyre's rather poor treatment of Lucien in the third book, including tricking Tamlin into believing they were having an affair to manipulate him (arguably taking advantage of Lucien's trauma in the process).
• Alternative Character Interpretation: See here.
• Angst? What Angst?:
  • Besides occasionally having nightmares (which tend to be mentioned rather than shown), Rhysand is surprisingly well-adjusted for someone who found his mother and sister decapitated, then was held captive, repeatedly raped and made to torture and murder dozens - if not hundreds - of people for half a century. Considering he's only had his freedom back for three months by A Court of Mist and Fury, you'd expect him to be more affected by it. He also never expresses much remorse or guilt about the numerous people he's hurt and killed over the years in Amarantha's service. No one in the Inner Circle ever really brings it up either, even though something awful happened to someone they love that kept him away from them for decades (plus he mostly endured it purely to protect them, which you would think would cause some feelings guilt or responsibility).
  • In A Court of Silver Flames, Feyre doesn't seem nearly as horrified as one would expect when she discovers her mate and friends all conspired not to tell her that she and her unborn baby are very likely going to die in childbirth; she finds out when her sister blurts it out in a moment of rage (her mate then threatens to kill her sister). Feyre does get upset and later states Rhysand overreacted about Nesta, but she forgives Rhysand and the Inner Circle very easily despite them lying to her about something so serious and personal to her. Considering Feyre's past trauma around being controlled and left out of the loop by a partner (and that she went nuclear on Tamlin for betraying her trust and hurting her family), her reaction can come off as bizarrely minor.
• Ass Pull:
  • Lucien being revealed as Helion's son in A Court of Wings and Ruin. It's a pretty obvious retcon given that in the first book Lucien is described as sharing facial features with Beron, his supposed father; Lucien is also now described as slightly darker-skinned due to Helion being black, whereas initially Lucien was described as fair-skinned (sun-tanned at most). Some readers felt it came off as a clumsy attempt to retroactively add ethnic diversity to the otherwise white main cast (given Sarah J. Maas has previously received criticism for this).
  • Amren coming Back from the Dead, memories completely intact, at the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin. Not only does it directly go against what she'd repeatedly stated—that if she regained her true form, her memories would be gone forever—there's absolutely no foreshadowing, and the explanation that "a piece of her was stuck in the Cauldron" is pretty unconvincing.
  • In A Court of Silver Flames a lot of drama is generated from Feyre's pregnancy, as her body is ill-equipped to safely give birth to a part-Illyrian child. However, some readers had a hard time buying that a civilization that's technologically advanced enough to have indoor plumbing plus healing magic couldn't handle a C-section (e.g. healers were previously able to save Cassian's life after he was borderline disembowelled). You also would've thought that Rhysand – who is himself half-Illyrian – would've mentioned the potential risks to Feyre when they started trying for a baby, especially as according to the fifth book hybrid births are known to be dangerous.
  • Several readers have found Nesta, Emerie and Gwyn winning the Blood Rite to be contrived. While they're not unskilled fighters, the Blood Rite is previously described as being so brutal and taxing that even Illyrian warriors trained practically from birth - including Rhysand (one of the most powerful beings in Prythian), Cassian and Azriel - find it challenging. Readers therefore find it a stretch to believe that three young women who had only started training as warriors a few months ago would realistically be able to beat far more experienced competitors (from a narrative perspective, they didn't even need to win to prove themselves true warriors, as merely surviving and making it to the mountain is considered good enough for the Illyrians).
• Badass Decay:
  • Happens to Feyre over the series. She starts out as a Badass Normal who can hold her own against faeries and other magical creatures; she is often physically outmatched but either thinks her way out of problems or holds out until help arrives. After becoming a High Fae she gains all their abilities and extra powers too, but she barely uses them of her own volition in the second book and spends a lot of the story in a Heroic BSoD; it's at least justified in this case because she's traumatized and not getting the help she needs. She recovers and gets better control of her powers by the third book, only for the decay to fully set in by the novella, where she becomes little more than a passive trophy wife who lounges around her mansions while everyone else does important things and lets her mate make decisions for her. Some readers have lamented that despite gaining faerie powers, Feyre actually comes off as far less badass than when she was 'just' a human.
  • Tamlin. Hoo boy. Even without his full powers in the first book he's capable of fighting off multiple enemies at once and shapeshifting into an intimidating beast form. He's a Badass in Distress in the third act because of the curse, though the moment the curse is broken he completely curb-stomps Amarantha. It's all downhill from there though, due to his deteriorating mental state and manipulation from other characters, culminating in his girlfriend starting a civil war that leaves his court in ruins and running off with his rival. As of the latest book, Tamlin spends most of his time patrolling his largely empty estate in his beast form or wallowing in misery, his house falling into disrepair.
• Base-Breaking Character:
  • Tamlin is the most divisive character in this series. Ever since his actions in A Court of Mist and Fury, fans of the series have been split up into those who hate him with a passion and those who think that the author has gone too far with vilifying him to the extreme. Those who hate him dismiss the idea that he was ever a good person to begin with and that in A Court of Mist and Fury he showed his true colors; those who sympathize with him bring up the many layers of characterization and his Hidden Depths as justification.
  • Rhysand. Critics accuse him of being just as bad as Tamlin, if not worse, for his villainous treatment of Feyre Under The Mountain and tendency to manipulate and/or lie to everyone, even those close to him. Fans point out that unlike Tamlin, his treatment of Feyre was while he was a villain (whereas Tamlin was her fiancé and so should be held to higher standards) and like him for growing kinder and trying to help Feyre overcome her PTSD. There are also readers who find Rhysand to be overly-idealized after the first book and having little characterization or depth outside of being the 'perfect boyfriend' for Feyre, while others like him for this reason. And then there's Rhysand's actions in A Court of Silver Flames, including purposefully withholding information about the potential dangers of Feyre's pregnancy from Feyre because of how telling her would affect him. Then he threatened to kill Nesta for telling Feyre, something she has every right knowing. Some readers defend Rhys as just doing what he thinks is right in an incredibly difficult situation, while others think it proves he's no better than Tamlin and are sick of him being let off the hook for it.
  • Feyre is not without her detractors. There are those who think her jaded personality from the start was a Cliché Storm, those who like her as a human but think she became less interesting after she became a High Fae, and those who appreciate her character arc in its entirety. Her actions in A Court of Wings and Ruin have been particularly divisive amongst readers, especially considering she never really experiences any repercussions for this. Her role in A Court of Silver Flames has created further divisions. Some have equated Feyre forcing Nesta to live at the House of Wind with Tamlin's actions toward her in A Court of Mist and Fury ^note  And some would even argue that Feyre still comes out looking worse. Tamlin tried to come up with a compromise, but Feyre wouldn't take it. And he only put up the barrier, in their own home, because he knew she'd follow him. Meanwhile, Feyra gave Nesta the "choice" to go to the House of Wind or go to the human realm, and that if they had to tie up Nesta and drag her there, they would. and find that she's unempathetic to her sister's trauma, while others have defended her as giving Nesta Tough Love treatment out of frustration.
  • Elain. Some like her for being the most kind and gentle of the Archeron sisters, though with a hidden backbone (she doesn't immediately accept the mating bond with Lucien, declaring she wants to choose her own destiny, and she helps take down the King of Hybern himself). However, some readers find she has little in the way of personality besides being kind and sweet, and is excessively helpless and dependent on others; some also came to dislike her in A Court of Silver Flames for her treatment of Nesta, which some found to be insensitive to Nesta and ungrateful considering all her sister had done for her, while others think she's just tired of Nesta's attitude. Yet more readers are divided over her treatment of Lucien; whether you defend or criticize her for this tends to depend on how much you like her overall.
  • Morrigan (Mor). Some like her for being a cheerful and unashamed Hard-Drinking Party Girl who overcame a past of abuse and trauma, and providing a positive example of female friendship via her bond with Feyre. Others find her to be one of the most boring members of the Inner Circle who rarely displays any of the exceptional power she's claimed to have, or do anything of significance at all. Some also found Mor to be insensitive for the way she handled Azriel's unrequited crush on her, arguing she had centuries to let him know she wasn't interested and that her using Cassian as a buffer is immature for someone who's five centuries old; others would argue that was on Azriel for not taking a hint. Her treatment of Nesta in later books especially landed in her in hot water with several readers, who felt Mor came off as hypocritical and disproportionately hostile to her. Finally, Mor's bisexuality has resulted in many debates among fans over how well it's handled (see Broken Base for details).
  • Amren became this following A Court of Wings and Ruin, and especially after A Court of Silver Flames. Amren was popular amongst readers for her enigmatic nature and "take-no-shit" attitude, so some readers were happy that she came back to life after sacrificing herself at the end of Wings and Ruin. However, other readers weren't so keen, arguing that her dying in this way was a fitting bittersweet end to her arc and her survival came off as an Ass Pull. The way her character is handled in subsequent books also resulted in even some readers who liked her wishing she'd stayed dead; she's been criticized for being far less interesting after turning into a standard High Fae, and doing little but making patronizing or nasty comments to people - especially towards a PTSD-stricken Nesta - and encouraging Rhysand to conquer all of Prythian to become High King.
  • Nesta, whilst immensely popular with readers, also has her detractors. Some readers can't get over how cold and snappish she is to just about everyone, thinking she uses her trauma as an excuse to be mean-spirited and that she deserved everything that happened to her in A Court of Silver Flames. Others like Nesta despite her sharp-tongue and bad temper, pointing out that her attitude is clearly a reaction to years of trauma, that she does love her family in spite of their hostility towards each other, and sympathizing with her feelings of self-hatred and worthlessness. Her fans tend to think that the Inner Circle is excessive in their vitriol towards her, if not downright callous. There are some who even claim that Nesta's treatment is okay with Nesta because she doesn't believe she deserves happiness, while others point out that neither did Feyre after Under the Mountain and both the narrative and fanbase coddled her for it.
• Best Known for the Fanservice: For a lot of non-fans, the first thing that comes to mind when these books are mentioned is "faerie porn". While the books do have a lot of explicit sex scenes involving faeries, there is actually more to the plot, although the sexy stuff is also a draw for some readers.
• Broken Base:
  • In the third act of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre must either answer a riddle or partake in three grueling tasks to break Amarantha's curse. She must go through the tasks because she can't figure out the riddle until she dramatically comes up with the answer at the last moment. Several readers have noted the riddle is pretty easy to figure out (especially given the context of Feyre fighting for her lover, that fact the whole thing started because Tamlin refused Amarantha's advances, that her sister was murdered by her lover, and the fact it's a romance novel), so it deflates much of the tension because Feyre is being so dense. Other readers argue that it may not have been obvious to Feyre specifically, given she hasn't received much love and affection over her life.
  • Mor being revealed as bisexual with a preference for women opens several cans of worms. Some readers like that the series has a prominent and heroic bisexual character (who isn't defined solely by her sexuality, either). However, other readers felt the way it was handled is a bit clumsy, if not outright problematic: Mor had previously only been depicted having relationships with men and is merely mentioned as having had a female lover many years ago, which made her bisexuality seem like a tacked-on Informed Attribute to some. Some readers also took issue with the fact that Mor says she mostly sleeps around with men to get Azriel to take a hint then looks downright miserable after the fact (which led to some debate amongst fans as to whether she was really bisexual or actually a lesbian, opening up yet more cans of worms); some readers also feel it plays into the stereotype that bisexual people are always promiscuous. Then there's the scene where Mor comes out to Feyre. There are some who find the scene to be well-done and adding great insight to Mor's character. For others it's dampened by Feyre's previous behavior, as until then Feyre was basically rooting for Mor/Azriel to the point where Rhys flat out tells Feyre that it's none of her business; some readers find it a little hard not to see it as Feyre forcing Mor to come out because Feyre's ship wasn't happening.
  • The situation between Azriel and Mor is a common point of debate. Azriel has been in love with Mor for centuries and isn’t subtle about his feelings, but while she teases and jokingly flirts with him, she never properly reciprocates and frequently goes off with other men. She later reveals to Feyre she prefers being with women but hadn’t felt comfortable telling Azriel this. Some readers find Mor unsympathetic for this, arguing that while her not wanting to share her sexual orientation with him was understandable she could've still been clearer that it was never going to happen between them, with these readers feeling that she was almost leading Azriel on for hundreds of years. Other readers think that Azriel should've just backed off and moved on, reasoning that in all the time they knew each other Mor never showed signs of being seriously interested in him so you'd think he'd take the hint. And some think they both handled the situation poorly.
  • The sex scenes, which increase in both frequency and worded detail with every installment. Some readers find the scenes well-written and don't think they detract from the overall story. Others find the scenes intrusive and the writing laughable. The sexual content has also generated controversy given that the books tend to be marketed towards teenagers. Some readers are critical of the fact such explicit content appears in Young Adult novels, while others feel that teens aren't intended to be the target audience and think it's the marketers' fault for misrepresenting the books.
  • The frequent usage of sexual assault and sexual violence as a backstory. On the one hand, there are fans who believe Maas has handled the subject maturely and avoided the pitfall of "men can't be sexually assaulted." However, others have noticed that the it still happens far more often to the female characters than the male characters and that Maas isn't really saying anything deeper than "thing bad," barely exploring the trauma or healing process. These readers feel Maas is only using the subject as a crutch for gaining easy sympathy for characters and/or a shortcut for Hate Sink characters.
  • The Inner Circle's attempt at an intervention for Nesta. Some think they did the right thing after being pushed to their limit by Nesta's irresponsible behavior. Others think they were bang out of order and even cruel to her. A third group agrees that they had to do something to change Nesta's self-destructive behavior but that they could've gone about it in a more sensitive way.
  • There are some who claim the series is a Feminist Fantasy with a kickass lead who is on equal footing with her male partner. But others are quick to point out that the series' feminist credentials are undermined due to the fact everything Feyre has is because a man gave it to her (including her powers as High Fae, her title and her newfound literacy). As the series continues it's even difficult to say she's on equal footing with Rhys as she's rarely seen doing any political work, becomes a passive trophy wife as soon as she gets pregnant (despite this having been a major issue with Tamlin) and Rhysand still having power over her such as conspiring to hide the serious health issues surrounding her pregnancy from her. Some of the supporting female characters have been praised as strong and powerful, though some feel that Amren and Mor's power is largely an Informed Attribute and that despite being part of Rhysand's court they tend to get sidelined by male characters like Azriel and Cassian.
  • The series' depictions of mental health and trauma recovery. There are some who praise Feyre's recovery arc after A Court of Thorns and Roses and appreciate Rhysand's a well (especially for subverting the notion that men can't be sexually assaulted). However, some have also argued that Feyre's trauma is still heavily romanticized as she had resolved herself to suffer in silence before being taken to the Night Court, with a lot of her episodes tending to happen behind closed doors where no one can see and where Feyre can't lash out at anyone so no one else is caught in the crossfire. Compounding it further is that Rhys ends up being the one to provide the tools she needs to recover, and it's one of the reasons she falls for him, playing straight into the problematic notion of 'needing' a boyfriend to save you from your mental illness. Detractors would also argue that afterward Feyre's trauma is cured just like that, as opposed to her learning to live with it and work her way through the good and bad days. This is made even worse with characters like Tamlin (see Unintentionally Sympathetic), Lucian (see Designated Monkey), and Nesta whose trauma is treated with mockery and dismissed as something they need to "get over." This has lead some readers to feel as though a character's trauma and struggles are only valid if their names are Feyre and Rhysand.
  • Nesta and Cassian's romance is divisive, especially after the fifth book where their relationship is dealt with directly and forms a major subplot culminating in them becoming an Official Couple. Some like the idea of them as a couple, finding their differing personalities to be complimentary in an Uptight Loves Wild kind of way and enjoy their Belligerent Sexual Tension slowly developing into love. Others aren't so keen; they find that their bickering comes off as too hostile to be genuinely sexy or endearing and that neither of them seem to respect or even like each other beyond sex. Some felt that Cassian was good for Nesta in a Tough Love sense and like that she worked to improve herself to be truly worthy of his love; others feel Cassian comes off as unsupportive of Nesta while she's in the depths of a mental breakdown (especially compared to Rhysand when Feyre was going through something similar) which includes telling her she's unlovable, and thus find the idea of them genuinely falling for each other contrived. On a related note, some like the highly sexual nature of their relationship, while others thought it went overboard in this area.
  • There's a divide in the fandom over whether the redesigned covers are better or worse than the originals. Up until 2020, the English-language versions of the books came with covers depicting illustrations of Feyre, standing in front of either a plain coloured background or a simple environment relating to the story (woods, mountains etc.). The books then received new covers, which feature stylised illustrations of animals or items relevant to the plot with simple, brightly-coloured backgrounds. Some fans prefer the new covers, feeling that they better reflect the novels' content and tone (in particular looking more "adult", given that an early issue with the series is that it was mismarketed to young teens) and that the originals looked cheesy and dated. Other fans dislike the newer covers, finding them to be garish and generic, and that the illustrations have little to do with the plot and/or are very obscure references, as opposed to something more significant; some fans were also displeased that the cover change occurred while the series was still ongoing, meaning their copies of the books won't match now. It's to the point that second-hand copies with the original discontinued covers are being sold and bought for over US$100. And a third subset of fans don't much care for either design.

C to H

• Captain Obvious Reveal:
  • The fact that the Spring Court is under a curse and Feyre confessing her love for Tamlin will break it is kept hidden for most of the first book until Alis explains it to Feyre in the third act. While it's more understandable that Feyre herself might not have enough information to figure this out, for any readers who are remotely familiar with Beauty and the Beast (which Thorns and Roses is clearly a Whole-Plot Reference to) it's painfully obvious this is what's going on (to the point it can feel like Dramatic Irony when Tamlin sends Feyre away days before time runs out and she considers telling him she loves him before deciding against it).
  • Another one is that Amarantha is the cause of the blight, which you would've thought Feyre would be capable of figuring out herself given there are enough hints to put two-and-two together, and which most readers would certainly be capable of deducing long before the 'big reveal' (Feyre repeatedly hears about both the magical blight endangering everyone and weakening the borders, that there are rumors of faeries increasingly causing trouble in the human realm, and that there's a "she" that everyone is afraid of and who commands some of Prythian’s most malevolent creatures, with Feyre herself speculating she could be a High Lady).
• Contested Sequel:
  • A Court of Mist and Fury is seen by many fans as an Even Better Sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses (with some fans going so far as to call it the series' peak). Many fans loved Rhysand's characterization and Hidden Depths, especially his support of Feyre and their romantic subtext becoming text, as well as the plotline involving Feyre dealing with and overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder, which most readers found to be a nuanced and realistic depiction. Some fans also appreciated that the book averts Double Standard Rape: Female on Male, instead treating the subject very seriously. That said, there are some readers who took issue with Tamlin's character arc in this book and its knock-on effect upon other characters, and the introduction of a love triangle (which YA fiction of the time tended to be oversaturated in) among other things, with some even regarding it as the 'beginning of the end' for the series.
  • A Court of Silver Flames. Many see it as an improvement over A Court of Frost and Starlight due to having a plot with actual stakes, and enjoy the book's focus on fan-favorite Nesta, her journey of recovery and her relationship with Cassian. However, others have criticized how unpleasant many of the main characters act, especially towards Nesta, and the main villain being considered a weaker antagonist compared to Amarantha and the King of Hybern. The plotline involving Feyre's pregnancy also proved divisive; some enjoyed it and felt it was a great way to complete Nesta's arc, while others unfavorably compared it to Breaking Dawn and felt it was disappointing and problematic due to Rhysand's behavior (which reminded some people of Tamlin), Nesta giving up her powers to save Feyre and her baby, and Feyre becoming rather passive and helpless.
• Designated Monkey: Lucien, especially in the third book. He's constantly being shat on by everyone and dismissed as a pathetic Yes-Man to Tamlin. This is despite going through a major Trauma Conga Line which includes: growing up in an abusive home, witnessing his fiancée's murder, nearly getting killed by his brothers, having his eye ripped out, being cursed for fifty years, being tortured and nearly killed Under the Mountain, being sexually assaulted by Ianthe and Feyre taking advantage of his trauma to manipulate Tamlin into thinking they're having an affair (which he later learns was all part of her plan to destroy the Spring Court). Feyre calls Lucien out on not doing more to help her but Lucien a) did actually try to persuade Tamlin to give Feyre more freedom (but can only do so much given Tamlin's in a position of authority over him) and b) is in a difficult position firstly because he genuinely loves and trusts Tamlin as the only family he has and later because Tamlin starts to view him with distrust (which Feyre helped stoke). And when Lucien does turn on Tamlin, gives up his home and risks his life to help Feyre escape, she not only lets the Inner Circle bully and threaten him, she's also lets him stand around in filthy clothes while she hooks up with Rhysand and only later feels mildly bad about it. When Lucien tells Feyre he's found comfort and support with someone other than the Inner Circle, she even mocks him over it and for feeling unwelcome at the Night Court. Gee, I wonder why he would ever feel that way?
• Ensemble Dark Horse: The secondary characters are quite commonly praised for being very interesting and nuanced, some moreso than others.
  • Tarquin, for being the genuinely nicest High Lord with a good amount of common sense and having dreams of overturning the racist aspects of Prythian culture.
  • Nesta's fiery spirit and Hidden Depths marked her as a fan-favorite, which only escalated when the sheer depths of her anger unnerved the king of Hybern. For readers who find Feyre, Rhysand and the Night Court's Inner Circle to be increasingly insufferable from the fourth book onwards, they also like that Nesta pushes back against them and frequently calls them out. Her popularity culminated in her receiving a starring role in 'A Court of Silver Flames.
  • Gwyn, a supporting protagonist introduced in A Court of Silver Flames, quickly became popular amongst readers. She's a sweet, courageous girl who strives to overcomes her tragic past, aspiring to restart the Valkyries and befriending and supporting Nesta, which earned Gwyn both sympathy and admiration from the fanbase. Her Ship Tease with Azriel was also appreciated, with many fans shipping them together following the book's publication.
  • The Suriel, a Creepy Awesome creature who will truthfully answer the questions of any who successfully captures it and helps Feyre a few times. They develop a surprisingly endearing Odd Friendship and many readers were devastated when Ianthe has the Suriel killed in A Court of Wings and Ruin.
• Escapist Character: Feyre. She goes from an impoverished, unappreciated and relatively ordinary girl to the love interest of not one, but two extremely attractive and powerful faerie lords, is turned into a Fae herself with all kinds of rare abilities, helps save the world from Hybern and becomes High Lady of the Night Court, living in peace and comfort for the rest of her life in a beautiful city surrounded by all her friends and family. Within about two years of becoming a High Fae, she also finds her soulmate and gives birth to a healthy child, both of which are said to be rare occurrences for Fae.
• Fandom Rivalry:
  • Some fans of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series don't have the highest opinion of A Court of Thorns and Roses due to perceiving the latter as ripping off many elements from the original Black Jewels trilogy. Admittedly, there are some similarities between the two works that seem too alike to be a coincidence and for what it's worth, Sarah J. Maas herself has stated she is a fan of the Black Jewels series. Some readers don't mind the similarities too much and see it more as Maas just taking inspiration from earlier works she likes (she'd hardly be the first author to do so), but others are less forgiving and see it less as inspiration and more as bordering on plagiarism.
  • The Plated Prisoner by Raven Kennedy can be considered this for its similarities to A Court of Thorns and Roses (fae romance with a toxic Romantic False Lead and an Anti-Hero romance). On the flip side, there are readers who say Raven Kennedy managed to take the basic plotline and make it better.It’s often argued that there’s less of a grey area in The Plated Prisoners Romantic False Lead. That while there are humanizing moments, he’s just a bastard who happily uses the heroine to get up in the world. Whereas Tamlin, arguably, is simply reacting to present-day trauma and isn’t given a chance to cope. They also argue that the series true Love Interest is more of a feminist ally than Rhysand ever was, by respecting the heroine’s autonomy at every step and never using cruel or manipulative tactics under the guise of “helping” the heroine to get what he wants. Of course, that being said, there is also quite a bit of Friendly Fandoms at play with readers liking both series because of their similarities.
• Fanon Discontinuity: A portion of the fandom prefers not to read beyond the original trilogy due to disliking the direction the later books take, in particular, Feyre undergoing Badass Decay, certain characters coming off as OOC and/or becoming unlikable in these readers' eyes, Rhysand's questionable treatment of Feyre in the fifth book, and the ever-increasing number of sex scenes (which some readers find distracting more than anything).
• Fan Nickname:
  • Following A Court of Mist and Fury, many fans dubbed Tamlin "Tamlin the Tool".
  • Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel are collectively referred to as the "Bat Boys", on account of them all being Illryian or part Illyrian.
• Fetish Retardant:
  • A scene in A Court of Wings and Ruin features Feyre giving Rhysand oral sex...in a war camp, with a battle raging not far from them. Aside from the middle of a warzone not being the most practical place to stop for sex, the sounds of people fighting and dying (which Feyre mentions she can hear) don't exactly make for a sensual atmosphere.
  • During Feyre and Rhysand's sex scene in Frost and Starlight, Feyre presents him with a vision of their future child...which immediately makes Rhys climax. More than a few readers found this weird and uncomfortable.
  • At one point Feyre and Rhysand seriously consider having sex in a library that also serves as a refuge for vulnerable women, including many who are survivors of sexual violence. Several readers have commented that they found this not only unsexy but highly inappropriate.
  • After one sexual encounter Feyre notes that Rhysand's climax was so magically powerful that it made all the trees around them explode into splinters. Many readers found the mental image of "Rhys nutting so hard he makes the trees explode" to be a rather jarring tonal shift and more hilarious than sexy.
  • Nesta and Cassian's interaction in Wings and Embers appears to be intended as Slap-Slap-Kiss and Belligerent Sexual Tension, but it can be hard to view it that way given the sheer level of hostility between them (culminating in Nesta kneeing him in the crotch when he won't let go of her) and the fact it's simultaneously revealed Nesta was nearly raped by her ex, all of which makes Cassian's dirty talk and domineering behavior less sexy and more uncomfortable for several readers.
• Franchise Original Sin:
  • A complaint of the later books (reaching a nadir in A Court of Frost and Starlight) is the tendency to focus more on Feyre's love life than the large-scale conflicts. The first book had Feyre's romance with Tamlin take most of the spotlight; the conflict with Amarantha doesn't become prominent at all until the last third. This was more forgivable for readers because Tamlin wanting to romance Feyre and thus break the Spring Court's curse is the whole reason Feyre gets involved in the plot, and Feyre's confrontation with Amarantha occurs largely because she's fallen in love with Tamlin, so it's understandable the book devotes a lot of pagetime to their relationship. However, in the subsequent books the conflict shifts to Hybern threatening to invade both Prythian and the human realm after Amarantha's defeat (and Feyre learning to cope with being turned into a High Fae); Feyre's romantic relationships no longer play a central part in this, so for some readers it's less justifiable that they're focused on so much.
  • Some readers have criticized Rhysand's portrayal in the fifth book as seeming wildly out-of-character compared to the Rhysand they know and love from earlier books, mostly because of how he treats Nesta, his overprotectiveness of Feyre and his decision to hide important medical information from his wife; in previous books some of Rhysand's most prominent traits were his Hidden Heart of Gold and empowerment of Feyre. However, other readers would argue that Rhysand isn't really acting OOC because he was always like this: since the first book he has done extremely questionable things to achieve his goals, including being cruel to protect Feyre. The books have previously focused on Feyre's POV and she is witness to Rhys' more benevolent side, accepts his explanation for his actions and overall presents him in a more romantic light. Once the book shifts to a different character's POV - one who doesn't like Rhys or accept his excuses so readily, nor is on the receiving end of his benevolence - his less savory behavior sticks out a lot more and is harder for some readers to accept or excuse.
• Harsher in Hindsight: Near the end of the first book, when Amarantha is torturing Feyre to death and demanding she deny her love for Tamlin, Feyre declares that nothing Amarantha can do will stop her from loving Tamlin. Come the second book, the trauma Amarantha inflicted upon the couple ends up playing a large role in Feyre and Tamlin's highly acrimonious break-up.
• Hype Backlash: A Court of Thorns and Roses became one of the most popular and bestselling young adult fantasy book series in the mid-to-late 2010s, continuing into the 2020s (alongside Sarah J. Maas' other fantasy series Throne of Glass), in particular being praised for its feminist themes and strong female protagonist. However, backlash started to kick in round about when the novella was published in 2018 and intensified after the release of A Court of Silver Flames in 2021, with readers becoming a lot more critical of the series due to these installments highlighting already-existing flaws. While the books definitely do have a large fanbase still, increasingly readers have been finding the series a sub-standard example of a feminist fantasy due to issues such as problematic depictions of romantic relationships, and hypocritical messages around abuse and trauma. Even some legitimate fans of the series have been known to say they enjoy it more as a Guilty Pleasure.

I to P

• I Knew It!: Many readers predicted that Rhysand's strange reaction to Feyre at the end of the first book was him realizing they were mates and that she'd likely end up with him over Tamlin. This turned out to be precisely true in the second book.
• It Was His Sled: Tamlin is a Romantic False Lead for Feyre and she ends up with Rhysand. This is extremely well-known by readers, even those who are only just starting the series, especially given Feyre is with Rhysand for over half the books and the sheer amount of publicly-available fan art depicting them as a couple.
• Launcher of a Thousand Ships:
  • Lucien. He's been shipped with Feyre, Elain, Tamlin, Azriel, Cassian, Vassa, Jurian, both Vassa and Jurian, to name some. At one point, Maas seriously considered canonically pairing him with Nesta, though she changed her mind during the writing process.
  • Azriel has been shipped with Mor, Elain, Gwyn, Lucien, Cassian and Bryce Quinlan. Following the release of the fifth book, some readers even began shipping him with Eris.
• Like You Would Really Do It:
  • Few readers really believed that Maas would actually permanently kill off Rhysand in the climax of Wings and Ruin, given he's now the secondary protagonist and main romantic lead, he's likely one of Maas' favorite characters and it's not the first time a deceased main character has been brought Back from the Dead. Sure enough, he's resurrected by the other High Lords soon after the same way they resurrected Feyre in Thorns and Roses. This actually annoyed some readers, because it was so obvious that Maas wouldn't go through with it that they felt it came off as a cheap attempt at drama.
  • Similarly, almost no readers bought that Feyre, Rhysand and their baby would really end up dying in A Court of Silver Flames despite the book's emphasis on them all being supposedly doomed, seeing as killing them off would put a serious damper on the happily ever after Maas set up.
• Memetic Mutation: Rhysand invented feminism ^ExplanationUsed by some detractors and even a few fans to poke fun at Rhysand's characterization from Mist and Fury onwards, as the author's attempts to depict him as the ultimate love interest and heavy emphasis on him letting Feyre 'make her own choices' and how progressive he is by Prythian standards etc. can get a bit on-the-nose for some readers
• Narm:
  • Some of the sex scenes throughout the series can slip into being unintentionally funny and ridiculous rather than sexy, due to the use of over-the-top metaphors and behaviours to describe the sex and/or straight-up bizarre stuff happening during the sex. Specific moments include Feyre's vagina glowing and Rhysand climaxing so hard a nearby mountain-top shatters.
  • The Inner Circle's utter horror over how much Nesta spent at a bar ("500 gold marks") can become this considering that in the same chapter, it's stated that Feyre and Rhysand have five houses and just finished renovating a gargantuan riverside mansion. The description of Feyre crying into her scrambled eggs about it doesn't help due to the unintentional melodrama.
• Never Live It Down:
  • Many readers believe that Tamlin's lowest moments i.e. locking Feyre up in his manor and allying with Hybern, define him as a character and that his more sympathetic characterization present in A Court of Thorns and Roses was just a facade.
  • Judging by the fanbase's reaction, Rhysand conspiring to keep Feyre from knowing that her pregnancy will probably kill her won't be forgotten any time soon.
• Older Than They Think:
  • The Illyrians bear striking similarities to the Eyriens from Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series, which began publication in 1998. Even their names sound slightly similar. The Eyriens are a Long-Lived Proud Warrior Race of Winged Humanoids who live in a mountainous region; men are raised as soldiers in war camps while women are forbidden from becoming warriors and from even touching weapons. Physically, they tend to have tanned skin and dark hair, and their wings are black and bat-like. Sound familiar?
  • The name Illyrian itself also isn't a made-up fantasy word; the Illyrians were a real ancient ethnic group from the Balkans. Much like the fictional Illyrians, these peoples were famed for their warfare and weaponry, and were described as strong and always ready for a fight but not particularly smart.
  • Feyre being dressed in skimpy outfits and covered in body paint so Rhysand can tell if anyone touches her is reminiscent of Anck-Su-Namun from The Mummy (1999), although in the latter case the paint didn't magically fix itself (if it did Anck-Su-Namun and Imhotep would probably have had far fewer problems).
• One True Threesome: There are several fans who believe Lucien, Vassa, and Jurian are all romantically involved with each other; at the very least, canonically they've become close friends, bonding over their shared experiences with trauma and exile, and they've moved in together.
• Platonic Writing, Romantic Reading:
  • Mor and Cassian are intended to be Like Brother and Sister, but some of their interactions make it seem more like they're romantically/sexually attracted to each other. For starters, Mor lost her virginity to Cassian; although Mor says she mostly did it to get out of her arranged marriage, Cassian was quite willing to go along with it. Then there's Cassian's protectiveness of Mor and her using him as a buffer from Azriel (who has unrequited romantic feelings for her), which frequently includes her flirting with him. Mor also becomes quite possessive of Cassian whenever Nesta is around (whom Cassian is mated to), inserts herself between them and warns Nesta to stay away from him. Cassian himself often acts as if he's done something wrong if Mor catches him with Nesta and he tries to avoid being with her when Mor is about. One could argue Mor is just looking out for her friend given Nesta's prickliness, but the reactions from both of them can make it seem more like a woman being territorial over her crush and said crush not wanting to make her jealous.
  • Several readers were given the impression that Lucien and Feyre's interactions indicated he was a potential love interest for her, with some readers actually shipping Feyre with Lucien over Tamlin in the first book, enjoying their banter and growing respect for each other. It helps that Lucien physically shields Feyre from Rhysand and lies that she's his fiancée to protect her, they both come to each other's rescue Under the Mountain and Lucien seems just as devastated as Tamlin by Feyre's death. In the second book Lucien also seems more aware than Tamlin of Feyre's mental state and attempts to coax him into supporting her better, with a few readers even getting the impression Lucien would end up as a canonical romantic rival. Feyre even flirts with Lucien in the third book to make Tamlin jealous, while Lucien ends up turning on Tamlin to help Feyre (after she rescues him from Ianthe). They were apparently never intended to be anything but friends, especially as Sarah J Maas has indicated Feyre and Rhysand were always the endgame couple, and stated she originally intended for Lucien and Nesta to fall in love in the second book (before switching to a love triangle between Elain, Lucien and Azriel).
• Portmanteau Couple Name: Several have cropped up amongst fans:
  • Feylin for Feyre/Tamlin although virtually no one ships them anymore.
  • Feysand for Feyre/Rhysand.
  • Nessian for Nesta/Cassian.
  • Elriel for Elain/Azriel.
  • Elucien for Elain/Lucien.
  • Gwynriel for Gwyn/Azriel.
• Protection from Editors: Many readers have picked up on the frequent misuse of em-dashes and ellipses, grammar mistakes, as well as anachronisms - the usage of "pissy" or "pissed off" in a supposedly early modern world, the existence of flushing toilets and modern stoves paired with the lack of crossbows or firearms and the usage of bows for hunting.

R to W

• Rescued from the Scrappy Heap: Not quite "rescued" per se, but after A Court of Silver Flames some are beginning to see Tamlin as the lesser of two evils since Rhysand's self-centered and increasingly problematic actions make him out as far more controlling and borderline abusive than Tamlin ever was. The crux for many readers is that Tamlin's worst acts have been thoroughly called out and resulted in him hitting rock bottom, making him come off as more of a tragic figure, whereas Rhysand's similarly problematic behavior tends to be excused or glossed over.
• Romantic Plot Tumor: It's argued that the Amarantha plotline and the war with Hybern are put on the back-burn to focus on Feyre's relationship with Tamlin and later Rhysand during the first two books. The third arguably alleviates this by being more focused on the war efforts, though for some readers Feyre's romantic relationships are still given too much pagetime. Feyre and Rhysand's romance even starts to encroach on the fifth book's plot, which is supposed to be focused around Nesta, to the point that the book's climax is devoted to solving the issues threatening their relationship.
• The Scrappy: Tamlin became one of the most despised characters in the fandom following the second book's release, due to his obliviousness in regards to Feyre's trauma, his increasingly abusive and controlling behavior towards Feyre, not realizing Ianthe is evil and his interference in Feyre's new romance with Rhysand, among other things. Tamlin is intended to be a villain in the second book but many readers didn't find him to be a particularly compelling antagonist, seeing him more as existing just to prop up Rhysand as the superior love interest and throw in unnecessary drama, and so got sick of Tamlin constantly being inserted into the plot despite having little relevance anymore besides being an annoying jerk. Following the novella's publication though, some readers began to reevaluate their opinion of Tamlin and believe he has more depth and sympathetic traits than he's given credit for (to the point he's seen as more sympathetic than possibly intended), transforming him into a Base-Breaking Character.
• Sequelitis:
  • A large group of fans and detractors alike felt let down by A Court of Wings and Ruin, mainly for focusing on Feyre's love life more than the war itself, retcons involving Lucien and Mor, and a lot of Deus ex Machina towards the end, especially the arrival of Feyre's father and Rhysand dying for all of five minutes before coming back to life. Some readers also found the plot sluggish and repetitive compared to the previous two books, especially in the first half, and that it didn't have enough interesting content to justify its 700+ page count (which is notably higher than the previous entries').
  • Probably the best way to describe the reception to A Court of Frost and Starlight. Many fans found it to be a very pointless installment for something that was meant to "bridge" the two series together. Characters felt very out of character, Feyre stays at home while Rhysand does all the political work (which was a major issue with Tamlin) and regardless of how one feels about Tamlin, most readers generally agree that his storyline is done. As a result, Rhys mocking him came across less like a Take That, Scrappy! moment, and more like beating a dead horse so much the meat is paste. The reception for this novella got so bad that even some of the more hardcore fans confessed to being tired of Feyre and Rhysand.
• Ship Mates: Those that ship Lucien and Elain together often get along with Azriel/Gwyn shippers, as it clears up the love triangle in a way that leaves everyone happy with their love life.
• Shipping Bed Death: For some Feyre/ Rhysand shippers, their actual relationship became tedious to read about after they got together, especially by A Court of Frost and Starlight. The main criticisms brought up is that the story tends to shift the focus to their relationship even though there's other, more important things going on like the war with Hybern, and their relationship itself is mostly devoid of conflict and dramatic tension after the second book, consisting largely of them hooking up and constantly reiterating how much they love each other. Some readers also didn't appreciate the way Tamlin got derailed as a love interest to make way for Rhysand. This only worsened after the fifth book, due to many readers increasingly finding Rhysand's behavior problematic, while Feyre/the narrative constantly excuses it, making their dynamic come off as toxic.
• Ship-to-Ship Combat: Between Lucien/Elain and Azriel/Elain shippers, with Azriel/Gywn shippers entering the fray too following the publication of A Court of Silver Flames. Lucien/Elain shippers want to them to be together because they're mates and they believe both characters deserve happiness and a second chance at love (Lucien's fiancee was murdered in front of him, Elain's fiance rejected her after she became Fae). Azriel/Elain shippers think they have more chemistry (Elain has repeatedly given Lucien the cold shoulder, with some fans even thinking Lucien deserves better) and point out that being mates doesn't guarantee a couple's happiness. Others think that Azriel acts overly possessive and entitled towards Elain, and think it's weird or cheesy for the three Illyrian 'brothers' to be paired with the three Archeron sisters. ^note Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel aren't biologically related but consider each other brothers Others don't want Elain paired with either man due to disliking her or thinking both pairings are ill-suited. Amongst some shippers, the debates have reached a point of dissolving into arguments and insults, with there even being reports of death threats and people getting kicked out of online groups for supporting the 'wrong' ship.
• Strangled by the Red String: The series has this in-universe with the mating bond, mostly for men. Once a man meets the person destined to be his mate (usually a woman), he is instantly infatuated with her even if they've never so much as seen each other before, and he becomes intensely protective and jealous over her. It's not so bad with Feyre and Rhysand given they at least get to spend several weeks getting to know each other before getting together (and it's indicated Rhys had previously gained admiration and affection for Feyre during her three month-long imprisonment Under the Mountain), but Cassian and Lucien both quickly become obsessed with Nesta and Elain, respectively, despite these women either ignoring them or treating them with hostility and coldness. It takes a few more years for Nesta to warm up to Cassian (who is still carrying a torch after all this time), while Elain seems more interested in Azriel than Lucien.
• Strawman Has a Point:
  • Tamlin is overly-protective and controlling towards Feyre in A Court of Mist and Fury, but his reaction when he learns she's at the Night Court for the long-term doesn't seem as irrational or malicious as the narrative tries to present it. As far as he knows, the woman he loves (and saw tortured and killed in front of him) has been taken to the Night Court against her will by a man who presents himself as cruel and violent, has a personal grudge against Tamlin, can control minds, drugged and sexually humiliated/harassed Feyre every night (including forcing a kiss on her), and coerced her into making a bargain with him to save her life. Feyre's eventual letter informing Tamlin she went of her own free will doesn't help, because as far as Tamlin knows she can't write fluently so it could be a forgery (and she could still theoretically have been forced or mind-controlled into writing it). Tamlin's reaction is extreme, yet it doesn't seem implausible that from his perspective he was genuinely trying to save Feyre. Rhysand himself points out that from a lot of people's perspective, he's the bad guy who stole Feyre away from everything she loved.
  • Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames is presented as being in the wrong and called out by everyone for revealing to Feyre how risky her pregnancy will be for both herself and her unborn child. While Nesta was acting partly from spite and anger, Feyre had every right to know about this considering it concerns her health and body.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character:
  • Prince Dagdan and Princess Brannah, the creepy twin emissaries from Hybern. They show a lot of political cunning and power, engaging in literal mind-games with Feyre and playing her as good as she plays them. Their presence also has the possibility of giving first-hand insight into Hybern culture. Too bad they're killed off a third of the way through A Court of Wings and Ruin
  • Amren. She's not a fae, but is instead an otherworldly being heavily hinted to be an angel of death. She's small but fierce, drinks blood, broke out of a deadly prison, and... sheds her otherworldly form to become a High Fae, and that's the last we hear of her abilities.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot:
  • How many would have liked to see Feyre face her true self in the Mirror of Ouroboros instead of hearing about it after the fact?
  • The second book sets up conflict within Feyre and Tamlin's romance stemming from both of them being traumatized by what happened Under the Mountain and not coping with it well, alongside the added complication of Feyre's deal with Rhysand. This presents an opportunity for the pair to learn how to support one another and move past their trauma together (thus avoiding having their romance become static and boring). However, neither of them actually do much to address the problems they're having and Tamlin then takes a massive level in jerkass so that Feyre can guiltlessly dump him to be with Rhysand.
  • After such a big deal is made about Feyre becoming a High Lady and how progressive Rhysand allegedly is, wouldn’t it have meant a lot more if Feyre and Rhysand’s first child and heir was a girl instead of a boy?
  • A few readers have admitted they would've preferred that Rhysand stayed a morally ambiguous Wild Card as he's depicted in the first book, feeling he became less interesting after the story pulls the 'Good All Along' and 'Not Evil, Just Misunderstood' cards part way through in the second book, and spends the rest of the series putting him on a pedestal.
  • Feyre becoming the first High Lady in Prythian's history (putting her on equal footing with Rhysand as opposed to merely being his consort) provides plenty of interesting potential storylines, such as Feyre actively helping her people rebuild after the war (especially as she knows what it's like to lose your home, live in poverty, and deal with trauma), working towards making Prythian less sexist, improving faerie-human relations and/or learning exactly how to be a good queen who can support Rhysand as best she can (seeing as she's barely out of her teens and knew jack all about Prythian cultures until a few years ago; not to mention many people in Prythian are likely to chafe at a woman having such power). Unfortunately, after the war is over Feyre isn't shown being very politically active, with her storylines instead focusing mostly on her living a charmed life with Rhysand. In A Court of Silver Flames the only significant thing she does is get pregnant, which some readers found frustrating because she'd never previously expressed a desire to have kids so soon, plus seeing as she and Rhysand are immortal they could have kids any time. Readers don't have an issue with her getting pregnant in and of itself, but they find it disappointing that for all the significance given to Feyre becoming a High Lady and her conflict with Tamlin over her being treated as a glorified trophy wife/broodmare with no influence, little is actually done with this.
• Unintentionally Sympathetic:
  • Tamlin. The series never had an issue with calling Tamlin out on his worst character aspects and for his actions in A Court of Mist and Fury. However as time goes on Rhysand's flaws are becoming far more apparent, to the point where he does similar things... but the books will jump through hoops to excuse Rhys despite being guilty of the same thing and worse. While many of Tamlin's actions are not justifiable, several readers point out that he's likely suffering from PTSD after everything that happened and lacks a strong support system, nor does it help that he's being manipulated by Ianthe (whom he believes he can trust). He also appears to have good intentions rather than acting purely from malice and still does some heroic things in the third book, yet everyone acts like he did it all For the Evulz and deserved to have his entire court destroyed. Instead of making Tamlin out to be merely an abusive jerkass, he's starting to come across more as a highly traumatized tragic figure given absolutely no chance to properly cope. Even readers who don't much like Tamlin felt some pity for him in Frost and Starlight, as he appears to be deeply depressed and possibly suicidal, and thought Rhysand was out of order for mocking and ranting at him.
  • Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames. While she can be a rude, standoffish jerk to the Inner Circle and needs to find better coping mechanisms for her trauma, the way everyone acts like she's the worst person ever for this comes off as disproportionate (especially coming from people who've done things like torture, murder, and starting civil wars for petty reasons). Nesta's behavior is a largely self-destructive response to PTSD, yet the Inner Circle treat her with utter contempt and debate exiling her into hostile territory (either the human lands where she'd never fit in, or the Court of Nightmares) just because they personally dislike her and find her "embarrassing", also taking the time to mock and slut-shame her when she's at her lowest. They're also aware Nesta has powers she can't fully control, yet seriously consider abandoning her in a place she could endanger both herself and others. Feyre's solution is to lock Nesta up in the House of Wind and force her to train in Illyrian war camps against her will. ^note Nesta's told it's a choice but it's really not; she can't leave unless she's willing to walk down 10,000 steps, it's made clear she wouldn't be welcome back in the safety of Velaris, and Feyre at one point says she'll have Nesta physically dragged there. She's also forced to be around Cassian, which she's made clear upsets her. Considering that one of the things Nesta does value is her ability to choose for herself, it's hard not to pity her now that this has also been taken away, and how little everyone around her seems to care for her. It doesn't help that she was completely right to tell Feyre her pregnancy was extremely high risk when everyone else hid the truth, for which Rhysand threatens to kill her.
• Unintentionally Unsympathetic:
  • Feyre's family in the first book (they become more nuanced later on, especially Nesta). They get little characterization beyond the fact they're selfish jerks who treat Feyre like crap even though she's the one keeping them alive and they barely tolerate each other. Feyre herself has a low opinion of them, frequently criticizing them even as she emphasizes her devotion to them. Even Feyre's dead mother - to whom she made a deathbed promise to look after the family - is described as being cold and vain. None of them save for Feyre do anything to alleviate their dire situation (unless nagged) even though its been nearly a decade since they lost their fortune and they're all adults. It makes it difficult to sympathize with the family's struggles and some readers even find it weakens Feyre's driving motivation of protecting them, considering her relationship with each of them ranges from indifferent to actively hostile.
  • For several readers, Feyre slips into this regarding the Spring Court debacle in the third book. While her being royally pissed at Tamlin for what he did to her and her family is understandable, she ends up intentionally destabilizing and causing a civil war within Tamlin's court that potentially leaves thousands of people dead or displaced, all to get revenge on Tamlin. And it ends up working in the villain's favor to boot, as the Spring Court is the last line of defence between Prythian and the human realm. Feyre does get called out on it a bit, but otherwise experiences no negative repercussions and doesn't even seem to care about it all that much, saying that Tamlin had it coming with little thought given to the many innocent people who wound up as collateral damage (not to mention she drags an unwitting Lucien - her supposed friend - into her plot, putting him in a dangerous position with Tamlin). The situation can make Feyre come across less as being righteously angry, more extremely petty and self-absorbed.
  • Rhysand is increasingly viewed this way, especially after A Court of Silver Flames. A lot of this is down to the fact he often does rather morally questionable things in the name of the 'greater good', but all his actions are constantly glossed over or justified in some way, and he's often presented as right. Some readers find he's not much different from Tamlin in terms of allying with a villain from desperation and doing unsavory things to protect Feyre (the worst of which includes drugging and sexually harassing her ^note his reasoning for doing so is arguably rather flimsy seeing as Tamlin is already pissed at Amarantha and he later admits part of it was just to get back at Tamlin for their personal conflict and hiding the fact her pregnancy could kill her and her unborn child). However, Tamlin gets constantly vilified by the narrative for this behavior, while Rhys does not. Some readers have also noted that while Rhysand is devoted to protecting those he sees as family and the citizens in Velaris, he doesn't seem to care all that much about anyone else, even other places in the Night Court such as the Hewn City, and he's still willing to deceive and manipulate those he loves for his own gain.
  • Cassian comes off as insensitive at best and creepy at worst during his interaction with Nesta in Wings and Embers. They barely know each other yet he finds it appropriate to question her about her sex life (i.e. whether she's a virgin, if she prefers men or women) and doesn't back off even when she tells him it's none of his business. And when she inadvertently reveals she has been sexually assaulted (her ex-fiance attempted to rape her when she broke up with him), Cassian's response is to grab her arm to keep her from leaving and demand to know more; he also then thinks it's a good idea to engage in rough foreplay with her, including pinning her in place even when she tries to get away. For some readers Cassian fully had it coming when Nesta knees him in the groin and tells him not to come back.
• Viewer Pronunciation Confusion: There's a bit of debate amongst readers over how to pronounce Rhysand's name. His nickname of Rhys is a real given name (Welsh in origin) pronounced the same as Reese, so some naturally assume Rhysand is pronounced "reese-and". However, others pronounce it as "rye-sand" or even "ris-and". Eventually, a pronunciation guide was released stating it's pronounced "ree-sand", though some readers still find it confusing or hard to adjust after spending years pronouncing it differently. Funnily enough, a few readers admitted they pronounced his nickname as "reese" but his full name as "rye-sand". Readers who are unfamiliar with the name Rhys were also known to say it as "rice" or "rise", adding to the confusion.
• What Do You Mean, It's Not for Kids?: The series is described as "young adult" fantasy and is often found in the teen section in bookstores and libraries. However, the sexual content is a lot more explicit than the average young adult novel, to the point that some printings come with content warnings advising reader discretion on the cover. From A Court of Silver Flames onwards the series is now marketed more as "New Adult" fiction (typically aimed at readers aged 18-25 rather than younger teens) for this reason.

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