Would Anyone like to read ACOTAR with me?

[Lynea]

There's no shame here. My social media feeds have been overflowing with ACOTAR memes, and though I keep clicking 'like' on most of them (and shopping for related merch) I must admit publicly that I haven't even started the series. So, over this coming summer I've resolved to read book one at the very least.

If you haven't read it yet either, and would like to, feel free to respond. I plan to officially begin on June 1st.

 

[pmmg]

I am generally up for book 1's but I am not much of a reader. It might take me months to finish it. But...maybe....

 

[Queshire]

What is ACOTAR?

 

[Finchbearer]

I’ve read the whole series up to book 5 so, enjoy!

 

[Lynea]

What is ACOTAR?

A Court of Thorns and Roses (and all the books in the series)

 

[pmmg]

No promises on reading the whole series.

 

[Lynea]

No promises on reading the whole series.

That's okay. I'm not likely to do the whole series over the summer.

 

[Dantalion]

I'm on book 2 after being peer-pressured by coworkers. It's not really my thing as it kind of ventures out of esoterism into lifetime romance, which I'm not particularly fond of as I find it's riddled with cliches. But it makes people happy, so that's all that matters. I'm on book 2, so maybe my opinion will change and I'll comment again later. Who knows!

Let me know when you get to book 2.

 

[pmmg]

Well...I did finish this. For a day or so, Lynea and I were at the same pace, and then the next day, she's like...I finished. Maybe a month later I did as well. (how people read so quickly, I will never know).

I mean...I am not likely in the target audience for this. I had a few gripes, but I will let those who like it more go on with their enjoyment. I am not sure I will ever read book 2. Too many other things to read, and I feel I have a good sense of Mrs. Maas style and voice. I got what I wanted.

 

[Lynea]

I'm on book 2 after being peer-pressured by coworkers. It's not really my thing as it kind of ventures out of esoterism into lifetime romance, which I'm not particularly fond of as I find it's riddled with cliches. But it makes people happy, so that's all that matters. I'm on book 2, so maybe my opinion will change and I'll comment again later. Who knows!

Let me know when you get to book 2.

I finished book 2 a few months ago as well, but haven't ventured on to book 3. Hope you get through it alright.

 

[AnnaGoeldi]

I'm halfway through the first book but I keep struggling. I wonder on which page I will finally understand the hype. There are good elements in the book - a well built world, for instance. But the personalities are a bit.. flat? Does this get better?

 

[Lynea]

From what I've read, no.

 

[pmmg]

I think a lot of the energy moved on from ACOTAR. Fourth Wing seemed to have captured it, but i think everyone has mostly read it as well. Not sure what the current one is.

Months later, my thoughts on ACOTAR is that it sure made Romantasy a house hold word, but I am not sure that was great for plain old Fantasy. I lot of people, I think, we deceived into thinking that because they liked ACOTAR they suddenly liked Fantasy, but found out they really just liked Romantasy.

In my next go round, I am doing Romance.

 

[nelldarcy]

I read the series a few years ago and was honestly shocked at how many inconsistencies there were. Characters' personalities seemingly changing from one section of a book to the next, entire backstories rewritten or hand-waved away. Even the descriptions make no sense, like the character who can't stop blurting out what he thinks at inopportune moments is criticized as being "fox like" and "sneaky". So much internalized misogyny and romanticized abuse, as well. Maybe I'm just not the target audience?

 

[Lynea]

You read all five books? I'll admit I've only made it through the first two so far.

 

[nelldarcy]

I actually did, I have never been simultaneously so frustrated by a series I was reading and still felt like I wanted to keep going. I think I kept hoping poor Lucien was going to get his happy ending and ended up just getting more annoyed at the author's choices. I think she is great at writing individual emotional scenes and getting the audience to care about characters, but the follow through on set-up plot lines is very hit and miss, like she doesn't remember what she wrote in previous books so just makes up something else and goes with it. I was interested in the contradictions, like how the most powerful characters with the most money and resources are somehow made into the underdogs. That does take some skill to pull off. If the series continues, I'd possibly read it for the side characters, but if I hear the plot summary and it's another mess, I might skip it.

 

[Lynea]

Ah. Yeah, perhaps SJM suffers from the pressure of getting this series out quickly. Doesn't get much time to let it cook. Idk. I'm kind of indifferent about it on the whole. I can enjoy the story and not be eager for the next one up.

 

[pmmg]

ACOTAR feels a little like last years story at this point. Newer stuff has come out and pushed in front of it. I was not the audience for this, but looking back, I still feel that the female protagonist was a little too much 'girl power', the sex, which was the draw, was fantastically over the top, and the conflict was kind of shoe-horned in, but suitable.

I can see why the book was a big success, and I know she wrote other books with other leads that had their own romantic/erotic adventures, but...its not the type of stuff I would probably choose to go for. I think SJM got her 15 minutes, and I am not sure if she can get it back. But...good job to her. She wrote something a lot of people wanted.

I could not live with the pressure to keep a stream of stuff pouring out. I write too slow for that.

(PS: I dont remember the inconsistencies anymore.)

 

[dantheman93]

I’m rereading because of the 6th one coming out later this year, and to whoever said they’re equally confused and entertained, I feel you. They’re fun, but the repetition of clichés and goofy words knocks me out. I looked it up, she has a character wink nearly 400+ times across all of her series. Nobody needs to wink that much!!

 

[pmmg]

Just kind of speaks to her editing. Maybe she does not need any, cause she is wildly successful, but I think an editor should have grabbed her crutch words and phrases by now.