A Court Of Thorns And Roses

This series brought me a lot of joy this past month, the kind of excitement and love for a series I haven’t felt since I was a teenager. Even though at times this story has frustrated me, especially toward the end, I feel more hopeful about myself and the future than when I began

Tamlin’s attempt to completely control Feyre and near physical assault was described by both Feyre and Rhysand as happening because Tamlin “loved her too much”. And we’re meant to erase Rhysand drugging Feyre, forcing her to give him lap dances, and then forcibly kissing her as having been born from a need to protect a bond stronger than love.

I’m not done with the series so things could change. And I think these characters could change or the way Feyre views her treatment can change. But right now I just don’t like that these actions have been chalked up to someone experiencing too much love. Doing so is the excuse of abusers the world over.

- FUCK Tamlin, he’s nothing but a piece of shit

- Lucien knowing Feyre’s secret but being unable to say anything bc of his bond with Elain is just *chef’s kiss, I hope they go at each others throats

-Feyre girl, I’m so sorry you have to go back to the house, I hope she and Rhys rip him to shreds

- Rhys knowing exactly how to play up the part that Feyre set up for him is also another *chefs kiss moment

- I’m kinda relieved that the next book isn’t just the Feysand honeymoon phase while a war rages in the background, it would be too Breaking Dawn for me

- I literally could not care less about Nesta or Elain, I’m actually pretty annoyed that they’re immortal now, bitches will never not be part of the story now

Rhys is scared of rejection because he doesn’t think he deserves happiness or real love for the things he’s done. Rejection would break him bc it would confirm that he isn’t worthy of love, especially coming from someone who in theory is soul bound to him. Not to mention that he’s been really careful about when he tells Feyre information, he doesn’t want Feyre to think he’s turning her against Tamlin and has wanted her to make her own choices since he got her out of Tamlin’s prison house, so to speak.

Feyre on the other hand hasn’t healed from escaping what was shaping up to be a horribly abusive situation. Rhys and his/her friend helped her do a lot of healing from the trauma under the mountain, but she hasn’t healed much from what happened in Tamlin’s house. She came from a place where her boyfriend and his friends controlled her, often by hiding information from her because they wanted to decide what was best. This control very quickly escalated to physical violence and ultimately her complete lack of freedom. So being put in a situation where it felt like information was withheld from her probably felt like control. One of her first thoughts when she confronts Rhys is that he and his/her friends wanted to decide what was best for her. Given her trauma with Tamlin’s household, it makes complete sense.

Me: