#spoiler warning!

It was really good! A bit copaganda-y for my liking, but other than that, very fun!

In the first episode I was a bit skeptical, I was watching the intro and was like, "ah this seems like an anime that will make me feel bad and anxious", but it wasn't! The angst wasn't over the top, the characters are likeable and also the writers didn't feel like slighting me personally (honestly i don't know why some anime just hit me in a way that I just have to stop watching, I can't even explain it! It happened with code geass, after a few characters die for no reason, and it happened with osho no ko when ruby found out some shit (season 3 I think). just to name a few.)

It was a very enjoyable 11 episodes, no filler needed! It felt really nice! And it's been a while since something scratched my cat and mouse puzzle itch!

There was a point in the anime though, that felt kinda funny to me. IIRC the main detective says something like, "this isn't just terrorism, they're trying to tell us something". I was like, baby girl, that's what terrorism means.

In the end, it felt very nuanced and politically though through, unlike some OTHER anime cough cough chainsaw man, cough, cough

That said, it could've been a bit more based, seeing that I found it while trying to look for explicitly class conscious anime (if anyone has a recommendation I would love to hear it! I need more commie slop! [btw I already know zom 100 so yeah])

Spoilers from now on.

Once upon a dream.

…

SOBBING—

elain, after moving out from the cottage in asphodelos meadows, ends up rooming with a fire sprite in firo. (i had to, they are my favourite.)

i was going to say papa archeron dies in the attack against asphodelos meadows in hofas, but i think he dies during the demon attack in the first book. pain.

mama archeron was an avellan fae, aka originally from the dusk court lineage.

*sighs*

like what the actual fuck you guys

i finished QOS a couple days ago and i am still processing.

i worship the ground SJM walks on from this point on

THAT WOMAN IS BRILLIANT; her storytelling, though extremely aggravating is, perhaps, something from the gods

the point where (almost) every character's POV meet up in one spot (manon, dorian - demon dorian OMG, aelin, chaol, rowan) holy fuck brain melting

i loveeedddddd that scene with the witches and the king

☾

OKAY OKAY OKAY

Manon ✂︎🕷🧨

okay first of all i am heterosexual until manon blackbeak is mentioned

because holy fuck

SHE IS SO --

idek i dont have words

and of course of COURSE manon saying dorian's name is gonna be enough to keep him holding on, OF COURSE

i love them

i hope they're mates

THE WAY SHE WENT BACK

THE WAY HE WAVED AS IF THE LAST TIME HE SAW HER SHE DIDNT BASICALLY BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE OKAY

god

i am so passionate about manorian already

love, love, love, love

and cant wait to see what she does with the 13

AND JESUS THE FIGHT SCENE WITH AELIN!!! that feels really really important

and her + asterin

omg nothing better fucking happen to asterin. i. will. lose. it.

POOR ASTERIN

PROTECT HER FOREVER

i hate the witch queen grandma freak ong

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Aelin + Rowan 🧸💛🏆

okay first of all, sjm let these dudes FUCK jesus christ

they're so horny LMAOOO

i love it, too

mates mates mates mates mates

i can feel it in my bones

and no i cant explain it, maybe rowan is just a lucky fucker who has 2 mates, maybe maeve has something to do with it IDK

but mates? yes

why? when dorian stabbed her (OW MY HEART @ THAT SCENE) rowan screamed in feeling it

kismet

i love them

i also have an extremely hard time envisioning a "metallic gold, skin-tight, night gown?" but whatever floats your boat rowan LOL

nonetheless, i loved that scene. ate it up. cleaned the plate. left no crumbs.

i really really just am absolutely whipped for how intensely rowan like pretty clearly loves aelin

she has so many males p whipped and im envious but also, i get it. i understand.

what else do i have to say????????

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OH FUCK-

DORIAN ❄️💙⚡️

i was so relieved to see him unscathed

and how again think brain think how did he get free

OHHH THE RING

omg aelin is so damn smart - she was SO clever throughout this entire book

i did NOT see that coming, and actually SJM did a great job, once again, of totally switching gears towards the end of the book.

i predicted nothing and was FLYING through the last hundred pages

i am obsessed

cant wait to see him become the KING he was meant to be

... do not know what to think about the king of adarlan (the now dead one)

tho i am glad they kinda pivoted focus on the villain because i was not understanding how the plot was gonna extend for another 3 books

that being said i am not fucking excited to read tower of dawn

☾

other honorable mentions!!!!

ps: i am literally at work writing this LOL

boss makes a dollar while i make a dime... im going on tumblr on company time HAHAHAH

elide -> i like her but also she was kinda annoying in morath and her constantly trying to escape, like obvi stay with the wing leader-- BUT i am excited that she is the daughter of marion (?? is that her name im having amnesia rn) and to see how her storyline will tie with aelin's as she seeks out for aedion + the gang

chaol -> lol why does he have an entire book? i would much rather have a book on rowan.!!!!! hence my procrastination with Tower of Dawn but whatever i'll read itttttttt. also (TOD spoiler i guess) i feel like i've seen yrene + chaol fanart which im like???? what about nesryn????

lysandra -> can i just SAY: i am so thrilled that i read assassin's blade before queen of shadows!!!! It makes me appreciate and love her story so much more. god i LOVE HER. im so glad aelin made her a part of her court. and she's so badass. i want to be a shapeshifter - you would never see me again (:

sad to see that ress + brullo did end up dying, but i can see it was inevitable? i guess? the king's way of punishing

i love aedion always and forever but as of now my brain has nothing to say for him besides he is the cutest thing for protecting rowan in the sewers ++++ wearing the dagger rowan gifted him in thanks constantly, i hope him + lysandra develop something but i might be alone in that boat

also, lol, him finding out about the blood oath

i felt bad

but aelin's solution "the more the merrier" LMAO

☾

anyways

i love this series

it was a very slow start

and AGAIN, i am really procrastinating reading Tower of Dawn but i've heard it's worth it for a handful of reasons

tbh, i've already decided that my first re-read- ima just skip to HOF because how the fuck do we only meet rowan in the third/fourth book depending on how you read

wont lie on the slight panic i feel nearing the latter half of this series, but i will persist

cant wait to do aelin collages i see her most vibrantly amongst everyone, well her and manon

and rowan

because HOLY FUCK DO I LOVE ROWAN

he is my second sjm husband, rhy remains #1 (for now LOL)