*crying over fiction*

and the last full moon of the month is a blue moon..

it truly is elriel month 🩷💙

Cassian sat up, the portrait of outrage. “No?”

Azriel tucked in his wings. “Would you want people betting on you?”

“You assholes bet on me all the time. I remember the last one you did—you and Mor, making wagers about whether my wings would heal.”

I snorted. True.

Sarah slipped up and said “it was easy for Nesta and Feyre because nature picked right”, implying that in her mind nature did not pick correct for Elain…..👀👀👀👀👀

I am absolutely losing my mind over this new Elriel piece.

Because this:

Is the same thing of this:

Have-

Have they not read any of SJM’s books at all? 💀

As if Feysand wasn’t a partial retelling of hades and Persephone? As if other couples from CC or ToG aren’t opposites?

Regardless of opposites, Azriel and Elain indeed are on the same wavelength. They very much are similar to one another. They have a lot in common and lot that they can relate to together. Aesthetic or materialistic differences don’t directly equate to “they can’t be mates/together”.

I mean…

The boy who is never chosen and girl who never gets to choose?

The boy and girl who have to find their voice together?

The boy and girl who are both more quiet and subtle types than anything or anyone in the IC?

The boy and girl who are both overlooked by everyone just because “Elain is Elain” or (in his brother’s minds) “Az is Az”?

The boy and girl who have both loved selflessly yet have been rejected by those loves?

The boy and girl who both have metaphorical restraints on each other because of someone else? (Rhys and Lucien)

The list goes on.

They understand each other.

I really want people to stop looking at these multidimensional characters from only one perspective or from surface level and actually THINK.

Elain is stronger than some of you think. Strength doesn’t always have to be brute strength. Theres a reason why Feyre claimed Elain had a strength no one else did. And that strength just so happens to be something that Azriel admires, if I’m to glean anything from his character.

But anyway, what do I know? I’m just an average elriel lol. But per the author’s words…

The one she had been mated to, the Autumn Fox with his clicking metallic eye and flowing auburn hair, was not who she’d wanted. For in his company, she was a mere shadow. A shadow in a shadow. She was the shadow of her true self, living in the shadow of her bond with him.

Though, the one who called for her heart, demanded her attention without even knowing so, the handsome brooding Shadowsinger of the Night Court. Oh, how he’d charmed her with his beauty and his understanding. But more importantly, with his wonderful company and unwavering attention. The Spymaster with beautiful scarred hands who had first taken her to the garden and who had spent time with her in silent companionship. In his company, she was light emerging from the depths of darkness. In his company, she bloomed—like a vibrant rose.

He was not her mate. Not the one the Cauldron chose worthy of her. No thread weaved through her ribs and his. And yet, it was toward him that she felt pulled whenever she entered a room that also graced his silent, shadowy presence. It was as if a hand had been wrapped around her very heart, urging her nearer to him. Telling her to approach him, if only to hear a sound from his lips in that voice of night-chilled mist and cedar as it floated over to her ears. Like a soothing caress to her weary soul.

~~~~~

Thought of this little bit while in the shower 🫠

Like if you want to enter a space and genre geared primarily towards women and contribute your opinion. Go ahead. Women largely welcome men with open arms when they engage in our interests (not even going to get into how women almost never receive the same courtesy in return.), but to come in and just start spewing your stupid opinions with your evident biases. It just grinds my gears. Pipe down.

Went to his page and seeing him talking about not liking Nesta 😑 I like Nesta but am definitely critical of her behavior when warranted, but hearing “she’s not likeable” from a man just is not it.

His entire account so far is him “reviewing”/discussing SJM books. But you don’t like her female heroines? Maybe go elsewhere then

NO ONE EVER DOES. NO ONE EVER LOOKED—NOT REALLY.

Whether she chooses to accept, reject, or do nothing about her existing bond with Lucien is up to her.

Unfortunately, the way SJM has set it up since ACOWAR has shown that Elain does not regard Lucien in a positive light. She shrinks away from him, they avoid each other, etc.

That is the only reason I don't ship Elucien. If SJM had written a single positive interaction between them (out of Elain's own will, not out of pressure from Feyre or reluctant politeness), then I would ship them together.

But she has gone out of her way to show how the bond makes Elain uncomfortable and she doesn't want Lucien. SJM even goes as far as to bring in another love interest (Azriel) to show just how much Elain does not desire her fated mate, she desires someone else.

It doesn't matter if Lucien "is a good male". It doesn't matter if he's being a gentleman and giving her space. It doesn't matter if he's the high king of prythian or gives her 40000 solstice gifts she won't ever touch.

She. Does. Not. Want. Him.

That's the only reason you need to stop shipping Elucien.

Any further analysis, any 80 page ppts how much Lucien shows mate behavior and how much he thinks Elain is beautiful and how he is devoted to her... do not matter.

She. Does. Not. Want. Him.

"But don't you want Elain to be happy? The mating bond is the epitome of love. She should want him"

She. Does. Not. Want. Him

"But Lucien is hot/a courtier/a future high lord/sunshine and he's already been through so much rejection in life"

She. Does. Not. Want. Him

End of story.