u/myredditnamebananas

I have some theories that I really hope are going to materialize in the next couple of books, but ultimately I just want to get on with the story and find out what happens next. I trust that whatever SJM has created will be entertaining af, even if my ships and theories don't come to pass. Am I alone in this?

There are a lot of very vocal fans who are certain that they've pieced together the next POVs and relationships and which mating bonds are real and fake and this and that....but like... not everyone can be right.

So, why aren't people just excited to read SJM's vision as she intended it? I haven't been disappointed with a book so far, so why would I doubt her now?

There are some people who have dedicated their social platforms to proving they're right about their theories. Some of them will surely end up embarrassed when their theories don't pan out.

I just really don't want to see fans storming the internet after the next books are released shouting about how bad the books are because their theories were wrong. But based on how some of the fandom has behaved thus far, it's hard not to expect that this is exactly what will happen.

I can not imagine the pressure that SJM is under and how worried she must be about how the next books will be received.

I guess my ultimate question is, does your enjoyment of the series depend solely on whether or not it unfolds as you want it to?

And, do you think the fandom is going to embrace whatever happens next in the story, or should we expect a ton of negative backlash?

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I’m getting really excited for the next two ACOTAR books that have been announced, and I’ve been going down the rabbit hole of fan theories. Some of them are wild—like huge plot twists, unexpected romances, major character shifts, etc.

The thing is… I haven’t read Throne of Glass or Crescent City, so I don’t really know if that kind of theorizing actually lines up with Sarah J. Maas’s writing style.

For those of you who’ve read her other series:

- Does she tend to write big, unpredictable plot twists, or do things usually unfold in a more expected way?

- Has she done things like false mates, villains becoming heroes (or the reverse), or major character personality shifts?

- Do initially unlikable characters become likable over time?

For me, ACOTAR has felt relatively predictable so far—no huge, shocking twists—so some of the more extreme theories feel a bit far-fetched. But maybe that’s just because I don’t have the full picture of how she writes across her other series.

Basically: should we be bracing for jaw-dropping twists, or is it more likely things will stay closer to the established patterns?

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I’m getting really excited for the next two ACOTAR books that have been announced, and I’ve been going down the rabbit hole of fan theories. Some of them are wild—like huge plot twists, unexpected romances, major character shifts, etc.

The thing is… I haven’t read Throne of Glass or Crescent City, so I don’t really know if that kind of theorizing actually lines up with Sarah J. Maas’s writing style.

For those of you who’ve read her other series:

- Does she tend to write big, unpredictable plot twists, or do things usually unfold in a more expected way?

- Has she done things like false mates, villains becoming heroes (or the reverse), or major character personality shifts?

- Do initially unlikable characters become likable over time?

For me, ACOTAR has felt relatively predictable so far—no huge, shocking twists—so some of the more extreme theories feel a bit far-fetched. But maybe that’s just because I don’t have the full picture of how she writes across her other series.

Basically: should we be bracing for jaw-dropping twists, or is it more likely things will stay closer to the established patterns?

Curious to hear your thoughts!

I keep seeing people argue that “SJM loves Rhys too much to ever make him the villain.”

But what if that’s exactly why she loves him so much?

If anything, Rhys is one of the most polarizing characters in the fandom. People either adore him or strongly dislike him. And that kind of reaction doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a lot of intention and skill to create a character who can inspire that level of devotion and skepticism at the same time.

So I could actually see SJM taking pride in that. Creating a character who’s widely perceived as the ultimate hero, only to later subvert that perception, would be a pretty bold (and honestly impressive) storytelling move. (Not to mention...she already did that with Tamlin.)

Also, if she were planning a reveal like that, it makes sense that she’d continue to speak positively about him in interviews. She’s not going to spoil a major reveal ahead of time.

I’m not saying Rhys is the villain—but I don’t think “SJM loves him too much” is a strong argument that he couldn’t be.

Curious what others think.