After you’ve sped through A Court of Thorns and Roses, it’s only natural that your appetite for more fantasy, romance and spice would start to grow. Fortunately, there are plenty of books out there that you can devour to satisfy your craving.
Here are 10 of our favorite ACOTAR-inspired reads to add to your stack:
Sarah J. Maas is known for writing stories that explore the mental and spiritual journeys of her female protagonists, and her ACOTAR Merch series is no exception. ACOTAR follows 19-year-old Feyre as she navigates the fae realm of Prythian, which is held in thrall by an evil villain. Feyre’s journey is accompanied by romance, action and world-saving threats that continue to escalate throughout the subsequent novels.
Maas’ writing is known for its beauty and complexity. She’s also adept at creating magical, sexy worlds that are full of hidden secrets and mystery. But while these settings are intriguing, they’re also problematic for some readers because they romanticize Stockholm syndrome and unhealthy, possessive relationships that could be considered abusive.
Another problematic aspect of ACOTAR is the use of the word whore to disparage a rape victim. Several characters, including Feyre, refer to Rhysand as Amarantha’s whore, implying that he has a non-consensual relationship with the queen. This stereotype is harmful because it blames and shames victims and sex workers.
In ACOTAR, High Fae member Clotho is a blind woman with scarred hands who has the ability to levitate and move books at will. She is also one of the three Fates or Moirai, which are the goddesses that determine when mortals are born and die.
But while the High Fae have a lot of power in ACOTAR, the mortal world they live in is much different. In the Mortal Lands, humans are at the bottom of the food chain and are considered prey. As a result, there are a number of problems with the portrayal of the mortals and their relationships to the Fae in ACOTAR, which are being debated by fans.
Despite the controversy, it appears as though Hulu’s adaptation of ACOTAR is still in the works. Last week, a rep for the streaming service told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour that the project is “in development,” but they had no further details to share. It’s unclear how much of the ACOTAR universe will be adapted for the TV show, but the company teamed up with “Outlander” creator Ronald D. Moore to co-write the series’ scripts.