100th Time Listening To Tell Me And That Little "i Love You Patty" "love You Too Ellen" At The End Still

Dear House of earth and blood (crescent city),

Thank you.

The stories you hold have really brought light to my heart when I thought there was only darkness. I’m struggling at the minute with life…but you have really helped me.

You have made me laugh, cry, cringe and experience the rarest emotions that I thought my crumpled heart could not contain.

You have given me strength and resilience in a time when they were running dangerously lower.

I want to say thank you to…

Lehabah : who showed me how to be selfless, even if that means my shot at freedom is lost. She showed me being selfless is one of the greatest gifts a soul can possess.

Juniper: who taught me to be there for a friend In need, even if it’s just a phone call or message because the simplest acts of kindness can save lives.

Danika: who showed me what it means to be loyal, and that loyalty can lead to one of the strongest and brightest bonds a soul can encounter. She showed me it’s ok to be who you are. She taught me how to not care about other peoples opinions. And that your happiness out ways other peoples perceptions of you.

Ruhn: who taught me that out of labels and titles that family is the most important. He showed me that even though you might have differences or maybe not be family through blood that their gift of love is one of the most precious gifts you could ever receive.

Hunt: who showed me that there’s always a way out. Even when confined into box there’s always a window to climb through. He taught me that out of all the horrors of your past experiences that you can find happiness and love, because everybody deserves love even you reading this. He taught me that even if it takes hundreds of years that you can do it.

And finally…

Bryce: you taught me that it’s ok to be weak and frightened. That everyday isn’t going to be your strongest fight…and that’s ok. But she also gave me the strength to fight back. She shared her journey through her highs and lows, heartbreaks and heartaches and still managed to pull herself through the other end. I want to say a very special thank you to her, she has truly showed me that there is something worth fighting for, for the light at the end of the tunnel. That Today might be your weakest day but tomorrow…tomorrow bring them hell. Tomorrow pick yourself up, dust yourself of and start the climb back to the top. She taught me how to climb that mountain even if it takes awhile, to keep pushing through.

I offered this book my heart and it filled it with stories of brave, selfless, fearless people who I will forever keep locked away safe in my beating lifeline for me to take out when things get dark.

Their story’s of triumph and heartbreak have saved me and no words could ever contain how glad I am for stumbling into your story and losing myself in your adventures. You have truly saved me and have given me …hope.

Thank you house of earth and breath.

I know your stories are far from complete and cannot wait to experience the love for it all over again.

But until we meet again,

Goodbye.

-MB

I don't think sjm did any other interviews from 2021~ now (or if she did it's not public so I can't see it) and since I've only first read acotar during January of last year and only acosf and hosab came out when I was actually a part of the fandom, I've never actually seen any of sjm's interview until this recent one with Katherine Webber and I have to say.. the way sjm haters villainize sjm one would think sjm is some kind of heartless psycho that 1. purposely created Danika Fendyr solely to be used as a plot device because she's dead 2. purposely designed Rhys and Feyre to be selfish rulers who will be the doom of Velaris 3. purposely made Feyre such an irresponsible mother and ruler 4. purposely made Rhysand such a manipulative and irresponsible ruler 5. purposely made nesta such a evil and uncaring person not even bothering to redeem her (you all, nesta's human, she makes mistakes and it's not always okay but that doesn't make her an evil person who doesnt deserve a second.. well fine maybe third... chance) 6. purposely killed the thirteen (this one's a joke you people who take everything so literally) 7. purposely made Rhys and Feyre seem so heartless they could have sex when people are dying (bro it's supposed to be romantic not a personal attack on the dying people 🙄 it's supposed to symbolize how "people in find hope in others [in sex, yes] during the hardest times" 8. purposely created the IC as a toxic enviorment and toxic family who "keeps things from each other" and "don't trust and open up to each other" (eg: Mor not being willing to admit she's gay, telling feyre her preganacy can kill her WELL IF YOU WERE IN THEIR POSITION YOU PROBABLY WOULD DO THAT SAME THING) 9. purposely made Bryce curvy without "proper representation" because she's fatphobic 10. purposely didn't give any of her characters god forbid THERPY and had them magically get better (you all fun fact no one believes in therapy where i live and im suicidal but obviously im not dead yet and probably also less messed up than HALF of you sjm haters so one doesnt require therapy to get over trauma or to just... not be dead✨) 10. purposely gave Rhys and Feyre power (and from one of the acotar hate chain I quote) "so they can fucking waste it" 11. purposely had Nyx conceived out of fear (not true but I'll humor you all)

I could go on and on and on but i think this sufficient don't you? You all, acotar and tog and cc are books. in a world designed by a single human. characters have flaws, it doesnt mean they're horrible people, it doesnt mean the AUTHOR is a horrible person or transphobic or fatphobic or anti lgbtq.

also note that before every single point there is a "purposely" as in the things these characters do maybe arent totally correct, but it isn't done because of "problematic intensions"

I don't think SJM is problematic. she's human like any of us, and that means she has her own viewpoints or writes about things she finds acceptable but you don't. that doesnt make her a bad person or a problematic author.

Sjm has a wing kink

i genuinely dont understand why some people can proudly tell me their reading goal for the year is 20 books and that they FAILED TO REACH THAT GOAL LAST YEAR which is why it's still their goal this year.

and i just sit there nodding and being supportive while internally screaming bitch i read 145 books a year what do you mean 20 books 😭

to quench my desire for ms yarros to release onyx storm from jail (read: the warehouses) here's everything my grubby little fingers have gathered about the book:

(trust me im experienced. i had to go through the hellhole that was waiting for sarah j maas and cassandra clare to release THEIR books after MORE THAN a year) (i still havent gotten kit and ty's book...) (it's been 6 years ms cassandra...) (and WHEN am i getting my bbg az's book???)

guys calm down. xaden and violet are end game. there have been like twenty confirmations from rebecca, we are safe (my favorite quote was when she was like "r u asking me if xaden is another tamlin")

violet "has one goal and doesnt care what stands in her way" - we will be seeing lots of badass violet and im here for it

vibe of onyx storm is so it goes + who's afraid of little old me (who is this DIVA 💜)

halden (crown prince, my boi aaric's brother) probably had a thing with violet/ will have a role in onyx storm. (RY's response to whether or not violet dated halden was "i think you should read the third book")

violets second signet is obvious ("it's in there alot" + our theories have been correct + we will be underwhelmed) (guys she's a truthsayer FIGHT ME.) (there's SO MANY CLUES. "ask the right questions" "lying is easy, except when it come to violet" "nothing is more dangerous than a truth slayer" yada yada)

xaden is NOT unbonded from sgaeyl, our queen is just REALLY REALLY PISSED (this MAY refute the naolin's still alive theory, but there was another instance where she was asked if dragons can CHOOSE to unbond a rider and RY was like 😗😋🥰)

papa sorrengail is dead dead. verbatim confirmation.

this is small & we already know this, but violet's hair will come up in the later books (mysterious disapearing silver haired venin???)

anyways i will go feral when onyx storm comes out. you guys dont get fourth wing like i get fourth wing. (ugh my tiktok scraps of the london interview/the french??? interview/the random snippets ARE. NOT. ENOUGH.)

also babes do we have a ship name for xaden and violet???

Legend

You know how Day Wing just sounds so weird but Daniel Altan Wing just screams hot?

this!!

the elain hate has gotten out of hand. these people are going to hate the next book no matter what. And the ship wars have gotten so bad that people are going to vilify Elain (and azriel) even more if their book is confirmed. I just think that’s weird as hell. people hate her because Azriel is attracted to her and not to THEM?? IS EVERYONE FEELING OK???

tbh I’ve noticed this always happens when there’s too much time before a ship gets confirmed/resolved by the author. Stuff festers, things get ugly and stan culture gets toxic. Not sjms fault cause obvs it takes time to write and get things published but I’ve noticed this happen every time. I hate it!! Please these people need to take a step back and check their locations because they live on Earth!! Are you really going to throw away an entire book series that you’ve claimed to love because your ship doesn’t work out 😭

Me: I have no fears!

The fandom: Hunt could be the next “Tamlin”

Me: ...I have one fear.

im really bad with checking my tumblr following (funny bc its not like i have alot of followers anyways. i dont mind bc i rant alot here but its funny LMAO) but if you want to be mutuals feel free to dm/comment/ask whatever me!!

always lookings for new people to interact with 🫶

“Bread and Roses” 🍞🌹

Elain, Feminism, and Deeper Implications?

Disclaimer 1: This is my first time posting! I am very new to the “fandom.” I got a Tumblr after finishing the ACOTAR series and wanted to delve deeper into underlying theory, mythology, folklore and themes. I found such thorough and beautiful analyses and theories on here, so I decided to legitimize my lurking and just get an account. I’m not really sure how Tumblr works with the tags. Please be forgiving and kind if I did all of this wrong!

Disclaimer 2: I have read all of SJM’s books. I am “pro”Elain, Feyre, Nesta and every character in the series (yes- even the “evil” ones). I say that bc I have noticed (as a newbie) this fandom has a tendency to get nasty so quickly and we miss the essence of such psychologically complex and dynamic characters. I am a clinical psychologist, and have a great appreciation for how SJM writes all of her characters (villains included). That being said, this is a pro-Elain/pro- woman post. If you don’t like Elain, then don’t read this!

Ok so 🚨 Major HOSAB spoiler below 🚨

Let me just be honest, I knew the ending of HOSAB before reading it (LOL). I couldn’t help but look online and spoil it for myself. I am who I am. I am totally and unapologetically the girl who reads the last page of the book before starting. Guilty as charged.

Anyways, let’s talk about mf’n bread and roses. I tried to look around and see if anybody was discussing the MAJOR sociopolitical and historical implications of this, but didn’t see anything (so sorry if I missed somebody’s post and this was previously discussed). Bread and Roses is a slogan tied to feminist advocacy and the suffrage movement.

On a surface level, “bread and roses” is OBVIOUSLY alluding to Elain who is not present in the scene. I don’t see how anybody could argue that this symbolism is heavily associated with Elain. What I am talking about is the deeper implication for Elain with SJM assigning these symbols to her throughout the series. For whatever reason, I never put it together on the deeper level until it was literally in print, in front of my eyeballs, and I read aloud multiple times “BREAD AND ROSES!!!!” It was in this moment that I realized SJM is more brilliant and, potentially, politically bold than I originally thought.

Because…BREAD AND ROSES!? Let’s briefly chat about the implications of this and how I think this totally ties in with Elain, our most “feminine” coded character in the SJM metaverse. So the slogan “Bread and Roses” was coined by labor organizer Rose Schneiderman in a 1911 speech encouraging women to fight for more than bare minimum pay for necessities (bread)..we also deserve love, beauty, art, and MORE (roses). We deserve to not just survive, but to live: “The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.” This inspired the poem “Bread and Roses” by James Oppenheim, which later became a song, as well as a feminist/civil rights/labor rights slogan that is still relevant and readily used today. In fact, the 2019 Women’s March theme in London was…Bread and Roses. And..just read this:

Bread and Roses

By James Oppenheim

As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses

As we come marching, marching, we battle too, for men
For they are women's children and we mother them again
Our days shall not be sweated from birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread, but give us roses

As we come marching, marching, un-numbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread
Small art and love and beauty their trudging spirits knew
Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses, too

As we go marching, marching, we bring the greater days
The rising of the women means the rising of the race
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes
But a sharing of life's glories, bread and roses, bread and roses

Notice any parallels? Any buzzwords in there from any specific prophesies you noticed? 😉

The slogan “Bread and Roses” was a rallying cry during the Lawrence Strike, aka “Bread and Roses Strike,” aka “The Singing Strike(!!)” in 1912. The Bread and Roses Strike was a large strike of women textile workers in Lawrence, MA. Many women were beaten and soaked with firehoses in the dead of winter. What was unique, at this time in history, was the “spirit” of the workers who were singing and chanting. I read that singing was an integral part of the success of the strike, as many could not read or speak English. Song was used to bring women together and help others learn the English language.

Are you seeing any possible parallels here, but in a fantasy world with magical powers, yet? Perhaps some “singing” powers as it might pertain to Elain developing more understanding and fluency of her powers? Because…I am!

(I’m going to stay away from shipping bc I am honestly terrified to go there with the fandom and don’t want to get my head ripped off…but yea.)

Ok so how does this tie into Elain, you ask? Elain is disliked by a lot of the fandom (from what I can see) bc she’s seen as “boring.” She’s seen as a bland/vanilla girl who just enjoys her flowers and baking. People use this to justify their stance in the ship war. She’s “too much” in regards to domesticity and simplicity (by perspectives I have read). She’s a very traditionally feminine coded, gender-loaded character..kind of like these symbols which have been used throughout the women’s/civil rights movement to fight with and rally behind. I think people are about to be VERY surprised by Elain. I was already sure of this and then I read that last chapter of HOSAB..and I’m convinced!

Rose Schneiderman in 1911: “What the woman who labors wants is the right to live, not simply exist—the right to life as the rich woman has the right to life, and the sun and music and art. You have nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to have also. The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.”

Sun, music, art…hmmm.

SJM is an unapologetic feminist. In the dedication to KOA SJM wrote:

“For my parents--who taught me to believe that girls can save the world”

Her using Bread and Roses and connecting Elain to bread and roses as symbols throughout the ACOTAR series was intentional. It was not an accident. It is not in place to stand that she is weak and boring. That she is naive and simple. I truly believe SJM has a (large) percentage of the fandom believing that Elain is a simple and domestic woman who just wants to garden her flowers and bake her bread (“she belongs in Spring!”), but Bread and Roses are so much more than that. There is hope for more. There is hope shining through the void to not just survive! But to live! You will not tell me otherwise after that slapped me in the face. Bread and Roses is a rallying cry, still used in civil rights movements to this day! Used to advocate for racial, gender, and social equality. LGBTQ rights, labor rights, politics….Bread and flippin’ roses.

Women do not have to settle for the bare necessities. Women do not have to settle for surviving. We (Elain included) deserve to live! Bread and Roses is a slogan representative of egalitarianism. Balance. No matter our sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, or hobbies…we are ALL deserving of love and beauty. Joy and wonder. Art and song. That’s what Bread and Roses is about.

And…because I can’t resist…an author who has associated such STRONG feminist symbols with a character would never pit that character against another woman over a man. SJM is not going to make this next book about a man’s choice of what woman he wants. It will be Elain ‘Bread and Roses’ Archeron’s choice to get her damn roses. To not simply settle for the bread. I have never been more confident in where the direction is going. Shipping aside, Elain’s book is about the serve.

“Hearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread, but give us roses”

I would love to hear thoughts or if anybody else picked up on this!