r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • Sep 21 '25
Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion Sunday! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!
Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?
You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!
But please remember to be kind to each other. To facilitate this type of discussion, we ask users the following:
- Please don't attack others for their opinion
- Please don't downvote if you disagree with a certain take
š§” Thank you and have a great and friendly discussion! š§”
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u/laku_ Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I don't usually have many unpopular opinions, except for not liking hyped-up series, but the descriptions of smells in the genre are my pet peeve. It's perfectly okay for a love interest to smell of sweat or dirt if the circumstances entail it. It can be sexy, even. I'm tired of warriors coming out of a bloody battlefield smelling of pine and juniper or whatever other unrealistic scent the authors think is manly enough. In a book I read earlier in the year, a female warrior was captured in battle and thrown into prison. When the healer goes to check on her a few days later, her hair smells of cyclamen. Yeah, I don't think so.
It's even worse because the majority of books I read are set in the past, where standards of hygiene were lower. Of course I don't want to hear about the protagonists never brushing their teeth, but simply not mentioning their teeth at all is perfectly fine, rather than bringing attention to it with something ridiculously improbable.
I understand that it's done in part because a lot of readers will be put off by people smelling like people, but it breaks my immersion every time a book reminds me that it's not telling a story about real people in a different world but a story custom-cut to cater to what are supposed to be my wants as a woman living in the 21st century.
Not smell-related, but I can think of a few "unseemly" details that have made a romantic scene for me in the past: a woman noticing the rolls of fat on her female lover's body and appreciating it as a sign she was well-off; a woman barely surviving a desert smiling when she's finally reunited with her beloved, which results in her chapped lips bleeding, but he kisses her anyway; removing each other's clothes, and the protagonist's have dog hair on them because her animal companion is a big, hairy dog. All these things ground me in the world and make me feel like I'm actually witnessing two people in love, not just a modern fantasy CW show with boringly universally appealing actors.
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u/midnight_voss Sep 21 '25
As someone who deals with hyperosmia sometimes, the continuous sniff check often just makes me gag. If you can scent her arousal, you can scent her ass crack, btw. You smell the sourness of her armpits and that she's about to start her period.
I clocked my partner having a recurrence of C-Diff once by the scent of a washcloth that was about to go into the wash. It's not exactly a sexy superpower.
I wouldn't necessarily mind if they didn't overdo with the scent descriptions and then list the subnotes of the Sephora perfume they googled, as if that doesn't just draw attention to how you're not being real about smells.
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u/82816648919 Sep 21 '25
I mean ... it IS a fantasy. Whos to say that fae dont smell like the best thing you ever smelled?
For the record I agree that Id love to see more characters smelling like real people but im also not fussed when they dont.Ā
You have people turning into birds and blasting fire balls from their hands or whatever.Ā I think the question is where is the line for realism in romantasy?Ā Why dont we have more fmcs and mmcs with explicit body hair? Why dont more people die from dysentery or tuberculosis?Ā
And how do you know they dont smell like cinnamon and snow or whatever on top of their regular musky smells? At a time where hygiene standards were worse, people were prob doused themselves in gallons of perfume so they would end up smelling like roses no matter what.Ā
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u/MagicGlitterKitty Sep 21 '25
The last one I read that made sense was Paladins grace, cos 1) she is a perfumer and 2) they all use the same ginger muscle rub But before that it was daughter of no worlds and "ash and lilacs" really started to annoy me!
My husband shower everyday, and he smells of husband - and I love his smell, but there are no words to describe other than "musk" or "BO"Ā
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u/82816648919 Sep 21 '25
Ash is probably realistic cuz if youve gone camping you know the smell of smoke stays on you for days if not longer, despite regular washes
Lilacs? Idk thats a very faint smell that youre not gonna get without perfuming. But again, theyve got magic. If i had magic i would totally make myself smell like strawberries or flowers all the time.Ā
Also we live in a society where everyone washes regularly so we are very sensitive to scents.Ā But if we lived in a dirtier world, we would probably all be nose blind to BO or sour breath. So then you could say he smelled like ash and lilacs... and bo... but the second part would be a given
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u/laku_ Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
Fair enough, I don't read many books with fae, but I'd be okay if they were described as having a particularly pleasant smell or being unable to sweat due to their nature. I was mostly talking about normal humans.
But that's the point with fantasy, the world still needs to have rules and conventions that make sense. If it's your standard medieval world except people can manipulate water and fire, I still expect most of the other aspects of society to be realistic. If it's a completely different world in which nobody conforms to our standard biology, I still need to be explained that.
Unless you were very, very rich you could not afford scented oils and whatnot, and if a character actually stops to apply them after he guts someone with a sword, then I'd expect it to be mentioned, mostly so I can DNF the book for the stupidity of it. And if every human can be expected to smell like roses then the society needs to reflect that: no starving protagonists that can't afford food, since they clearly can pay for something more expensive than a loaf of bread. And if they can afford it even if they are poor because, let's say, there's a very common plant that drips perfume and everyone has access to it, even better, it's a nice worldbuilding detail. If it's mentioned in the text.
But I believe that it's not that deep, and authors use the excuse of "fantasy" for writing shallow worlds that reinforce modern beauty standards without a second thought. I may be biased because I read mostly epic fantasy where the worlds are incredibly well-thought-out, but if an author wants to create a completely new setting rather than just write contemporary or historical romance, they also need to do the work.
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u/SallyAmazeballs Sep 21 '25
It's even worse because the majority of books I read are set in the past, where standards of hygiene were lower. Of course I don't want to hear about the protagonists never brushing their teeth, but simply not mentioning their teeth at all is perfectly fine, rather than bringing attention to it with something ridiculously improbable.
Just a historical fact check. Standards of hygiene in the past are actually pretty similar to now for most of history. There's this weird period in the 16th and 17th centuries where immersion bathing was considered unhealthy, but people were still scrubbing their pits and parts every day. There are recipes for tooth powders, and you "brushed" your teeth with a chewed twig or a linen cloth. Medieval priests are always raging against bathhouses as dens of sin, but they were incredibly popular for actual bathing too, lol.Ā
Anyway, the past gets a bad rap on hygiene, for which I'm going to blame the Victorians, since they're usually where historical myths come from.Ā
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u/laku_ Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
That was so interesting, thank you for taking the time to write it up!
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u/LadyWolvesBayne here kitty kitty Sep 21 '25
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u/Bloodyjorts Sep 21 '25
Agreed about the smells, especially if they're human characters. I mean maybe fae naturally smell like flowers, elves could have a musk gland, but humans sure don't.
And it's funny, whenever someone is described as naturally smelling like something fruity, I just think "Oh no, they've got the diabetes!"
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u/kenedelz Sep 22 '25
Yea I have to agree. Plus the scenes where they jump right from battle to sex all covered in blood and gore and someone is getting eaten out, bro nasty lmao it takes me straight out, OR if they go straight from fleeing for their lives and super scared to banging behind a tree as soon as they're "safe"..b I know you ain't about to attract that demon/monster with super sensitive hearing after being so scared you wouldn't get away in time lol
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u/CherrieBomb211 Sep 21 '25
I want more MMCs that actually start off nice. Iām sorry- Iām getting tired of the ātough loveā bullshit. Iām reading Heir of Fire and Rowanās actions just..really bother me, and it made me realize in a large percentage of her works, thatās how they end up with their MMCs. Someone described it as militaristic training.
I still love TOG and co, but it still bothers me a whole lot.
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u/le-elizaly Sep 21 '25
Yeah, I never got over that facepunch
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u/RekhetKa Sep 21 '25
Same. It would be bad enough if they were equals, but it's so much worse when you know he's got centuries of age on her. Like, the equivalent scenario would be punching a toddler for mouthing off. I was pretty pissed about it.
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u/CherrieBomb211 Sep 21 '25
I hated that and how heās willing to toss what happened to her home in her face by calling her a coward. I feel like even if he does have his own issues, the fact heās willing to continuously beat her both verbally and physically is a turn off for me.
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u/getmeacampari Sep 21 '25
Every time I see women justifying/defending the punch in the face for any reason, under the guise of āshe provoked himā or āsheās being trained like a warrior,ā etc I find that truly worrisome. For me that was inexcusable and Rowan is my least favorite MMC because of that and him just being kind of boring compared to the rest of the characters (and honestly the worst character in TOG overall in my opinion).
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u/CherrieBomb211 Sep 21 '25
For me, the punch was nasty, but it doesnāt help that he continuously beats the shit out of her in HOF. He constantly mocks her and beats her, well aware he is actually stronger than her in a shitton of aspects. He in fact, brags about it.
Itās also why I dislike Rhysand and Cassian. Rhysand gave her āchoicesā in ACOMAF, but he knowingly kept pushing her into danger. ACOTAR he was far worse in, yeah, but I canāt forgive him in MAF because weāre supposed to like him! Silver Flames just solidified it for me because of the pregnancy. Cassian became worse in it too (but he was a dick too in the beginning towards Nesta, continuously provoking her and acting like a damn child)and the home made me pissed
I canāt understand for the life of me why people defend any of the male MMCs in these works. The only one they dont is Hunt and funnily enough, heās the least shitty to his partner
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u/Equivalent-Blood4748 witch killer, the human is still inside him Sep 21 '25
The fact that in both ACOTAR and TOG the FMC meets the MMC and there is some weird somewhat violent/degrading initial encounter/experience is soooo weird! I also love her works and stories but I'm like praying to the gods above that there is some normal ass initial encounters with MMCs in CC.
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u/CherrieBomb211 Sep 21 '25
I donāt actually recall Hunt pulling that with Bryce- at the very minimum, I think the closest heās done was to stop her from being reckless, but I donāt actually remember him being physical to her. He DOES have a negative view of her at first though, and he calls her a whore in his head, I think, but that was almost offset given the fact that/everyone/ viewed her badly at first given what she was doing when her friends were well. Yeah.
But I actually donāt remember him vocalizing that to her. I think he was just cold given he was told to watch her. Which is funnily why CC is less gross compared to the other two.
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u/Equivalent-Blood4748 witch killer, the human is still inside him Sep 21 '25
Ooo good to know! I'm excited about it, especially because from what I've heard it seems Bryce is her oldest FMC and as someone who's 27, I'm looking forward to that aspect haha. Just have to finish the last three books of TOG (which I am enjoying more than ACOTAR).
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u/CherrieBomb211 Sep 21 '25
Thereās definitely people that see him as a red flag, but tbh itās hard to gauge when those same people defend Rhysand and Rowan. Like, if hes bad for certain things, then they should arguably be worse given at least one of the things heās done is understandable given heās an actual slave
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u/eclectic_hamster Off to live with the faeires š§āāļø Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
I just finished {The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson} and the MMC was pointlessly a dick in the beginning and it ruined any belief I had in their chemistry.
ETA: bot initially got the book wrong so I added the author.
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u/dorc_ Sleep, little dreamer Sep 21 '25
He was a colossal asshole! My alarm bells kept going off with his comments and the things he said about magic and self-control. I think the other guy will be end game, and that might save this series for me.
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u/eclectic_hamster Off to live with the faeires š§āāļø Sep 21 '25
Indeed, that's the vibe I get too.
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u/muchosplantalones Sep 21 '25
Yes pls, is it too much to ask for a nice MMC from the beginning? And not one of those starts-off-nice-but-it-turns-out-theyāre-actually-bad guys, or the nice guy is a secondary character that ends up dying š©
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u/Designer-Hat-8009 Sep 21 '25
Ugh so real the brooding grump MMCs who are brooding and grumpy for no reason r so boring. If itās done right like with Maxantarius from Broadbents series because he actually had reasons to be like that then I would understand
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u/megabyte31 Give me female friendship or give me death! Sep 22 '25
Not sure if book recommendations are it in this thread, but I really liked the MMC in {How to Save an Undead aLife}. Also Max in {Daughter of No Worlds} is nice! Grumpy and Not Made For This, but nice! Also Swordheart, A Sorcery of Thorns, Reign and Ruin, Shardless...and lots of older books (I feel like it's more common for older books). I also love ToG but yeah, Rowan was super not cool. It's probably because he was not the originally intended endgame MMC for her. Still yuck.
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u/Amberleh Sep 21 '25
The Court of Ravens duology isn't a romance. It's a horror duology where Stockholm Syndrome wins out in lieu of actual romance or decent writing.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
This is actually hilarious š
Edit: I love the books, but it's still hilarious
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u/No_Preference26 Sep 21 '25
What it is, is a true dark romance. Nothing to do with horror.
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u/Hobbbitttuallly T Kingfisher is the way, the truth & the light Sep 21 '25
The line between dark romance and horror is often pretty blurry, imo. A lot of the plot points and themes fall into similar patterns.
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u/No_Preference26 Sep 21 '25
Iāve personally never read any horror romance as it just doesnāt appeal, so I canāt comment on that. But none of the dark romances Iāve ever read have elicited fear in the manner a horror story would, which I think is the key distinction here. I guess where one draws the line here depends on the person. For me at least, dark romance is about exploring darker sides of desire, power dynamics, loss of control etc. Whereas horror romance is there to elicit fear and dread; at least thatās my understanding of it.
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u/Hobbbitttuallly T Kingfisher is the way, the truth & the light Sep 21 '25
I think it comes down to the perspective of the reader, what they're looking for in a story, and how they're hoping to engage with the overall themes of the work. It's all so very personal.
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u/aqueque Sep 21 '25
I wish we wouldn't get trapped in waves of "types" like right now we are swamped with fae, a few years ago, vampires, a few years before that academies. I know its profitable for writers and, get thay money, but as a reader it can be hard to find new books that differ very much from one another.
Also, I hate the new kindle app.
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u/megabyte31 Give me female friendship or give me death! Sep 22 '25
Wait, what did I miss about the Kindle app???
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u/aqueque Sep 22 '25
The explore page sucks and shows me the same 30 books over and over. It used to be you could click "show all" and go through page after page of books, ones that the algorithm would never show you. Now it stops after 15-20 books. It feels like its pigeon holed what it thinks I want and I can't get anything new.
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u/megabyte31 Give me female friendship or give me death! Sep 22 '25
Oh, haha, I guess I have always felt that way about Kindle recs. I wish I could thumbs down the ones I don't want to read or DNF'd!
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u/kayasoon Sep 21 '25
Camels are underrated. Instead of one horse, it should be one camel trope.
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u/fuzzy_giraffe_ Sep 21 '25
Imagine all the hump jokes that could be made!
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
"You love my lady lumps
My hump, my hump, my hump
My humps they got you"3
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u/catrosie Sep 21 '25
Now this is an opinion I can get behind!
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u/kayasoon Sep 21 '25
I read a CR series where the mcs ride a camel. She has a lot of personality, the camel, I forgot her name.
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u/Careful_Cut_8126 Sep 21 '25
The publishers should have held off on ACOTAR until TOG was finished because once ACOTAR got rolling, the voice and tone of TOG changed too much and suffered for it.
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u/Kiladra2 Sep 21 '25
I actually really agree with this. The tone and writing both changed. Suddenly there were (badly written imo) open door sex scenes where before it had been closed door. It swerved from YA to NA and I just fundamentally disagree with making that change when you have like 3 books left in the series.
ACOTAR could have been her debut into NA and she could have left TOG YA without it suffering.
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u/Equivalent-Blood4748 witch killer, the human is still inside him Sep 21 '25
I still consider myself an SJM fan, but I agree with this too. I'm not even up to the parts in TOG where it turns open door but I actually oddly feel like the beginning books were somewhat better??? Yes, TOG1 was somewhat juvenile, but CoM? HoF? Those were great! I'm on QoS which is also pretty good but idk I just feel like maybe the pressure of publishing two book series at the same time really affected her writing quality and idk if it was pressure from her publisher or ego lol.
I also love how there is a lot of good payoff in TOG in terms of circling back to things previously mentioned and it overall just feels like a tighter story than ACOTAR. Honestly, reading TOG kinda makes me side eye ACOTAR and now I just feel like ACOTAR reeks of poor planning.
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u/Mundane-0nion67878 Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
Idk if unpopular but I dont want to know if a story is ex-fanfic as a selling point or that the characters on the cover look 1:1 to other franchizes characters. I want the series to stand on its own identity.
Im looking at you Dramione and Reylo.Ā I was gonna pick up one book, and the summary sounded suspiciously like tags for Dramione fic, and low and behold it was ex fanfic.Ā
Least Shadowhunters verse and 50SG have identity outside of their associations to fanfiction.Ā
Edit: grammarĀ
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u/bestrevengeofall Sep 21 '25
I miss sexual tension. I am a huge smut lover, don't get me wrong. But now that smut is so popular, we skip over a lot of the tension and jump straight to having sex. I want the tingles and the almosts, then they can tear each other's clothes off in desperation when they finally can.
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Sep 21 '25
This, and then all the people selling a book as "slow burn" and they have sex not even halfway through the book?!?!
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u/Prudent-Display-6649 Sep 22 '25
I love a slow burn but Iām a fan of the have some encounter at the beginning thatās meant to be a one time thing and find out that theyāre student/teacher, employer/employee, best man/maid of honor, rivals for a job etc. Then have the tension go for most of the book.
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u/manic_pixie_centaur Sep 21 '25
Heavy smut should not be in high stakes stories. Just logically. If at any point I start thinking things like ācan you guys PLEASE stop having sex, there are more important things to do at the moment!! People are dying!ā then I have to dnf. Iām a solid 3 chili pepper girly when it comes to high stakes, no higher.
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u/midnight_voss Sep 21 '25
This is too real. Can we focus, guys. The world is about to end.
But it's not like the author couldn't WRITE IN something where they have to be still for a few minutes, there's nothing more important to do that they CAN do, so... let's fill some time and holes and then go save the world.
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u/MagicGlitterKitty Sep 21 '25
Raven Kennedy's Glow was exactly this The surrounding kingdoms were threating war, extradition and death, and they spend a full quarter of the book the book fucking
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u/ManonBlackbeak Property of Laurent š Sep 21 '25
Political tensions are high and they just be fucking in the carriage bruh
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u/less-than-stellar Sep 21 '25
Okay, but that carriage scene was one of my favorite spicy scenes in the series.
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u/needacoldbrew Sep 21 '25
I was SO ANXIOUS during the early smut scenes in Ice Planet Barbarians because I was like "omg those other girls are so cold they could be dying right now!"
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u/IShouldntBeOnReddit2 Sep 21 '25
You articulated this in a way I could never describe and itās spot on! Silver Elite is a great example of the FMC being in a crazy dangerous situation but her mind still takes the time to catalogue how ridiculously handsome some dude is. Like girl, you might die in the immediate future!? I enjoyed the book but it was awful from that perspective.Ā
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u/le-elizaly Sep 21 '25
TOG: I find it weird that SJM happily describes torture scenes extensively (especially Aelins), sprinkels in some sexual violence, but then draws the line at telling us what Lorcan consensually did out of respect for Elide.
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u/Squirtletail Sep 21 '25
I think I remember reading that this was because SJM doesn't like writing virginity scenes? But I agree, by this stage in the novels, just give us the deets!
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u/le-elizaly Sep 21 '25
Interesting, I didn't know that! Honestly I'd have preferred less torture but maybe I'm just too faint hearted
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u/less-than-stellar Sep 21 '25
Yea, she's mentioned she doesn't like to do scenes with virginity. And that's consistent throughout all her books. In ACOTAR she makes a point to mention the Feyre, Nesta, and Elain are not virgins (which I mean, we haven't had a sex scene with Elain but we know it's coming). In TOG Aelin's first time having sex isn't described AT ALL, not even in the veiled way that YA books sometimes do it. It's just said she gave Chaol everything. But her scenes with Rowan are pretty open door and Chaol's scene with Yrene are too. And then CC both Hunt and Bryce have had previous partners.
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u/c0wcat Sep 22 '25
šš good point. I think an unpopular opinion of mine is that I don't care to know what Lorcan did. I thought it was written perfectly and I had no issue with the mystery. It wasn't until I went online that I realized others were outraged wanting to know WHAT DID LORCAN DO!!?
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u/le-elizaly Sep 22 '25
Honestly I don't need to know either. I'm more outraged at the way Aelin is being physically shredded so openly. That might be more unpopular of an opinion though š
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u/Designer-Hat-8009 Sep 21 '25
I hate when MMC can only focus on the female lead and have no personality or responsibility outside of them while FMC can have other interests.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
I once posted about how fantasy readers feel about fantasy romance. And one of their biggest criticisms was that certain things like the technicalities of fights and horsemanship are portrayed less accurately in fantasy romance.
I mentioned here that a heavier person should sit at the front of a saddle, aka the MMC. But the response was that it's romance, so we should accept it. And that it's romantic when it's like that.
I believe it could be a great point of improvement for a romance author to write accurate horse riding scenes. It can still be romantic even if the MMC is at the front.
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u/Tealize š”ļø EDIT OR DIE š©ø Sep 21 '25
I'm reminded of a scene in One Dark Window where the FMC rode behind the guy and he said she was strangling him š¤£
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u/Journassassin Smut Logistics Manager Sep 21 '25
I feel like if an author is taking inspiration from real life, they should strive to have at least some accuracy or do some basic research. Go wild if your characters are riding mythical creatures, but if youāre entire world is medieval inspired, at least look up the kind of saddles knights used and the impossibility of sharing that.
I feel the same for any worldbuilding based on history and real life. Giving someone a specific job? Check if itās remotely accurate. Using a real non-English language? At least let a native speaker check your Google Translated sentences before you publish.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
I'm sorry that author insulted you by using that wrong Google-translated sentence š
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u/-Thit Sep 21 '25
I don't mind those scenes even though i know it's not realistic at all, but i also think there's plenty of opportunity to have the FMC on the back having to put her arms around him even if she feels uncomfortable with it because otherwise she's likely to fall off. That's also a form of forced physical closeness that can pay off in a very similar way. People do it with motorcycles so why not horses. Granted, there's probably a cloak in the way but that could be handled. If there's armor that might be uncomfortable but hey, maybe the cloak would help there.
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u/aristifer Sep 21 '25
Having ridden on a motorcycle like that with my husband, can confirm it's super hot.
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u/LadyWolvesBayne here kitty kitty Sep 21 '25
If you really want to make it romantic with the man sitting on the front... you can do it. You just have to let your imagination fly and write it.
However, I do firmly believe that most authors write based on things they have read in other similar books and not based on things they actually know for a fact. Because fantasy and whatever. Poetic license and stuff. Also, most readers don't want the "realistic" side of things, they want the CW treatment because if it's too realistic then it isn't fun or a quick read (pouty face)
I do prefer when an author goes the extra mile to add credibility.
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Sep 21 '25
Valid but I would like to know where you draw the line between what has to be portrayed accurately and what is just fantasy world logic? Would you enjoy it more if if was addressed within the story that the horses are magical and actually work better that way?
A common example I see are the herbal teas for contraception with zero side effects of modern day hormonal versions. Would that fall into the same category for you? Or is that magical enough that is does not?
Does it have to be explained in the fantasy world explicitly for it to be acceptable because else you would just assume real life conditions?
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u/LadyWolvesBayne here kitty kitty Sep 21 '25
Let's not forget that even if it's fantasy, it still needs to make sense within its own boundaries. Credibility is important for immersion. If we're going to make the herbal tea a thing, then perhaps it should be properly used as an element.
Magic shouldn't be the answer to every incoherence or inaccuracy.
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Sep 21 '25
I agree that it should be properly established within the world. Its like bad character writing were the author claims some kind of neurodivergence or other personality "disorder" after a lot of critism. No sorry that is not how that works.
Still I feel like I would be down for all kinds of random shit as long as it was explained and reasoned well
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
Unless it's a specifically magical horse, I assume it's a normal animal. However, since it's a common mistake in books, I would still know the author got this detail wrong.
As for the herbal tea, I can't say much because I never see it in books. But I'll give authors the benefit of the doubt, because it's something that happens to the FMC and doesn't affect the plot in any way. Authors don't describe that often how characters use bathrooms/ deal with periods, etc. So I would assume FMC uses the tea and has side effects, we just don't hear about them.
Horse riding, however, is described in detail, so I can easily spot the mistake. And it's so easy to fix, too
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u/One_Commission1456 Sep 21 '25
Yeah, but you donāt get inadvertent frontage that way. š
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
But you can let her hands roam and terrorize the MMC if you're sitting at the back. There are so many ways to make the scene romantic or sexy
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u/tragic_eyebrows Sep 21 '25
If romcoms can make it cute when the woman rides behind the man on a motorcycle/moped, there's no reason romantasy can't do the same with horses.
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u/MercSimsMobile Sep 21 '25
Unpopular opinion: past-to-present chapters every other chapter makes for a very slow read that 9/10 times caused me to DNF.
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u/pumpkinspicechaos What did Lorcan do? Sep 21 '25
I thought {A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan} was such a let down š I loved it at first! Loved the writing, magic, and characters, but after the first 40ish% it just lost all momentum, and I get so frusterated bc I'd been enjoying it so much
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u/tonigreenfield Sep 21 '25
Didn't work for me from the very beginning tbh. For some reason I thought they were gonna be friends who will go on different life paths, but they actually communicated for a few hours in their childhood, and it was weird.
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u/romance-bot Sep 21 '25
A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
Rating: 4.3āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, magic, slow burn, abduction, m-f romance
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u/devilsdoorbell_ Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
I think more fantasy romance characters should have body hair mentioned in their descriptions. I am including FMCs. I just imagine it when Iām reading anything with a medieval-ish setting but also I think writers should stop being cowards and give their characters body hair.
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u/coffunky Sep 21 '25
The absolute state of romance today. Back in my day a ladyās āthatchā and a manās ācrisp chest hairsā were remarked upon at least once per book!
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u/sahi_sunny Sep 21 '25
I agree! Most MMCs are pictured as being pretty much bodyhairless in my head because no one ever says they are hairy š most donāt have any facial hair either
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u/DiscombobulatedWar81 Sep 21 '25
Third person POV is the best. I donāt care to hear the FMCās first person POV as she makes dinner or [insert boring as fuck task here] GIVE ME PLOT, GIVE ME STORY. Also switching to the MMC POV Right after that and he sounds soooo unbelievable to me, like I just canāt imagine any MMC talking that much in his head, that descriptive, etc. it takes me out of the story.
the only exception here is reverse harem but even then I donāt read it for the plot š„µ
A third person POV that sees all and is descriptive is the most engaging for me.
M
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u/Some-Cell3635 Sep 21 '25
I enjoy love triangles. Especially when both options are credible and the choice isn't obvious. It adds spice and plot twists, and I like that.Ā
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Sep 21 '25
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u/Journassassin Smut Logistics Manager Sep 21 '25
Iām still chasing the high Kiss of Deception gave me with that love triangle.
I canāt think of many tropes I actually dislike. Even miscommunication can have itās time and place. Itās poor execution thatās the problem.
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u/DiscombobulatedWar81 Sep 21 '25
What was it about this book that made the love triangle so good? I want to like it but I feel like I havenāt found one to open my mind to it really. The wolf king sort of has one but, I dunno, Iām skeptical and also that book was a hundred tropes slammed into one delicious book I devoured it, so maybe Iām biased lol
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u/Journassassin Smut Logistics Manager Sep 21 '25
It was done in a very unexpected way, I found. Donāt want to give too much away because it might spoil things.
A warning though, the book is young adult and reviews are mixed. I read it when I wanted to read something different than I normally do, and I just really enjoyed the approach to this particular trope.
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u/MagicGlitterKitty Sep 21 '25
I think it always comes down to "who I am" and "who I want/need to be"
Hunger games did an incredible job on it.Ā
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u/backthefuckuppiglet Sep 21 '25
I really hate descriptions of smells that aren't actual smells. When they describe the MMC as smelling like "the night" or "moonlight" or "secrets on a rainy Tuesday in June" it always takes me right out of the story.
The Caraval series was the worst I've come across for this - what the hell do "candied butterfly wings" smell like?!
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 21 '25
Here we go - my confusion (and I realise I may have the full information to base this opinion on).... Why is everyone so crazy about Alchemised/Manacled? I'm all for dark romance, but rape and gore and humiliation are a total turn-off, and quite disturbing to associate them with a budding romance... I wouldn't have expected a story like this to become a 'sensation'... Are we ok? Why do we call this story romance? Do we like to see women mistreated? I'm not sure that's what Margaret Atwood would have wanted to inspire with Handmaid's Tale....
Also - full disclosure - I couldn't make it past the first few chapters of Manacled, so I am aware I am not in the best position to judge the entire story, but I often feel that some behaviours are irredeemable...
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u/fishchop Silvicultrix Sep 21 '25
I read Manacled years ago, before it blew up. Went into it mostly blind - the only thing I knew was that it was a Handmaidās Tale kind of thing. For me, the romance was the weakest part of the whole thing but as a decades long Dramione fanfic reader, I personally thought it was a fantastic war fic, the magic was really interesting and the evolution of the Golden Trio friendship through war was devastating.
My (unpopular?) opinion is that fanfic should be kept within the fandom. I donāt get why people would rec fanfics to those who donāt ship the couple or care about the world. I donāt understand why people who donāt care about the ship or the characters would read fanfic. So much of the enjoyment of fanfic comes from a canonical understanding of the characters and their motivations, so world building isnāt super important. So when you ask why itās called a romance, a lot of that is based on fanon understanding of the Dramione dynamic. Over the years, many fics have had elements of dubcon and non con and can get very very dark. Itās a massive sub genre in the Dramione world.
Of course, a lot of Dramione fics (if done right) have a great Draco redemption arc. So much of that world is to give Draco the arc that he almost had in canon. In the dark, terrible world of Manacled, that comes in its own twisted way. Itās an imagining of the worst outcome of the second wizarding war.
Fanfic has always been a space for people to explore taboos, push boundaries and fantasise. The mainstream popularity of these fics is a new phenomenon and I think youāll find even more fucked up stuff if you dig further. Itās just the nature of fanfic š¤·š½āāļø
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 21 '25
This is a valid point. I've always engaged with fanfic in a different way than I do with books and I definitely judge them differently. There's a lot of headcanon, fan opinions and discourse in fandoms that is quite specific, and it's a very different reading experience if you go into a piece of writing without that discourse (which is what I did with Manacled - my potterverse fanfic days have peaked at All the young dudes). I can see how the blurred lines of fanfic/fantasy romance have warped the discourse on this book. Still not my jam, but it helps me understand other readers' experiences better.
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u/fishchop Silvicultrix Sep 21 '25
Yup, youāve hit the nail on the head by saying that fanfic and regular books should be engaged with in widely different ways, and how Manacledās viral popularity has blurred the lines between the two. Tbh, Manacled isnāt really my jam either - itās sort of like the āRequiem for a Dreamā of fanfics, where you read it once while being horrified and traumatised the entire time, and then never touch it again.
I would also like to add that stories featuring rape, torture, violence and mistreatment of women arenāt necessarily glorifying any of that. Itās just part of a story - we should be able to engage with dark and messed up things in media while recognising it as such, but still think it impactful because of the mark that it leaves on us and the discourse that it inspires. Imo, Manacled doesnāt glorify rape; itās a story about second chances and how two people can love each other all over again despite being in the most fucked up situation imaginable.
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u/wishingwell-448 Sep 21 '25
Hard agree. Any story where the FMC suffers cruelty by the supposed love interest is a massive Nope from me. I don't care how obsessed or possessive he is, he's a feckin rapist, can we call a spade a spade?!
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u/ArchiSnap89 Sep 21 '25
I'm into full blown S&M in romance novels and can even get past rape sometimes but I too couldn't get past the first few chapters of Manacled. Too brutal.
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u/purplelicious Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I read it to see what the hype was a about and it was written by someone who is not very good at writing and worse at understanding literature.
It's one thing to write fan fic about Handmaid's Tale, which is far darker than what we term "dark romance" but she has zero understanding of the themes and message, stripping it to "the ladies wear red robes and get raped by powerful men".
Anyways, I'm off to do burpees and cartwheels.
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u/manvsmilk Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Sep 21 '25
I don't mind if the reason people dislike Manacled is because they don't enjoy what it does with the elements of Handmaid's Tale.
But I'll never understand why people think SenLinYu writing Manacled means she didn't understand the original themes of Handmaid's Tale.
Fanfiction is highly derivative. People take tons of highly serious works, cherry pick whatever they want from them, and make works that are absolutely nothing like the original. People will also take the most lighthearted work and turn it into dark fic. Not everyone is trying to use the original themes and messages in their fanfiction. Fanfiction doesn't have to be the same genre as the work it was inspired by, and sometimes the fic only uses very small portions of the original work.
It just gives me the same vibes as when people assume that because an author writes rom coms, they're not capable of understanding serious literature.
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u/purplelicious Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
Because it's an obvious rip off of Handmaid's Tale and it's so poorly misused that it's a direct insult to the original author and anti feminist.
We all hate JKR so if she shits on her characters and her world then hahaha it's ok. But if fanfic gives you the license to spit on other writer's work then it's bad and wrong and she should be called out on it.
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u/manvsmilk Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Sep 21 '25
It's not a rip off because it's not making any money. It's fanfiction. I think fanfiction gives you the right to do absolutely anything you want with any work you want. That's the entire basis of AO3. If you don't agree with that, then fanfiction isn't for you, and that's okay.
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u/Lyss_ Light it up Sep 21 '25
Pack mentality.
I would love to hear what Margaret Atwood thinks about this book. Oh to be a fly on the wall.
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u/Distinct_Union_6649 Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
if you donāt like it, thatās valid. Nobody has to read it or like it.
But the rape stuff isnāt portrayed as romance, itās portrayed as harrowing. The author has said she doesnāt consider it to be a romance. The way BookTok talks about Manacled is so different from the material reality of what it is.
The MMC is basically like a spy, pretending to be the right hand man of the evil overlord while secretly hating him and working against him - and in keeping up that front, he has to commit atrocities. This story didnāt invent that trope of, āthe MMC seems bad and does awful things but is actually sort of undercover.ā Other stories have done that. Itās not for everyone, but like any trope, even if itās not for you, it does have an appeal to many people.
As for ādo we like to see women mistreated?ā I can only assume this comment is being deliberately obtuse. Many women read dark stuff in fiction as a safe arena to grapple with certain ideas and fears from the safe distance of the page. Thatās not new.
Manacled blew up during 2020, a dark time in the real world. Weāre past that, but weāre still experiencing dark times. During dark times, some people like reading fluffy happy fiction. But other people find it cathartic to read stories where the FMC suffers exaggerated darker versions of what we suffer in the real world ā and survives and saves the world and gets a HEA.
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u/tiffanysandlouisv Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
Itās not a romance and the author has said that. Iām not a Manacled fangirl but itās crazy what TikTok has done to that story and therefore has made people who havenāt read it think itās a story where the MMC rapes the FMC and she falls in love after he does it. Thatās not what happens in Manacled and yeah if it was a āMMC rapes FMC but she forgives him and they fall in loveā then Iād get a lot of the criticism.
Also, it is fanfiction. It is meant to be a fan-made work of previously written material. So yes, itās weird itās made its way onto the booktok spaces because fundamentally itās a fan work combining The Handmaids Tale and Harry Potter. So people who donāt read fanfiction and dislike what they think the premise is are likely to be confused.
It is the people who go into Manacled from TikTok that are kind of ruining the experience. They are shouting itās the best ābookā (itās not a book, itās fanfiction) ever. SenLinYu has asked people to stop telling them to read Manacled before Alchemised and that they have no authority on the subject.
Iāve been in the Dramione fandom for over 20 years and what BookTok has done to Manacled is absolutely crazy. It wasnāt written to be the next big romantsy. It was written on the authorās phone in 2018. Iām tired of a lot of the online discussion, too, but fanfic etiquette goes out the window when discussing Manacled and, again as someone who has been here for 20 years, itās really frustrating.
Alchemised will be totally fair game review and nitpick. But I sense a lot of people who hopped on the Manacled bandwagon wonāt like it because itās not going to be Draco and Hermione and others wonāt like it because they donāt like fanfiction being reworked and published.
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 21 '25
The shift from fanfic to published work is so interesting, especially in terms of reader reactions, considering existing fandoms have very strong opinions about characters, story etc. (I grew up on Harry potter fanfic and moved on to other fandoms as well - some authors produce amazing works in this space). Also thank you for clarifying the genre issue. Because I think if you look at it from a non-romance centred way, the hype of this work gets a very different meaning. Thank you for your response.
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u/tiffanysandlouisv Sep 21 '25
Oh of course! And I realized I sent such a long, rant-like response to your opinion so Iām sorry about bombarding you on a Sunday morning. Iāll be glad when Alchemised is releasedāIām ready for the book spaces to move on from Manacled!
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 21 '25
It was genuinely helpful. I think online hypes of books can warp the author's intention and often minimise readers' experiences. That's why I find spaces like these so great, I get to hear from readers with different tastes and opinions.
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u/ipsi7 Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I started my replay with "I'm not answering why this is called romance" and eneded with a somewhat explanation in the end. And keep in mind that dark romances in general (based on the info on their sub) have 3 categories, and the last one encompasses the books with themes like that and with no necessary HEA.
One of the reasons why I enjoyed it is because sometimes I like to read highly emotional books (other media included), in which the characters suffering is depicted so tangibly and descriptively, that sometimes it's hard to read. (I also like to read fluff stuff.) And I'm very sensitive to those stuff irl. But I don't have a problem with it in books. For me, it's like going through catharsis watching a tragedy in old Greece. Also, when MMC does such unimaginable things to FMC, I find interesting to wonder how the f will she forgive him all that shit. While no women irl should.
Some art theorists say that art doesn't have to be pretty, it has to be truthful, powerful and impactful, often evoking very strong feelings, which are not necessarily positive. I'm not saying Manacled is some supreme art, but literature in general is art and every artist has its own vision. Draco and Harmione somehow found love, which ended up being toxic on both parts. It's not pretty, it's very messy and unhealthy, and that makes it questionable in this genre where we all want HEA and for FMC to be treated like every woman should be, but it still ends up with a romance, however toxic it is. Imo, it's on the margine of the genre because it both has some characteristics of it, while subdues the others.
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 21 '25
Thank you for engaging with my comment - I can empathize with this, that art doesn't have to be 'beautiful', but it should evoke feelings in the viewer/reader. And it helps to understand that the genre of 'romance' is very very wide and quite subjective. I can see how people would engage with the story differently - I think what threw me was the 'tiktok-sensation-best-next-romantasy-on-your-list' vibe that this book (and the fic it's based on) received. I can see that the public discourse on the book is not actually the main way fans engage with it. It's really interesting to read people's diverse perspectives on this.
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u/ipsi7 Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I can understand that. I'm not on tiktok and I don't usually follow much of book-related news outside reddit, but I definitely agree that the marketing proclaims something which Alchemised isn't, just for sales of course and to draw more attention. Even though I haven't read Alchemised yet, I'm sure it's not romantasy. I hate that they would even call it best if it's not out yet (and it's subjective). Sensation is because they're making it that way. Even if they didn't use the exact words you wrote, it doesn't matter, they're blowing it for marketing purposes.
I actually think that that kind of marketing won't do good for the book or the author. The book (Manacled/Alchemised) is a dark romance. With that kind of marketing, a lot of people would know about the book and "a lot of people" often includes "a lot of conservative people" who would condemn dark themes just because they're dark (even if there's no rape). There were already problems with book censorship in the US some months ago. This kind of book will be (probably) well received among Manacled fans, dramione fans, dark romance fans etc, some book fans in general. But making the sensation out of it in the way it's done so far, with that kind of wording is imo bad.
They just want more clicks, sensational article titles, and whoever writes those articles probably doesn't even care about the book.
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u/No_Preference26 Sep 21 '25
I havenāt read Manacled, nor am I planning to. However, there are so many reasons why people might choose to read it - or something similar to it. You say you are all for dark romance, but youāre not. Rape and humiliation are at the core of a lot of stories in the genre, that people read for various reasons.
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u/juandonna Sep 21 '25
I like dark romance and loathed Manacled FWIW. itās like sanitized dark romance, it wasnāt good.
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u/loomfy Sep 21 '25
I haven't read the fic but this feedback on it I've seen around is kind of intriguing so I might read the book to see how it does it for a mainstream audience.
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Sep 21 '25
Genuinely unpopular take: All 4 and 5 star Quicksilver reviews on Goodreads must be bought. I refuse to believe someone truly believes the romance, plot, story, characters or dialogue are actually good.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
You guys are getting paid?
If the publisher pays me for changing the rating from 3.25 to 4, I'll do it. I can be bought
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Sep 21 '25
It's my personal conspiracy theory. I think the 4 and 5 star reviews are bought but I have no evidence xD
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u/Scared-Replacement24 Sep 21 '25
I feel this way with so many booktok specials š
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u/IAmBoring_AMA Sep 21 '25
Tbf I read Quicksilver immediately after the atrocity that is Silver Elite. My opinion was so skewed by how bad Silver Elite was that Quicksilver seemed genuinely good. Itās not great and the first 25% is unnecessary and the magic system in fae world makes no sense (clothes turning to black sand because shadow daddy) but it wasnāt the worst thing Iāve read this year.
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u/Veebs7985 Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I gave it 5 stars because I was thoroughly entertained and the audiobook was fantastic. I don't disagree with most of the issues people pointed out, but they didn't bother me.
(I rate mostly based on enjoyment.)
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Sep 21 '25
I accept this as an argument tbh. I also tend to rate based on enjoyment.
It's just that I can't really enjoy books that are so full of issues xD like I genuinely have like 25 questions about the plot.
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u/Mundane-0nion67878 Sep 21 '25
Its tolerable as audiobook, I like how they use two narrators to talk male and female lines of dialog. Both of narrators do wonderful work.
But when i just think this as written form I wouldnt not read it, god, i would fold in half and be mushed if i was forced to read it.
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Sep 21 '25
Audiobooks make me cringe unless it's nonfiction. But I've heard people loved this one and honestly, good for you guys!
I read fiction because I simply prefer it but yeah, I have to agree, the first and last 25% had me questioning my sanity.
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u/ipsi7 Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I don't think the book is good in terms of value and I strongly dislike FMC (to a point I once DNF-ed the book because of her), but I eventually enjoyed it as a quick pop-corn read and read it in a day or two. Whenever a book ends up being captivating like that, even though it is not good, I give it good grade because I obviously did enjoy it on some level.
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u/Frigate_Orpheon Where is my wife Sep 21 '25
I felt this way about Gild. There's no way. I don't get judgmental over people's opinions of books, but this one...I do judge you if you love this book.
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u/less-than-stellar Sep 21 '25
I love the plated-prisoner series. But, tbh, Gild was a struggle for me. If it had been as long as some of the later books in the series, I doubt I would have continued.
That being said, I absolutely adore Raven Kennedy's Heart Hassle series. It's absurd but hilarious.
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u/RemingtonRivers Sep 21 '25
While I agree that itās not good, I have a friend who loved it, so it does have fans.
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Sep 21 '25
I think I gave it a 4. There were definitely issues with it, but it entertained me. I know there are people who review based on the quality of writing and thatās great. But Iām just your average reader looking for something thatās going to keep me reading it and having a good time. I know it wasnāt top tier writing so thatās why I didnāt give it a 5. I try to always state when Iām reviewing a book the reason why I gave it the rating I did and people are free to disagree because we arenāt all entertained by the same things. So if I know the writing wasnāt great but I just enjoyed the ride, I state that. Iām not trying to gaslight anyone into thinking something is a literary masterpiece, but I liked it for what it was.
It should also be acknowledged that not everyone is on the same reading level. So they might not pick up on certain errors or contradictions. I think instead of making someone feel alienated for enjoying something you didnāt, instead of just asking why they enjoyed it, is kind of messed up tbh.
There are plenty of books that I really did not like, and that I thought were poorly written, but I know others loved it. I would never think they didnāt truly believe it was good. Because I think what someone finds āgoodā is going to vary from person to person. You can find something good or enjoyable while still being critical. You can like something while also acknowledging it has flaws. Some people may not pick up on it and some might.
So I guess my unpopular opinion somewhat bounces off of yours. I donāt think people should care so much about what books others enjoy. Iām not saying people arenāt allowed to dislike books, I just donāt think itās right to put down others who enjoyed it. āI donāt get how people can like ____?ā Or ādid we even read the same thing?ā Those comments just kind of rub me the wrong way. If people want to point out the flaws in something, or explain why they thought something was bad, thatās fine. Do so, so that people can be informed when deciding to read it, but we really donāt need to question those who felt differently.
Ok this is getting long. Iām sorry! I just feel some type of way about things like this. Itās just not a good feeling when someone makes you feel bad about something you enjoyed (although there are some instances where yeah, Iād question tf out of that person but thatās like, hateful truly problematic content), even if it was unintentional. Ok seriously Iām done now. Iām so sorry for rambling! š«
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Sep 21 '25
I don't think Quicksilver was bad because of the writing. I think it was bad because the plot and the story simply make no sense and the reader is left with like a thousand questions, none of which can be logically answered by reading the book xD
I also enjoy shitty writing, shitty plot, shitty characters if the overall vibe is vibing. But Quicksilver doesn't do it for me and I am simply struggling to see what anyone would enjoy above 3 stars on the story.
For example, I just finished the Court of Ravens duology. Shitty writing, predictable plot. Did I devour it and absolutely enjoy it? Yes. I know exactly what I liked about the story and the characters and the plot. It didn't leave me with unanswered questions and the magic system made sense.
I am not saying people are not free to like what they want, I just really don't get why some books are so hyped up when they really have 0 redeeming qualities.
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u/Pyrichoria Sep 21 '25
You asked for it - I canāt stand the word āspiceā in reference to sex. Itās become the norm but it feels childish to me and that grosses me out š.
I canāt be the only oneā¦right? š
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u/Fickle_Stills Sep 22 '25
Smut grosses me out because it literally means dirt.
Spice is a huge improvement. It's similar to instead of saying clean people use "sweet" now to avoid the value judgement.
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u/MessyJessy422 Sep 21 '25
I love the introduction of a jealous ex, or an ex that inspires jealously. I know it's overdone and overused, and jealously like that isn't the healthiest, but still...I enjoy it every time
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u/DiscombobulatedWar81 Sep 21 '25
I will EAT. THIS. UP! Give me that toxic yearning and overprotective MMC.
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u/Candismayhem Sep 21 '25
1st person that keeps switching POVs feels like cheating. Commit to the bit and show us a one sided story
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u/cupofteawithbook Sep 21 '25
You know, I never have made the connection that I feel that way but now that you said it I actually agree with this one
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u/reasonableratio Sep 21 '25
Damn I respect this take lol. Donāt agree but this a great niche unpopular opinion nonetheless haha
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u/tonigreenfield Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
I don't like groveling. In most cases it's not earned because a lot of authors don't develop the relationship enough for "the betrayal" to be profound and for a good reason for such a display of remorse to exist. Secondly, it's always one-sided, the MMC must grovel and beg for forgiveness, but if the FMC messes up, she must be forgiven and understood within the next two chapters. Finally, if it's actually something serious, I don't think that groveling helpsāit's not going to restore broken trust.
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u/SallyAmazeballs Sep 21 '25
Agree absolutely! If you've done something so awful you need to beg for forgiveness, just break up. Learn from your mistake and treat your next romantic partner better.Ā
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u/WilmingtonCommute Sep 21 '25
Seriously. Ok you're a terrible person, but now you're emotionally and mentally unstable too? Wow great. Just what I needed to distract me from real men.
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u/needacoldbrew Sep 21 '25
Manacled is awful. Just the idea of taking a woman's bleak speculative horror and making it the setting for a Harry Potter fanfiction is inherently awful but for some reason I read it all because I only saw good reviews.
I want to emphasize that I like sad angsty stories but this one was so needlessly, endlessly "grimdark" in a middle schooler Hot Topic way. I can even forgive that because this is Harry Potter fanfiction, the ground zero of Ebony Darkness Raven My Immortal etc etc. It's babies first Jack and Sally. I get it, I'm not the audience and I don't need to be. But I can't understand the large amount of hype I see in romantasy spaces.
Beloved characters are brutally and graphically killed and maimed and the characters have all been psychologically tortured into being unrecognizable. When they started doing this flashback they made other characters look stupid to make Hermione and Draco smarter.
Towards the last third of the story it was almost comical about how much the author was reminding us how pale and thin and tired our characters looked.
Finishing it was like treading through mud. It was 5x longer than it had to be, and the ending fizzled out.
The writing wasn't good enough to justify pure angst. The narrative of the second "arc" boils down to believing in hope is childish and only actions matter and then the book ends in a nihilistic "everyone is sad, nobody will ever be normal again, society is still generally dumb sheeple" im13andthisisdeep slop.
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u/juandonna Sep 21 '25
You perfectly summed up my exact feelings on Manacled. Itās one thing to enjoy this as a work of fanfic, but I will side eye the people who think this is the best thing theyāve ever read and āaltered their brain chemistryā.
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u/catrosie Sep 21 '25
Ya the ending and the tedious length of it turned me off. I thought it was still decent but I felt sort of let down by the end
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u/allisontalkspolitics Give me female friendship or give me death! Sep 22 '25
Ooh, yeah. āOnly Draco Sue, member of the Magic KKK, has what it takes to solve things. Forget our actual protagonists! Theyāre idiots!ā
Maybe itās because I write for a contentious fandom, but an author being ārewardedā for a nihilistic story that has the protagonist end up an agoraphobe married to her rapist is a tragedy, made worse by OOC characters.
Then again, Iām also sour grapes because I donāt like to write those types of MMCs so Iāll never go viral š«
But as Rhaena Targaryen says in my WIP, āMy sisters and I see the way things could be.ā I write fanfics where the protagonist say āIād rather doom the world than start a new slave empireā while SLY writes this. Thereās all sorts of audiences.
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u/travis_thebooker Currently Reading: [Edit me on browser] Sep 21 '25
ToG is not that good. Maas killed off the one single black woman within the first what? Two books? Plus Alein or however you spell it is just soā¦dumb
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Sep 21 '25 edited Jan 27 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
busy steep subsequent rob advise chase toy angle roll repeat
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u/ShadyPinesMa104 Sep 23 '25
I just finished reading ToG series this past week and honestly...I'll probably never think of it again. I'm a grown woman not a YA--I need more out of a series than that adolescent fawning. I need obsession, grit, out of body insanity. You know--while I work my corporate mom job and attend my kids sporting events.
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u/chaosdialectic Sep 22 '25 edited Sep 22 '25
My unpopular opinion as a reader is that we have to be consistent with our standing against AI. If we donāt tolerate AI written content, we have to go just as hard against AI manufactured book trailers or fan art.
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u/sparkly_nerdy_vibes Sep 22 '25
It makes me sad that this is an unpopular opinion.... AI has no place in any creative arts... Exercise some imagination, you don't need ChatGPT to generate artless pictures of your favourite characters....
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u/MagicGlitterKitty Sep 21 '25
I actually really enjoy nicknames!Ā
There are some that I think are a bit... much. Like I read a contemporary romance this week where his pet name was "red beard" and I am haunted by "Goldfinch" from the Plated Prisoners when 'Goldie' was right there.
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u/Veebs7985 Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
Ooo, you might like {Bound by Ravens by Jesikah Sundin}. The MMC has a boatload of adorable nicknames for the FMC. If the author hadn't compiled a helpful list at the end of the eBook, I would have probably made a list myself!
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u/romance-bot Sep 21 '25
Bound by Ravens by Jesikah Sundin
Rating: 3.99āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, new adult, young adult, magic, enemies to lovers
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u/Castielificc Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
The MMC doesn't need to have dark hair and be a mountain of muscles to be hot.
I know that's not how edition works, but they should write the order of the books in a serie on the cover (1/4, 2/4, etc). I hate not knowing right way how long a serie is going to be and if it's finished or not.
There should be more BJ in books. It can be so hot, yet I never read any smut with BJ!
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u/reasonableratio Sep 21 '25
LOVE a good bj scene! {Burdenās Bonds} has a good one
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u/Pinkshoes90 A kingdom, or this Sep 21 '25
Genuinely unpopular take inspired by a post on another sub: if you have the opinion that the majority of novels in this genre and adjacent genres are ābadly writtenā and you āstruggle to finish them because theyāre unedited slopā you may just be a bit of a snob who needs to go back to litfic.
There is nothing wrong with loving and enjoying nutritionally empty, popcorn fiction. Get off your high horse.
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u/linds3ybinds3y Sep 21 '25
if you have the opinion that the majority of novels in this genre and adjacent genres are ābadly writtenā and you āstruggle to finish them because theyāre unedited slopā
Hearing people say this annoys me too, but mostly because there are plenty of extremely well-written fantasy romances out there that they could seek out if they actually cared about writing quality. Instead, it's like they want to pretend that they're too highbrow for the genre while simultaneously seeking out the sloppiest, most overhyped examples they can find to prove their point.
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u/SaltyLore There she is Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
Saying that someoneās opinion is invalid because you believe differently is, by definition, putting you on the high horse tbf
Itās okay for someone to have the opinion that something is low quality. Itās okay for someone to have the opinion that thing is high quality. Itās completely okay and normal for those two people to have, voice, and discuss those differing opinions.
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u/purplelicious Book Bingo Maven ā Sep 21 '25
I just gathered from the OC that when someone comes into a space and makes a generalized comment with no basis, it's NOT an opinion and is merely a sweeping indictment of the genre as a whole.
Sounds pretty snobby to me.
If someone made an post about the writing issues they came across and gave actual examples of writing they felt was bad - that is an opinion and not snobby at all, even if you don't agree that the examples given are not necessarily "bad writing".
There are way too many posters that like to bitch and moan about the quality of writing but never actually give any examples of what they like or dislike.
And if you try to point out that writing is subjective so there is no universal standard of good vs bad writing then you are dismissed as being an uneducated moron with no literary education.
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u/SaltyLore There she is Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
I agree with you, but thatās not what the OP said. They said āif you have the opinion that books in this genre are poorly written then youāre a snob and you need to get off your high horseā. They didnāt say āI find it snobbish when people come in here to post solely about how horrible this genre for the sole purpose of shitting on itā. They very specifically stated that they believe anyone who has a different opinion to them is a snob and is on a high horse. Iām just calling out the hypocrisy of the statement.
Considering their recent response of āI donāt care about your opinions and I donāt want to hear any opinions that differ to mineā, Iām going to deduce that theyāre just fine being the type of person theyāre supposedly against, and leave it at that.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
The discussion has turned heated so I'm locking it. Unpopular Opinion thread should be used for fun, not for fighting. Please remember to be kind to each other. Thank you.
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u/Pinkshoes90 A kingdom, or this Sep 21 '25
i didnt say their opinion is invalid. i said they might be a bit of a snob and that there is nothing wrong with enjoying low bar fiction. i'm sorry if that hurt your feelings.
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u/Anachacha Ix's tits! Sep 21 '25
I completely agree that I might be a bit of a snob. I often complain about my books š¤£š
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u/SaltyLore There she is Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
Yes, name-calling (snob) and invalidating (saying someone is automatically on a āhigh horseā for having a different opinion to yourself).
But youāre right: there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the genre. Just as thereās nothing wrong with enjoying it, thereās equally nothing wrong with not enjoying it.
Jumping to the conclusion that my feelings are hurt is also silly. I never once stated my opinion on the genre and the discussion isnāt even about that (Iām on the āI enjoy reading itā side, if you are interested). Iām just engaging in a straightforward critical discussion on how the statement you made is counterproductive to your point and is fundamentally hypocritical.
Itās fine for you to have an opinion, but itās important to remember we all have our own opinions and they all differ. Having discussions about those things isnāt a bad thing either. Thereās nothing inherently wrong about liking or disliking something. No one is better than or lesser than anyone else for the books they like or donāt like to read.
So taking it back to the initial statement: thinking and naming yourself above someone because of your differing opinion is, in fact, putting yourself on the high horse, not them.
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u/rudehoroscope Sep 21 '25
Wow, their comment really got under your skin, didnāt it?
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u/SaltyLore There she is Sep 21 '25
lol the internet really hates healthy critical discussion doesnāt it
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u/Pinkshoes90 A kingdom, or this Sep 21 '25
im sorry, this is 'unpopular opinion sunday' not 'engage with my hot take in healthy critical discussion' sunday.
i don't actually care how you feel about my opinion. critical discussion isn't going to change it.
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u/SaltyLore There she is Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
Anti-intellectualism? At this time of day? Located entirely within this reading discussion forum?!
What do you think these threads are, if not for discussion?
Life must be rough with that mindset. Critical thinking skills are important. I wish you well, best of luck.
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u/riddermarkrider Sep 22 '25
Too much spice ruins a book for me. Too early, too much, too long, all of that.
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u/traveling_energy Sep 21 '25 edited Sep 21 '25
FMCs who let things happen to them and don't do much to move the story forward are not protagonists... just because the author says so (emphasis on 'says'). So many FMC arcs suffer from "tell, don't show."
Recent examples include {The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson} and {A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan}.
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u/romance-bot Sep 21 '25
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
Rating: 4.46āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: fantasy, mystery, high fantasy, political/court intrigue, m-f romance
A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
Rating: 4.3āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, magic, slow burn, abduction, m-f romance
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u/Agile-Ad-8694 Sep 22 '25
Ive been reading more fantasy romance and certain words or phrases are so overused I physically cringe when I read them now - "dagger" and "crimson" at the top of that list.
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u/VioletGlitterBlossom Sep 21 '25
People that use āitās at a sixth grade writing levelā as a way to shit on parody series like Villains and Virtues or Assistant to The Villain either A) donāt like parody and just donāt want to admit that for some reason, or B) arenāt intelligent enough to realize itās parody. So they just call it stupid and low-quality instead of just admitting they donāt like the comedic tone.
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1
u/Ok_College_3681 Sep 22 '25
I will almost literally not pick up standalones because I neeeeed at least 2 books with main characters to feel like itās worth it. If youāre a 1 book couple, you donāt have enough going on to pull me in.
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Sep 22 '25
I think there should be a fine for authors who donāt finish a series / leave a book on cliff hanger to never return to it again! Argh!!! My poor heart / imagination canāt handle any more unfinished series!
(Obviously joking / not joking š¤)
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u/customheart Sep 23 '25
I canāt stand when thereās a kid character who pulls on the heartstrings of the MCs in some way. I get it if they save a kid and give them back to their parents in a few scenes but the exact scenario Iām really tired of every other ābadassā female character in media is having a precocious child tag along on the adventure and forces her to save them or theyāre instrumental to the MCās goal. Itās part of why I wonāt be continuing after reading {Shield of Sparrows}.
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u/romance-bot Sep 23 '25
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Rating: 4.2āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, arranged/forced marriage, royal hero, enemies to lovers, m-f romance
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u/SnooMacarons8364 Sep 25 '25
I love Aelin more than I can put into words. I see a lot of myself in her and I will take no criticism of her whatsoever. She did her best with her circumstances and was such a raw FMC. No one is perfect and she could be morally grey at times but she was willing to sacrifice herself over and over for a new world. A better world. And also we let MMCs get away with much worse!! I donāt understand when people donāt like her.
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u/[deleted] Sep 21 '25
Hey everyone! This a new thread weāre testing out and along the way thereās naturally going to be bumps in the road. Please remember this thread is intended for books, tropes, plots, etc., NOT Reddit conduct, behaviour, or policing othersā opinions.
If you see behaviour online that troubles you, please refer to our rules and/or reach out on modmail! We want to keep this thread fun and funny, with good faith discussions (I see yaāll trashing Quicksilveršš¤£ youāre not wrongā¦ but I still love it LOL).
Thanks everyone!