What’s up bookworms? I hope that after reading our summary of A Court of Thorns and Roses you are ready to dive into the ACOTAR series yet again, only this time we are talking about all our beloved faerie characters—yes, including our shadow daddies. It is no secret that Sarah Janet Maas is a master when it comes to crafting realistic characters with insecurities and complex trauma, making them easy to root for and identify with, in all of her closely connected series.
What is also worthy of note is that despite having created the OG female character with Aelin Ashryver Galathynius in Throne of Glass, the author keeps exploring different archetypes of characters, giving us all the more versatility to choose from. And don’t get us started on the male characters.
Here are some of the characters we are going to dissect:
Without further ado, let’s dive into the five ACOTAR books and meet our precious Prythians.
Let’s start by analysing our inner circle and the people associated with them. Be warned, there are many spoilers ahead.
The Lady of many names and sweet-tongued liar, as the Book of Breathings calls her. Feyre is the Cursebreaker, for having defeated Amarantha and freed Prythian. She is also known as Feyre Cauldron-blessed and Defender of the Rainbow for her fight in Velaris against the Attor. And let’s not forget Rhysand’s iconic ‘Feyre Darling’ that left our hearts racing and knees wobbling.
Feyre has come a long way since the beginning of the series. From an innocent human fighting for her survival, she has honed her skills, her cunning and even her acting enough to fool Tamlin and Ianthe, and become High Lady of the Night Court. She needed a lot of time to realise that she was worth more than Tamlin was giving her, and it took even more time to realise that Rhysand was always the one for her, her true mate. Feyre is smart and witty, but she is definitely a team player. Beloved by all the citizens in Velaris and feared by the other courts, she is a High Lady worthy of the title.
Species: High Fae, Mortal (formerly)
Date of birth: December 21
Powers:
What an impressive armoury of powers the High Lady of the Night Court has.
The self-titled Most Handsome High Lord, our sweet Rhys or Rhysie as Cassian calls him in A Court of Frost and Starlight. Despite being Night Triumphant, he became ‘Amarantha’s whore’ in order to save his loved ones and his city when under the mountain.
Rhys is one of the most intriguing ACOTAR characters and the most powerful High Lord in the history of Prythian. Scarred by the war while mentally and sexually abused in Amarantha’s court, he was able to find strength in his brothers and even found his mate after waiting for 500 years. The realisation of his sacrifice hurt us way more than anything, and his trauma afterwards is a very relatable experience, making him a fan favourite. His smouldering good looks would be nothing without his sharp intellect and willingness to go to any lengths to do what must be done.
Species: Half-Illyrian, Half-High Fae
Date of Birth: November 20th
Powers:
Time for the bat boys!
Cass is also known as the Lord of Bloodshed and the Prince of Bastards.
Cassian’s tragic story starts from a very young age. Born in an Illyrian war camp by a laundress who was violated by an unknown warrior, Cass was left to fend on his own as soon as he could walk. He ended up being one of the strongest Illyrian warriors the world has ever seen, and needs 7 siphons just to harness his power. He was picked up and saved by Rhysand and his mother, and has devoted his life to leading the Night Court armies ever since. Despite his brute behaviour and bulky appearance, he is perhaps the sweetest bat boy. His romance with Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames is one of the most tumultuous and steamy ones in the Maasverse.
Species: Illyrian
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
Az is the fearsome Shadowinger or, as Feyre calls the three bat boys, an Illyrian baby.
Azriel is another tormented soul who found solace in Rhysand’s mother’s cabin. He grew up and trained along with Cassian and Rhysand, and needs 7 siphons as well. His powers have still not been explained in the books. In contrast to the loud Cassian, Az is more reserved and laid back—the mysterious man everyone wants. As of yet, he remains unclaimed despite being a catch, and we’re definitely ready to see him as a lover.
Species: Illyrian
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
And now on to the ladies of the inner circle!
The Morrigan, Truth Speaker or simply Mor is Rhysand’s cousin
Mor was born in the Court of Nightmares, the hellish part of the Night Court. She was raised as a subdued female and was set to marry Eris, the son of the High Lord of Autumn, to secure an alliance. She, however, had other ideas for her life and ended up almost dead at the borders of the Autumn Court. She is Rhysand’s third in command and the first to know Feyre was Rhysand’s mate. She is a rare beauty and a powerful warrior, but harbours a secret of her own that is explained at the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin.
Species: High Fae
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
Amren’s sole nickname is The Ancient One, given to her by Cassian.
Amren is Rhysand’s second in command and a tremendously powerful being from another world. Amren’s scary reputation is completed by the fact that she is sustained by drinking blood. She solely managed to hold off the attack in Velaris in A Court of Mist and Fury, making her a force to be reckoned with. Her self-sacrifice in the third book, her love for jewellery, and her love story with Varian, make her a bit more human and relatable to the readers. The most mysterious part of her character is the fact that her otherworldly power has not been explained in any way.
Species: High Fae, Angel of Death (formerly)
Date of Birth: Unknown
Power: Unknown
Cassian has given his mate many nicknames, such as Nes, or Lady Death. Nesta is also called a witch by the Illyrian soldiers who witness her power.
Nesta is one of the most complex female characters in the series, described as devastatingly beautiful by Feyre. She is off to a terrible start, being horrible to her younger sister Feyre and doing nothing to help the family in rough times. As we meet her again, she is a raging pain in the ass for everyone, especially Cassian, who is set on conquering her heart from the moment he laid eyes on her. When forced into the Cauldron and made a High Fae against her will, she steals a piece of power from the Cauldron out of spite, rendering it useless for further use. Her emotional journey, from hating herself to mating with Cassian is one for the ages—and our personal favourite.
Species: High Fae, Mortal (formerly)
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
Elain is the sweetest, prettiest and most gentle of the Archeron sisters. Beloved and protected by Nesta, she has always been treated like the weakest one. She was set to marry a mortal Lord when she was abducted and forced into the Cauldron. In a twist of fate, she discovers that she is mated to Lucien, the seventh son of the High Lord of Autumn, but has not accepted the bond yet. She is quiet and cheerful, but not thoroughly explored by Sarah J. Maas’ pen yet.
Species: High Fae, Mortal (formerly)
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers: Seeing abilities
We could not leave out her mate, of course!
Called Fox-boy by Rhysand and Fireling by Cassian, amongst other names.
Lucien is the seventh son of Beron, the High Lord of the Autumn Court. He was always seen as a threat to the throne by his brothers, despite being uninterested in it. His father killed his mortal lover in front of his eyes and even tried to kill him. Ever since, he has been living in the Spring Court, serving as Tamlin’s emissary. He was Feyre’s first friend in Prythian, and their playful banter gave us a lot of insight into his kind and gentle nature. However, the tides are turned when Tamlin loses control and Lucien discovers Elain is his mate. He chooses to use his stealth and cunning to help Feyre and the Night Court against the King of Hybern. Even though Elain does not treat him fairly, our sweet boy cannot help being the best mate. The mystery of his origins is another one that left us speechless and deserves more time to be explored.
Species: High Fae
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
Called Tam by Lucien and Feyre.
Tamlin is actually the protagonist of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first to fall in love with Feyre. The youngest of the High Lords and Rhysand’s former friend. His closest ally is Lucien and his love story with Feyre is definitely worth reading. However, his anger issues and obsession with Feyre will be his downfall. After a series of bad decisions, he manages to lose the girl who broke Amarantha’s curse for his sake and even loses most of his court. He finally finds it in his heart to let go of Feyre at some point, but no forgiveness or redemption is in sight for him yet.
Species: High Fae
Date of Birth: Unknown
Powers:
Exciting as the main characters are, us bookworms know that they are nothing without their side-kick secondary characters.
Eris Vanserra
Eris is the eldest of Beron’s sons and Morrigan’s former betrothed. His choice to ally with the inner circle and Rhysand has greatly intrigued us. He is briefly infatuated by Nesta, but soon he realises he will not be getting his way. He is very cunning, which makes him very difficult to trust, but he is also greatly misunderstood and seems to be hiding behind a cold exterior.
Gwyneth Berdara
Gwyn is one of the priestesses who have found sanctuary in the library of Velaris. When she makes her appearance in ACOSF, she immediately forms a connection with Nesta. Through their friendship, she is able to learn how to defend herself and even face the dangers of the outside world as part of Nesta’s Valkyries. She will learn how to believe in herself and her friends in the Blood Rite, which she will win along with Emerie.
Emerie
Emerie is the third member of Nesta’s Valkyries and is an Illyrian female who has experienced the horror of having her wings clipped by her father so she cannot fly away. She immediately clicks with Nesta as well, and will gladly train with her to prove everyone wrong. Despite the damage to her wings, she manages to become a Corynthian by winning the Blood Rite with Gwyn.
Ianthe
Ianthe is one of the most questionable characters in the series. A close friend of Tamlin’s, the High Priestess is tasked with helping the Spring Court find its way back to the gods. She will prove to be a double agent, cooperating with Hybern. Her ambition and thirst for power will be her downfall. Perhaps one of the most deserved endings after how she violated and treated Lucien.
Helion
Helion is the High Lord of the Day Court and a close friend of Rhysand and Feyre’s. He is known as the Spell-Cleaver for his ability to nullify and create magic spells. His relationship with the Lady of the Autumn Court and their secret offspring is one of the main plot points we're dying to see explored.
There are countless more secondary characters that we could talk about, but these are the most memorable ones. Eris Vanserra and his mysterious motives are definitely our guilty pleasure among them. But, let’s not forget our dear Gwyn and her “admiration” for the Shadowsinger.
It is easy to understand that most characters are true to Sarah J. Maas’ typical themes of loyalty, friendship, love, and sacrifice. The friendship between the Valkyries and the Illyrians proves how strong those bonds can be, even between strangers who just met. But as always, love and mating will be the driving force of most of them. The magic system in ACOTAR is easy to follow and gives plenty of space for these bonds to form and flourish. If this hasn’t convinced you to pick up the series immediately and joining the ACOTAR fandom, then we don’t know what will. And when you are done with ACOTAR, check out our list of books like ACOTAR to dive deeper into the abyss of romantasy—but know there’s no turning back.
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Let’s answer some of the most common questions ACOTAR beginners may have.
The main character of A Court of Thorns and Roses is Feyre Archeron. A nineteen-year-old mortal girl who is taken to Prythian by Tamlin in order to solve the curse that plagues the land. She will go on to become High Fae, able to wield the power of all the seven High Lords. She is Rhysand’s mate and the High Lady of the Night Court.
Three villains appear throughout the series. The first one is Amarantha, whose story is seen in the first ACOTAR book. Next is the King of Hybern, who rages war in ACOMAF and ACOWAR. Last, we have Brially, a human queen who wanted to become High Fae by getting into the Cauldron, but ended up becoming a crone thanks to Nesta’s stealing of the Cauldron’s power.
There are seven High Lords in Prythian, each representing one of the Seven Courts. Rhysand is the High Lord of Night, Helion is the High Lord of Day, Thesan is the High Lord of Day, Beron is the High Lord of Autumn, Tamlin is the High Lord of Spring, Kallias is the High Lord of Winter, and Tarquin is the High Lord of Summer.
Each High Lord has a unique collection of powers. For example, Rhysand has darkness, while Tamlin can shape-shift. Each High Lord, though, is able to turn into a beast in command to protect their court and their people. Their animal form is only seen in the war in ACOWAR.
The ACOTAR series includes more than a hundred characters, but the main characters are roughly ten. The variety of characters adds to the series’ realism and allows the reader to explore the universe more thoroughly.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
