Reading The Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop after ACOTAR/ the SJM Universe is a wild ride. You should definitely do it - just be prepared. - ThreadSky

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witchbook.bsky.social • 168 days ago

Reading The Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop after ACOTAR/ the SJM Universe is a wild ride.

You should definitely do it - just be prepared.

Comments

reyanth.bsky.social•168 days ago

How so? I'm curious enough to ask because I love Black Jewels but probably never gonna read SJM.

witchbook.bsky.social•168 days ago

SJM was clearly inspired by it- Cassian is almost a copy paste of Lucivar - but the jarring part was the vibes throughout the series. Where Black Jewells starts quite dark and moves towards a more cosy fantasy vibe, the typical reading order of SJM (ACOTAR>TOG>CC) is almost the reverse.

witchbook.bsky.social•168 days ago

In my (admittedly chaotic) brain, the ACOTAR world could almost be the alternative universe if Dorethea wasn't overthrown and there were no queens left. Perhaps SJM took inspiration from Black Jewels but infected it with the patriarchy (whether intentionally or otherwise)

reyanth.bsky.social•168 days ago

Yeah, that does not appeal at all. lol

witchbook.bsky.social•168 days ago

Fair. I really enjoy SJM as an easy read for vibes, but I'm hoping she intentionally included the patrichal elements and that they get torn down.

reyanth.bsky.social•168 days ago

That was one of the biggest appeals of Black Jewels. As horrid as Dorothea and the priestesses were, there was a wicked relief in that they had the power and not vice-versa. I don't know that I would have enjoyed the opposite.

reyanth.bsky.social•168 days ago

Ah, I see. That actually explains my "vaguely interested but not finding enough depth to commit" reaction to SJM.

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