This blog post contains spoilers for A Court of Silver Flames.
Few characters inspire such a divided response from readers like Nesta Archeron. We first meet her in A Court of Thorns and Roses as the vain, selfish, ungrateful and unhelpful older sister to Feyre. Nesta apparently lifts nary a finger to help her family survive, leaving the brunt of the work to her sister and mostly just…focusing on her looks.
Or so that’s how it appears on the outside.
Ever since the release of A Court of Silver Flames, Sarah J. Maas’s latest book in the ACOTAR universe, the fandom has formed two camps over this character.
One camp staunchly continues to dislike Nesta, with some even ignoring the book entirely, and the other adores and sympathizes with her.
Online discourse on the topic usually goes something like this:
- Nesta hater: Nesta reminds me too much of someone I know in real life, and I hate that she lashes out at people.
- Nesta lover: I am Nesta. I used to lash out as a trauma response, and I had to work to become better.
Needless to say, it’s counterproductive (as most Internet conversations are). But why is everyone’s reaction to Nesta so intense? Let’s start with the obvious first point.
We’re not often asked to sympathize with a b*tch.
Let me explain.
Feyre, who leads the original trilogy, is par for the course as far as main characters go. That’s not bad thing – but we have to acknowledge it to understand the greater point about Nesta. Feyre is powerful, mentally strong, and inherently good. It’s what most people expect from a main character.
Nesta is…not.
Throughout the first part of the series, Nesta inspires so much rancor among readers because she looks the most like the bad guys we face in real life. Sure, Amarantha and the King of Hybern are scary and all, but not more so on a personal level than the likes of Voldemort.
Nesta can be mean-spirited, selfish, and downright b*tchy – all things we experience in our real world. Things we hate. Things that ruin our day and then some.
So diving into ACOSF, this book asks us to enter the headspace of a character we’ve thus far reviled to some degree, which can make some readers hesitate. She’s a main character many haven’t experienced – especially if they’re used to reading about the heroes and heroines who are driven by justice, right and wrong, and bravery. While those things do play into Nesta’s arc in ACOSF, those aren’t the main themes for her story or personality at first.
So why do so many readers forgive her?
Nesta doesn’t escape the consequences of her behavior.
Let me be clear: Nesta has to humble herself before the others to earn their forgiveness, and she does it.
Throughout ACOSF, we watch the oldest Archeron sister frequently take two steps forward and one step back in her progress. Nesta grapples with a number of personal demons and struggles, including a deep-seated fear of abandonment and a tendency towards self-destructive behavior. Not to mention her many shades of trauma. She doesn’t always succeed, and her path is not linear.
But it’s not just her internal struggles that take center stage, it’s her interpersonal ones as well.
It must be said that our first glimpses of hope come from her budding friendships with Gwyn and Emerie. Those relationships are a clean slate for Nesta, an opportunity to show she cares about people outside herself with no fraught personal history standing in the way. Plus, despite their rocky start, Nesta and Cassian’s relationship develops into one of the most powerful romances in the series.
These friendships give her the strength to continue her journey, which eventually allows for these heartwarming scenes:
- Nesta inspiring and encouraging the women of the library to train with her
- Nesta on her knees before Amren, asking for forgiveness
- Nesta embracing Azriel on Winter Solstice to show her gratitude for a gift
- Nesta sacrificing herself so her friends reach safety
- Nesta apologizing to Feyre
- and more
Despite her flaws, it becomes more and more clear that Nesta is a fiercely loyal and brave character who will stop at nothing to protect those she loves. Over the course of the book, Nesta learns to let go of her fears and trust in those around her, ultimately finding the strength and courage to become the person she was always meant to be.
There’s also more nuance in general to this topic. I talk about the difference between unlikeable and poorly-written characters in this blog, and the difference between flawed and problematic characters in this one.
But don’t bully each other over this.
Friends, fellow book lovers, please – let’s leave book judgement in the past. We are allowed to like what we like, and dislike that we dislike. There’s no need to get up in arms from either side of this debate.
While I personally think Nesta has one of the most powerful growth arcs in the ACOTAR universe and one of the most compelling character profiles, it’s silly to demand Nesta Haters convert to the Nesta Lover camp.
Some people won’t see it, and that’s okay, too. There are many beloved books out there that I loathed to read. We’re all here for a good time, so let’s just read more of what we love, and forget the rest!
Check out my other reviews in this series:
- Book 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses
- Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury
- Book 3: A Court of War and Ruin
- Book 4: A Court of Silver Flames
Other Sarah J. Maas:
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