ACOTAR 6 Is Here: Let’s Talk About the Women of the 'Maasverse'
This piece contains spoilers from A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.
Sarah J. Maas, you’ve done it again. At this point, is there anything I don’t love about her? What’s not to love about a woman who can create entire fictional worlds (what fans call the Maasverse, given that all her worlds are interconnected) filled with magic, mayhem and characters who stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page?
Following the anticipated release of A Court of Splintered Harmony, the newest instalment in the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series, on 27 October 2026, I’ve found myself reflecting on the incredible women fantasy writer Sarah J. Maas has brought to life across the fictional lands of Prythian (from the ACOTAR series ), Terrasen (from the Throne of Glass series ) and Lunathion (from the Crescent Series).
ACOTAR specifically is one of the most globally known romantasy series, about the world of the Faeries, who are immortal, magical beings.
I had the date firmly marked in my calendar, pre-ordered the book and practically skipped back to my flat before opening the package with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. While I’m still making my way through the book for this Media Monday piece, I’ve spent the past few evenings tucked away in my flat, with the ambience of the Night Court playing in the background, completely immersed in the world of Prythian.
While the fantastic imagery and romance are undoubtedly part of the appeal, one of the things I admire most about Maas is her ability to create female characters who feel so real, flawed, complicated and resilient.
Each character in the Maasverse has her own story, her own struggles, and her own way of finding strength. From the fierce, lost queen of Terrasen to women quietly learning to reclaim their power, we have seen characters who challenge expectations, confront their flaws and discover that strength can take many different forms.
After the ITM Editor-in-Chief Carmine Pariante wrote about the magic of new worlds (through the idea that imagining another world allows us to experience reality differently), I couldn’t get this piece out of my head. I started jotting down little snippets in my Notes app, some of which have found their way into this article.
The more I thought about the worlds Maas has created, the more I wanted to explore the women at their very core. What makes them so compelling, what we can learn from them, and why their journeys continue to resonate with us. I unashamedly admit that I also love the male characters (Rhysand, Rowan, Hunt, I know you love them too!), but something about Aelin, Bryce, Feyre, Nesta, and Manon makes me squeal out loud while reading/listening to my audiobooks.
Feyre and Nesta: Strength in Their Own Way in ACOTAR
Starting off with ACOTAR, the main names that shine through of course, are the Archeron sisters, Feyre, Nesta, and Elain. And of course, who can forget Emerie and Gwyn? While Elain’s story is still unfolding in the next few installments, the others have had an incredible character development, and redemption arc.
Of course, Feyre, the main character in the series, holds a special place in all our hearts. We see Feyre’s evolution from a young woman who sacrifices her own comfort, going hungry, being cold to the point of developing hypothermia, so her sisters and father don’t have to, to someone who faces monsters for the sake of what she believes is true love. Only to discover that said love can also become a cage, with emotional abuse disguised as protection.
And then… sigh… enters Rhysand.
We watch her reclaim her freedom, discover her worth and transform into the powerful High Lady of the Night Court. Yet, even with all that power, Feyre never stops fighting for those she loves, venturing into the darkest places and channeling her strength to give the Fae (short form for Faeries) a chance at survival. Something I’m particularly looking forward to, as someone who works in maternal healthcare, is seeing how Maas portrays Feyre’s journey into motherhood. From what I’ve read of the latest book so far, she doesn’t shy away from the realities of new motherhood, and I’m excited to see how that story unfolds.
Talking next, of her misunderstood sister, Nesta. I really didn’t like Nesta at first. But then came that moment (spoiler alert for the previous books). Stepping out of the bog, the kelpie’s (a fictional water monster) head in her hands, with two warriors bowing before her. I seldom react out loud while reading, but I remember sitting on my couch, jaw dropped, needing a moment to take it all in. Nesta is misunderstood, flawed and often difficult to love, but beneath her sharp edges is someone who loves fiercely and possesses an almost undefeatable strength. When life gets rough, I awaken my inner Nesta. Usually, after crying about it for days in private, I gather myself, take whatever life throws at me firmly in hand, and walk out of the bog.
Aelin & Manon: Flames and Fury in Throne of Glass
Moving away from Prythian, we arrive in the beautiful land of Terrasen. There’s something magical about books, because how can I imagine the most beautiful place, with mountains, aquamarine lakes and cosy forests, without ever having visited this fictional world? Out of all the three series Maas has written, it’s the female characters who make this series so impactful, and therefore my favourite. If you haven’t finished Throne of Glass, I suggest stopping here, as character spoilers lie ahead.
Aelin, Manon, Lysandra, Elide, Yrene. I could write an entire piece on these women alone, but to keep my word count in check, I’ll focus on Aelin and Manon.
From the moment we’re introduced to Celaena Sardothien, the assassin with a sharp tongue and an even sharper blade, we’re captivated by her resilience. Having lost her family as a child, surviving a death camp, enduring the loss of her lover and suffered the deepest kind of betrayal from a father figure, she has faced unimaginable adversity. When we discover that Celaena is, in fact, Aelin Galathynius, the lost queen of Terrasen, we witness a woman’s journey through death, destruction, magic and love as she fights to reclaim her throne. She loses people she loves, rediscovers her power and faces enemies who threaten the very existence of her world. To me, Aelin embodies the beauty of feminine strength: the ability to be vulnerable and ruthless, to love deeply and fight relentlessly. And that is precisely why she remains my favourite character in the Maasverse.
Moving on to the witch Manon Blackbeak. Much like Nesta, she initially comes across as unlikeable, but we soon witness an incredible character development arc. From blindly following her grandmother, the matriarch of the Blackbeak coven, to discovering the horrific things she has done, Manon experiences that same devastating betrayal: realising that someone you idolised is not who you thought they were. What follows is the strength to walk away, forge her own path and discover who she truly is.
And then there’s the moment she joins the Crochans (another witch coven), dons the crown, becomes their queen and lights the way to join Aelin in battle. We also get glimpses of her softer, more vulnerable side through her relationship with Dorian, reminding us that even the fiercest witches have room for love.
I couldn’t possibly end this piece without mentioning Lysandra, but she deserves far more than a passing mention. And then there’s Lidia, Bryce and Danika from Crescent City, each with a story worth exploring in its own right. Perhaps, with the release of the next ACOTAR instalm
ent, I’ll be back to give these women the space they deserve.
For now, here’s to the women of the Maasverse. Thank you for reminding us that we don’t need to be damsels in distress, that strength comes in many forms, and that being flawed doesn’t make us any less worthy of love. Thank you for keeping us company, and for leaving little pieces of yourselves in each of us. Long after we’ve closed the books, a little bit of you stays with us.
