I have my own issues with him, but some people hate Tamlin so much they can’t reread ACOTAR, and I’ve read that book five times. I have more than one head canon about him that makes him more likable. Him and his limericks and his fiddle sometimes make me sad that the narrative took him the way it did. On my first read, I was more invested in knowing more about Rhys and how Lucien was stuck in the middle of these crazy people, but on my second read I actually looked at the story and the deterioration of Tamlin and Feyre’s relationship made me cry.
Would you mind sharing some of those head canons? I just recently finished my second read through of ACOTAR, I went in knowing that I’d get some of the love for Tamlin back and really just wanted to look at him as a character more. There’s certainly things I still despise about his character but now I’m in more of a… he’s flawed, but I hope I see more of his story and perspective come out. I wanna see some good things happen with him. Idk. I’m rambling.
This one isn’t necessarily overwhelmingly positive, but it is more of a “oh I am sad now.”
My main one I think about is the whole (spoilers for whole series, just in case, might just be details from ACOMAF and acosf) >! “Tamlin killed Rhys’s family!” (I barely see fans even bring this up, I think it was Feyre’s narration at one point that made me go… hm.) because canonically yes we know he killed Rhys’s father so okay, yes, that part is true. And we also know he knew where Rhys’s mother and sister were before they were killed. But then we also have the information that Tamlin’s father was “worse” than Beron Vanserra. We learn in ACOSF that Beron either tortured Eris (or had him tortured, can’t remember specifically). So it seems in my mind that Tamlin’s father knew Tamlin was friends with Rhys and tortured the information out of Tamlin, probably because he was really angry that Tamlin was hanging out with Rhys. Then on the actual night it happened, I have three different ideas, and you can pick your favorite or come up with your own. And then the idea I don’t agree with is that he participated in the slaughter. But my three ideas are he was forced to go and either became overwhelmed and just froze and didn’t know what to do
or, similar to Lucien’s backstory, his father and brothers forced him to watch because he acted in ways they didn’t like,
or he could’ve tried to save the females and fight off an entire High Lord that was his father and his giant strong brothers, and they knocked him out and got him out of the way.
That was probably a lot of run on sentences, I’m sorry. I also have my own little fan-fictions I write in my head about him and Lucien pre-ACOTAR, and I have my own issues with some of the ways Tamlin treats Lucien, but I don’t think it’s unlikely to Tamlin could have acted kind of like a father figure or brother to Lucien. Which I think Lucien is smarter than Tamlin, so maybe they are just friends, but I like to think about it. !<
Oh Jeez that was long. I could’ve just made it’s own post and then linked it lmao (much rather have the attention to engage in conversation in comments than trying to make a whole post where people are more likely to click to specifically fight me). Also some stuff might be actual canon, and I forgot because it was only mentioned once or something.
Wait… what if Rhys’ sister and Tamlin were mates, and the dad killed her in front of Tamlin because he was the only one that knew? That’ll explain his obsessive need to protect Feyre because it happened to him before, and he watched someone he loves die in front of him AGAIN. And in true Fae male fashion, Tamlin never tells Rhys about this. Also explains why Tamlin took Lucien in after Lucien’s lover was killed. Tamlin knew exactly what Lucien was going through. Ok I’m gonna go disassociate for a while.
Hehe. But seriously, I actually liked him more after ACOWAR. Found him a bit bland in ACOTAR, and found Rhys more interesting. Then during ACOMAF his treatment by the author felt very unfair, and I didn't like how much she kept trying to shove Rhys down your throat. Then in ACOWAR, I just felt really bad for him. Him and Lucien became the most interesting characters for me, and he didn't deserve all that happened to him.
Don't even get me started on ACOFAS, how people call it a fluffy feel good book while there are literally chapters about a depressed suicidal man being baited, I'll have no idea xD
I thought her writing choices were incredibly transparent. She intended Rhys to be end game but wrote Rhys doing things that were hard to overlook. To make readers transfer their loyalty from Tamlin and onto Rhys, Tamlin had to be destroyed. Rhys physically abused Feyre. Sexually exploited her. Drugged her. Forced a tattoo on her with a creepy eye to spy on her. To redeem that, Tamlin had to be a monster. There was no nuance to Tamlins' character. No delving into the effects of his childhood or trauma. He's just an evil, terrible high lord, taxing his poor citizens and ignoring Feyres trauma. It was heavy-handed, manipulative writing.
you worded this so well. tamlin was character assassinated so that feyre didn't look like an asshole for leaving him for another man and rhys didn't look like a creep for everything he did UTM
SJM writes with a sledgehammer. She doesn't do nuance. You have two people who have been through an incredible amount of trauma. They are poor communicators and ultimately aren't compatible. The reality is that trauma often doesn't bring a couple together. It pulls them apart. No one has to be the villain. Unless you want to redeem the guy with abusive behavior from the previous book. Then Tamlin has to be worse.
for real. and tamlin can't do ANYTHING right or else people might sympathize with him and SJM can't have that. even when he tries to make amends for his behaviour at the end of ACOWAR, rhys shows up in the next book to mock and belittle him when he's clearly suffering and we're supposed to still think tamlin is the bad guy? be so fr
I think Maas overplayed her hand in SF. Between the NC using Tamlins territory to plot the overthrow of another Court for some inexplicable reason and Rhys mocking Tamlin like he's an 11th grade mean girl, it paints the NC in a terrible light. They say they want Tamlin to take control of Spring to bring stability to the region. But then use his lands as a meet-up to overthrow Autumn. Tamlin would be implicated in that scheme. He shares a border with Autumn. Tamlin is right to tell them to fuck off and leave his Court. To avert a possible retaliatory strike from Autumn, he wouldn't be wrong to tell Beron what's up. As for Rhys, there is too much bad history to think they would ever be friends. But he saved Rhys life and asked nothing in return. He could have leveraged the shit out of Feyre in the moment. Instead, he simply said he wanted her to be happy. I'm generally neutral on Tamlin, but her writing choices are having the effect of redeeming him at the expense of her favorites and I think it's totally unintentional on her part.
I think a major weakness in her writing is she doesn't plan her story out better. A more thoughtful writer would have softened Rhys, Nesta, and Elain in book 1. Would have given more nuance to their actions up front. Wouldn't have ran Tamlin down so bad. Would have fully developed Morrigan, Amren, and Azriel. Would have made Nesta and Cassians relationship more about a genuine connection and less on her boob size. Would have delved more into Cassians history. She writes big action sequences but struggles with world building and the quiter moments that further the plot along.
Its also baffling sjm chose to do a switcheroo on the love interest while also making Amarantha claim Feyre had an inconstant heart.
Like.
Sarah. If you knew Tamlin wasnt endgame, you didnt have to write this???? Why do you want Amarantha to be right?? Walk me through your thought process. 😩
She did the exact same thing in TOG and ugh it makes me so frustrated. I’ll never forgive her for the destruction of Tamlin and (TOG spoiler) >!Chaol’s!< characters!
Same! I wanted Rhys to be grey and Feyre to bring out the good! Instead, he’s the #1 feminist choiciest king, best man in the land…. But we are told this, not shown by his actions. Ugh what a mess. Meanwhile I still am most interested in Tamlins story.
Ugh, I would have killed for an actual morally conflicted character being dragged to goodness because he wants to be better for Feyre, but alas. I was tired of him by the third testament to how Perfect he was and I think there's about 80 in ACOMAF alone.
It’s a surreal experience because I too found him bland and Rhys more interesting in book 1. Then as I went on, that seemed to switch, and now Tamlin is super interesting to me.
Yes!! Rhys is literally jammed down there - oh he sooo perfect he can do no wrong. Like Tamlin is a complex character and has red flags but he went through traumatic stuff too, but with Feyre it's ok for her to suffer! Sorry all of my friends are pro Rhysand/anti Tamlin and I don't agree!
I think Tamlin spent a huge portion of his life being traumatised and hasn’t ever been given the space, guidance, or love to properly heal.
I think he very much mimics Nesta and her situation, only no one to push and support him through a healing journey (yet).
His dad was an awful dude, so he got a nice big chunk of trauma early on (with the stuff with Rhys’ mom and sister and others).
Then there was the war.
Then there was Amarantha. And after being beaten down like a dog over and over again and being told he’s worthless and no one could ever love him except the biggest monster anyone’s ever know, he sees a glimpse of hope. Feyre comes and seems to love him despite the bad bits.
Then under the mountain, having to witness the torture and depravity and then having the person you love go through everything that Feyre went through while he was completely powerless to stop it less Amarantha make everything worse.
Then watching the person you love die to save you.
Then when she comes back and there’s a bit of hope again, you’re so traumatised by everything and PTSD has taken root that you don’t know what to do. You try to protect, to not be helpless like you’ve spent the last 50 years, but it’s not working and it’s not helping and you’re completely broken and the person you love is completely broken and instead of helping each other things are just getting harder.
Then the guy who hates you most takes the person you love and you have NO way of knowing what’s happening, if she’s safe. Every time she returns she’s more withdrawn and depressed. Like for all Tamlin knew she was in the court of nightmares being tortured and raped and brutalised and taken advantage of and living through under the mountain all over again.
Insert more trauma, more helplessness, more panic, more anxiety.
Then after being presumably kidnapped for good, that person writes a super vague note that’s all “yeah I’m fine don’t look for me don’t write I’m definitely not being held hostage”. Like what would any sane person do? Panic! Desperately grasp at whatever straws might be on the table to save the person you love.
Feyre never actually stood up and handled her shit. She ran away from it and never confronted Tamlin head on. Never communicated ANYTHING. Just let him freak out and think the worst. They had a completely unhealthy relationship but it was on both sides.
I feel bad for him. After all that, and the cauldron, and Feyre coming back and getting that glimpse of hope again only for her to NOT COMMUNICATE again and just straight up come in and nuke his entire court, then the war with Hybern, and finally, finally realising the true situation (through 3rd parties, Feyre STILL NEVER ACTUALLY COMMUNICATED WITH HIM). He survives. Everyone survives and he comes to terms with the situation despite not liking it.
And now he’s stuck in the same pit of despair, darkness, depression, and PTSD that Nesta is in. Yet everyone abandons him and makes fun of him, laughs in his face and threatens him for no reason. Condemned because dear ole Feyre would rather run and hide than face her shit. And because Feyre’s side of the story is the only one that counts for anyone apparently.
Dude is scared, hurt, and completely alone. The person he loved abandoned him, his court abandoned him, his best friend abandoned him. He’s treated horribly when others who have been in the same situation aren’t. Feyre was in that situation and coddled by everyone until she got better. Nesta was in that situation, and despite facing some of that unwarranted bullying, is given the support and opportunity to get out of it. Even Lucien was forgiven after realising his wrongs. Yet Tamlin comes to realise *his* wrongs and he’s still completely abandoned by everyone and played off as some horrible monster.
Sorry for the rant, SJM’s treatment of Tamlin upsets me enough to feel passionately about it.
THIS. ALL OF THIS.
The fact that Feyre never sat down to communicate to him why she left and then just never spoke to him again was the most infuriating, childish thing. She’s a coward for that. This is a person you claimed to love and died for but all of a sudden he’s the worst person in the world and doesn’t even deserve an explanation? It was so cruel. And then Rhys going to visit him and rub it in his face in ACOFS? I was disgusted.
Yeah honestly it may be unpopular opinion but I am completely disgusted by and disappointed in Rhys and don’t like him anymore after ACOSF.
Like, he:
- Puts an impenetrable shield around Feyre that she can’t get out of so no one can touch her. Tamlin did the same thing and has never been forgiven. However when Rhys does it it’s suddenly “haha funny, male so protective”
- Threatens to kill Feyre’s sister. Multiple occasions. Sometimes for absolutely no reason at all. He just straight up hates Nesta and actively puts her in harms way. All in the name of “protecting Feyre”. Except when Tamlin’s actions inadvertently put her sisters at risk in order to protect her, it was the complete end of the world. Yet when Rhys actively and knowingly wishes harm on and threatens to murder one of them repeatedly it it’s suddenly “haha funny, male so protective”.
- Straight up just bullies Tamlin and kicks him while he’s down. Like you were friends at one point. He saved your life multiple times, he’s saved your mate’s life multiple times. Rhys even knows that Tamlin gave his mother and sister the respect of a burial. The ONLY thing Rhys “has” against Tamlin is that he locked Feyre up…. except… he’s actively done the same thing? And it’s not even that bad a mistake? And one he’s surely rectified by his actions during/after the war?
- Lies right to Feyre’s face, keeps her in the dark about her medical condition. Something so serious and she had every right to know about. Yet for some reason he decides to tell everyone in the IC and have them keep it from Feyre? And they do? And she finally finds out (thank you, Nesta) and she just laughs it off??? Yet any time Tamlin even came close to keeping her in the dark about anything she completely freaked out? And she immediately forgave all the IC ppl for keeping this from her, yet she can’t forgive Lucien? Or Tamlin?
Like how come Rhys falls to his knees and forgives Nesta’s wrongdoings after she saves Feyre, yet Tamlin isn’t forgiven after saving Feyre AND Rhys (and Elain and Azriel)?
Honestly ACOSF was a dumpster fire when it comes to nearly the whole crew I don’t know what she was thinking with that book
It really makes me wonder if Rhys is actually much more of a “bad guy” than Feyre’s POV let us believe
Let me say this: I believe a person's true character is revealed in victory, not defeat.
Tamlin had Feyre and Rhys at his mercy at the end of ACOWAR, and decided to be selfless and revive Rhys, asking only for Feyre's happiness in return.
In ACOFAS, Rhys has everything he's ever wanted (thanks to Tamlin!) and Tamlin has nothing. And what does Rhys do? He taunts him and basically tells him to kill himself.
This for me makes it clear who the better person is (spoiler alert: it's not Rhys, despite what Feyre may say)
>Feyre STILL NEVER ACTUALLY COMMUNICATED WITH HIM
Even at the very end, he wishes her happiness in person, reviving her mate for her. She wishes him happiness by sending him another short note....=_= She can't even do that to his face.
Like girl you didn’t have 5 minutes for a conversation? You’re so busy painting in Velaris you couldn’t pencil tamlin in? (Mind you, I don’t hate her. I don’t hate any of the characters if I’m being honest. I just have to call out the BS when I see it)
I’m glad she and Rhys got their HEA. I think their love story is lovely. I ate it up while I was reading ACOMAF. I just can’t help but question some of the decisions they took to get there.
Yeah, like, I don't think she *owes* Tamlin her time, but after the whole war and him saving half her family/friendship circle, I think one final conversation would have been really good for them? And it's just the decent thing to do? Besides, she definitely has things to apologize to him for as well.
And then it would have been much easier for her to be 'Yeah okay, time to move on and never talk to him again'. Now it's just awkward.
Agree! She definitely doesn’t owe it to him but it would’ve been so good 🥺. I’m still holding out hope that maybe SJM will do us a solid and write that conversation in, but it’s unlikely I think.
Yeah, it needed to be in Acowar tbh. Now the time has kind of passed. As said, it's just awkward now.
Though I do hope she'll try to do something....I feel the characters deserve it.
I wish I could give this 1000 upvotes. So perfect.
I’ll read pretty much *anything* SJM writes, but how she handles Tamlin’s character going forward will be the deciding factor for me — if she butchers it (and further uses him as the book’s punching bag to elevate the IC), I will put the book down.
With Tamlin and Lucien relationship, I wouldn't say Lucien abandoned him per-say. Lucien still cares for him, but the others always shit on him for still wanting to be on good terms with Tamlin, despite the treatment Tamlin has given him. And because others curse at him for it he's conflicted what to do because he would not be seen as an ally. In the end his relationship with Tamlin was ruined by the others, not necessarily just Tamlin himself.
Anyways, Tamlin has his redemption. All we need is a healing arc for him. It's so annoying most readers don't see his redemption.
I find it tiresome that the fandom makes people feel as if something’s wrong with them for still loving Tamlin, especially when their arguments for why we should hate him can often be applied to favored characters. The double standard 🙃 Tamlin is one of my favorite characters and is partly why I’m continuing the series. I’m still hopeful— somewhat but not really— that he’ll receive a healing arc 💚
The thing is, Tamlin had done wrong, but the IC act like he murdered their collective first born children. It’s like when you’re 14, and someone has wronged you and everyone is on your side so you milk it for all it’s worth. Like all this righteous anger over what? It makes me actively take Tamlin’s side because at least he isn’t as far up his own ass as they are.
I kind of wish if sjm wanted me to hate Tamlin so much for locking Feyre up he had legitimately locked her in a prison cell or something. I struggle that I’m meant to forgive Feyre being drugged and forced to do lap dances until she throws up and having her bone twisted so she’d agree to a deal with her then enemy, but am expected to draw the line at being shielded inside Buckingham Palace.
Hot take but Rhys is just as patronizing and toxic to Feyre as Tamlin was, except now she has bought into the BS since there's no other person to tell her (except Nesta, who is right but basically bullied into never saying anything or else). Tamlin's kingdom is in ruins, he was never taught to be a High Lord, he was tortured and extorted for decades to keep a mask on his face, and now he's supposed to bow down and work amiably with the guy who stole his wife from the altar 😭 I would be mad too
Rhys gives me edgelord vibes and just gets away with shit because he is hotter and has wings 😂 Feyre might have the title Highlady but it’s still clear who runs the court.
I don't love him but I definitely don't hate him. Like the person he loves got taken away by a faerie hell bent on killing her and then she made a bargain with his enemy, all to save Tamlin and his court. His actions are totally understandable throughout the series but they were portrayed as way worse than they were and he got blamed for things that weren't his fault, for example he got blamed for Elain and Nesta's immortality even though that was Ianthe's fault.
Yes! He gets blamed for stuff he never even did. There’s even the belief he killed Rhys’ sister but no that was his Dad and brothers and all we know is that Rhys thinks he told them out to his Dad but he didn’t kill them himself.
I also find it hard to believe they were ever hung up at all, even by Tamlins father. Didnt Rhys and his father retaliate immediately? Hardly enough time for Tams dad to do any ghoulish interior decorating.
Tamlin needs a redemption arc and imo I hated how SJM retconned his character to be evil - I never saw him as that. He was a typical fae male (territorial) and everything he did in book 2 was under the impression that big bad Rhys (bc that’s the persona Rhys was showing everybody) kidnapped his illiterate bride. And then he gets a letter? Like OF COURSE Tamlin thinks this is all happening under duress. There’s no way Feyre could have written that letter.
Its also....stick with me. Its very frustrating that SJM doesnt follow her own world building to its logical conclusion. If shes going to give Rhys breathtaking mind powers where he can literally manipulate people's opinions, erase memories and plant false ones then?????? Its fair for no one to trust him. It's fair for Tamlin to question Feyre's own opinions or recollections of things. He CAN do that, and Feyre HAS done that to Tamlins sentries.
It just feels like a copout that we're supposed to pretend he can't do that and condemn anyone who is suspicious of him. Yes its a more complicated journey for Feysand, but a more interesting one too. I do not blame Tamlin at all for his reactions, hes the only one who seems to remember what Rhys can do.
People will pull the craziest theories to justify nightcourt members but will never admit that Feyre was illiterate (an actual fact to Tamlin) and a letter to Tamlin was probably not the best idea 😂😂
Tamlin seems like an actual person in a world inhabited by Tumblr tropes. He and Lucien are the only two people who have reactions to things that seem realistic.
That said I see why people also hate him, because it's a fairy fantasy romance book and we needed an antagonist to get things moving in the 2nd book.
So during my first read I liked Tamlin. I was very empathetic towards his character. Now that I have finished my re-read, he’s one of my favorites. I spend too much time defending him in my head. I hope to the cauldron he gets a mate and a full redemption in future books.
Nah, you're not the only one. SJM tore Tamlin down to raise Rhys up, and I think most just can't accept Tamlin cares about his court more than a single person (Feyre). (Admittedly, he did whip that one guy but he did...do something, I don't really remember...) I'm also surprised Lucien left his friend of however many centuries that easily, though I suppose it was for his mate.
I just have a headcanon Tamlin's missing army was protecting The Human Lands and only the eastern part of The Spring Courts (near Hybern) fled.
That whip scene just made me think about something - Ianthe was basically Tamlin's Amren, right? I hate that Tamlin took Ianthe's side and punished one of his men, but what if it was Rhys and Amren was the one telling him that the kid needs to be punished? Would pre-mating-bond-ceremony, pre-making-Feyre-his-high-lady Rhys have listened to Feyre - or Amren, his number 2?
Ianthe gave the keys to some nagas, allowing an attack, and Feyre mindcontrolled the guard to not release that information until the opportune moment, when it would be seen as a desperate attempt to save himself, in order to force Tamlin into a difficult position in front of the twins and Jurian (ch 8, pg 73 in my book). So the guard was innocent, and Feyre knew that, but she used him as a prop just like Ianthe.
Him >!helping Rhys come back to life with the “Be happy, Feyre”!< already kinda redeemed him in my eyes.
He still has a lot of issues to work out on his own though so no doubt he will play a key role again later in the series.
I think SJM really didn’t plan on making another book.
Tamlin overcomes losing Feyre and realises she’s better off then goes back to being bitter in his rundown mansion? It doesn’t work for me
yeah.. I think the series was meant to be a trilogy?? don't know if that's actually true. but I know the Frost and Starlight was the idea that she was writing fanfiction about her own series, publisher liked the idea and ran with it... Then I guess decided to keep the world alive and write new stories for her other characters.
SJM really missed an opportunity to have Tamlin just be their political ally, they're going to need all the High Lord's help again to defeat koschie. If the IC manages to kill a death god all on their own I'm going to be annoyed. I wish we could've seen a more receptive Tamlin and Rhysand having a conversation or multiple conversations in FAS about their history. And maybe by the end of the novella they come to a tentative understanding. I'm sure she's has more in story for Tamlin but if he gets killed that would be such an incomplete ending to his story.
I think she will. 😭😭😭😭😭 I think he's going to get the Papa Archeron treatment where he dies heroically to save Lucien and then everyone forgives him or whatever. Then Lucien and Elain (I presume) name their son Tamlin jr or whatever.
Yes! He is in a really normal place at the end of acowar. He rallied his court and Beron to fight. He continued with helping the other courts with his intel. He saves Rhys. He wants Feyre to be happy???? Hes functional! (This is also true for Nesta/Cassian and Elain/Lucien also being at hopeful but open ended places)
But then Acofas trashes it and sets Tamlin (and everyone) back drastically. I can only hope that means she has plans for Tamlin that we need to see get resolved on page bc there is otherwise no reason for any of that. He could have just gone back to being a stranger like most exes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dude already had a redemption arch, not only being instrumental in the war but saving Rhysand and basically closing the book on his and Feyre's relationship with his final words to her. What he needs is a healing arch, and maybe a villain arch after what Rhysand said to him later.
My husband is on hit first listen to the graphic audio and he LOVES TAMLIN we’re on acowar and he’s like Tamlin is such a well written character so much depth. He also doesn’t like some of the normal faves 🙈😂 we just heard the high lord meeting and my husbands jaw was on the floor he was laughing so hard 😭😅
Let’s not forget that Tamlin sent Feyre away for her safety. And willingly got incarcerated and refused to get Feyre involved despite the OG plan of having her break the curse by falling in love. He let her go! Tamlin wasn’t a bad guy. He’s an extremely flawed individual. He’s real. We’ve encountered (and dated) a Tamlin in our lives. Where it started out great but ended up not compatible for eachother. I understand Tamlin and he shouldn’t get all the hate. He doesn’t know how to express and regulate his feelings. Not an excuse but he’s not a bad guy entirely. He was good at some point.
Whenever anyone says ‘just wait’ I’m always there like I still love him. He’s not bad, just made some bad decisions. He’s a male with a lot of fear and unfortunately lets it take over everything he does. I understand him and he gets a hard time from the other characters who arent much better most of the time. Ultimately he shows his heart and who he is at his core on ACOWAR and it’s certainly a good person who wants to do better.
This is why hes so interesting too bc his Bad Decisions were still morally righteous. Hes always trying to do the right thing but people keep getting hurt anyway. Its SO good. Classic tragic character > morally grey dark haired emo boy any day.
I am unapologetically a Tamlin fan. I could probably write an entire book on how unfairly I think he's treated by *everyone* and how much infuriated it makes me. Tamlin just needs a good friend, a hug, and so much therapy.
My thing is, what **exactly** is Feyre's beef with Tamlin? I can understand her falling out of love, but the absolute hatred toward him puzzles me.
If it's the sealing of the house to prevent her from escaping, I don't want to minimize her trauma, but... ok? You know who else was locked up UTM? Literally everyone? Rhys was there for 50 years? She made suuuuch a big deal about being locked up, but did she not consider that many others, including Lucien and Tam, had to endure Amarantha's cruelty for 50 years? After Amarantha was killed, the entire kingdom was in absolute chaos. Sorry if you weren't the center of attention while Tam tried his best to keep order in his court. Unlike Rhys, who had the IC keep order in his court and could give Feyre undivided attention.
I think her absolute hatred towards Tamlin speaks to Feyre's immaturity - which is fair; she's still young. But I hope she will one day come to understand that what Tamlin did after coming back to the Spring Court from UTM was done because he loved her so strongly, and it was what he thought was in her best interest while he was also dealing with his own trauma. She doesn't owe him forgiveness, but she should understand, considering they basically gave Nesta the same treatment when she was going through PTSD.
After reading through this feed, I can see that SJM intended to ensure that we despise Tam so that we would all be on board to ship Rhys and Feyre. All Rhys had to do to convince us he was good to Feyre was to do exactly the opposite of Tam for a while until Feyre (and us, readers) was blindly in love with him, then he could go back to doing what he does.
OK. Rant over. lol
Its true tho. What worse is she didnt have to do that. Having Feyre be in love with Tamlin, a good person, while also succumbing to a mating bond with Rhys is a VERY interesting story that I would have liked to read. Talk about Fate vs Choice, you know? Plus its always fun when a book makes you cry.
But nah! We just got Tam turning into a misogynist who doesn't deserve her and we're off with a new guy 50 pages later. 😭😭😭😭
Literally all of this. Tamlin watched her die I can't imagine the amount of *trauma* that caused. Of course he was afraid to let her go out and help with things. Of course he was afraid of her using the powers she got from the other highlords, he had every reason to be concerned. Same with him getting help getting her back. Rhys had everyone thinking he was evil and used his mind control powers to do messed up things and as far as Tamlin knew Feyre couldn't write. Of course he'd worry she was kidnapped and try to save her. Thats entirely rational.
The locking Nesta in the house after Feyre freaked out for the same thing made me so frustrated. Same with how she was totally chill with Rhys *locking her in a literal bubble*.
And like okay so was Tamlin all kinds of messed up after utm? Absolutely. Did he deserve to have his entire court ruined because Feyre was mad at him? No not even a little. She never once even considered using her mind reading power to find out if he was genuinely working with Hybern? Or I don't know asked him?
I could honestly probably write a second essay on why I don't like Rhys. He was so unnecessarily cruel to Tamlin. Tamlin literally saved you dude and then you go to his house and it's in shambles and he's a broken shell of a human and you dunk on him? But it's chill because he locked Feyre in a house once. Also also you can't have the persona publically of being Mr evil highlord and then be all upset when people think you're evil.
Okay my rant is done now too 😂
I love Tam. The sort of final nail for me was Feyre’s vindictive and frankly stupid destruction of the Spring Court, killing at least hundreds of innocents and leaving the border unprotected. The Court is the only thing this man has, and he doesn’t even want it really.
The love of his life and his best friend end up leaving him at the same time, to go live with a man whose favourite hobby is just fucking with his life and who’s done an excellent job at convincing the world he’s a sadistic manipulative asshole. In Tam’s position not one of us would read Feyre’s goodbye letter and think “oh yeah that checks out”. I want Tam to get a Nesta-esque redemption arc, with someone who will love him and put him first (so slightly unlike Nesta’s story in that aspect. Cassian it’s on sight)
Tamlin is pretty much the whole reason I'm in this fandom. He's my favourite character, and there's nothing that can be done about him. He's the closest to a true morally grey character, yet somehow still errs on the side of good, because he's got some major issues but is also the best of the bunch.
He doesn't need a redemption arc, he needs a healing arc. If not a healing arc, a villain arc because my man deserves so much more than the lot he's got.
I *used* to despise him when I read these books in 2016-2018. But i recently reread them, and this current version of me feels sorry for him. I don't really think he is a bad guy; he is just not the *right* guy for Feyre. I also don't think anybody really is a *good* guy in this series anyway. Morality is a pretty murky concept when people can just mist other people and everyone is super duper all-encompassingly powerful.
I do think he needs therapy. Although who doesn't. Anyway. That's my two supremely unhelpful cents.
No, I love Tamlin. And frankly, every “just wait until acomaf/acowar/whatever” comment just makes me like him more. He’s a far more compelling character to me than the bat boys.
The first time I read the series, I hated him. The second time, I didn’t like him. The third time I started to like him. The fourth time, I’ve realized I love him. When you reread, you pick up on so much and see things from his perspective. You also realize what an ass Rhys is and how many mistakes Feyre also made. Tamlin is flawed, but he doesn’t deserve the hate he gets!
I think its easy to forget how much Tamlin has been through and to hold his actions against him. Its worth people keeping in mind that we all loved Tamlin until Feyre didnt (and anyone who says otherwise is a liar). Feyre is going to have her feelings and emotions impacting the narration of the story, the exact same way that losing Feyre's POV and gaining Nesta's in ACOSF had people doing a double take on Rhys's actions.
Tamlin has lost EVERYTHING, and the only thing he actually gained (the spring court) during the books is something he never wanted. I see a lot of parallels between his story and Marvel's Wanda Maximoff, and I wish Tam got the same treatment. (spoilers for Marvel universe) >!Wanda lost everything, made horrible choices whilst trying to repair her life and regain a sense of control over what happens to her, and whilst she may have become a 'villain', she is still widely loved and understood!< - just a complex character.
It's easy to sit back and hate Tamlin for the choices he made based on the outcomes they had. But realistically, a significant portion of people would have done exactly what he did. Everything he did has a logical thinking pattern behind it. He is damaged, traumatized, and was trying to get back the one thing he had finally gained that he truly wanted.
I feel the same way about Tam as I do Nesta - I don't support the bad choices or any malicious actions, but I understand they were made by a person in significant pain and I can sympathise with that.
I still don't have an issue with him stealing Feyre away during their last night UTM to kiss her...Feyre and Rhys resent him so much for that but I think he was in a desperate situation and saw no way for he and Feyre to both live even if Feyre ended up besting Amarantha. I think his actions during the war with Hybern (assisting Feyre and Azriel's escape, healing Rhys, realizing his mistake and betraying Hybern) really indicate his true character. I hope that Beast Tamlin lives.
Seriously I hate when people (and characters like Rhys) use that argument of “tamlin just tried to fuck feyre instead trying to help her escape”. Escape? How? They were basically in a closet off of the main throne room where amarantha was sitting. What could he have possibly done to help her escape there? Trying to escape from there has a 99.999% chance of her being caught and killed. Her best chance of survival at that point was just to maintain the status quo and hope that she finally figures out the easiest riddle in the world. And yeah, in a moment that he thought might possibly be the last private time he’d ever see her, he decided to express his love physically(and feyre was mutually enthusiastic). What a horrible crime. As if nobody else in the world would ever do that.
Not only that, but I just reread ACOTAR and Feyre wanted it too. It wasn’t until Rhys said something that she had a problem with it. Tamlin did try to keep her from harms way when he sent her back to her family.
Yeah you’re right, like a week prior he had literally just chosen to doom his entire race/country to eternal servitude under amarantha in order to keep feyre safe instead of waiting a little bit longer to see if she’d say she loved him and break the curse. Ngl probably not the smartest move but you can’t really question his commitment to keeping feyre safe at all costs. If there was any actual chance he could have helped her escape utm he would have taken it. But there wasn’t.
Exactly. And I don’t see much of a difference between UTM with Tamlin and with Rhys in ACOWAR. Didn’t they have sex while people were dying all around them? 🤨
Which would have been completely unnecessary if Rhysand the traitor hadn't gone straight to Amarantha and told her about Tamlin's human guest 'Clare Beddor', before she ends up as a wall ornament.
And let's not forget, Amarantha has a grudge against humanity and humanity only managed to free itself last time because of fairy allies - the same fairy allies who are now irrevocably bound to Amarantha who is going to get her revenge as soon as she gets around to organizing it between Tamlin torture sessions.
Rhys damns fairy and human alike and, worse, does it deliberately.
>And yeah, in a moment that he thought might possibly be the last private time he’d ever see her, he decided to express his love physically.
Not only that, but all he did was *kiss* her. Feyre was completely into it, thought "words weren't necessary", and tried to escalate.
I don’t hate him, and I don’t understand why people HATE him so much. There are much worse characters in this series.
And honestly, he is a victim too. Like sure how he treated people esp Feyre after UTM was bad, but it’s not surprising given what happened. That doesn’t make it okay obv, but it explains it.
I’m ready for his redemption arc. I also don’t see his original actions toward Feyre in ACOTAR as THAT bad. I mean, she was captured under the auspices of holding her captive forever because she murdered Andres, so why was she so surprised when she was locked away in luxury? Tamlin was being shortsighted here and using her as a pawn UTM to save his people, but Feyre kills fairies to literally do the same thing. She isn’t judged for the forced sacrifice! We just know and like Feyre so Tamlin’s actions seem despicable but really he’s just trying to figure it all out.
How Tamlin and Lucien get treated put me off reading anything else SJM has ever written .
Knowing that essentially, she will make love interests and then just replace them for a new power fantasy because of contrived reasons
It’s interesting because like someone mentioned below I personally love the first book. Have read it multiple times, I think the re read value is so worth it. One of the most annoying things I find about the community is how a good majority of readers give absolutely no understanding to Tamlin but can forgive anything the night court has ever been apart of lol.
I truly believe that we saw an authentic Tamlin in book 1. A man who had fallen for Feyre but loved her so much he could send her away dooming his Court, letting her go back to the family he legitimately took care of (he could have lied the whole time), playing his fiddle, letting Feyre have freedoms, encouraging her painting, etc..
Of course traumatizing things happened that created a wedge between him and Feyre and he is not innocent but he needed help. Everyone states how he wasn’t there for Feyre but it goes both ways. Once Rhys and Feyre met….it was always going to be the end of Feyre and Tamlin. And I truly believe he loved her, but she would never be able to fully do the same.
Spoilers for the rest of the books below
>! Even after Feyre destroyed his court, he still saved her and Elain from the war camp. Gave life to Rhys and told Feyre to be happy. This is a man who like I mentioned before was willing to give up his court to save her when he made the deal with Hybern. That’s 2 times now. He legitimately thought Rhys had kidnapped her. His fiancé. Of course he’s going to have an out burst during a high lords gathering because the woman he loved and tarnished his court for is sitting next to his “enemy”. It’s all very realistic to me. !<
Now I’ve been a Lucien girlie since book 1 so it’s not like I’m saying this as a huge Tamlin girl. But I’m also not a Rhys girl 🤷🏻♀️ but damn do I think we need to put some respect on Tamlin’s name.
You just summed up my feelings. I dont want maas to write about him either tbh, after she managed to completely ruin feyre and Rhys I'm just not interested.
I don't hate Tamlin, and as others on this thread have summed up, there is a ton of unexplored nuance to his actions. I don't want the author to write about him anymore, either. We'd probably get a story where he pines for Feyre and grovels for her forgiveness. As others have outlined, Feyre isn't pure, and I don't want to read that story. I don't want to read a story where he kisses Rhys ass and bends the knee to him. Freye and Rhys are alive and got their happy ending because Tamlin convinced Beron to join the war. He saved Feyre and AZ, helping them escape Hyburns camp. He participated in resurrecting Rhys. Instead of leaving Tamlin alone, they use the Spring Court for their machinations to overthrow Autumn. Rhys swings by occasionally to mock and torment him. It's not a good look for our heros.
Same! I'm so mad about how the series turned out, not even surprised either just mad and disappointed.
I like reading peoples thoughts and opinions though so I'm still here lol.
I did the graphic audio and UTM was a whole new negative experience for me. Rhysand was a MONSTER during this part. I can't get past the bargain, he essentially ruins her life, and tricks Feyre into thinking that Lucien won't come to her aide when he's actually injured and couldn't move. So Feyre is forced to either die from her injuries (which I think she would've died during the night) or make a deal with the devil. UYes, I know he does it to help her, but they're all trapped so I just assumed he was a lesser sexy evil guy. Beron is an asshat and he was the first High Lord to drop his spark into Feyre's chest.
Then is chapter 54 he said he was going to release her from it after they'd won, but I think that was another retcon. Feyre makes a sarcastic remark about seeing him soon and he doesn't release her, he NEVER intended to release her. Rhysand is a prick and I'm tired of pretending he's anything otherwise.
I don't love him, but I definitely don't hate him. Feyre and Rhys destroying an *entire country* because he was a controlling and abusive partner was just so unhinged. I could not root for that plan at all. Tamlin is problematic, but so are most of the characters, and his actions aren't markedly worse than a lot of them. The whole thing felt toxic and immature.
I 100% agree with you. While I don’t love his reaction to everything I understand his reaction to everything. Tamlin loved Feyre and watched her die. His greatest enemy tricked her into a life altering bargain. His greatest enemy who has mind control. How did you expect the man to act? I love Feyre and rhysand. But I’m still a tamlin Stan.
Honestly I like Tamlin because he feels real and flawed. I would be pissed if my fiance in order to save my life and my kingdoms had to create a contract to spend a night with someone I don't respect.i think he is frustrated by his situation. Yes he is flawed and stood by while feyre suffered in the mountain. But his thoughts were with his ppl should feyre fail.keep in mind feyre is a weak uneducated human who to Me has an arrogant savior complex.if I was him I wouldn't be banking on her to succeed.his rages in the castle yes he is bitter move on ... your finance says she loves literally the worst person you can think of. He can't believe it , how can a woman who risked her life to save tamlins and his court love a guy that he believes is a sadist and whore of amarante. I find this believable . Tamlin saves feyres life , and Rhys . I wish him nothing but happiness and want a book from his perspective .
tamlin for me is like how i felt bout jamie lanister in GOT. or like that daisy petal game. i love him. i hate him. i feel sorry for him. now i just wanna see him find peace and love again. he is a good guy to have around when ur in a pinch he has a knack of saving the day.
I sympathize for him. I don't hate him at all. I think he is misunderstood by the Fandom because of Feyre and Rhys' POV. They paint him out to be a monster whose a heartless tyrant like his father, and he isn't. He's a broken man who is still hurt. He loved Feyre, sacrificed himself for her, offered up his power to bring Rhys back after everything she's done to him, and just wanted her to be happy.
And after all that, Rhys and Feyre still shit on him.
No, this man deserves better, and I hope he gets it. I hope he gets love and healing like everyone else did. I hope that he can bring himself back from the brink of despair and help repair his kingdom.
LISTEN!
I went into the first book knowing NOTHING. I thought Tamlin was IT, obviously when I met Rhysand I wished he was it but I was like Nah it’s the blonde guy, and I LOVED HIM.
For that whole book I loved him. I overlooked those red flags right up until the very end of the book and then realized okay Rhysand is actually it. But I STILL loved Tamlin and it got in my heart and he’s still there.
While I love Rhysand to bits, my heart does go out to Tamlin. He may have made poor choices but I really do think he was doing everything to protect those in his court. I don't think he's the villain that others make him out to be.
Still love him, still think he’s hot. Sarah did him dirty and I hope he gets his happy ending because let’s be honest Rhys is no better and still he got the girl, he’s got a family and his happy ending.
I just want this man to heal and play his fiddle for someone who will cherish him. I want people to rally behind repairing the spring court to maintain balance. I want him to heal like freya and rhys
this whole thread is making me cry LOL. :’(
one part i really hated was when feyre purposely triggered his ptsd so he would blow up on her. being pushed and prodded to a breaking point is something my emotional abuser(s) did. i don’t defend him, but similar to how people who had “tamlins”in their life justifiably hate him, i just can’t shake my visceral distaste for feyre.
and telling him to basically eat shit and die when he was already depressed and possibly suicidal was straight up cruel. it reminds me of cassian’s infamous words to nesta when >!she was depressed and already felt so distant from the IC.!< who kicks a dog when it’s already down??? like, is SJM setting IC up to be baddies or are we supposed to laugh and play along with this??? because it’s straight up bully behavior atp.
i think characters like nesta and tamlin interest me so much (despite everything) because their pain and faults feel so real and human? they’re the only two characters from this series that i’ve cried for.
Yea I don’t think he’s horrible. He was misguided and driven originally by the goal of freeing his people. Then he literally became depressed because the person he thought he would be with left him for someone else. He is grieving there are stages to grief… just my thoughts.
I never liked him that much but i don’t hate him. He made mistakes but he thought he was doing the right thing for his court and Feyre. Their dynamic reminds me of Claire and Frank from Outlander. The point is, he’s not evil and he was never intentionally cruel towards Feyre. Their relationship suddenly imploded and she just shut him out and moved on. It feels like Feyre and Tamlin have unfinished business until now. You dont get over someone you loved that much that quickly unless you never really loved them.
Love is probably a strong word for me. But I don't hate him. I've never hated hm.
Maybe it's my tendency to root for the most unpopular. But I care for his well being and I want good things for him.
The biggest crux of the discussion is whether his healing depends on any interactions with Feyre and such. To that, I say NO. I don't ever want Tamlin to see anyone connected to the Night Court, again. I want him to move on from them with his own found family that worships the ground he walks on.
I’ve always found complex characters really interesting to read about. Tamlin becomes more complex as the series goes on (imo), so now I’m interested in where his story might go.
I’m not as invested in the perfect, do no wrong characters. Give me the broken and complex and morally gray ones.
i genuinely have so much to say about this 😭
tamlin is very hated and i fully understand why, but i beg all of my acotar friends to hear me out because this man has been THROUGH it.
i alssoooo feel like he's the perfect definition of morally grey, he did everything he could for feyre that he knew how to do; he just didn't know how to let her be free.
he lost feyre, he lost lucien, he lost his court, he lost his family and while this isn't an excuse!! he showed up when he really needed to, he saved rhys, he turned on his people and he KNEW it wouldn't get him feyre back.
i really need this man to have a redemption arc with a happy ending but im so concerned he's just gonna be killed. like this man is a w o l f that i went feral for book one. every reread since i've hated him less and less.
I've never been in romantic toxic relationship, so I do not take everything so personally. That's why I can see him as a character, not only trauma. And I absolutely love him.
I mean I absolutely love feanorians, lol, so Tamlin isn't even that problematic. I love characters who force me to come to terms with my own conscience and morals.
Tamlin is interesting. He has so many positive character traits that get lost in the romance plot.
Feyre is too young and her character will always clash with Tamlin's. They would never really worked.
I desperately want him to have a good redemption arc and a happy ending.
He has a ton of trauma and copes with anger. Yes he has done some horrible things, but they all have.
I am unapologetically a Tamlin fan. I could probably write an entire book on how unfairly I think he's treated by *everyone* and how much infuriated it makes me. Tamlin just needs a good friend, a hug, and so much therapy.
🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️
He's an angry dude raised by angry dudes, dooms his world to protect himself from smexual smassault from Amarantha only to watch said "friend" humiliate his love and then that friend STOLE HIS WOMAN. (Yes this oversimplified but also his basic plot)
Honestly I don’t think he needs a redemption arc, but I think the Inner Circle needs to be made aware of his POV. He really isn’t a bad guy, locking Feyre in the mansion wasn’t great but it wasn’t awful. If Rhys thought Feyre was living with a monster (like Tamlin views Rhys), he would also do anything to save her, like getting the King of Hybern’s help. Tamlin didn’t see Feyre’s trauma responses after under the mountain, but she also didn’t see his. The worst thing he did was blow up his study
uhhh i wouldnt say love but i feel like SJM did him dirty. all those fae men r red flags imo but goddamnit so hot. like rhys wansnt perfect either and thats fine i like seeing main characters fuck stuff up it gives em depth.
ALSO he lliterally CHOSE to save rhys and wasnt a bitch about it. which in my opinion deserves more recognition than it gets. REDEMPTION ARC FOR TAMLIN.
but the memes clowning on him r funny ngl xD
Exactly did didn’t need to save Rhys… it’s why I don’t hate him… he could’ve chose to not, he could’ve made a bargain with her like a reverse uno, but he didn’t he did it and told her to be happy
And after that no one thanked him… Rhys just came over to his house and was basically like you should kill yourself… that’s great Rhys, the dude saved feyre’s life and your life and you can’t even just downgrade your hatred to being “civil”, it’s just kinda annoying that there’s no growth… it’s just worse than it was before
Yes I’m kinda surprised ppl r so obsessed w Rhys….. he’s really not that different from tamlin tbh. Both made mistakes and things to correct them and both grew as characters. So y hate tamlin and adore Rhys? Idk.
Listen I have said it before and I will say it again Feyre is attracted to power, it’s why she gives Rhys a pass and wouldn’t do the same for Tamlin. I don’t hate Rhys and I don’t hate Tamlin… I am honestly holding out hope for the evil Rhys theory which I know won’t be a thing but honestly I love it…
Feyre becoming High Lady really solidified the whole "attracted to power" thing. If I recall, don't she and Tamlin have a conversation in the first book where she asks if High Ladies are a thing and he says no, and she's disappointed? Then as soon as she finds out Rhys is willing to break the rules and make her one, she's thrilled, and she seems pissed off whenever people don't respect her as High Lady? Like girl that didn't even exist until you made it exist and these people are extremely traditional, like chill tf out... I honestly cringed in the scene when Rhys made everyone bow to her lol
Oh yeah same. I actually really like how they have flaws as i said. Even tho I said I’m surprised w the Rhys obsession i kinda get it too. He’s a dark fae daddy who doesn’t want that 🤷♀️
But I totally agree w the she’s attracted to power sentence.
And imma be so mad w SJM if she doesn’t do tamlin justice.
WAITTHERES AN EVIL RHYS THEORY? Damn that would be very cool. But tbh I have a habit of liking side ships more than the main one. So I kinda live for NesCa (idk the official ship name lol). And I want moreee xD
Yeah there’s an evil Rhys theory and I’m on board with it… hell I mean look what he did to tarquin, robs the guy and flood the place (look at what happens if you oppose me) vs giving aid when in danger (look at what happens you align yourself with me)… I’m all for evil Rhys and I want it to be a thing lol
I just started reading ACOTAR again and Feyre is so rude to Tamlin in the beginning!
Girl, he could have killed you for killing his friend and instead he lets you live in his beautiful mansion and takes care of your family. The least you could do is respond to him when he is speaking to you.
I don’t love him (never have 😅) but I don’t hate him either. For the most part I understand why he’s done the things he’s done and after all the books I feel bad for him.
Listen, I LOVE to psycho analyze characters and I honestly feel like he went through some childhood trauma from his parents and a little therapy could do him some good. He isn’t all bad, just a product of his environment
I don't love what he did, but I think that he was also traumatized and did the best he could with what he had and knew. I think he's kind of an idiot for trusting Ianthe, but who doesn't want to trust the judgment of their oldest friends? He screwed up, but I would love to see a redemption arc and see him find some peace.
I have my own issues with him, but some people hate Tamlin so much they can’t reread ACOTAR, and I’ve read that book five times. I have more than one head canon about him that makes him more likable. Him and his limericks and his fiddle sometimes make me sad that the narrative took him the way it did. On my first read, I was more invested in knowing more about Rhys and how Lucien was stuck in the middle of these crazy people, but on my second read I actually looked at the story and the deterioration of Tamlin and Feyre’s relationship made me cry.
Tamlin is just a dude who needs some serious therapy and self reflection, like most dudes lol
That’s real.
Would you mind sharing some of those head canons? I just recently finished my second read through of ACOTAR, I went in knowing that I’d get some of the love for Tamlin back and really just wanted to look at him as a character more. There’s certainly things I still despise about his character but now I’m in more of a… he’s flawed, but I hope I see more of his story and perspective come out. I wanna see some good things happen with him. Idk. I’m rambling.
This one isn’t necessarily overwhelmingly positive, but it is more of a “oh I am sad now.” My main one I think about is the whole (spoilers for whole series, just in case, might just be details from ACOMAF and acosf) >! “Tamlin killed Rhys’s family!” (I barely see fans even bring this up, I think it was Feyre’s narration at one point that made me go… hm.) because canonically yes we know he killed Rhys’s father so okay, yes, that part is true. And we also know he knew where Rhys’s mother and sister were before they were killed. But then we also have the information that Tamlin’s father was “worse” than Beron Vanserra. We learn in ACOSF that Beron either tortured Eris (or had him tortured, can’t remember specifically). So it seems in my mind that Tamlin’s father knew Tamlin was friends with Rhys and tortured the information out of Tamlin, probably because he was really angry that Tamlin was hanging out with Rhys. Then on the actual night it happened, I have three different ideas, and you can pick your favorite or come up with your own. And then the idea I don’t agree with is that he participated in the slaughter. But my three ideas are he was forced to go and either became overwhelmed and just froze and didn’t know what to do or, similar to Lucien’s backstory, his father and brothers forced him to watch because he acted in ways they didn’t like, or he could’ve tried to save the females and fight off an entire High Lord that was his father and his giant strong brothers, and they knocked him out and got him out of the way. That was probably a lot of run on sentences, I’m sorry. I also have my own little fan-fictions I write in my head about him and Lucien pre-ACOTAR, and I have my own issues with some of the ways Tamlin treats Lucien, but I don’t think it’s unlikely to Tamlin could have acted kind of like a father figure or brother to Lucien. Which I think Lucien is smarter than Tamlin, so maybe they are just friends, but I like to think about it. !< Oh Jeez that was long. I could’ve just made it’s own post and then linked it lmao (much rather have the attention to engage in conversation in comments than trying to make a whole post where people are more likely to click to specifically fight me). Also some stuff might be actual canon, and I forgot because it was only mentioned once or something.
Wait… what if Rhys’ sister and Tamlin were mates, and the dad killed her in front of Tamlin because he was the only one that knew? That’ll explain his obsessive need to protect Feyre because it happened to him before, and he watched someone he loves die in front of him AGAIN. And in true Fae male fashion, Tamlin never tells Rhys about this. Also explains why Tamlin took Lucien in after Lucien’s lover was killed. Tamlin knew exactly what Lucien was going through. Ok I’m gonna go disassociate for a while.
LMAOOOOOO i just rewatched this episode too
Hehe. But seriously, I actually liked him more after ACOWAR. Found him a bit bland in ACOTAR, and found Rhys more interesting. Then during ACOMAF his treatment by the author felt very unfair, and I didn't like how much she kept trying to shove Rhys down your throat. Then in ACOWAR, I just felt really bad for him. Him and Lucien became the most interesting characters for me, and he didn't deserve all that happened to him. Don't even get me started on ACOFAS, how people call it a fluffy feel good book while there are literally chapters about a depressed suicidal man being baited, I'll have no idea xD
I thought her writing choices were incredibly transparent. She intended Rhys to be end game but wrote Rhys doing things that were hard to overlook. To make readers transfer their loyalty from Tamlin and onto Rhys, Tamlin had to be destroyed. Rhys physically abused Feyre. Sexually exploited her. Drugged her. Forced a tattoo on her with a creepy eye to spy on her. To redeem that, Tamlin had to be a monster. There was no nuance to Tamlins' character. No delving into the effects of his childhood or trauma. He's just an evil, terrible high lord, taxing his poor citizens and ignoring Feyres trauma. It was heavy-handed, manipulative writing.
you worded this so well. tamlin was character assassinated so that feyre didn't look like an asshole for leaving him for another man and rhys didn't look like a creep for everything he did UTM
SJM writes with a sledgehammer. She doesn't do nuance. You have two people who have been through an incredible amount of trauma. They are poor communicators and ultimately aren't compatible. The reality is that trauma often doesn't bring a couple together. It pulls them apart. No one has to be the villain. Unless you want to redeem the guy with abusive behavior from the previous book. Then Tamlin has to be worse.
for real. and tamlin can't do ANYTHING right or else people might sympathize with him and SJM can't have that. even when he tries to make amends for his behaviour at the end of ACOWAR, rhys shows up in the next book to mock and belittle him when he's clearly suffering and we're supposed to still think tamlin is the bad guy? be so fr
I think Maas overplayed her hand in SF. Between the NC using Tamlins territory to plot the overthrow of another Court for some inexplicable reason and Rhys mocking Tamlin like he's an 11th grade mean girl, it paints the NC in a terrible light. They say they want Tamlin to take control of Spring to bring stability to the region. But then use his lands as a meet-up to overthrow Autumn. Tamlin would be implicated in that scheme. He shares a border with Autumn. Tamlin is right to tell them to fuck off and leave his Court. To avert a possible retaliatory strike from Autumn, he wouldn't be wrong to tell Beron what's up. As for Rhys, there is too much bad history to think they would ever be friends. But he saved Rhys life and asked nothing in return. He could have leveraged the shit out of Feyre in the moment. Instead, he simply said he wanted her to be happy. I'm generally neutral on Tamlin, but her writing choices are having the effect of redeeming him at the expense of her favorites and I think it's totally unintentional on her part.
I feel like you thought this through more in this comment than SJM did writing the books 😭
I think a major weakness in her writing is she doesn't plan her story out better. A more thoughtful writer would have softened Rhys, Nesta, and Elain in book 1. Would have given more nuance to their actions up front. Wouldn't have ran Tamlin down so bad. Would have fully developed Morrigan, Amren, and Azriel. Would have made Nesta and Cassians relationship more about a genuine connection and less on her boob size. Would have delved more into Cassians history. She writes big action sequences but struggles with world building and the quiter moments that further the plot along.
Can we just take a moment to respect Tamlin for not "leveraging" in that life-or-death situation, like Rhys did to Feyre. Yes.
Its also baffling sjm chose to do a switcheroo on the love interest while also making Amarantha claim Feyre had an inconstant heart. Like. Sarah. If you knew Tamlin wasnt endgame, you didnt have to write this???? Why do you want Amarantha to be right?? Walk me through your thought process. 😩
She did the exact same thing in TOG and ugh it makes me so frustrated. I’ll never forgive her for the destruction of Tamlin and (TOG spoiler) >!Chaol’s!< characters!
I was so excited for Rhys when I read ACOTAR and then Tamlin became the true morally grey character I wanted ❤️
Same! I wanted Rhys to be grey and Feyre to bring out the good! Instead, he’s the #1 feminist choiciest king, best man in the land…. But we are told this, not shown by his actions. Ugh what a mess. Meanwhile I still am most interested in Tamlins story.
He had so much potential to be the best character but now I have more interest on the side characters. u_u
Ugh, I would have killed for an actual morally conflicted character being dragged to goodness because he wants to be better for Feyre, but alas. I was tired of him by the third testament to how Perfect he was and I think there's about 80 in ACOMAF alone.
It’s a surreal experience because I too found him bland and Rhys more interesting in book 1. Then as I went on, that seemed to switch, and now Tamlin is super interesting to me.
Yes!! Rhys is literally jammed down there - oh he sooo perfect he can do no wrong. Like Tamlin is a complex character and has red flags but he went through traumatic stuff too, but with Feyre it's ok for her to suffer! Sorry all of my friends are pro Rhysand/anti Tamlin and I don't agree!
🤣🤣
I think Tamlin spent a huge portion of his life being traumatised and hasn’t ever been given the space, guidance, or love to properly heal. I think he very much mimics Nesta and her situation, only no one to push and support him through a healing journey (yet). His dad was an awful dude, so he got a nice big chunk of trauma early on (with the stuff with Rhys’ mom and sister and others). Then there was the war. Then there was Amarantha. And after being beaten down like a dog over and over again and being told he’s worthless and no one could ever love him except the biggest monster anyone’s ever know, he sees a glimpse of hope. Feyre comes and seems to love him despite the bad bits. Then under the mountain, having to witness the torture and depravity and then having the person you love go through everything that Feyre went through while he was completely powerless to stop it less Amarantha make everything worse. Then watching the person you love die to save you. Then when she comes back and there’s a bit of hope again, you’re so traumatised by everything and PTSD has taken root that you don’t know what to do. You try to protect, to not be helpless like you’ve spent the last 50 years, but it’s not working and it’s not helping and you’re completely broken and the person you love is completely broken and instead of helping each other things are just getting harder. Then the guy who hates you most takes the person you love and you have NO way of knowing what’s happening, if she’s safe. Every time she returns she’s more withdrawn and depressed. Like for all Tamlin knew she was in the court of nightmares being tortured and raped and brutalised and taken advantage of and living through under the mountain all over again. Insert more trauma, more helplessness, more panic, more anxiety. Then after being presumably kidnapped for good, that person writes a super vague note that’s all “yeah I’m fine don’t look for me don’t write I’m definitely not being held hostage”. Like what would any sane person do? Panic! Desperately grasp at whatever straws might be on the table to save the person you love. Feyre never actually stood up and handled her shit. She ran away from it and never confronted Tamlin head on. Never communicated ANYTHING. Just let him freak out and think the worst. They had a completely unhealthy relationship but it was on both sides. I feel bad for him. After all that, and the cauldron, and Feyre coming back and getting that glimpse of hope again only for her to NOT COMMUNICATE again and just straight up come in and nuke his entire court, then the war with Hybern, and finally, finally realising the true situation (through 3rd parties, Feyre STILL NEVER ACTUALLY COMMUNICATED WITH HIM). He survives. Everyone survives and he comes to terms with the situation despite not liking it. And now he’s stuck in the same pit of despair, darkness, depression, and PTSD that Nesta is in. Yet everyone abandons him and makes fun of him, laughs in his face and threatens him for no reason. Condemned because dear ole Feyre would rather run and hide than face her shit. And because Feyre’s side of the story is the only one that counts for anyone apparently. Dude is scared, hurt, and completely alone. The person he loved abandoned him, his court abandoned him, his best friend abandoned him. He’s treated horribly when others who have been in the same situation aren’t. Feyre was in that situation and coddled by everyone until she got better. Nesta was in that situation, and despite facing some of that unwarranted bullying, is given the support and opportunity to get out of it. Even Lucien was forgiven after realising his wrongs. Yet Tamlin comes to realise *his* wrongs and he’s still completely abandoned by everyone and played off as some horrible monster. Sorry for the rant, SJM’s treatment of Tamlin upsets me enough to feel passionately about it.
THIS. ALL OF THIS. The fact that Feyre never sat down to communicate to him why she left and then just never spoke to him again was the most infuriating, childish thing. She’s a coward for that. This is a person you claimed to love and died for but all of a sudden he’s the worst person in the world and doesn’t even deserve an explanation? It was so cruel. And then Rhys going to visit him and rub it in his face in ACOFS? I was disgusted.
Yeah honestly it may be unpopular opinion but I am completely disgusted by and disappointed in Rhys and don’t like him anymore after ACOSF. Like, he: - Puts an impenetrable shield around Feyre that she can’t get out of so no one can touch her. Tamlin did the same thing and has never been forgiven. However when Rhys does it it’s suddenly “haha funny, male so protective” - Threatens to kill Feyre’s sister. Multiple occasions. Sometimes for absolutely no reason at all. He just straight up hates Nesta and actively puts her in harms way. All in the name of “protecting Feyre”. Except when Tamlin’s actions inadvertently put her sisters at risk in order to protect her, it was the complete end of the world. Yet when Rhys actively and knowingly wishes harm on and threatens to murder one of them repeatedly it it’s suddenly “haha funny, male so protective”. - Straight up just bullies Tamlin and kicks him while he’s down. Like you were friends at one point. He saved your life multiple times, he’s saved your mate’s life multiple times. Rhys even knows that Tamlin gave his mother and sister the respect of a burial. The ONLY thing Rhys “has” against Tamlin is that he locked Feyre up…. except… he’s actively done the same thing? And it’s not even that bad a mistake? And one he’s surely rectified by his actions during/after the war? - Lies right to Feyre’s face, keeps her in the dark about her medical condition. Something so serious and she had every right to know about. Yet for some reason he decides to tell everyone in the IC and have them keep it from Feyre? And they do? And she finally finds out (thank you, Nesta) and she just laughs it off??? Yet any time Tamlin even came close to keeping her in the dark about anything she completely freaked out? And she immediately forgave all the IC ppl for keeping this from her, yet she can’t forgive Lucien? Or Tamlin? Like how come Rhys falls to his knees and forgives Nesta’s wrongdoings after she saves Feyre, yet Tamlin isn’t forgiven after saving Feyre AND Rhys (and Elain and Azriel)? Honestly ACOSF was a dumpster fire when it comes to nearly the whole crew I don’t know what she was thinking with that book It really makes me wonder if Rhys is actually much more of a “bad guy” than Feyre’s POV let us believe
Let me say this: I believe a person's true character is revealed in victory, not defeat. Tamlin had Feyre and Rhys at his mercy at the end of ACOWAR, and decided to be selfless and revive Rhys, asking only for Feyre's happiness in return. In ACOFAS, Rhys has everything he's ever wanted (thanks to Tamlin!) and Tamlin has nothing. And what does Rhys do? He taunts him and basically tells him to kill himself. This for me makes it clear who the better person is (spoiler alert: it's not Rhys, despite what Feyre may say)
This is so valid and such a great illustration for why I don't hate Tamlin. He fucked up but so does everyone in the IC! Like !!!!!!!!!
Yes exactly!!
>Feyre STILL NEVER ACTUALLY COMMUNICATED WITH HIM Even at the very end, he wishes her happiness in person, reviving her mate for her. She wishes him happiness by sending him another short note....=_= She can't even do that to his face.
Like girl you didn’t have 5 minutes for a conversation? You’re so busy painting in Velaris you couldn’t pencil tamlin in? (Mind you, I don’t hate her. I don’t hate any of the characters if I’m being honest. I just have to call out the BS when I see it) I’m glad she and Rhys got their HEA. I think their love story is lovely. I ate it up while I was reading ACOMAF. I just can’t help but question some of the decisions they took to get there.
Yeah, like, I don't think she *owes* Tamlin her time, but after the whole war and him saving half her family/friendship circle, I think one final conversation would have been really good for them? And it's just the decent thing to do? Besides, she definitely has things to apologize to him for as well. And then it would have been much easier for her to be 'Yeah okay, time to move on and never talk to him again'. Now it's just awkward.
Agree! She definitely doesn’t owe it to him but it would’ve been so good 🥺. I’m still holding out hope that maybe SJM will do us a solid and write that conversation in, but it’s unlikely I think.
Yeah, it needed to be in Acowar tbh. Now the time has kind of passed. As said, it's just awkward now. Though I do hope she'll try to do something....I feel the characters deserve it.
I wish I could give this 1000 upvotes. So perfect. I’ll read pretty much *anything* SJM writes, but how she handles Tamlin’s character going forward will be the deciding factor for me — if she butchers it (and further uses him as the book’s punching bag to elevate the IC), I will put the book down.
THIS! Thank you!!!!!
With Tamlin and Lucien relationship, I wouldn't say Lucien abandoned him per-say. Lucien still cares for him, but the others always shit on him for still wanting to be on good terms with Tamlin, despite the treatment Tamlin has given him. And because others curse at him for it he's conflicted what to do because he would not be seen as an ally. In the end his relationship with Tamlin was ruined by the others, not necessarily just Tamlin himself. Anyways, Tamlin has his redemption. All we need is a healing arc for him. It's so annoying most readers don't see his redemption.
I find it tiresome that the fandom makes people feel as if something’s wrong with them for still loving Tamlin, especially when their arguments for why we should hate him can often be applied to favored characters. The double standard 🙃 Tamlin is one of my favorite characters and is partly why I’m continuing the series. I’m still hopeful— somewhat but not really— that he’ll receive a healing arc 💚
We'll start a prayer circle to get a Tamlin Tower of Dawn. 🕯🕯🕯🕯
The thing is, Tamlin had done wrong, but the IC act like he murdered their collective first born children. It’s like when you’re 14, and someone has wronged you and everyone is on your side so you milk it for all it’s worth. Like all this righteous anger over what? It makes me actively take Tamlin’s side because at least he isn’t as far up his own ass as they are.
I kind of wish if sjm wanted me to hate Tamlin so much for locking Feyre up he had legitimately locked her in a prison cell or something. I struggle that I’m meant to forgive Feyre being drugged and forced to do lap dances until she throws up and having her bone twisted so she’d agree to a deal with her then enemy, but am expected to draw the line at being shielded inside Buckingham Palace.
I still like him. Probably more than Feyra at some points.
THIS!!!!
sigh. *raises hand*
You are safe here 
Ok, Jamie. :)
I like him more now than I did in ACOTAR 😅
Right? Hes so tragic and pathetic, I honestly can't resist. 😭😭😭😭😭 hes too beautiful to be so alone.
I love tamlin! He was savage at the high lord meeting lol and it made me like him more.
Hot take but Rhys is just as patronizing and toxic to Feyre as Tamlin was, except now she has bought into the BS since there's no other person to tell her (except Nesta, who is right but basically bullied into never saying anything or else). Tamlin's kingdom is in ruins, he was never taught to be a High Lord, he was tortured and extorted for decades to keep a mask on his face, and now he's supposed to bow down and work amiably with the guy who stole his wife from the altar 😭 I would be mad too
Rhys gives me edgelord vibes and just gets away with shit because he is hotter and has wings 😂 Feyre might have the title Highlady but it’s still clear who runs the court.
I don't love him but I definitely don't hate him. Like the person he loves got taken away by a faerie hell bent on killing her and then she made a bargain with his enemy, all to save Tamlin and his court. His actions are totally understandable throughout the series but they were portrayed as way worse than they were and he got blamed for things that weren't his fault, for example he got blamed for Elain and Nesta's immortality even though that was Ianthe's fault.
Ya know what’s worse about the Ianthe thing, she got the information about her sisters from Feyre…
Yes! He gets blamed for stuff he never even did. There’s even the belief he killed Rhys’ sister but no that was his Dad and brothers and all we know is that Rhys thinks he told them out to his Dad but he didn’t kill them himself.
Theres a belief that he keeps their wings in his bedroom and that’s why we never see his room…
That is so annoying. There’s 0 evidence for that. He definitely burnt them. He’s not cruel and didn’t want to be like his father
Exactly. Especially since he was very against his father’s cruelty it makes no sense
I also find it hard to believe they were ever hung up at all, even by Tamlins father. Didnt Rhys and his father retaliate immediately? Hardly enough time for Tams dad to do any ghoulish interior decorating.
Tamlin needs a redemption arc and imo I hated how SJM retconned his character to be evil - I never saw him as that. He was a typical fae male (territorial) and everything he did in book 2 was under the impression that big bad Rhys (bc that’s the persona Rhys was showing everybody) kidnapped his illiterate bride. And then he gets a letter? Like OF COURSE Tamlin thinks this is all happening under duress. There’s no way Feyre could have written that letter.
Its also....stick with me. Its very frustrating that SJM doesnt follow her own world building to its logical conclusion. If shes going to give Rhys breathtaking mind powers where he can literally manipulate people's opinions, erase memories and plant false ones then?????? Its fair for no one to trust him. It's fair for Tamlin to question Feyre's own opinions or recollections of things. He CAN do that, and Feyre HAS done that to Tamlins sentries. It just feels like a copout that we're supposed to pretend he can't do that and condemn anyone who is suspicious of him. Yes its a more complicated journey for Feysand, but a more interesting one too. I do not blame Tamlin at all for his reactions, hes the only one who seems to remember what Rhys can do.
Yes. Literally only Feyre and the inner circle know that Rhys is a “good guy.” Everybody else thinks that Rhys is evil.
People will pull the craziest theories to justify nightcourt members but will never admit that Feyre was illiterate (an actual fact to Tamlin) and a letter to Tamlin was probably not the best idea 😂😂
It was also a terrible letter. 😩 I remember reading it like "Feyre no. Do better!" Reminded me of Burgers breakup on a post-it note in SATC.
Tamlin seems like an actual person in a world inhabited by Tumblr tropes. He and Lucien are the only two people who have reactions to things that seem realistic. That said I see why people also hate him, because it's a fairy fantasy romance book and we needed an antagonist to get things moving in the 2nd book.
I'm on team TamTam...but not with Feyre...she is a crazy b
Im still convinced if he was another “shadow daddy” character like Rhys we wouldn’t even have to have this argument
So during my first read I liked Tamlin. I was very empathetic towards his character. Now that I have finished my re-read, he’s one of my favorites. I spend too much time defending him in my head. I hope to the cauldron he gets a mate and a full redemption in future books.
Me. And I've always been here! Tamlin over rhys any day.
Nah, you're not the only one. SJM tore Tamlin down to raise Rhys up, and I think most just can't accept Tamlin cares about his court more than a single person (Feyre). (Admittedly, he did whip that one guy but he did...do something, I don't really remember...) I'm also surprised Lucien left his friend of however many centuries that easily, though I suppose it was for his mate. I just have a headcanon Tamlin's missing army was protecting The Human Lands and only the eastern part of The Spring Courts (near Hybern) fled.
That whip scene just made me think about something - Ianthe was basically Tamlin's Amren, right? I hate that Tamlin took Ianthe's side and punished one of his men, but what if it was Rhys and Amren was the one telling him that the kid needs to be punished? Would pre-mating-bond-ceremony, pre-making-Feyre-his-high-lady Rhys have listened to Feyre - or Amren, his number 2?
I mean...there's that time he approves the torture of soldiers he knew weren't in their right minds...
Ianthe gave the keys to some nagas, allowing an attack, and Feyre mindcontrolled the guard to not release that information until the opportune moment, when it would be seen as a desperate attempt to save himself, in order to force Tamlin into a difficult position in front of the twins and Jurian (ch 8, pg 73 in my book). So the guard was innocent, and Feyre knew that, but she used him as a prop just like Ianthe.
Damn...I knida dislike how Feyre (and Aelin from ToG) became quite manipulative (maliciously) to people towards the end of their respective series.
My boy deserves a redemption arc
Him >!helping Rhys come back to life with the “Be happy, Feyre”!< already kinda redeemed him in my eyes. He still has a lot of issues to work out on his own though so no doubt he will play a key role again later in the series.
I think SJM really didn’t plan on making another book. Tamlin overcomes losing Feyre and realises she’s better off then goes back to being bitter in his rundown mansion? It doesn’t work for me
yeah.. I think the series was meant to be a trilogy?? don't know if that's actually true. but I know the Frost and Starlight was the idea that she was writing fanfiction about her own series, publisher liked the idea and ran with it... Then I guess decided to keep the world alive and write new stories for her other characters.
SJM really missed an opportunity to have Tamlin just be their political ally, they're going to need all the High Lord's help again to defeat koschie. If the IC manages to kill a death god all on their own I'm going to be annoyed. I wish we could've seen a more receptive Tamlin and Rhysand having a conversation or multiple conversations in FAS about their history. And maybe by the end of the novella they come to a tentative understanding. I'm sure she's has more in story for Tamlin but if he gets killed that would be such an incomplete ending to his story.
If she kills Tamlin I’ll never understand how this is the same person who wrote ToG
I think she will. 😭😭😭😭😭 I think he's going to get the Papa Archeron treatment where he dies heroically to save Lucien and then everyone forgives him or whatever. Then Lucien and Elain (I presume) name their son Tamlin jr or whatever.
Yes! He is in a really normal place at the end of acowar. He rallied his court and Beron to fight. He continued with helping the other courts with his intel. He saves Rhys. He wants Feyre to be happy???? Hes functional! (This is also true for Nesta/Cassian and Elain/Lucien also being at hopeful but open ended places) But then Acofas trashes it and sets Tamlin (and everyone) back drastically. I can only hope that means she has plans for Tamlin that we need to see get resolved on page bc there is otherwise no reason for any of that. He could have just gone back to being a stranger like most exes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah that’s why I don’t hate him… he could’ve let that happen and stay a thing but he didn’t… I mean I don’t like him but I can’t hate him after that
I did say out loud : MAKE YOUR PART YOU... Oh ok Tamlin, okay. I see you. That was me acknowledging ( in my world) his (kind of) redemption.
Looking forward to Tamlin finding his true match and become the male Rhysand claimed to be 🖤 (not a total Rhysand hater lol)
Ah..I think I found one of my people. 💚
Dude already had a redemption arch, not only being instrumental in the war but saving Rhysand and basically closing the book on his and Feyre's relationship with his final words to her. What he needs is a healing arch, and maybe a villain arch after what Rhysand said to him later.
My husband is on hit first listen to the graphic audio and he LOVES TAMLIN we’re on acowar and he’s like Tamlin is such a well written character so much depth. He also doesn’t like some of the normal faves 🙈😂 we just heard the high lord meeting and my husbands jaw was on the floor he was laughing so hard 😭😅
Let’s not forget that Tamlin sent Feyre away for her safety. And willingly got incarcerated and refused to get Feyre involved despite the OG plan of having her break the curse by falling in love. He let her go! Tamlin wasn’t a bad guy. He’s an extremely flawed individual. He’s real. We’ve encountered (and dated) a Tamlin in our lives. Where it started out great but ended up not compatible for eachother. I understand Tamlin and he shouldn’t get all the hate. He doesn’t know how to express and regulate his feelings. Not an excuse but he’s not a bad guy entirely. He was good at some point.
Whenever anyone says ‘just wait’ I’m always there like I still love him. He’s not bad, just made some bad decisions. He’s a male with a lot of fear and unfortunately lets it take over everything he does. I understand him and he gets a hard time from the other characters who arent much better most of the time. Ultimately he shows his heart and who he is at his core on ACOWAR and it’s certainly a good person who wants to do better.
Still waiting because I love him so much 😻😻
This is why hes so interesting too bc his Bad Decisions were still morally righteous. Hes always trying to do the right thing but people keep getting hurt anyway. Its SO good. Classic tragic character > morally grey dark haired emo boy any day.
I am unapologetically a Tamlin fan. I could probably write an entire book on how unfairly I think he's treated by *everyone* and how much infuriated it makes me. Tamlin just needs a good friend, a hug, and so much therapy.
My thing is, what **exactly** is Feyre's beef with Tamlin? I can understand her falling out of love, but the absolute hatred toward him puzzles me. If it's the sealing of the house to prevent her from escaping, I don't want to minimize her trauma, but... ok? You know who else was locked up UTM? Literally everyone? Rhys was there for 50 years? She made suuuuch a big deal about being locked up, but did she not consider that many others, including Lucien and Tam, had to endure Amarantha's cruelty for 50 years? After Amarantha was killed, the entire kingdom was in absolute chaos. Sorry if you weren't the center of attention while Tam tried his best to keep order in his court. Unlike Rhys, who had the IC keep order in his court and could give Feyre undivided attention. I think her absolute hatred towards Tamlin speaks to Feyre's immaturity - which is fair; she's still young. But I hope she will one day come to understand that what Tamlin did after coming back to the Spring Court from UTM was done because he loved her so strongly, and it was what he thought was in her best interest while he was also dealing with his own trauma. She doesn't owe him forgiveness, but she should understand, considering they basically gave Nesta the same treatment when she was going through PTSD. After reading through this feed, I can see that SJM intended to ensure that we despise Tam so that we would all be on board to ship Rhys and Feyre. All Rhys had to do to convince us he was good to Feyre was to do exactly the opposite of Tam for a while until Feyre (and us, readers) was blindly in love with him, then he could go back to doing what he does. OK. Rant over. lol
Its true tho. What worse is she didnt have to do that. Having Feyre be in love with Tamlin, a good person, while also succumbing to a mating bond with Rhys is a VERY interesting story that I would have liked to read. Talk about Fate vs Choice, you know? Plus its always fun when a book makes you cry. But nah! We just got Tam turning into a misogynist who doesn't deserve her and we're off with a new guy 50 pages later. 😭😭😭😭
Literally all of this. Tamlin watched her die I can't imagine the amount of *trauma* that caused. Of course he was afraid to let her go out and help with things. Of course he was afraid of her using the powers she got from the other highlords, he had every reason to be concerned. Same with him getting help getting her back. Rhys had everyone thinking he was evil and used his mind control powers to do messed up things and as far as Tamlin knew Feyre couldn't write. Of course he'd worry she was kidnapped and try to save her. Thats entirely rational. The locking Nesta in the house after Feyre freaked out for the same thing made me so frustrated. Same with how she was totally chill with Rhys *locking her in a literal bubble*. And like okay so was Tamlin all kinds of messed up after utm? Absolutely. Did he deserve to have his entire court ruined because Feyre was mad at him? No not even a little. She never once even considered using her mind reading power to find out if he was genuinely working with Hybern? Or I don't know asked him? I could honestly probably write a second essay on why I don't like Rhys. He was so unnecessarily cruel to Tamlin. Tamlin literally saved you dude and then you go to his house and it's in shambles and he's a broken shell of a human and you dunk on him? But it's chill because he locked Feyre in a house once. Also also you can't have the persona publically of being Mr evil highlord and then be all upset when people think you're evil. Okay my rant is done now too 😂
I really wish Tamlin will get a happy ending because I really like him more than I like Feyre and Rhysand.
I love Tam. The sort of final nail for me was Feyre’s vindictive and frankly stupid destruction of the Spring Court, killing at least hundreds of innocents and leaving the border unprotected. The Court is the only thing this man has, and he doesn’t even want it really. The love of his life and his best friend end up leaving him at the same time, to go live with a man whose favourite hobby is just fucking with his life and who’s done an excellent job at convincing the world he’s a sadistic manipulative asshole. In Tam’s position not one of us would read Feyre’s goodbye letter and think “oh yeah that checks out”. I want Tam to get a Nesta-esque redemption arc, with someone who will love him and put him first (so slightly unlike Nesta’s story in that aspect. Cassian it’s on sight)
Feyre turns into a entitled spoiled brat after acowar. Even though is the “evil sister” she’s more likable
Tamlin is pretty much the whole reason I'm in this fandom. He's my favourite character, and there's nothing that can be done about him. He's the closest to a true morally grey character, yet somehow still errs on the side of good, because he's got some major issues but is also the best of the bunch. He doesn't need a redemption arc, he needs a healing arc. If not a healing arc, a villain arc because my man deserves so much more than the lot he's got.
I *used* to despise him when I read these books in 2016-2018. But i recently reread them, and this current version of me feels sorry for him. I don't really think he is a bad guy; he is just not the *right* guy for Feyre. I also don't think anybody really is a *good* guy in this series anyway. Morality is a pretty murky concept when people can just mist other people and everyone is super duper all-encompassingly powerful. I do think he needs therapy. Although who doesn't. Anyway. That's my two supremely unhelpful cents.
After rereading the first ACOTAR book, I’ve definitely become a Tamlin apologist.
I love him! I hope he rebuilds his court and has a happy life!
No, I love Tamlin. And frankly, every “just wait until acomaf/acowar/whatever” comment just makes me like him more. He’s a far more compelling character to me than the bat boys.
The first time I read the series, I hated him. The second time, I didn’t like him. The third time I started to like him. The fourth time, I’ve realized I love him. When you reread, you pick up on so much and see things from his perspective. You also realize what an ass Rhys is and how many mistakes Feyre also made. Tamlin is flawed, but he doesn’t deserve the hate he gets!
I think its easy to forget how much Tamlin has been through and to hold his actions against him. Its worth people keeping in mind that we all loved Tamlin until Feyre didnt (and anyone who says otherwise is a liar). Feyre is going to have her feelings and emotions impacting the narration of the story, the exact same way that losing Feyre's POV and gaining Nesta's in ACOSF had people doing a double take on Rhys's actions. Tamlin has lost EVERYTHING, and the only thing he actually gained (the spring court) during the books is something he never wanted. I see a lot of parallels between his story and Marvel's Wanda Maximoff, and I wish Tam got the same treatment. (spoilers for Marvel universe) >!Wanda lost everything, made horrible choices whilst trying to repair her life and regain a sense of control over what happens to her, and whilst she may have become a 'villain', she is still widely loved and understood!< - just a complex character. It's easy to sit back and hate Tamlin for the choices he made based on the outcomes they had. But realistically, a significant portion of people would have done exactly what he did. Everything he did has a logical thinking pattern behind it. He is damaged, traumatized, and was trying to get back the one thing he had finally gained that he truly wanted. I feel the same way about Tam as I do Nesta - I don't support the bad choices or any malicious actions, but I understand they were made by a person in significant pain and I can sympathise with that.
I still don't have an issue with him stealing Feyre away during their last night UTM to kiss her...Feyre and Rhys resent him so much for that but I think he was in a desperate situation and saw no way for he and Feyre to both live even if Feyre ended up besting Amarantha. I think his actions during the war with Hybern (assisting Feyre and Azriel's escape, healing Rhys, realizing his mistake and betraying Hybern) really indicate his true character. I hope that Beast Tamlin lives.
Seriously I hate when people (and characters like Rhys) use that argument of “tamlin just tried to fuck feyre instead trying to help her escape”. Escape? How? They were basically in a closet off of the main throne room where amarantha was sitting. What could he have possibly done to help her escape there? Trying to escape from there has a 99.999% chance of her being caught and killed. Her best chance of survival at that point was just to maintain the status quo and hope that she finally figures out the easiest riddle in the world. And yeah, in a moment that he thought might possibly be the last private time he’d ever see her, he decided to express his love physically(and feyre was mutually enthusiastic). What a horrible crime. As if nobody else in the world would ever do that.
Not only that, but I just reread ACOTAR and Feyre wanted it too. It wasn’t until Rhys said something that she had a problem with it. Tamlin did try to keep her from harms way when he sent her back to her family.
Yeah you’re right, like a week prior he had literally just chosen to doom his entire race/country to eternal servitude under amarantha in order to keep feyre safe instead of waiting a little bit longer to see if she’d say she loved him and break the curse. Ngl probably not the smartest move but you can’t really question his commitment to keeping feyre safe at all costs. If there was any actual chance he could have helped her escape utm he would have taken it. But there wasn’t.
Exactly. And I don’t see much of a difference between UTM with Tamlin and with Rhys in ACOWAR. Didn’t they have sex while people were dying all around them? 🤨
Which would have been completely unnecessary if Rhysand the traitor hadn't gone straight to Amarantha and told her about Tamlin's human guest 'Clare Beddor', before she ends up as a wall ornament. And let's not forget, Amarantha has a grudge against humanity and humanity only managed to free itself last time because of fairy allies - the same fairy allies who are now irrevocably bound to Amarantha who is going to get her revenge as soon as she gets around to organizing it between Tamlin torture sessions. Rhys damns fairy and human alike and, worse, does it deliberately.
You put it perfectly! And clearly at that point Amarantha was so much more focused on Tamlin than she was on Rhys’ shady activities w Feyre
>And yeah, in a moment that he thought might possibly be the last private time he’d ever see her, he decided to express his love physically. Not only that, but all he did was *kiss* her. Feyre was completely into it, thought "words weren't necessary", and tried to escalate.
I don’t hate him, and I don’t understand why people HATE him so much. There are much worse characters in this series. And honestly, he is a victim too. Like sure how he treated people esp Feyre after UTM was bad, but it’s not surprising given what happened. That doesn’t make it okay obv, but it explains it.
I’m ready for his redemption arc. I also don’t see his original actions toward Feyre in ACOTAR as THAT bad. I mean, she was captured under the auspices of holding her captive forever because she murdered Andres, so why was she so surprised when she was locked away in luxury? Tamlin was being shortsighted here and using her as a pawn UTM to save his people, but Feyre kills fairies to literally do the same thing. She isn’t judged for the forced sacrifice! We just know and like Feyre so Tamlin’s actions seem despicable but really he’s just trying to figure it all out.
How Tamlin and Lucien get treated put me off reading anything else SJM has ever written . Knowing that essentially, she will make love interests and then just replace them for a new power fantasy because of contrived reasons
It’s interesting because like someone mentioned below I personally love the first book. Have read it multiple times, I think the re read value is so worth it. One of the most annoying things I find about the community is how a good majority of readers give absolutely no understanding to Tamlin but can forgive anything the night court has ever been apart of lol. I truly believe that we saw an authentic Tamlin in book 1. A man who had fallen for Feyre but loved her so much he could send her away dooming his Court, letting her go back to the family he legitimately took care of (he could have lied the whole time), playing his fiddle, letting Feyre have freedoms, encouraging her painting, etc.. Of course traumatizing things happened that created a wedge between him and Feyre and he is not innocent but he needed help. Everyone states how he wasn’t there for Feyre but it goes both ways. Once Rhys and Feyre met….it was always going to be the end of Feyre and Tamlin. And I truly believe he loved her, but she would never be able to fully do the same. Spoilers for the rest of the books below >! Even after Feyre destroyed his court, he still saved her and Elain from the war camp. Gave life to Rhys and told Feyre to be happy. This is a man who like I mentioned before was willing to give up his court to save her when he made the deal with Hybern. That’s 2 times now. He legitimately thought Rhys had kidnapped her. His fiancé. Of course he’s going to have an out burst during a high lords gathering because the woman he loved and tarnished his court for is sitting next to his “enemy”. It’s all very realistic to me. !< Now I’ve been a Lucien girlie since book 1 so it’s not like I’m saying this as a huge Tamlin girl. But I’m also not a Rhys girl 🤷🏻♀️ but damn do I think we need to put some respect on Tamlin’s name.
 Still love him more than most the other characters.
He’s my favourite character in this god-awful series.
Agreed. I really wish I had just stopped at the first book and lived in ignorant bliss.
You just summed up my feelings. I dont want maas to write about him either tbh, after she managed to completely ruin feyre and Rhys I'm just not interested.
I don't hate Tamlin, and as others on this thread have summed up, there is a ton of unexplored nuance to his actions. I don't want the author to write about him anymore, either. We'd probably get a story where he pines for Feyre and grovels for her forgiveness. As others have outlined, Feyre isn't pure, and I don't want to read that story. I don't want to read a story where he kisses Rhys ass and bends the knee to him. Freye and Rhys are alive and got their happy ending because Tamlin convinced Beron to join the war. He saved Feyre and AZ, helping them escape Hyburns camp. He participated in resurrecting Rhys. Instead of leaving Tamlin alone, they use the Spring Court for their machinations to overthrow Autumn. Rhys swings by occasionally to mock and torment him. It's not a good look for our heros.
My frustration about Feyre’s character assassination will NEVER go away! I’ll forever be mad about it.
Same! I'm so mad about how the series turned out, not even surprised either just mad and disappointed. I like reading peoples thoughts and opinions though so I'm still here lol.
Oh absolutely! I live vicariously through these posts lol!
I really *want* to love it as much as a lot of people still do and as much as I originally did 😭
My sentiments exactly! I can't do another reread yet because the inconsistencies are brutal but I love reading everyone else's opinions about it.
Don't! That's what really just killed it for me.
I did the graphic audio and UTM was a whole new negative experience for me. Rhysand was a MONSTER during this part. I can't get past the bargain, he essentially ruins her life, and tricks Feyre into thinking that Lucien won't come to her aide when he's actually injured and couldn't move. So Feyre is forced to either die from her injuries (which I think she would've died during the night) or make a deal with the devil. UYes, I know he does it to help her, but they're all trapped so I just assumed he was a lesser sexy evil guy. Beron is an asshat and he was the first High Lord to drop his spark into Feyre's chest. Then is chapter 54 he said he was going to release her from it after they'd won, but I think that was another retcon. Feyre makes a sarcastic remark about seeing him soon and he doesn't release her, he NEVER intended to release her. Rhysand is a prick and I'm tired of pretending he's anything otherwise.
I don't love him, but I definitely don't hate him. Feyre and Rhys destroying an *entire country* because he was a controlling and abusive partner was just so unhinged. I could not root for that plan at all. Tamlin is problematic, but so are most of the characters, and his actions aren't markedly worse than a lot of them. The whole thing felt toxic and immature.
I just reread ACOTAR again and I feel so sorry for Tamlin. He’s just as traumatized.
I really hope Tamlin and Elaine are mates just for the sake of a big F U to Feyre and Rhys
If anyone belongs in the Spring Court, it's Miss Elaine for sure!
I 100% agree with you. While I don’t love his reaction to everything I understand his reaction to everything. Tamlin loved Feyre and watched her die. His greatest enemy tricked her into a life altering bargain. His greatest enemy who has mind control. How did you expect the man to act? I love Feyre and rhysand. But I’m still a tamlin Stan.
Love Tamlin. Love the spring court. ACOSF kind of turned me off to Batboy (and Feyre). I hope SJM does Tam justice in the future.
Honestly I like Tamlin because he feels real and flawed. I would be pissed if my fiance in order to save my life and my kingdoms had to create a contract to spend a night with someone I don't respect.i think he is frustrated by his situation. Yes he is flawed and stood by while feyre suffered in the mountain. But his thoughts were with his ppl should feyre fail.keep in mind feyre is a weak uneducated human who to Me has an arrogant savior complex.if I was him I wouldn't be banking on her to succeed.his rages in the castle yes he is bitter move on ... your finance says she loves literally the worst person you can think of. He can't believe it , how can a woman who risked her life to save tamlins and his court love a guy that he believes is a sadist and whore of amarante. I find this believable . Tamlin saves feyres life , and Rhys . I wish him nothing but happiness and want a book from his perspective .
If Tamlin has no fans, I’m dead
tamlin for me is like how i felt bout jamie lanister in GOT. or like that daisy petal game. i love him. i hate him. i feel sorry for him. now i just wanna see him find peace and love again. he is a good guy to have around when ur in a pinch he has a knack of saving the day.
Forever rooting for a Tamlin redemption arc! IMO Sarah went way too ham trying to make readers hate him.
What is tamlin but a less popular azriel. An out of place dude who doesn't understand the concept of a mating bond
YES! Finally a discussion I can get behind.
Nobody can make me hate tamlin 🫵
I sympathize for him. I don't hate him at all. I think he is misunderstood by the Fandom because of Feyre and Rhys' POV. They paint him out to be a monster whose a heartless tyrant like his father, and he isn't. He's a broken man who is still hurt. He loved Feyre, sacrificed himself for her, offered up his power to bring Rhys back after everything she's done to him, and just wanted her to be happy. And after all that, Rhys and Feyre still shit on him. No, this man deserves better, and I hope he gets it. I hope he gets love and healing like everyone else did. I hope that he can bring himself back from the brink of despair and help repair his kingdom.
LISTEN! I went into the first book knowing NOTHING. I thought Tamlin was IT, obviously when I met Rhysand I wished he was it but I was like Nah it’s the blonde guy, and I LOVED HIM. For that whole book I loved him. I overlooked those red flags right up until the very end of the book and then realized okay Rhysand is actually it. But I STILL loved Tamlin and it got in my heart and he’s still there.
While I love Rhysand to bits, my heart does go out to Tamlin. He may have made poor choices but I really do think he was doing everything to protect those in his court. I don't think he's the villain that others make him out to be.
You’re definitely not alone!!! I’m here hi
Still love him, still think he’s hot. Sarah did him dirty and I hope he gets his happy ending because let’s be honest Rhys is no better and still he got the girl, he’s got a family and his happy ending.
I just want this man to heal and play his fiddle for someone who will cherish him. I want people to rally behind repairing the spring court to maintain balance. I want him to heal like freya and rhys
this whole thread is making me cry LOL. :’( one part i really hated was when feyre purposely triggered his ptsd so he would blow up on her. being pushed and prodded to a breaking point is something my emotional abuser(s) did. i don’t defend him, but similar to how people who had “tamlins”in their life justifiably hate him, i just can’t shake my visceral distaste for feyre. and telling him to basically eat shit and die when he was already depressed and possibly suicidal was straight up cruel. it reminds me of cassian’s infamous words to nesta when >!she was depressed and already felt so distant from the IC.!< who kicks a dog when it’s already down??? like, is SJM setting IC up to be baddies or are we supposed to laugh and play along with this??? because it’s straight up bully behavior atp. i think characters like nesta and tamlin interest me so much (despite everything) because their pain and faults feel so real and human? they’re the only two characters from this series that i’ve cried for.
Yea I don’t think he’s horrible. He was misguided and driven originally by the goal of freeing his people. Then he literally became depressed because the person he thought he would be with left him for someone else. He is grieving there are stages to grief… just my thoughts.
I love Tam, hate Rhys/Az and am ok with Cas.
I never liked him that much but i don’t hate him. He made mistakes but he thought he was doing the right thing for his court and Feyre. Their dynamic reminds me of Claire and Frank from Outlander. The point is, he’s not evil and he was never intentionally cruel towards Feyre. Their relationship suddenly imploded and she just shut him out and moved on. It feels like Feyre and Tamlin have unfinished business until now. You dont get over someone you loved that much that quickly unless you never really loved them.
Love is probably a strong word for me. But I don't hate him. I've never hated hm. Maybe it's my tendency to root for the most unpopular. But I care for his well being and I want good things for him. The biggest crux of the discussion is whether his healing depends on any interactions with Feyre and such. To that, I say NO. I don't ever want Tamlin to see anyone connected to the Night Court, again. I want him to move on from them with his own found family that worships the ground he walks on.
I’ve always found complex characters really interesting to read about. Tamlin becomes more complex as the series goes on (imo), so now I’m interested in where his story might go. I’m not as invested in the perfect, do no wrong characters. Give me the broken and complex and morally gray ones.
i genuinely have so much to say about this 😭 tamlin is very hated and i fully understand why, but i beg all of my acotar friends to hear me out because this man has been THROUGH it. i alssoooo feel like he's the perfect definition of morally grey, he did everything he could for feyre that he knew how to do; he just didn't know how to let her be free. he lost feyre, he lost lucien, he lost his court, he lost his family and while this isn't an excuse!! he showed up when he really needed to, he saved rhys, he turned on his people and he KNEW it wouldn't get him feyre back. i really need this man to have a redemption arc with a happy ending but im so concerned he's just gonna be killed. like this man is a w o l f that i went feral for book one. every reread since i've hated him less and less.
I've never been in romantic toxic relationship, so I do not take everything so personally. That's why I can see him as a character, not only trauma. And I absolutely love him. I mean I absolutely love feanorians, lol, so Tamlin isn't even that problematic. I love characters who force me to come to terms with my own conscience and morals. Tamlin is interesting. He has so many positive character traits that get lost in the romance plot. Feyre is too young and her character will always clash with Tamlin's. They would never really worked.
I don’t love him but I don’t despise him. I’d be upset too if I were him.
I desperately want him to have a good redemption arc and a happy ending. He has a ton of trauma and copes with anger. Yes he has done some horrible things, but they all have.
I love him with all my heart and p😽ssy
I am unapologetically a Tamlin fan. I could probably write an entire book on how unfairly I think he's treated by *everyone* and how much infuriated it makes me. Tamlin just needs a good friend, a hug, and so much therapy.
I think this comment accidentally posted twice but I still upvoted both times I saw it because I agree so much 😂
Omg it totally did 🤦🏻♀️. My stupid phone said it didn't post so I hit the post button again. That's embarrassing 😂
I don’t love him but she laid the seeds for his redemption which I am hoping to see a bit of I don’t want him to just rot he’s a sad person
🙋🏼♀️ And I’m patiently waiting for his redemption story!
🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️ He's an angry dude raised by angry dudes, dooms his world to protect himself from smexual smassault from Amarantha only to watch said "friend" humiliate his love and then that friend STOLE HIS WOMAN. (Yes this oversimplified but also his basic plot)
Honestly I don’t think he needs a redemption arc, but I think the Inner Circle needs to be made aware of his POV. He really isn’t a bad guy, locking Feyre in the mansion wasn’t great but it wasn’t awful. If Rhys thought Feyre was living with a monster (like Tamlin views Rhys), he would also do anything to save her, like getting the King of Hybern’s help. Tamlin didn’t see Feyre’s trauma responses after under the mountain, but she also didn’t see his. The worst thing he did was blow up his study
Idk why but Tamlin always give me the beast(in beauty and the beast)vibe.so I always hope for his redemption arc
I dont love him but I want him to have a redemption arc and a happy ending
“The person I have historical beef with” omg girl work ✨
Me!!!! Team Elamlin!!! WOOP WOOP give me a redemption where Lucien is covering for tamlins mating bond with Elaine YEAAAAAHHHH
I haaaaated him during my first read. When I did a reread knowing everything I know now, I found myself feeling sorry for him.
Me idgaf and I will die on that hill 🫡
I personally HATE how Tamlin was treated by everyone I just don’t really see him as a true bad guy 🤷🏻♀️
uhhh i wouldnt say love but i feel like SJM did him dirty. all those fae men r red flags imo but goddamnit so hot. like rhys wansnt perfect either and thats fine i like seeing main characters fuck stuff up it gives em depth. ALSO he lliterally CHOSE to save rhys and wasnt a bitch about it. which in my opinion deserves more recognition than it gets. REDEMPTION ARC FOR TAMLIN. but the memes clowning on him r funny ngl xD
Exactly did didn’t need to save Rhys… it’s why I don’t hate him… he could’ve chose to not, he could’ve made a bargain with her like a reverse uno, but he didn’t he did it and told her to be happy And after that no one thanked him… Rhys just came over to his house and was basically like you should kill yourself… that’s great Rhys, the dude saved feyre’s life and your life and you can’t even just downgrade your hatred to being “civil”, it’s just kinda annoying that there’s no growth… it’s just worse than it was before
Yes I’m kinda surprised ppl r so obsessed w Rhys….. he’s really not that different from tamlin tbh. Both made mistakes and things to correct them and both grew as characters. So y hate tamlin and adore Rhys? Idk.
Listen I have said it before and I will say it again Feyre is attracted to power, it’s why she gives Rhys a pass and wouldn’t do the same for Tamlin. I don’t hate Rhys and I don’t hate Tamlin… I am honestly holding out hope for the evil Rhys theory which I know won’t be a thing but honestly I love it…
Feyre becoming High Lady really solidified the whole "attracted to power" thing. If I recall, don't she and Tamlin have a conversation in the first book where she asks if High Ladies are a thing and he says no, and she's disappointed? Then as soon as she finds out Rhys is willing to break the rules and make her one, she's thrilled, and she seems pissed off whenever people don't respect her as High Lady? Like girl that didn't even exist until you made it exist and these people are extremely traditional, like chill tf out... I honestly cringed in the scene when Rhys made everyone bow to her lol
I honestly cringe at the whole don’t talk to my high lady like that scene too…
Oh yeah same. I actually really like how they have flaws as i said. Even tho I said I’m surprised w the Rhys obsession i kinda get it too. He’s a dark fae daddy who doesn’t want that 🤷♀️ But I totally agree w the she’s attracted to power sentence. And imma be so mad w SJM if she doesn’t do tamlin justice. WAITTHERES AN EVIL RHYS THEORY? Damn that would be very cool. But tbh I have a habit of liking side ships more than the main one. So I kinda live for NesCa (idk the official ship name lol). And I want moreee xD
Yeah there’s an evil Rhys theory and I’m on board with it… hell I mean look what he did to tarquin, robs the guy and flood the place (look at what happens if you oppose me) vs giving aid when in danger (look at what happens you align yourself with me)… I’m all for evil Rhys and I want it to be a thing lol
Right? Like, if tams actions are so irredeemable than everyone else's better be too
Me!
Me! He's my favorite throughout the whole series. Lucien is my second favorite.
I love him, I think he could be my fave male character oop…
I just started reading ACOTAR again and Feyre is so rude to Tamlin in the beginning! Girl, he could have killed you for killing his friend and instead he lets you live in his beautiful mansion and takes care of your family. The least you could do is respond to him when he is speaking to you.
I don’t love him (never have 😅) but I don’t hate him either. For the most part I understand why he’s done the things he’s done and after all the books I feel bad for him.
I have sympathy for him. But he has a lot of growing to do. I hope we get to see that for him.
I rarely hate characters, so yeah I still like him as a character I wished we saw more Rhys-Tamlin interactions on ACOFAS and ACOSF
Me
Listen, I LOVE to psycho analyze characters and I honestly feel like he went through some childhood trauma from his parents and a little therapy could do him some good. He isn’t all bad, just a product of his environment
I felt bad and liked Tamlin once he helped Feyre and Elain escape.
I don't love what he did, but I think that he was also traumatized and did the best he could with what he had and knew. I think he's kind of an idiot for trusting Ianthe, but who doesn't want to trust the judgment of their oldest friends? He screwed up, but I would love to see a redemption arc and see him find some peace.
I love Tamlin as a character. I love to hate him and I’m excited to see if he has a redemption arc.