On this weeks very special episode of Weekly Maas, Anna and Jeffrey are joined by Charles, host of When Will it End? Charles is an author, critic, and wonderful friend who read A Court of Thorns & Roses just to be a guest for this episode. True work ethic.

Y'all know how to pronounce Feyre's name? Because it's questionable that Charles does. Listen in as we talk about authors such as Amy Hempel and Ann Patchett, wonder at the 1st person narrative structure of this book, and hear Anna's hot take that Bloomsbury is forcing SJM to write this series. Charles gives us his unique description of falling in love that feels... inarticulatable. But can they relate that to Feyre and Tamlin's supposed love? They certainly try. Charles gives us some hot takes that focus on etymology, paternal failure, and Prythian's class system.

The trio discusses Feyre's self-hate as she attempts to conquer her second... trial... task? Perhaps Feyre's self-loathing for her illiteracy isn't necessary, but the fact that she can't read matters during the second trial! Charles is astounded by Feyre's love for painting and speaks to why it distressing him so. Anna talks eloquently about her love for the Throne of Glass series and rags on ACOTAR and their fans... who are all of you, supposedly. Who is the audience for any of this? They're trying to figure it out. They try to take on chapter 40, but in the incisive words of Charles, "while there's lots of chapters and lots of pages... Not much happens." Anna agrees and they all decide this chapter isn't really worth discussing. Except for the part where Feyre tries to figure out if the first lever, the second lever, or the third lever is the one to pull. Square her reasoning, please. They all imagine Feyre dying again, but alas, this is written in first person, past-tense.

Discussing the nature of eyeball licking, they wonder at what the boundary of sexual assault is versus assault. Charles brings up the salient point that most things one would do with a tongue with another person is generally sensual if not outright sexual. Juries out.

Chapter 42 is a mess of storytelling. We don't know anything about the magic system, we don't know who sends Feyre her musical vision, we don't understand why Feyre is so self-deprecating, we don't understand why we get more about Feyre's painting fetish, and we don't understand the contrived meeting of Feyre and the Attor. This chapter... oh boy.

Charles dives deep on the passage of time for Feyre. Why does Feyre only recognize the world around her as if the world is constantly sneaking up on her? What does it say about the author that she focuses so heavily on the passage of time in this manner? Is this a failure of writing or the failure of first person as a structural device for this story? Maybe both. Who knows?

After having a brief discussion of grammar (do we like em-dashes?), Anna, Jeffrey, and Charles close out the episode by discussing Feyre's vision. She may have entered this magical musical vision suicidally, but she comes out calm and willing to persevere to live another day. They come to the conclusion that Feyre must be disassociating from life, constantly.

Aren't we all?

Want more of Charles? Did you fall in love? We sure did. You can find him on his own podcast, When Will It End, available on all places you may find podcasts. It's fun, it's insightful, it's interesting - it's everything you want a podcast about movie franchises to be.

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Ever wonder if ChatGPT could write a punk-pop love anthem? Us too, apparently. Come listen to Weekly Maas this week to find out what our thoughts are about that! In this weeks episode, Anna and Jeffrey discuss chapters 38-39 of A Court of Thorns and Roses. It's probably better that they discuss this book because Anna fell asleep during A Nightmare Before Christmas and couldn't tell you the resolution of Sally's unrequited love for Jack. Instead, they'll chat about Feyre's requited love for Tamlin. Boo.

Jeffrey gives his second weak synopsis in a row, though he does try to defend himself. Once they begin chatting about these chapters, Jeffrey immediately regales us with a memory of watching Fantasia in music class in elementary school. Relevant? Probably not. Getting back to the plot of this book, Feyre is given some impossible cleaning tasks and is helped along in them by faeire patrons. Jeffrey confronts the sexism of pet names while discussing Lucien's mother who happens to come along and save Feyre from her first cleaning task. Do y'all think it's nice to have your physical attributes attached to the land you live in? In Lucien's mother's case, it's very pleasant. More importantly, fuck, marry, kill: rice, bread, pasta. Let's go.

Feyre's next task is to clean up never-ending lentils from a dirty hearth and thank god this is Rhysand's room because we're about to get an exposition dump. We learn some key info from this tête-à-tête: Rhysand has greater potential base powers than the other High Lords; all the High Lords have unique powers; all the High Lords can shape-shift; Rhysand's shape-shifted form is some kind of bird/bat-like creature; nobody can help Feyre with the riddle because Amarantha has willed it so; Amarantha's power is so immense that she can force everyone to stop breathing at any moment. This is all some key world-building information. What will Feyre do with it? Probably nothing.

After checking out Google's NGram viewer to look up words Jeffrey doesn't know, they discuss Feyre's makeover before being forced to drink faerie wine that makes her black out while Rhysand does what he wants with her at court parties. Anna tried on some sac's for work the other day... is the sac-look basically what Feyre is wearing? They spend a lot of time discussing these sacs, that's for sure. Rhysand is getting very creepy - calling Feyre his property, dressing her in risqué clothing, drugging her, making her dance in front of the court... this guy sucks. Tamlin has no reaction to any of this. Is he ensorcelled? Anna seems to be a Rhysand apologist as Lucien turns up to berate Feyre for saving herself from dying. Why does Lucien suck in this moment? Later on, Rhysand notes that he saved Feyre to save Tamlin, which leads Anna and Jeffrey to wonder about Tamlin and Rhysand's prior relationsip... were they besties in the past? Lovers, maybe? Why do they hate each other now? Who knows?

The final set piece for these chapters is Rhysand most likely saving the secret of potential rebellion coming Amarantha's way from the Summer Court. Why would Rhysand protect the High Lord of the Summer Court in such a way? What's in it for him? Is he just picking up future favors? Is he trying to bring Amarantha down? We do figure out that Rhysand's theme song is "Get Free" by The Vines. Feyre begins wondering all these same questions as well, though, as ever with Feyre, her thoughts generally lead nowhere.

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Anna and Jeffrey are back and ready to talk about anything but A Court of Thorns and Roses! Were you wondering what movie they had seen this week? Perhaps you had a hankering to hear about the Tour de France? Or hear Anna's take on Greek stereotypes? Well, you get that and so much more!

Once they get to the material, they decide to chat about chapters 36-37. It's time to see what Feyre's first trial could be... and it's basically a mix of Theseus fighting the Minotaur, Gladiator, and Dune. They discuss what Amarantha's public works projects would look like and wonder, once again, about faerie economics. Amarantha really is a jobs creator. Do we think that the Middengaard eats both meat and mud? Who knows? After defeating the monster (are monsters animals? Do they have rights?), Anna marvels at Feyre's aim in spear throwing after Feyre perfectly places a bone spear directly in front of Amarantha. Go for the kill, Feyre! Rhysand joins the show later in Feyre's cell, prompting Jeffrey to wonder at the theatrics of bands opening shows in the dark to appear on stage. Rhysand has a bargain for Feyre, and boy is she totally not in a place to deny said bargain as the wound she sustained is festering. It's a hard bargain but Feyre doesn't know if she can wait on chance... so she ends up getting a cool tattoo, shaking Rhysand's hand, and giving away a week of her life each month. Rhysand turns into Edward Scissorhands and heals Feyre. Wild stuff.

What do we think about the Night Court? Jeffrey thinks it's a goth's dream. Anna and Jeffrey wonder about Bjork and where she would live in Prythian. Is Iceland just a combination of the Night and Day Courts? Jeffrey is really into this aspect of the world. Could this just be a land of goths and goth music? Please, take him there.

Anna and Jeffrey wonder at the first person nature of the storytelling while wondering if this book is literature. Anybody here read Marcel Proust? Feyre certainly hasn't, explaining why her reveries and experiences seem a bit slow and boring comparatively. Why is she such a dummy about Tamlin? She should be chilling with her family and not obsessing over this faerie lord. Jeffrey wonders whether she just can't go back to a normie life after experiencing magic. Anna thinks it's because nobody will be able to relate to her anymore... she's been forever changed from this experience.

Have we also been forever changed?

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Returning after the abrupt and totally expected ending of last weeks episode, Anna and Jeffrey return to discuss chapters 33-35 of A Court of Thorns & Roses. They hit all the highlights: Is Nic Cage a beloved actor? Who is Adam Driver going to play in Anna's fan-cast? Have you seen High Life? Cause that's a great movie. Do we think that the word "synopsisized" is a real world? Don't look it up! And don't worry, they do discuss the chapters as well.

As Alis sees Feyre off to Under the Mountain with little to no information that would help Feyre, Jeffrey takes a deep dive into the idea of "back doors" in fantasy and sci-fi universes. Alis lays out three rules before leaving Feyre: don't drink faerie wine, don't make any bargains, and not to trust anyone, anything, or even her own senses. Sounds like Alis has read other stories of the fae. Anna rewinds to try to remember what her thoughts about Amarantha were the first time she met her: turns out she imagined her as just another sexy babe. Jeffrey and Anna try to decide who they think Amarantha looks like, and boy, they are not the same at all! But check back in a few years to see if Anna's fan-casting was correct. Feyre gets her nose broken so we can have a moment with Lucien - that's sweet of her. Jeffrey wonders at the nature of riddles and guesses the correct answer live on air - please clap. Feyre can't seem to get it, but as she likes to remind herself, she's just a dumb human living in a faerie's world. Well, maybe Anna is not remembering correctly and we're both dumb humans as well, only time will tell. As Feyre heads back to her cell to await her first task, Jeffrey ruminates on the radio drama War of the Worlds. Check it out if you never have.

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Welcome back to Weekly Maas, your weekly injection of high level discussion of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Who's bringing this content to you? Only Anna and Jeffrey, of course, playing the roles of SJM fan and SJM sceptic respectively. This week, they play with a new opening sequence before devolving into thoughts about Philip K. Dick, Aaron Sorkin, vibraphones, outdoor markets, and the Tour de France. Who needs to talk about ACOTAR when Anna and Jeffrey have so many thoughts about other things?

But to the book - Anna and Jeffrey had so much to discuss in this episode that they only cover chapter 32. Honestly, they get so much backstory to the world and Feyre's situation that this single chapter deserves its own episode. Alis turns out to be a giant child who victim blames Feyre for not fulfilling the terms of a curse laid on Tamlin and the Spring Court, a curse she knows nothing about and can't really do anything about. Real mature, Alis. It's revealed that Amarantha has controlled Prythian for nigh on 50 years from Under the Mountain. She's a battle hardened commander, a slippery diplomat, and a master at the game of Coup, because she wrapped those High Lords around her fingers and then stripped them of their magic before wresting their lands from them. Feyre, faced with the possibility of going up against this immensely powerful being who has captured Tamlin, begs Alis to show her the way Under the Mountain. Does Feyre have effective weapons or a plan? Nope! But that doesn't stop her. Anna wonders if Jeffrey would do the same for her. Spoiler: probably not.

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Join Anna and Jeffrey on this weeks episode of Weekly Maas as they discuss chapters 28-31 of A Court of Thorns & Roses! Jeffrey finds out that social media is abuzz with comments that he's not allowed to read while Anna learns about subspecies of orioles. Beyond that, Jeffrey and Anna discuss whether or not Feyre is the inspiration behind the LCD Soundsystem song, "Losing My Edge." They continue to discuss whether Jeffrey has the hots for Rhys and whether Nesta is more than she seems. Does Nesta need a goth makeover and her own spinoff series? Jeffrey sure thinks so! Is he crushing on Nesta? We wonder if Feyre's father is more savvy than Anna at investing while contemplating how much it would hurt if someone threw gold pieces at you. Jeffrey learns not to yuck other peoples yums and also that Feyre's family name is Archeron... though we definitely haven't learned that in the book yet. Spoiler. We say our goodbye's to Claire Beddor, RIP. Upon finding out that the Spring Court has been sacked, we also hope that Tamlin is dead and won't be coming back. Wouldn't that be nice? At the end of the day, Anna reminds us that all we really are are meatballs in the Cauldron of life. Take that to the bank.

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On this weeks edition of Weekly Maas, Anna finds that Jeffrey's interest is finally piqued, mostly due to the introduction of the devilish, maniacal, and horrific character of Rhysand. They discuss their local neighborhood romance book club which Anna just joined, whether or not Feyre is safe in the Spring Court, what Tamlin's defenses look like, and more about the local political scene in Prythian. Ever wonder what human servitude in Prythian looked like before the Treaty? So do we, because when confronted with the question from Feyre, Tamlin mostly dodges it. Is Feyre actually in love with Tamlin, and if so, why does she have to lose her autonomy and personality to fall in love? Probably for her character arc, but boy do Anna and Jeffrey find a lot of this to be garbage to slog through. Feyre lets loose, drunk on fairy wine, at the Summer Solstice festivities where Tamlin plays a fiddle solo on his knees in front of her. Real Devil Went Down to Georgia vibes. Rhysand pays a volatile visit to Tamlin, enchanting Feyre to delve through her mind, forcing Tamlin and Lucien to lie prostrate before him, giving us some light and color to this story. Have you wondered where the plot has been hiding since chapter 4? Thankfully, Rhysand is driving that plot train and we're hopping on board! Anna and Jeffrey thoughtfully regard Tamlin and Feyre's lovemaking while pondering about orgasms and chemistry in the real world. Finally, if you were concerned you missed the pizza party opportunity from last episode, don't fear, because a personal pan pizza can still be yours! All this and more on this weeks episode of Weekly Maas.

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Anna and Jeffrey continue their literal slog through chapters completely devoid of plot or interest as they read through chapters 20-23 of A Court of Thorns & Roses. Wondering if this will ever get better, they discuss high school superlatives, helping friends move, cooking pizza, waffle fries, and the Giro d'Italia. Realizing that they'd eventually have to get to the story, they also discuss the fire festival, faerie orgies, near rape, and potential sexual assault. They also wonder why the magic system seems to adhere to a heterosexual gender binary as Tamlin, being the source of magic and power, needs to find a female faerie to pair with for an evening rather than a male faerie. Why not both? They both feel exhausted by Feyre's lack of substantial character growth and Tamlin's endless sexual predation. Will this book move beyond this stilted, tired opening series of chapters or will it flounder about in the sexual tension building between Tamlin and Feyre? Who knows? Jeffrey doesn't because he's never read these books before.

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