Hi everyone! A lot of negativity is surrounding Gwyn’s character right now, so we decided to host a Gwyn Appreciation Week from April 17-23! We do know that it is last minute with it only being 3 weeks away, but April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and we don’t want to interfere with the promotion and rollout of Elriel Month! Either way we hope that all of you can participate in showing appreciation for such a wonderful character like Gwyn!
Art credit to the amazing @krasnyzmeya!
• Reposts
Amazing art by @jrtart_ on Instagram! Go give them some love!!
My belated commission by gingerart_3 for day 7 free choice for @gwynweek2022. Please reblog, do not repost. Support the artist ❤️🖼
“My grand-mother was a river-nymph who seduced a High Fae male from the Autumn Court. So I’m a quater nymph, but it’s enough for this.”
I decided to make (another) moodboard highlighting one important characteristic of Gwyneth Berdara: her river nymph heritage. I didn’t see a lot about it, so here it is.
I love that we finally get an important character that is another type of faerie than High Fae or Illyrian. It definitely added something unique about her. I am excited to see what else her water nymph heritage might bring onto the story, maybe some water magic?
Can’t wait to find out!
gwyn week 2022 - 7 days, 7 traits: 7/7 - spring court descendant
“My grandmother was a river-nymph who seduced a High Fae male from the Autumn Court. So I’m a quarter nymph, but it’s enough for this.” Gwyn gestured to her large eyes—blue so clear it could have been the shallow sea—and her lithe body. “My bones are slightly more pliant than ordinary High Fae’s, but who cares about that?” Perhaps that was why Gwyn was so good at the balancing and movement. Gwyn went on, “My mother was unwanted by either of their people. She could not dwell in the rivers of the Spring Court, but was too untamed to endure the confinement of the forest house of Autumn. So she was given in her childhood to the temple at Sangravah, where she was raised. She partook in the Great Rite when she was of age, and I, we—my sister and I, I mean—were the result of that sacred union with a male stranger. […]” - acosf, chapter 29
gwyn week 2022 - day 7 - free day: gwynnie <3
Gwyn’s head popped in, and she scanned the room before entering. She bore a small bag, presumably of what she’d need for the night. […] Gwyn smiled, though her pulse pounded wildly against the column of her throat. “Sorry I’m late. Merrill made me go over a paragraph with her ten times.” Gwyn sighed. “Please tell me all the chocolate is for us.” […] Gwyn blinked. “You live in a magic house.” “It likes to read,” Nesta admitted, patting a stack of the romances. “We’ve bonded over that.” Gwyn whispered to the room, “What’s your favorite book?” One thumped on the table beside Emerie’s cake, and Gwyn squawked in surprise. But then rubbed her hands together. “Oh, this is delightful.” “That smile means trouble,” Emerie said. Gwyn’s grin just widened. - acosf, chapter 59
can’t believe this is already the last day of Gwyn week! 🥺💙
The way Gwyneth Berdara is one of my favorite characters ever and we’ve only known her since February of last year?! With only one book (that’s not even hers!) our Valkyrie-Carynthian priestess stole my heart and made me fall completely in love with her.
I’m so grateful to sjm for creating this incredible character, Gwyn means the world to me and to so many others. She definitely is the rock against which the rock crashes, she’s so much more than what happened to her and I can’t wait to witness her journey!
we love you gwynnie <3 this week was amazing, thank you everyone!!
So we climb Ramiel. We take the Breaking. We win to prove to everyone that something new can be as powerful and unbreakable as the old rules. That something no one has ever seen before, not entirely Valkyrie nor entirely Illyrian, can win the Blood Rite. 🤍
.
.
.
“That’s the wrong key. It’s not in A melodic minor, it’s in A harmonic minor.”
“Can’t you be more original? Just because it’s in a minor key doesn’t mean it’s sad”
“It sounds better if you accentuate the second beat.”
Day 7: free day. Thank you so much for this lovely week 🤍
Since that day in Sagravah, many things had changed for Gwyneth Berdara.
She was currently overcoming each of them with patience and care - from herself and her friends, her lover. She had decided to live and to fight for life because, contrary to what she used to think, her life was a gift and not a penitence. Her existence meant resistance. It meant she could, every day, remember her sister, their love for each other and companionship, as she could also experience her feelings for the new people in her life.
Gwyneth Berdara learned to enjoy being alive.
And now, she was learning to enjoy her life through her own skin. The same skin that once scared the shit out of her - the same skin that she’d once thought was forever dirty. The same skin that once reflected her sister’s. And the skin that, nowadays, was loved and cherished. For that, she was now facing another challenge she had ignored for a long time: a mirror. That was it. Just a mirror.
Looking at herself, she focused on her feet first - following her long legs. The legs that… she stopped. The legs that would never ever be forced open again. Her legs. Her thighs. She touched them, feeling a little cold, a little warm. Even in the not-so-bright room, she could see everything perfectly. The place between her legs - a place that could give her pleasure, love and happiness. Not nightmares, not fear or disgust. It was just a part of her body. Gwyn then touched her belly - her smooth and, at the same time, toned belly. There, she could feel and see some scars, which only made her proud. Those scars were warrior scars. They were a living proof of her efforts, of her will.
Taking a breath, she ran her fingertips until she reached the crook of her breasts. It was so new for her to think of herself in a sensual, beautiful way that her hands shook. But she kept going… feeling the weight and the shape of them. She also could see her freckles painting her shoulders and arms. Her arms. The arms she utilized to fight, to hug. And her hands. The hands that held books, pens, weapons or other hands.
And then… Gwyn shuddered. That was the hardest part. She looked at her collarbone and closed her eyes. For a long time, she only took glimpses of her face and neck in the mirror because she kept remembering her sister’s death - the violence of it. But she was stronger now and she knew Catrin would want her to realize her own worth and her own beauty. So, she opened her eyes once again and fought the urge to look away as she followed the line of her throat and her jaw.
You’re beautiful.
Her teal-eyes shone. She threaded her fingers through her coppery hair and smiled a little.
Gwyneth Berdara was stunningly beautiful. And she was alive.
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about Gwyn Berdara and what she means to me, particularly as a fellow survivor of sexual assault, and what I hope her journey includes in future ACOTAR books.
First of all, I love how throughout ACOSF, Gwyn is far more than her trauma. She’s competitive and nerdy and irreverent and brave and she has a beautiful smile. She’s a great friend and she loves pegasi and romance novels and making friendship bracelets. She’s protective of her community – both the priestesses and Nesta and Emerie – and she demands to move forward on her own terms. Gwyn is a nuanced, vibrant character who is far more than the worst night of her life. I love that SJM took the time to show us all these facets of Gwyn, and to show us the start of her healing journey.
For instance, I love seeing the way that Gwyn begins to embrace herself as a person with a body in ACOSF. I saw myself in her when she asked Nesta, “why would a priestess need muscular thighs?” (257)
For so long, it was easier to be a mind detached from my body, or to believe that my mind was good in a way that my body might never be. My body had been touched – such a little thing, in some ways, to have changed me so completely, though I’m thankful every day that it was nothing near as awful as what happens to Gwyn in Sangravah – and I had found myself shattering.
When I started to train my body simply to become stronger, the way Gwyn does, something slotted into place for me. My anxiety retreated. I saw muscles growing on my arms and legs, visible under my skin as I moved, and I felt capable. I also learned to have compassion for this body. Even stronger, it sometimes hurt. It needed breaks. And I learned to take a new pride in my body. If I wanted to wear something tight or low-cut or short, it was now an act of reclamation and delight. Look at my body, I was saying, look how strong and beautiful I am! Check out these muscular thighs!
Though I know pride and strength do not prevent assault – a survivor is never the villain in the story – claiming my body in this way helped beat back the hurt and lingering shame. While we get to see this to a certain extent, as Gwyn helps resurrect the Valkyries, trains and even wears the form-fitting Illyrian leathers, I hope to see this reclamation from Gwyn’s perspective. I want to see her delight in wearing a revealing dress or lingerie or even nothing at all because of how proud and delighted she is by her body.
Although I did a lot of my own healing work, my husband was instrumental in helping me move forward. I remember one day he told me, your soul is clean, and I cried, because those were the words I needed to hear so badly. I realized that in some deep part of me, I didn’t think those words were true, not anymore. There have been many other conversations and assurances and times when he’s just held me, but I will never forget that moment.
And that’s part of why I hope that Gwyn will find a romantic partner who supports her as she heals. Not because she “needs” it. Gwyn is totally capable of healing on her own, with Nesta and Emerie and her community in the library. But I hope that, whether it’s Azriel or Tarquin or Emerie or Fenrys (listen, the multiverse is real), she will also have a partner who will hold her gently in their arms and tell her the words she thought might never be spoken over her. That those words would lay the ghosts of her attack and her guilt and all her pain to rest. At least for a little while.
If she chooses it, I want her to be able to take control of her romantic and sexual experience. I want to see Gwyn heal on her own terms, confident and knowing she can make her own place in the world. And I’ll fully admit that a part of me wants this outcome for her because of what she represents to me, and maybe to fellow survivors as well. Gwyn deserves the happiest resolution to her story, and so do we.
“He wondered if Azriel’s mother had ever considered coming here, or if he’d ever pushed her to.” - ACOSF Chapter 24
Reposts with credit to both @missis_u_bu and I are allowed!
Hi everyone! To close off Gwyn Appreciation Week, here is an art I commissioned of Azriel’s mother and Gwyn reading together, done by the ever so talented @/ missis_u_bu! (Link to Instagram post here). Ever since this line was mentioned in ACOSF I can’t help but imagine Azriel’s mother coming to the library and finding her own peace and healing there. In addition, I just know that his mum and Gwyn would get along so well!
Gwyn week has been an amazing experience and it feels right that my last post are two survivors coming together and finding their own peace. I’m so happy with how this piece turned out and I hope you guys are happy with it too!
I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing day💜
I can't wait to make fun of Az in Gwynriel's book.
I love him. He's my favorite male character in ACOTAR, but he's going to be such an idiot when it comes to recognizing Gwyn as his mate.
And I'm totally here for that.
I need a scene of Az and Gwyn eating together as "just friends," but when they get to dessert, some melted chocolate drips out of the corner of Az's mouth. Without thinking, Gwyn lifts up her hand and brushes it away with her thumb. Az, not thinking, leans forward to put her thumb in his mouth and lick the chocolate off.
Afterwards, when they're thinking, they wonder if they are truly "just friends" or if they're something more.
"They're good," Azriel said, reaching for another.
"I wasn't sure I baked them long enough," Gwyn said, looking down at the plate of chocolate chip cookies with a furrowed brow.
"No, they're perfect."
Gwyn looked up at Azriel and smiled, watching him chew happily. A tiny bit of melted chocolate gathered at the corner of his mouth, and she reached out and slowly wiped it away with her thumb. But before she could pull her hand away, Azriel's tongue darted out and licked the chocolate from her finger, sucking sensually on the pad.
They both froze, staring at each other, her thumb still half in his mouth.
Azriel pulled away and swallowed thickly.
"Sorry—" he stumbled, "I—I—"
Gwyn was still stock-still, her eyes locked on his. Azriel swallowed again.
Suddenly Gwyn's hand drifted down and fisted Azriel's shirt. She pulled him closer, her gaze flickering between his eyes and his mouth.
"You still have more chocolate," she murmured. And she leaned in and gave a tiny lick to the side of his mouth, then kissed his lips, whisper-soft.
Azriel inhaled sharply, still frozen for a split second, and then captured her lips, kissing her back more deeply.
Gwyn responded eagerly, opening for his tongue, which slid in, and she stroked hers against it, sucking the taste of chocolate from him.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Azriel stared at her in shock, arousal blazing in his eyes.
"You have some chocolate on your lips," he said, and leaned in again.
Top ten favorite Gwyn incorrect quotes for @gwynweek2022 - #10
Gwyn: *muttering to herself*: Cut him. Smash him. Kill him with blades until he is mush.
Azriel: *hurries over to her* Did someone hurt you?!
Gwyn: No.
Azriel: Do you need help killing someone?
Gwyn: No. I’m making avocado toast.
Top ten favorite Gwyn incorrect quotes for @gwynweek2022 - #9
Top ten favorite Gwyn incorrect quotes for @gwynweek2022 - #8
Top ten favorite Gwyn incorrect quotes for @gwynweek2022 - #7
