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Fans hold midnight parties for release of A Court of Splintered Harmony

Fans gathered at bookshops and arts venues, including Wolverhampton, Carrickfergus and London, on 26 October for midnight parties marking the release of Sarah J Maas's A Court of Splintered Harmony, the sixth ACOTAR book, on 27 October.

2 outlets · 0L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: BBC News
Image: Evening Standard

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 2Fans of Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series held midnight launch events across the UK on Monday 26 October for the release of the sixth book, A Court of Splintered Harmony, which went on sale at 00:01 on Tuesday 27 October. Centre · 1In Wolverhampton, dozens were due to gather at Wolverhampton Arts Centre for arts and crafts until midnight, when Waterstones Wolverhampton would hand out the books and attendees would read quietly; the event was organised by fan Holly Fellows from Redditch. Centre · 1Fellows said she had booked the day off work to read the book and expected to finish it by the evening, and described the series' appeal as escapism and community, with readers of many ages and genders.

Centre · 1In Carrickfergus, County Antrim, about 30 fans (the BBC's headline summary says about 40) braved heavy rain and wind for a midnight event at independent shop The Secret Bookshelf, which offered felting, friendship bracelet making and a fan-chat area; some attendees wore pyjamas, others fantasy costumes. Centre · 1The Carrickfergus event was organised by shop co-owner and fantasy writer Jo Zebedee, who drew on her experience of helping run Harry Potter midnight launches and said independent bookshops can foster young people's excitement for reading. Centre · 1At Waterstones' Piccadilly flagship in London, events began at 10pm with a quiz, costume competition, sprayed-edge workshop, drinks and discussion of fan theories, according to the Evening Standard.

Centre · 2The book arrives more than five years after the previous instalment, A Court of Silver Flames (February 2021); the series began in 2015 and is set in the fictional world of Prythian. Centre · 2Maas announced the new book in March, and the seventh, A Court of Forgotten Melody, is due on 12 January 2027. Plot details have been kept secret, though fan theories centre on Azriel and Elain Archeron. Centre · 2The Evening Standard reports that Maas is currently reported to be the world's highest-selling fantasy and romantasy author, with 75 to 80 million copies sold, and the BBC credits her with fuelling the popularity of romantasy via social media.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Light, upbeat human-interest coverage of fans' excitement, costumes and community at midnight launch events; the BBC focuses on local events and fan voices, the Evening Standard on London events and series background.
Emphasis
Escapism, community, independent bookshops, the five-year wait, costumes and crafts, and fan theories.
Leaves out or plays down
Little critical or sales-related context; the BBC does not give Maas's sales figures, and the Standard does not include fan voices.
Charged language
“hardcore fans”“beloved”“long-awaited”“universal craze”
For example
“It's a universal craze to be honest.” — BBC News
“it didn't stop about 30 hardcore fans turning out” — BBC News
“Sarah J Maas’s beloved A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series” — Evening Standard

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

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