The ACOTAR Character You Are Based On Your Zodiac Sign
Contains spoilers for the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” book series
News and details about the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of Sarah J. Maas’ popular, spicy series “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (ACOTAR) have been slim ever since it was announced that Hulu had optioned the series and Maas would be joining forces with heavyweight television producer Ron Moore (“Outlander”) to adapt her novels. In February of 2024, Variety reported that the show is still in development at Hulu, but with Maas’ recent move back to New York from Los Angeles and no word on casting or release dates for the show, it’s been unclear what fans should expect going forward.
It would be ludicrous of Hulu not to hold on to its option of the romantasy series given it’s one of, if not the, most ubiquitous and widely-read book series among fans of the genre and BookTok discourse. According to a 2021 study of Booktok trends, Sarah J. Maas was the most popular author on TikTok that year thanks to the #ACOTAR tag, which had already garnered more than 8.5 billion views by the end of the year.
Now — before the TV adaption hits our screens — is a great time to familiarize yourself with the many colorful, powerful, and seductive characters of the ACOTAR universe, and what better way to do that than through the zodiac? Keep reading to find out which character best represents each astrological sign.
Aries: Cassian
Readers are first introduced to Cassian in book two of the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, called “A Court of Mist and Fury” — but due to his jovial, outgoing nature and the bond he builds with the book’s protagonist, Feyre, he quickly ingrains himself into their hearts and the series as an essential character. Cassian serves in the Night Court’s inner circle as general of its armed forces and is an adoptive brother to his High Lord (aka boss) Rhysand (Rhys).
When Feyre first meets Cassian near the beginning of “ACOMAF,” she sees immediately that, even though his friends make fun of him for his ravenous hunger and sexual innuendo, he has a beautiful heart and cares deeply for the people around him. Often, Cassian’s attempts to keep the mood light come from a place of natural intuition; he can tell when someone feels unsafe or uncomfortable. Nearly everything Cassian does comes from the trust he has in his own gut instincts.
Like Cassian, an Aries is usually known for being honest, brash, passionate, and energetic, though they seem impulsive and prone to putting their feet in their mouth. They are also resilient and capable of letting bad things go, no matter how angry they were at first. An Aries is driven by a desire to fulfill their passions and remain authentic in the face of life’s challenges. If there’s one character in the ACOTAR series with such authenticity, it’s Cassian.
Taurus: Elain
Elain is the middle Archeron sister and she has spent her life seeking to fill a scary world with beauty and comfort. She has a near-prodigious talent for gardening and her desire to care for living things extends to the people in her life as well. Elain has a kindness of spirit that makes it nearly impossible for anyone to hate her, and she has an ability to notice and mend the ways in which others are quietly suffering.
Elain isn’t perfect, though. Throughout the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, she has been known to show an unnecessary attachment to material comforts and a strong sense of denial regarding life’s curveballs and the pain they often cause. Importantly, she wasn’t always a very good sister to Feyre. She was once stubborn about accepting change, but has grown and is now stubborn about demanding agency. Instead of avoiding conflict, Elain has shown a willingness to speak freely with her sisters and apologize for her past failures.
There is no ACOTAR character that feels quite as much like comfort and home as Elain, and that’s Taurus to a T. A Taurus hates change, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t strong enough to handle it, and indeed it is that commitment to familiarity that often helps a Taurus provide comfort and warmth to others who may not prioritize those things. All of these qualities, as well as Taurus’ strong sense of loyalty and reliability, indicate that Elain embodies the fixed Earth sign.
Gemini: Rhys
Rhys is an enigma to Feyre for most of the primary “A Court of Thorns and Roses” trilogy. He keeps his cards close to his chest, preferring instead to rely on wit and charm as means of deflection. Even though Rhys’ moral alignment is alarmingly ambiguous, he still projects a keen intellect and gives the impression that there’s a lot going on behind his beautiful, violet-colored eyes. He’s sharp as a tack and capable of extreme levels of compartmentalization.
Despite the fact that he has a close inner circle of loved ones, he retains a strong sense of independence, sometimes to a point where it is detrimental to himself. As High Lord of the Night Court, Rhys needs to keep his skills in diplomacy and strategy sharp. Rhys is able to make himself comfortable in nearly any situation with any group of people; a social chameleon who can balance his own interests, the desires of his fellow stakeholders, and a pleasant demeanor all without breaking a sweat.
Any zodiac enthusiast can see how Rhys embodies Gemini. Gemini is a mutable sign, all about adapting to change and knowing just enough about everything to get through anything. As a High Lord, Rhys needs to wear many different faces, and sometimes he is so good at it that he actually sabotages emotional connections that he really cares about. Like any Gemini, Rhys needs a partner who can see his true self and still appreciate all of his transferrable skills.
Cancer: Feyre
Feyre is the first-person POV protagonist of the first three books in the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, and as such, the reader has intimate knowledge of her thoughts and motivations. Feyre could probably embody a number of different zodiac signs; she isn’t afraid of hard work and doesn’t do it for the glory, just like a Capricorn. She has the soul of an artist, much like a Sagittarius. But the most essential part of Feyre that the reader comes to know, however, is her desire to keep people happy and safe.
When we first meet Feyre, she is a young woman struggling to keep her father and two sisters fed and housed. Despite the way her family often takes her for granted, Feyre is always there for them. Even after she is forced to go to Prythian, Feyre continues to be driven by her sense of right and wrong and her innate gift for compassion. She is never more sorrowful than when she is witness to a hardship she can’t alleviate, and when she can do something to help a person in need, you can bet she will.
Feyre is motivated most deeply by her love for others and an idealized vision of what the world ought to be. In this and other ways, she embodies a Cancer. Like a Cancer, Feyre occasionally allows her tendency to put others first to prevent her from honoring her own needs and boundaries, but also like a Cancer, she has a strong sense of self.
Leo: Morrigan
When readers and Feyre first meet Morrigan, it’s clear from the get-go that she has both extraordinary physical beauty and an effervescent aura that draws people in. Where Feyre took a long time to warm up to Rhys in “A Court of Mist and Fury,” she almost immediately liked and trusted Morrigan, who approaches nearly everyone around her with warmth and charm. Morrigan grew up in the Court of Nightmares, a place totally antithetical to her natural inner light, and she appreciates every moment of her life spent away from it.
Morrigan, who goes by Mor, is like the sun — strong, bright, and capable of pulling nearly anything into her orbit thanks to the gravity of her personality and demeanor. While Mor can sometimes be impulsive and snarky, it all comes from a place of love. Mor’s worst qualities are usually brought out of her because of how desperately she wants to support the people she loves.
While Mor isn’t a perfect facsimile of a Leo (it’s impossible to truly define any of these characters by just one zodiac sign), she is clearly someone who attracts positive attention and relishes in it. No one else in the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series comes close to matching Mor’s alluring je ne sais quoi, and this is why she is the lion of the zodiac. Mor wields the attention she attracts to follow her heart and mind and she never lets herself get held back by antiquated rules.
Virgo: Nesta
Nesta is a layered character made of many contradictions and imperfections, and her perception of herself and the perception that others have of her are very, very different. Perhaps the most important thing to know about Nesta is that she is strong-willed and unafraid of conflict. Nesta is difficult to get to know and even more difficult to get truly close to; she struggles to accept affection and intimacy from others.
Nesta is also very smart and not easily tricked. She often believes that there is a right way to do many things and that way is usually whatever comes naturally to her. Her desire for excellence makes her a huge asset to any team of which she is a part, and she has natural leadership skills that cannot remain unacknowledged for very long. Once Nesta decides to love someone, she does so forever.
Nesta is intense, to put it briefly, and there are only a few zodiac signs that fit that bill. Add to her intensity Nesta’s innate desire to excel in anything she studies or practices, and it’s clear that she’s a kindred spirit of any Virgo. While her criticism of others can often feel insufferable, it’s important to remember that, like a Virgo, Nesta is just as hard on herself as she is on others. Ultimately she wants to accomplish many good things in her life, and she’ll quickly learn any skill she needs to be able to reach her goals.
Libra: Lucien
Lucien gets the most page time in the first book of the series, “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” and while it’s not ranked very highly by readers in comparison to the others, it’s still the book where Lucien is undoubtedly a highlight. His relationship with Feyre starts off rocky, what with him nearly getting her killed and being openly prejudiced against humans. It’s the most antagonistic readers ever see Lucien in the series because he goes on to act as a mediator between many characters and parties as the story goes on.
As a courtier, Lucien’s job is to maintain strategic relationships with a wide spectrum of power-players in Prythian. Lucien has the charm, intelligence, and eloquence to do this job especially well, and as the series goes on, the number of people who rely on him to maintain diplomatic connections only grows exponentially. Even though Lucien can sometimes be a bit too flirty and self-obsessed, he is a huge asset to many who need help understanding the wants of people with whom they’re seeking accord.
In case it’s not clear just from the use of the word “mediator,” Lucien is a great representative for Libra in the ACOTAR universe. Libra is a flirty, charming, shrewd little air sign that knows how to keep people together or tear them apart. Like Libra, Lucien wields power subtly but effectively, and readers can look forward to seeing more from him as the series continues.
Scorpio: Azriel
Azriel, spymaster of the Night Court, is a shadow singer; this means that he can interact and build bonds with shadows that whisper to him of the many things they secretly see and hear. Like his shadows, Azriel is quiet and observant. He often falls back into those shadows when he needs to hide or he wants to divert attention away from himself. As a boy, Azriel experienced trauma which led to extreme scarring on his hands, something he still seems to feel shame over even 500 years later.
Just because Azriel is quiet doesn’t mean he doesn’t have strong feelings, and in fact, the one chapter we have from his perspective (so far) is one of the most emotional in the whole series. He feels want and yearning deeply and greatly, and this is matched only by his capacity to hold rage against others over the past; he is a champion grudge-holder. Azriel’s intensity is part of what draws people to him, but he sometimes has a hard time controlling the way he expresses it.
Just like Azriel, a Scorpio is one known to brood over many things for a long time. Scorpios are capable of deep, deep love and devotion, but because of that they guard their hearts and heads more-so than any other sign. A Scorpio is someone with many skills and many feelings, and Azriel is a talented spymaster who still needs to find a way to let people further into his life.
Sagittarius: Vassa
Readers don’t get to spend much time with Vassa (for reasons that shall remain unspoiled), but it is immediately clear upon reading her entrance into the story that she is strong-willed and free-spirited. Even with a terrible curse continuing to afflict her for every day that passes, Vassa still seems to possess an un-extinguishable sense of optimism that is refreshing to witness in a story full of gloomy circumstances. Vassa is as capable of taking charge of her life as she can be, and is a frankly inspiring character.
A Sagittarius is usually a lot like Vassa — someone with a strong spirit and mind who isn’t ignorant to the realities of the world but chooses to remain optimistic anyway. Sagittarius, like Vassa, cares about the greater good and the safety of others, but also tends toward a kind of honesty and blunt communication that can often catch others off guard or even make them uncomfortable. Vassa’s most striking feature in the books is her sense of humor. A Sagittarius can usually make a great joke out of a terrible situation, even if that’s the only thing they can do.
Capricorn: Tarquin
Tarquin, like Vassa, is another character that doesn’t occupy as much of the book as some of the other characters, but also like Vassa, he is one who made a fast and positive impression on both Feyre and any reader with half a brain. Tarquin, newly appointed High Lord of the Summer Court, is young (for a high fae) — not even 100 years old, in fact. Tarquin is pleasant and straightforward, and he doesn’t like playing the courtly games that come from alliances and other intercontinental conversation and trade. He’s a good man who wants to do right by his kingdom, and that’s exactly what he does.
Just like a Capricorn, Tarquin is the kind of hard-worker who truly doesn’t do what he does for the kudos. He’s a good, honest person who wants to make a difference in the world, and his authenticity is charming in a way entirely different from many other inhabitants of Prythian. Unfortunately, Tarquin’s honesty also means that he isn’t entirely aware of the games that others might be playing, and courtly interactions and politics are his least-favorite part of the High Lordship into which he was thrust. A Capricorn doesn’t like dealing with people who don’t say what they mean and it’s something that exhausts Tarquin as well. Luckily his principles and willingness to do what needs to be done often earn him the respect of the allies that really matter.
Aquarius: Amren
Amren is not of Prythian, nor is she of any nation in the same universe. She is an otherworldly being occupying a body that looks like any other high fae you might find walking down the streets of Velaris. Her story is strange and ancient, and even she herself doesn’t remember all of it, but it has led her to the Night Court’s inner circle where she works as a right-hand woman to Rhys and an advisor for the entire group. Amren is committed to the same greater good as any other character based in the Night Court, but she is simultaneously remote and solely reactive in her personal relationships.
Like an Aquarius, Amren is someone who thinks outside the box. She has a mind unlike any other and often provides background and advice in many of the mysteries faced by the inner circle. She isn’t incapable of love, quite the opposite in fact; she came to Prythian and shed her old life-form so that she could experience it herself. She is, however, not someone who will ever express fondness or caring in a conventional way. She’s a big-picture thinker and a through-processor, but she doesn’t prioritize anything like compassion or the supportive aspects of friendship. Aquarius isn’t 100% Amren and Amren isn’t 100% Aquarius, but there’s enough similarity between the two that it’s worth remarking upon.
Pisces: Tamlin
Tamlin is both emotional and beholden to toxic masculinity. He feels things deeply, just like many other characters, but he has an even greater tendency than most do to dwell in feelings of sorrow, frustration, and ennui. Tamlin, a fiddle-player and lover of beauty and dancing, has the heart of an artist, which is one reason why he struggles so much to embrace his role as High Lord of the Spring Court. At his best, Tamlin is idealistic and capable of great kindness and heroism. At his worst, he is incapable of controlling his emotions, strong as they are, and often focuses on himself and his own feelings to the detriment of the people around him.
Tamlin is, for all intents and purposes, a Pisces. He’s actually a Pisces who was raised in a family where sensitivity and creativity were not seen as traits worth nurturing, and because of this he never gained the self-reflective, intuitive skills that many Pisces rely on in order to regulate their emotions and reactions. Tamlin is sort of what happens when you take a water sign, Pisces in particular — one of the most emotional and fluid signs in the zodiac — and force them into a position where they have to make calculated decisions and rely on antiquated traditions to keep things going.