Daemon Sadi Walked So Other Book Boyfriends Could Crawl

Let's be honest. Before there was Rhysand, before the Darkling, before any of these weak pretenders to the throne, there was THE original Shadow Daddy himself, Daemon Sadi.

The Black Jewels Trilogy walked so that ACOTAR and all these other romantasy books could stumble around in baby shoes. Our man Daemon didn't need some cute little bat wings to be terrifying. He had actual psychological trauma and the fashion sense to back it up. (Don't worry, his brother was the one with the bat wings so still representing!)

While your faves are out here being "broody" with their little tantrums, Daemon was literally nicknamed "The Sadist" and had 1700 years to perfect his darkness. He wore black silk before it was a TikTok aesthetic. And can we talk about how man wrote the book on being "touch starved" before BookTok discovered the term?

Sure, the worldbuilding is deeply problematic if you think about it too hard. Yes, the entire trilogy is basically one giant "not like other girls" manifesto. And absolutely, Anne Bishop had no editor brave enough to say "maybe tone down the child abuse themes a bit?" But STILL.

Remember when Daemon sent that chick's sexuality into the abyss and broke her mind because she annoyed him? Your fave could never.

Anyway, this one is for the older girlies* that know. I'll be over here with my original 90s paperbacks with the problematic cover art, judging all of you who think your tattooed bat boys invented being tortured and sexy at the same time.