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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
Had to return it to the library but bought my own copy of a different edition with a different layout/page count.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Wow. I expected this to be just a generic fantasy novel; I originally bought it because I was in Montreal and had finished reading everything I brought with me, so I grabbed it off the shelves at the bookstore for the train home.
It's not perfect, and it has some major flaws that will likely turn a lot of people off of it. But it was one of the best fantasy novels I've read in years.
First, the bad: I'll start right off by saying it dragged on. The book clocks in at 647 pages, and at least 300 of them could have not been there. I almost gave up several times in the early going; for the first couple hundred pages or so, it felt like a complete slog--and then the roller coaster crests the peak and I couldn't stop reading.
It also suffered, I think, from a few deus ex machina moments. They're explained away later in a way that makes sort of sense, but there several times where things are going wrong and then a whole lot of co-incidental moments make it all okay again.
The good: Very impressive strong female heroine; she's a street thief amongst an oppressed people who accidentally gets herself caught up in something bigger, and spends the entire book slowly growing so that she can be the heroine. Her perspective is very well done.
And through her perspective, we combat the power structures in the world of the novel: primarily class and gender-based, but also a bunch of others. One review I read complained about the number of noble balls the main character attends, and the time spent there; I actually found those scenes fascinating.
The magic system is one I've never seen before, and it's refreshing in two ways: first, there aren't, like, Ye Giant Mage's Tower where All Mages Go to Learn All Magic, or whatever. It's taught person to person, and they readily admit that they don't understand the extent of it all. The magic itself is based on physical metals; Allomancers swallow vials of tiny amounts of pure metals or specific alloys, and those metals interacting with the power inside them makes it so they can do extraordinary things. But then everything is tied back to the physical world; they can't just, say, cast a fireball, but they can push at metals with superhuman strength. So they can't create matter out of nowhere, but if they're holding a coin for example, they can push that coin at superhuman strength away from them and fire it at an enemy, or pull on the metal side of a building to jump up onto it. (There are other abilities, but it's a much more action-reaction sort of magic system than I've ever seen before.)
Also, a couple of major things happen in the plot that I don't think many authors would be willing to do, but which made for a really, really good story. I don't want to spoil them, though.
So, to summarize? Much, much better than I was expecting. Still not recommended for everyone. If the above sounds neat, give it a try.
It's not perfect, and it has some major flaws that will likely turn a lot of people off of it. But it was one of the best fantasy novels I've read in years.
First, the bad: I'll start right off by saying it dragged on. The book clocks in at 647 pages, and at least 300 of them could have not been there. I almost gave up several times in the early going; for the first couple hundred pages or so, it felt like a complete slog--and then the roller coaster crests the peak and I couldn't stop reading.
It also suffered, I think, from a few deus ex machina moments. They're explained away later in a way that makes sort of sense, but there several times where things are going wrong and then a whole lot of co-incidental moments make it all okay again.
The good: Very impressive strong female heroine; she's a street thief amongst an oppressed people who accidentally gets herself caught up in something bigger, and spends the entire book slowly growing so that she can be the heroine. Her perspective is very well done.
And through her perspective, we combat the power structures in the world of the novel: primarily class and gender-based, but also a bunch of others. One review I read complained about the number of noble balls the main character attends, and the time spent there; I actually found those scenes fascinating.
The magic system is one I've never seen before, and it's refreshing in two ways: first, there aren't, like, Ye Giant Mage's Tower where All Mages Go to Learn All Magic, or whatever. It's taught person to person, and they readily admit that they don't understand the extent of it all. The magic itself is based on physical metals; Allomancers swallow vials of tiny amounts of pure metals or specific alloys, and those metals interacting with the power inside them makes it so they can do extraordinary things. But then everything is tied back to the physical world; they can't just, say, cast a fireball, but they can push at metals with superhuman strength. So they can't create matter out of nowhere, but if they're holding a coin for example, they can push that coin at superhuman strength away from them and fire it at an enemy, or pull on the metal side of a building to jump up onto it. (There are other abilities, but it's a much more action-reaction sort of magic system than I've ever seen before.)
Also, a couple of major things happen in the plot that I don't think many authors would be willing to do, but which made for a really, really good story. I don't want to spoil them, though.
So, to summarize? Much, much better than I was expecting. Still not recommended for everyone. If the above sounds neat, give it a try.
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm really surprised I haven't been spoiled for this book since it's such a beast within the fantasy genre. I read Mistborn as a buddy read with my husband, who's already read it, and while it isn't quite the style of fantasy I'd usually pick up I enjoyed it well enough. The plot was cohesive, the pacing was good, the characters were (mostly) diverse and interesting. The only thing this book lacked was heart. I'm not sure how to put it other than that. It was like the spark, the *oomph* I usually look for in fantasy was missing. I think it was something regarding the character connections -- I wanted just a bit more introspection, a little longer in each person's emotions, more intimate conversations. Instead, the shifting narration made it hard to get into any one person's head outside their immediate thoughts. They didn't leap off the page, and I really wish they had.
And throughout the whole thing I just kept thinking, "why did it have to be so *long*?"
But I really liked the magic system. I liked how defined it was, but we still learned it slowly along with Vin. I liked that it had assumed edges of ability that helped make it feel concrete and limited, while still leaving room for surprises and surpassing capabilities. I liked the element of the journal giving the characters a glimpse of the past.
And throughout the whole thing I just kept thinking, "why did it have to be so *long*?"
But I really liked the magic system. I liked how defined it was, but we still learned it slowly along with Vin. I liked that it had assumed edges of ability that helped make it feel concrete and limited, while still leaving room for surprises and surpassing capabilities. I liked the element of the journal giving the characters a glimpse of the past.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes