Reviews with content warning for Child death - Mistborn: The Final Empire

This book would definitely be a five stars for me if it was a little shorter! Sanderson put ALL the good stuff at the end so there is about 400 pages to slowly push through before you are hit by the really good stuff. I will admit that I'm not entirely sure what I would cut if it were me shortening it as it is probably the insane amount of groundwork that happens in the first 400 pages that makes the last 200 so compelling but I almost didn't get that far, luckily one of my work colleagues had also read the book and occasionally asked how I was doing so I got there in the end!

I have never read a Sanderson novel before and I heard Mistborn was the place to start. The world building felt kind of basic initially (though it became much more interesting as more was revealed!) and while the main character, Vin, is a version of the 'half-wild street kid that doesn't need friends' trope at the beginning I feel like Sanderson portrays her in a much more accurate way than most examples - for instance she takes forever to trust anyone (though she then has her mentor, Kelsier, despairing over who she decided to trust and I found that hilarious!). Kelsier was the best part of the book in the beginning: he is mysterious, a little unhinged and charismatic and this combination of traits makes people question his true intentions towards the rebellion they are aiding which made the more boring parts more interesting.

The romance subplot of this book is fine. Elend is very much a rare specimen of 'not like the other boys' because he likes to read books at social gatherings and has a conscience. It is very predictable that they will like each other. Admittedly he's not too bad and him not realising Vin's double identity when she keeps on messing up in small ways is entertaining.

This book is very much on an exponential curve. When the plot twist happened I had to reread the last few pages because I was so shocked. Sanderson does the big twist well as initially it makes no sense but then all these little things that happened or were said all begin to fall into place and you realise what has really been going on. I would like to say more but I do not wish to even get near spoiling it!

I am now trying to summon the courage to get book two but I am unsure how it can be better than this!

Content Warnings

haley_wasserman's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

5.0

Am I late to the Brandon Sanderson game? Absolutely. Am I now a devoted fangirl? ABSOLUTELY.

I want to start by saying that if you're looking to dive into the realm of fantasy reading, this is a great jumping off point. Its length of 600ish pages may be intimidating, but this book is truly well-paced and easy to understand, and you don't lose out on any of the hallmarks of high fantasy reading.

**Please note the trigger warnings for this book. Ultimately it is a book of a desperate nation that is filled with slavery, violence, and mentions of assaults. The book isn't overly violent by any means, and it's never gratuitous in its violent descriptions, but if you're a little queasy with any mention of blood or death, maybe wait to read this. **

The narrative and plot of this novel is impeccable. It is the perfect balance of information and action: one minute we are gently told about the magic of Mistborn's inhabitants, the next minute our heroine and band of misfits are on a quest for freedom.

The characterization of the heroes and heroines is also truly exceptional. Their growth throughout their quest is subtlety peppered in, and their shifting motivations and power always kept me on my toes. Each character, every minor side characters, has their place in the story. They all make up the beautiful, well-oiled machine that is Mistborn.

Sanderson is so adept at hooking a reader in, anticipating their questions, and giving them the ultimate payoff as he leads us through his worlds. For being a high fantasy read, I never once was confused by the magic system or the complexity of the world. And if I was feeling some trepidation about the magic and politics of the story, it was because I was supposed to be.

All of this is to say: there isn't anything I'd change about this book. Sanderson is so SMART with his writing, I'm in awe. I wasn't just learning about Mistborns and the Final Empire, I feel as though I experienced the story of Sanderson's rich world rife with realistic characters, enchanting magic, and undercurrents of rebellion. The ending and the various reveals throughout the story are as wonderful as an Agatha Christie reveal. I am just ELATED that there are two more books in this story's arc that I can dive into immediately.

Content Warnings

ferretgazette's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

daniellecheri's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

A slow start, but the pace picked up about a quarter through. Very solid ending. Could easily stand alone, but sets up for the rest of the trilogy well.

Content Warnings

katievallin's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

lucimolri's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

amandaquotidianbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I have this 5 stars in 2013, but now I’m giving it 3 stars in 2021. The world building was still the most impressive thing. However, most of the characters felt like caricatures, there wasn’t much diversity of representation and I found some of the relationships between characters to lack depth and believability.

Content Warnings

More...