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nojerama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It started slow, but Sanderson's storytelling was frankly immaculate and he weaved all the threads together with precision and care. Kaladin was a firm favourite from the get go, Shallan is a character archetype I adore (I'm a forever student at heart and so seeing characters in any learning environment is my jam) plus her whole dilemma and how she deals with Jasnah was wonderful to watch grow and blossom. Dalinar was a slow burn but grew on me, his dry wit and blunt nature plus the inherent vulnerability in having a POV character deeply question their sanity meant I couldn't help but love him. Also loved Wit after seeing him
The audiobook narrators were phenomenal, genuinely no idea why people were bitching about Kate Reading so much (maybe it's a marmite thing but I adored how she read Shallan). There were like one or two things I thought maybe needed a biiiiit more breathing room (for example I do not for one second believe Jasnah would have forgiven Shallan so quickly at the end there) but also for pacing sake I understand why they went the way they did so I'm not complaining.
Also sorry I just have to, spoilers below also beware of cursing:
Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Violence, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, Child death, Slavery, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Self harm, Death, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Chronic illness, Sexual violence, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
mads_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Colonisation, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Child death, War, Violence, Slavery, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Genocide, Ableism, Dementia, Deportation, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, and Gaslighting
Minor: Slavery, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Police brutality
bulkybooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, War, and Murder
Minor: Sexual harassment and Suicidal thoughts
brothertubber's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Sexual harassment
chattie_the_mad_chatter's review
- 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
The world building is so detailed and fully realised, from the terrain, to cultures, legends, history, religion and beyond. The magic we discover together alongside the characters, that what was the stuff of Myth is now present and here in the flesh.
And all of it is interwoveninks together and compliments each other.
Our 3 main protagonists I find engaging and become emotionally attached to. Even within the re-read I felt the tension and the emotional pain and eleation was as intense.
Kaladin the soldier come slave, we not only wonder and fund out how he became a slave and so beaten down by the world, we watch him constantly battle mental health and not give into despair. We see him try and salvage something worthwhile despite being constantly beaten back and we see the human life and soul being with every drop of sweat abd blood he gives.
Shallon the young artist of scholarly ambition, attempting to help and restore her family whilst keeping so many secrets. She is alone in a strange new city and must relie on her self and wits alone.
Dalinar a legend of battle and warfare, now must play court politics fighting against petty power squabbles of his supposed high-princes in arms. He must protect his nephew the King, win the war to avenge his brother and try and keep together the Kingdom he helped conquer. All whilst suffering visions, which cause him to question himself. What do they mean? What must he do about them? Or has his mind broken at last?
I loved being right at the start of this incredible journey, where the plot interweave everything in a typical Sanderson way of twists turns and satisfactory highly pay off.
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Blood, Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War
jkpiowa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Way of Kings is a large-scale epic fantasy on the scale of The Wheel of Time, but much better (in my own opinion). This first installment can be slow at times, which is to be somewhat expected from a 1200+ page book. We follow a whole cast of characters as they contribute in different ways to the war of the Alethi against the Parshendi, in revenge for the assassination of the Alethi king several years ago. In the last couple hundred pages, their stories converge in an awesome and action-filled ending that always makes my heart race.
It's amazing, but not without concerns. The Parshendi are mostly described as darker skinned, and are the "bad" guys, though it remains to be seen how that plot point develops over time. A lot of the plot is centered around having specific physical features, the people in power being "lighteyes". Also all the women wear skirts or dresses, and are considered less-than if they are immodest and show their "safe hand". Still remains to be seen how these things develop over the series.
Graphic: Slavery, War, and Violence
Minor: Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Body shaming