Reviews with content warning for Grief - Mistborn: The Final Empire

(This was a reread to tab and annotate a copy for my bf)

My rating feels harsh, but this is very much based on my enjoyment not the quality of the book. I did enjoy it, but it was also an effort to make myself read at times. In fairness, I have realised that fantasy isn't my genre, so this was never going to be 5 stars for me.

My main criticism is its just too long, 100 pages could easily be cut. I found the action scenes in particular just very drawn out and repetitive, but again that might just be me.

Vin is a character I like, but found myself easily getting frustrated with. Elend is fine. The romance in this book is sometimes almost sweet if you ignore the age difference. Sazed I love, obviously. Marsh I like a lot. Spook is really oofed in this one, he's a cool character who is just kinda dismissed as being a lil pathetic in this first book which is a shame. One thing that I think my opinion has really changed on upon reread is Kelsier. Really not a fan this time, I don't hate him but he just irritates me.

The ending was good, if a little (a lot) dragged out. Glad I reread it but also very glad to be done with it now.

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margueritestjust's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense slow-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

5.0

This book felt like it melted my brain a little, in a good way. I haven't read much of recent adult fantasy, and this was an amazing introduction to it! My friend Ashley convinced me to read this book, and I'm so glad that she did!

This book is really interesting, because Sanderson has a very plain writing style, but this is not a bad thing and it doesn't mean that he's not a skilled writer (I did give this book 5 stars, after all). His writing style is very reminiscent to me of the way that literary short story writers approach their craft. Sanderson creates such a vivid world and vivid characters, and manages to evoke a wide range of emotions from his readers. His strength lies in his specificity, both in his character work and his world work, but most especially his magic system. He writes fantasy in a very realistic lens, which I appreciate and commend.

I loved Kelsier (another my type character for the books, lads), and I was really invested in his backstory and in what he represented thematically.

Also I will freely admit that I cried when he had died. I didn't quite believe that he had, but the letters that he left for Vin? “Remember to smile” and “I’ll tell Mare about you. She always wanted a daughter." legit had me in tears

I think Vin is really well developed through the course of the story, which was so nice to read. She and Kelsier manage to be dual protagonists that equally hold their own, and watching the way that she grows was honestly a wonderful journey. I loved all of the crew, especially Marsh (

When I thought he had died I was honestly so upset. And then it turned out he was made into an Inquisitor? It didn't ease the pain of Kelsier dying but it did help to significantly buoy my spirits.

)

Also, I was fully on board the Elend and Vin train! They were so adorable and honestly, I hadn't been expecting a romance at all in this book, but I wasn't mad about it. The first time they met, I was immediately interested in their dynamic and chemistry, and that just lasted for the entire rest of the book.

Sanderson also created a wonderful ending.

The reveal that the Lord Ruler wasn't the hero that had failed but instead was the one who had hated him was honestly not what I had been expecting. But I think even more unexpected and surprising was the reveal that Reen had died trying to protect Vin, even when he sad that everyone would betray her. It doesn't excuse who he was as a person, but it added complexity once again to this world.

Sanderson really has a wonderful way of making everything come together during the final act of the story, and revealing new things in a way that is unexpected but makes total sense within the story that he's created.

I would definitely say that this book is darker and more tense than I had been expecting, but perhaps that's just me in my first foray into the genre. A lot of the plot is character-based - especially during the long con that they set up - but things quickly pick up during the middle to end of the story, and it doesn't really ever stop. I definitely will be reading a romcom or two after this. But I can't wait to continue on with the series and check out other things that Sanderson has done!

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haley_wasserman's review against another edition

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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.

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sennaje's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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

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looking4thedr's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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? It's complicated

4.0

It definitely took a while to get to the end of this book, but I found myself getting attached to the characters (Sazed in particular, he’s great) and enjoyed seeing their flaws as they went about their plan, especially Kelsir. I throughly enjoyed the occasional playful banter, which helped to alleviate the darkness within the main story.

Sanderson, I feel, always does world-building quite well, slowly revealing more about the world and it’s magic system through the eyes of the characters, especially the main ones of Vin and Kelsir in this case. Kelsir is experienced with the world’s magic system, as are the rest of his crew, and we listen to their explanation as Vin does, as a new comer to this part of the world.

Vin’s character is definitely interesting. Her growth through the story

that she gradually begins overcomes her fear of abandonment and betrayal

is definitely satisfying to watch, as is Kelsir’s main flaw

his hatred of noblemen that Vin sort of helps him to overcome too, to see them as actual people

.

The descriptions conjured up a very clear image in my mind, as though I were watching a movie, although at some points it became almost a little cliche, at some points being like a YA film (and not in a good way)

especially at the end when we find out who the Lord Ruler really is and what his weakness is. That went quite fast my mind was a bit boggled. That may have been how it was supposed to be, but it still had me confused. A moment that stuck out was when his bracers flew out the window when the sun rose was very cinematic, I still can’t decide whether I liked it or not, but it was still satisfying.

.

Apart from that I throughly enjoyed this book and will continue to read the rest of the series to find out what happens next.

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alaynatabor's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

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blynecessity's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.25

Y'all, this read felt reeeal tone-deaf when it came to the topics of poverty and dealing with trauma. Also, very clunky writing. And why was there basically one woman in this whole book? Outside of random socialites, a couple of unnamed maids, and a girl who was about to be assaulted (who was also not named, just referred to as so-and-so's child), there are basically no women in this book. And the main woman was inexplicably and instantly in love with a mediocre and kinda rude man, who btw was a 21 years old to her 16 years old. Anywaaaayyy, non-noble women also seem to have almost no role in society aside from literally popping out "a dozen children"??? Where were they all the rest of the time?? Every background character seemed to be a man, and (with one exception) every foreground character was a man too. I just did not love this book, tbh. Maybe this was really progressive to the cis-het white men who were looking to expand their grimdark fantasy reads when it first came out, but this has nooot aged well!

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