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_forestofpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I don't need a lot of action to be entertained, but I do need to be engaged and this book did engage, 30% of the time. The rest of the time I was either bored or watching the same things happen to Kaladin for the third time.
I really wanted to love this book. But it was so overhyped, and not at all subtle with any of the elements. I feel bad saying this and thinking this way becasue I love Mistborn, but I can't deny this was not for me.
Before you come with pitchforks remember this is my opinion and I don't fault you for liking this book, but I personally will not be returning to this series. It's too redundant and slow for me, especially because hardly anything happened and the characters were essentially the same people that they started as. And after 1000+ pages I can't justify that.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, War, Racism, Death, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Colonisation, Murder, Blood, Classism, and Grief
leona's review against another edition
- 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
There you are, reading this review. Now, I urge you to read The Way of Kings, or re-read it if you haven't already.
This is the longest book I have ever read, but I'm not the type to get easily intimidated by a book's size so I saw this as a bit of a challenge. It's also my 7th Sanderson book. I loved this book.
I think the strongest aspect of this 1100 page behemoth is the character work. This book mainly looks at Kaladin, a young man turned slave, turned bridgeman. It sounds kind of boring or stupid at first but Kaladin's job (minor spoiler) is basically to carry a huge bridge, with the rest of his bridge crew, and haul it over plateaus / chasms in a landscape known as the shattered plains. These bridges allow the armies and cavalry to travel between plains. Not only this, the bridgemen are expected to run headlong at severe arrow-fire, unshielded and unprotected - it's a bloodbath, but the men are treated as disposable.
Through Kaladin's job, he experiences some sever trauma and suffers with depression and suicidal thoughts. His character was so compelling and the struggle of the bridgemen to just stay alive when everyone wants them dead is so heartbreaking. I found myself shedding a tear at one point in Kaladin's backstory
Syl is also incredibly fascinating and I love her relationship with Kaladin, almost like his mini therapist. Bridge Four is amazing. (Honestly I need to come up with some more adjectives and ways to describe books.)
The magic system is expansive and epic (although a bit confusing - I think so far I still prefer allomancy) and some of the concepts are so strange and original. For example, grass and plants in Roshar kind of shrink into the ground when they are stepped on - it's very weird. It's also weird that class is basically defined by the colour of your eyes, it's quite a prevalent theme in the book is that people will discriminate people for all sorts of stupid reasons if possible.
I enjoyed Shallan's chapters, although I wasn't a huge fan of her at first.
I didn't really like Dalinar though. I find him so boring for most of the book until the Sanderlanche of the last 10% of the book. His chapters are just dull and tedious, and it took me ages to get through Part 2, whereas the Parts with just Kaladin and Shallan didn't take me long at all. I think I disliked Dalinar potentially because of how we see Kaladin struggling and Dalinar's high society is basically the cause of Kaladin's suffering. I also feel like the battle scenes with the Parshendi in Dalinar's perspective are just boring because with Shardplate Dalinar can basically just mow them down with a single sweep, they don't really provide much of a threat
Some of the plot twists were a bit obvious
I enjoyed the Interludes quite a lot, as well as the humour from Wit. I enjoyed the pervasive theme of wit, and what makes someone witty or intelligent. Also Hoid is just so confusing like who's side is he on? Is he even on a side?
I kind of feel like not much actually happened for a book that is so long in some ways, but I still really enjoyed it. Maybe I didn't feel as surprised by things because of all the damn spoilers I'm always seeing in like memes and shit. Anyways, 4 stars because I can't get over how bored I was with some of Dalinar's chapters.
Graphic: War, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, and Slavery
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Classism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Misogyny, Gore, Rape, and Cursing
runitsthepopo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Animal death, Classism, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, Murder, Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, Sexism, Dementia, Genocide, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, Excrement, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry
valpuri's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, War, Xenophobia, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Grief, Confinement, Suicide, Self harm, and Ableism
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
emilyplun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Medical content