Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

16 reviews

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Some more top-notch fantasy from Brandon Sanderson. I didn't love it quite as much as Mistborn era 1 - I just didn't gel with one of the POVs and felt myself rushing through those bits to get to the others, and the ending didn't feel as powerful to me - but I appreciated having a little standalone reading 'break' in my Sanderson journey!

Elantris spends more time exploring the politics if and relationships in a fantasy world, more than the magical elements of it, which I personally enjoyed but others may not.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Genocide, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Confinement

lilifane's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful 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

4.0

Everyone warns people not to start reading Brandon Sanderson with this book, but I always want to experience a complex book universe in the publication order. So I started with Elantris, but told myself that it doesn't matter how much I hate it, I will definitely still read Mistborn at least. 

To my biggest surprise I actually really enjoyed this book and if this is his weakest one... okay. 

It certainly has its issues. Most of the characters are pretty flat and boring (although I like most of them without a doubt). I think there is only one character that is actually complex and interesting. And the whole political plot didn't interest me that much, I just didn't care for it and I think it dragged on for too long. I didn't care for the king and this baby monarchy, I didn't care for the nobility. I might have cared for the peasants, but they were basically absent from the plot, although they had so much more potential?

The rest of the book? I loved it! The world building is phenomenal, I enjoyed the magic system a lot, everything about Elantris (history, mystery, present state) is so cool and fascinating, and I flew through these chapters. The story was really well plotted in my opinion, all the small details that became important at the end and fit perfectly together. Ah, I love this. (I'm just a little sad the final Elantris mystery wasn't really explained. That scene was so confusing, and I don't know what happened there. I have a vague idea, but it's bothering me not to know the details!)

Also: Although I know, Sanderson discusses mental health in his books, I wasn't aware it was already so present in this first one. The way the suffering of Elantrians can be compared to depression really impressed me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, War, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

sashafriese's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, War, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Death, Colonisation, Chronic illness, and Child death

emilyplun's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Racism

Moderate: Genocide and Xenophobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Torture

jamieleepilk's review

adventurous challenging funny inspiring mysterious 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? No

4.0

Continuing my Brandon Sanderson journey by going back to the very beginning.
"Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling."

Epic fantasy at it's finest, I will admit it's not quite as polished as his later work but I loved it all the same. With his Trademark charming characters, Raoden a resilient Prince, Sarene a sword fighting, political minded princess and Hrathen a priest with a dark purpose.
Filled to bursting with unforgettable characters, captivating magical systems and mysterious religions. Something I always love about Brandon's work is how immersive it is, every little detail is incredibly well thought out I also do not understand how one many can have this whole universe inside his brain.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Cannibalism