Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

6 reviews

troublesometrios's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

This is my first Sanderson. I should preface that I adore mysterious lost/abandoned city settings and magic systems that involve

the land

, so I might be just a liiiiittle biased.

Reading this book is like starting a puzzle and putting it together piece-by-piece.  We follow three characters, each quite different from the other particularly in personality. Two are written as heroes, but they achieve nothing without the communities they helped build and lead. The third character is more complex and experiences the most character growth of the three. Thoughtful conversations surrounding religion, government, and community are rife throughout the story.

There IS a slow spot in the pacing -- just know that it is well worth pushing through it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Mental illness, Genocide, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Torture

bilingual_introvert's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

ravenfaerie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

proza's review against another edition

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Death, War, Terminal illness, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Grief, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Self harm, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Abandonment, Child death, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood and Cannibalism

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Genocide, and Forced institutionalization

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

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

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.

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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