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ekcd_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Spoiler:
The vin Eleni relationship was really underformed but of course they said they loved each other. Typical fantasy romance timeline but still a bit cringe
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Infertility, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Sexism, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, and Physical abuse
jadejade's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Despite the slow start, I do like how threads keep coming together as the story progresses, resulting in a Sanderlanche in the last 150 pages or so, where the story pace and reader interest really picks up. What really engaged me in the end were the extracts at the start of each chapter and how they tied into Vin and Kelsier's journeys.
For particularly keen readers, there are maps and annotations for this and several other works, available on Sanderson's website. My favourite comments from the author are of the vein, "This question is answered ... in Book Three. Soz."
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Blood, Gore, and Racism
Minor: Slavery and Rape
lakinglaze'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
5.0
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Confinement, War, Blood, Murder, Body horror, Slavery, Torture, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Grief, and Sexism
strawberrytheauthor'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, War, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Cursing, and Torture
bcrowes11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
missgarceau'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? No
3.75
Moderate: Torture, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Hate crime, Death, Rape, Physical abuse, Violence, and War
boydgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Abandonment, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault and Physical abuse
hectoralvf_'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
4.25
The structure is very simple and clear, but I have some issues with the "Sanderlanche." The beginning of the book is too slow, and the climax could be faster. The "Sanderlanche" of the last 15-20% is something I really enjoy, but it leaves the rest of the novel hanging, with the focus solely on building up the ending without any major moments of tension.
The characters and worldbuilding are outstanding. You empathize a lot with the characters, and the different points of view are very well done. Although I wish I knew more about some characters like Dockson.
The world is very well constructed, both in terms of natural and cultural aspects. The decay of Scadrial is conveyed very well in the narration ("Ash fell from the sky"), and the magic system is very easy to understand without losing depth and establishing limits and costs. "Every action has consequences".
Sanderson's prose is simple and easy to read. This is something that is often criticized, but I don't agree. It makes the stories very accessible and immersive, especially in long novels. In my opinion, writing is fundamentally about delivery, about appropriately conveying a story, and Sanderson excels at this. His straightforward writing style helps the reader focus on the characters and the plot without being distracted by pretentious language. However, my only complaint is that he tends to repeat certain words or expressions too frequently.
As for the theme, I believe the story is about trust, in oneself but above all in others. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is very well represented.
In summary, it's a must-read. Despite some slow moments in the plot, the novel is very accessible, and the characters and world are wonderful.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Classism, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Gore, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence
seanml's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Gore, Grief, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Body horror, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Genocide, Mental illness, Blood, and War
Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Stalking
reneec1'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? It's complicated
5.0
No spice
I’d been wanting to get into Brandon Sander son’s books for a while and the first didn’t disappoint! It took me until around page 150-200 to get into it, but then I was hooked!
There were some great twists and surprises near the end. It was a fun book to try to figure things out in.
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Violence, Abandonment, and Slavery