Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

47 reviews

xta_07's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. After reading Mistborn, I thought things would only get better. But... I was wrong. I was mainly frustrated at Vin and Elend, and their angst filled love. I put the book down in frustration many times after reading a Vin chapter. I did however enjoy Elend’s story of taking control of his image, and his unflappable integrity. I’ve heard the third book is the best, and I sincerely hope that I enjoy it more than this one. 

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vahala's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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zeppelinnyx's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

3.93

This book is a really good example of how good reveals and plot twists hit when they’re delivered effectively. It doesn’t feel like anything comes out of nowhere, and the result leaves the reader feeling surprised but satisfied. Also, really fantastic characters. They all feel very deep and real. It’s a pretty gloomy book, though. Leaves off on hella sad vibes; I don’t expect that to change given the series track record. This makes me feel apprehensive about the final installment. 

Quality of Writing: 9/10
Pacing: 7/10
Plot Development: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Enjoyability: 7/10
Ease of Reading: 5/10
Ending: 9/10

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amelisan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

No podía dejar de leerlo. Estoy enganchada.

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iono's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? Yes

4.0


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lilifane's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

2nd read: 26.08.2024 - 5 stars

Reread with book club. It is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time.
During the reread, I saw a lot of hints and foreshadowing that I missed the first time around. But there were also part that were not as interesting as before. Although, I apparently had forgotten half of the plot.
What makes this book so exceptional is the ending. It is one of the most brilliant twists I have ever read in a book. It is perfection. Even though I knew what was coming and saw the hints along the way, I still had goosebumps for the reveal. The timing, the placement, the execution—it's just perfect. And after reading all the other Cosmere books in the meantime, there was even an extra layer to that final chapter. And I am still amazed at how an author can manage to plan and pull off such a feat.


1st read: 11.11.2022 - 5 stars 

I LOVED IT SO SO MUCH IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST BOOK! 

I want to scream because I have so many thoughts and feelings and I can't explain them because of spoilers.

I'm just impressed. This is probably the most perfect second book I've ever read? It is the logical continuation of book one. And yes, it prepares the characters for and leads the plot to the third book. But it has a very interesting and well crafted plot on its own, with a satisfying finale. 

After finishing The Final Empire, you just don't know what to expect. But the themes explored in this book make you realize how much there still is to consider. Yeah, defeating a villain is hard, but maybe taking over and making life better is even harder? Love the detailed look at the aftermath of a revolution, the changes the characters went through but still have to go through more, the obstacles no one had considered. The character development is phenomenal. Is it fun/easy to read about the struggles and mistakes of the characters? No. But it's so believable and realistic. Wow. 

It is also maybe one of my favorite takes on the chosen one trope. And I love love loooove how much books, reading and research are part of the plot. It's my third book by Sanderson and all three have this in common. Characters that love reading and are passionate about doing research. And you as a reader can do it alongside them and even get rewarded for it. It's one of my favorite things in the world. 

I'm SO excited for book 3 now. 

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mandaraffe's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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cookiecat73's review against another edition

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

3.25


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some_random_person_hi's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

To summarize the later part of this book which also happens to be the most memorable in two words would be: emotional damage.

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dariusmortee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

A good sequel to the first book. I did struggle a bit with the fact that we started this book a year after the events of the first book started, but that was of minor inconvenience and something that I personally don’t really like in my series.

All in all this book was good. I preferred some story lines over others, but the book was interesting and kept my attention well enough. 

Even though I am interested in what the “final” book brings (I know there is a second trilogy), I will be reading something else in between. 

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