Reviews with content warning for Bullying - The Final Empire

This took me so long to finish because I wanted to savor this story. I can’t wait to continue the series. Vin, street skaa, thief, and a loner, found herself in the presence of a man that aspired to rattle the very foundation of the kingdom. Kelsier, crew leader, idealist, and survivor, vowed to free the oppressed skaa from The Lord Ruler. In Mistborn you follow Vin, Kelsier, and the crew in their elaborate plan to overthrow the ruler of the land.

The plot and character development is well crafted and beautifully blended. A beautiful found family story. The magic system is fantastic and simple. I strongly recommend.

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maulikki's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

The whole time reading this book I had a sense of regret for not finding this when I was in my most active reading years, around 12 or 13. It would've made a larger impact of me, even as I think as an adult I can definitely get more out of it now than I would've as a teenager. I see why this has been recommended to me, the book and the storytelling felt real in a way I seldom encounter. Of course it's very subjective, and I understand why to someone this might fall into the "yet another female protagonist's adventure with magic and learning lessons" category of books saturated with the ACOTAR-like books many of us don't enjoy in the slightest. This books has the it factor of fantasy books. No idea how to describe how and why, someone way smarter than me has probably put it in words somewhere on the internet.

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marareading's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring mysterious relaxing 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

3.0

I previously DNFd this book last year in part 3. I picked it back up again, restarted it with some friends and finally finished it. I appreciate the VERY unique magic system, the world building, and the plot. It is a good story. The history Sanderson builds is impressive. I love hidden magic, and found family tropes.

What most people enjoy with the "Sanderslanche", I just don't personally enjoy as much. I may still read on in this series. I am also going to try The Strom light archives as well.

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forenzer's review

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adventurous inspiring tense fast-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? Yes

4.25

I was planning on giving this book a 3.75 out of 5 ... but then the last 70ish pages happened.

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kirbylover16's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

After years of people telling me to read a Brandon Sanderson book and the whole Kickstarter fiasco, I have finally got around to it. Thus this is my first book ever by Sanderson; I don't know how this book score could change based on the rest of the series or the rest of the Cosmere. (yet) My overall feeling is mixed. It was a good read, and I did relate to the main character, Vin. Most of my problems are just nitpicks and my preferences for faster, more romantic, and shorter stories. However, the plot suffers from a very repetitive and slow style that can really be insufferable.
Vin is practically illiterate, as are most skaa, and it comes off quirky? Especially with Vin and Spook, and that rubs me wrong. The whole free will theme and religious tones are huge turnoffs. (apparently, Sanderson is a Mormon) Vin's mentor Kelsior is supposed to be charming, but he's not. He got worse as the story goes. Maybe I'm biased tho? Every mentor, grandfather/or father figure in media tends to be manipulative.

his fight dragged on way too long. When Vin and Elend showed up, I thought it would finally end, but nope it dragged some more.

I am more invested in all the other characters. Which there are too many. I kept going back and forth on if I liked Sazed but I think I warmed up to him.
What made me want to read this book was the idea that the prophetic hero fails and the evil rules, but that's all in the background. The bad guy won centuries ago! We slowly get the hero's journal, but the story would be the same without it. (shorter at least) The better description is a magical heist with politics and slavery thrown in. I enjoyed the romance and sexual tension, but I don't think he met latter.

even tho there are not many interactions between Elend and Vin or Spook. The sexual tension I meant with Ham and Bree. Perhaps he realized that in the editing phase, and that's why towards the end, they make Ham have an off-scene wife and kids he hasn't seen in months. :(

The world-building is the best part of the book. For example, the different ways metal and magic interact, the flying by dropping coins, and people looking like hellraisers walking around. The last 20% is fantastic.

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