A review by aruarian_melody
The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

The first third was a bit of a slog but I also wasn't in a good headspace for reading. That said, I read the remaining 400 (dense) pages in two days. The story really picked up again, with so many new threads and lots of clashing character motivations. We also got more insight into new characters, which was great. Many things were revealed and I can't wait to see how all of this turns out in the end. Once the focus shifted again to the characters and their interactions I was fully hooked yet again. Several scenes tugged at my heart and made me feel a wide range of emotions, which is always a plus!

I really missed Nighteyes in this and the fight between Fitz and the Fool was a masterpiece but also gut wrenching (especially with the long lasting aftershocks). Fitz being that homophobic was hard to read, but I felt like Hobb examined this (and other themes of the books) quite well.

 update: decided to upgrade the few Fitz&Fool books that I didn't already give 5 stars to. I compared them to each other rather than to all books I read and if I'm being honest, nothing I have read in the last decade or so has captured my heart as much as Fitz & the Fool and the books surrounding those two and their supporting cast. Gave this one 4.5 stars originally, but who am I kidding?