kaitemiller 's review for:

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

5.0

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Words of Radiance somehow managed to outdo The Way of Kings, which felt impossible going in. I read the whole thing in five days and was fully hooked the entire time. The pacing was tighter, the stakes were higher, and every chapter pulled its weight. I’ve read books a third of the length that dragged more than this.

Shallan completely won me over. I couldn’t stand her in book one, but here she’s layered, smart, emotionally complex, and hilarious in exactly the wrong moments. It makes her feel human. Her arc was so compelling I found myself looking forward to her chapters. Wit is still my favorite, and I laughed every time he showed up. The quote that stuck with me most was, “As I fear not a child with a weapon he cannot lift, I will never fear the mind of a man who does not think.” I still think about it. The spren are becoming more central and more fascinating by the chapter. And the way Sanderson writes about honor? It’s not preachy or dramatic. It’s just real. It made me pause and look at how I move through the world. His writing is sharp, meaningful, and clever. I loved every single page.