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adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Elantris is set ten years after the fall of the mythical eponymous city. Being transformed into a beautiful and powerful Elantrian was once a mysterious blessing. But when the magic failed, the transformation became a curse—the city deteriorated and its now-powerless residents began to suffer. We follow three main characters as they navigate life (both in and out of the city) during the extended aftermath of the fall of Elantris.
This was closer to a 3.5 star book for me, but I'm rounding up to 4. I began my Sanderson journey with his more recent standalones and I found his writing immensely readable. But this book (and the Mistborn series) was more of a slog. For one thing, the pacing is quite slow. For another, I've come to realize that I am often a character-driven reader and these characters just didn't come alive for me. There were also parts of this book that could have been tightened or felt disjointed and confusing.
That being said, there were many things I appreciated. The mystery of Elantris kept me reading and I thought it was brilliant to set this book at this particular point in the timeline. The influence of religion on politics (and vice versa), the nature of faith, and the power of finding purpose in one's life were key themes that I found interesting. And I enjoy reading about political strategy in a well-constructed world.
This was closer to a 3.5 star book for me, but I'm rounding up to 4. I began my Sanderson journey with his more recent standalones and I found his writing immensely readable. But this book (and the Mistborn series) was more of a slog. For one thing, the pacing is quite slow. For another, I've come to realize that I am often a character-driven reader and these characters just didn't come alive for me. There were also parts of this book that could have been tightened or felt disjointed and confusing.
That being said, there were many things I appreciated. The mystery of Elantris kept me reading and I thought it was brilliant to set this book at this particular point in the timeline. The influence of religion on politics (and vice versa), the nature of faith, and the power of finding purpose in one's life were key themes that I found interesting. And I enjoy reading about political strategy in a well-constructed world.