A review by nataliestorozhenko
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

5.0

“Words are where most change begins.” If «The Way of Kings» was 5/5, then THIS is ∞/5!!

I really appreciate the way Sanderson builds up the story by developing each character and their story separately. It all comes together like puzzle pieces in one powerful climax at the end. The ending of the book is so intense and satisfying that it leaves you wanting to experience it again.

Spoiler

I enjoyed every POV in the book, except maybe for Sadeas's, which was only a few pages long. In addition to the main storyline, which involves the main characters gradually coming together for the final battle, we also get to learn about Shallan's backstory, similar to how we learned about Kaladin's in TWoK. There are also some important interludes, including Eshonai's POV, which gives us a partial understanding of the listeners (parshendi), how their forms work, and what their problem is (although not fully). The brief texts before each chapter vary in importance depending on the section - some cover Navani's grief, others describe the listeners' forms, and my personal favorite is letters written to (I presume) Wit that essentially criticize his current choice of name: «I am told that in your current incarnation you’ve taken a name that references what you presume to be one of your virtues. This is, I suspect, a little like a skunk naming itself for its stench.»
The book is over a thousand pages long, but every single word is essential to the story.

I am forever a Kaladin “my boon” Stormblessed apologist, but there was a part of the book where I was like this