Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Trenza del mar Esmeralda by Brandon Sanderson

40 reviews

kaylaswhitmore's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

a wonderfully delightful read that will satisfy people who like to dream about going on adventures in far off lands. sanderson crafted a really unique and magical world here, and it was truly an endearing journey from start to finish. personally, i found the narrator to be a bit distracting at times—what with the sudden first person accounts—but i respect sanderson’s vision for the story and how he was willing to take a risk with it. i didn’t find it to detract from the story much at all, it just took some getting used to. i can already envision myself reading this story to my hypothetical children sometime in the future, and i think it will be beloved by all ages. def recommend if you prefer whimsical, heartwarming stories with pirates and magic!

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aseel_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was such a fun read!! Sanderson is an excellent writer and I loved all the little bits of wisdom or humour he chucked in. I was a tad confused with the narrator at the start but I might have missed something while I was reading it, otherwise, very wholesome 

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avornell's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Fabulous book. I loved the voice of the narrator throughout the story. Also a very unique setting! I would read this book again.

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I haven't read any other books but Brandon Sanderson yet, so this was an unforeseen delight! The kind of book that the whole family can enjoy — whether they're familiar with the Cosmere or not. And the audiobook is excellent, so load it up for your next family road trip!

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kylaeduff's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5


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aidareads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

this was such a cozy fantasy! plus, with pirates and found family trope!! i loved the narration style (yes, hoid, you're a very charming storyteller), the easter eggs for other cosmere books and, of course, i loved tress. if you're looking for a cozy, standalone fantasy to read through really quickly, i think this is for you. also, i really appreciated how this, in spite of being more lighthearted, is still distinctly and authentically sanderson: even though it's cozy and funny, there are also instances of raw violence inflicted by means of a solid and interesting magic system. also, the illustrations all throughout the book were incredible and added so much to the story!! 
the only thing though, for me, is the sorceress. i think she had a lot of potential as a villain (especially considering all the different magic systems from other cosmere books she uses), but remained as a very flat, simple character, in contrast to others who were more human and complex. however, i think she still fulfilled her purpose in the story. but i hope she gets her own story and we get to know her more, because i'm very curious to see who she is, her purpose, her fears, where she comes from, and what makes her so important as a villain!

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spootilious's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 
Read: September 12, 2023
 Title: Tress of the Emerald Sea
 Author: Brandon Sanderson
 Genre: Adult Fantasy
 Rating: 4/5
 Review: 

The biggest take away for this review is that this novel was loads of fun with such a unique world and wonderful characters. 

The details: I am no stranger to Brandon Sanderson. I adore his work! That being said Tress of the Emerald Sea, which having the feel of many of his other works, is something unto itself. 

The novel is fun and whimsical, with characters that are so lovable it hurts and villains that are just as loath-able. The nods to other worlds and characters in the cosmere is ever present which could be a bit confusing to a casual Sanderson reader (rather than the dedicated ones) but not so much so that it takes too much away from the story. 

Sanderson has always had a talent for writing women and there is no exception here. 

The world building is stunning (as expected) and so unique (also as expected). 

Now, despite all of this it is not a 5 star book in my opinion. The ‘twists’ of the novel are extremely predictable. Perhaps this might be because I have read too much of Sanderson’s works but regardless, I found more of the world building (particularly the spores and interactions with them) far more surprising and intriguing than the actual plot ‘twists’. Though, I find that I am very rarely surprised but plot twists now a day, so perhaps it is just me. 

I will also say that one of the signatures of a Brandon Sanderson book is it’s explosive and captivating ending. It is something I have come to expect and is typically delivered, and while the ending of this novel is fast paced and entertaining I would not categorize it as explosive (at least not figuratively) nor captivating. That is not to say that it wasn’t good, far from it, the ending was practically perfect. It was simply not what I had come to expect from a Sanderson novel, it seemed to fall just a tad bit short of my expectations; the book as a whole however met them all head on. 

I loved this novel and will be recommending it as a wonderful first step into the Cosmere! 

 

Minor TW: Death, Self harm, Vomit, Confinement, Murder, Slavery, War, Violence, Suicide, Classism, Blood, Guns. 


 Quotes: 

If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind. 

One of the great tragedies of life is knowing how many people in the world are made to soar, paint, sing, or steer—except they never get the chance to find out. 

If bravery is the wind that makes us soar like kites, fear is the string that keeps us from going too far. 

More twisted than a librarian’s love life (trust me, they’re a strange bunch) 

You can’t taste a memory without tainting it with who you have become. 

Memories are fossils, the bones left by dead versions of ourselves. 

Worry has weight, and is an infinitely renewable resource. 

After spending ages walking around with everyone piling bricks in your arms, it can throw you off balance when someone removes a brick to carry for you. 

If we let it, memory can make shadows of the now, as nothing can match the buttressed legends of our past. 

 

 


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emilywemily6's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book was whimsical, funny, and surprisingly poignant. I loved seeing Tress’s story unfold and how she grew into her own in a way that stayed true to her original character. So many great one liners from the narrator that were hilarious and thought-provoking! I would love to learn more about this world as the details we saw were fascinating. This was a fantastic cozy fantasy.

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nabecker13's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75


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oldladysadie's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is immediately my favorite Cosmere book, and may be on the list of one of my favorite books overall.
SpoilerHoid’s parables
are one of my absolute favorite things in the Cosmere, and I’m so happy this book exists.

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