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imscrem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I did not enjoy the darkness of a lot of the early story, and often felt that the main character was being mercilessly beaten and picked on. Perhaps this was the author’s way of balancing him out (he may be a genius and good at everything he does, BUT he has terrible luck and every asshole gets to beat him). It didn’t feel like it balanced his genius to me, it just felt like reading about a 12 year old getting beaten for a hundred pages. Maybe I’m sensitive.
Still, there were ~500 pages of an amazing story, complete with a mysterious library, good friends, and many heroic escapades. A good read.
Having read this book, I’m conflicted about whether to pick up the second book in the series. This book was both amazing and terrible.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Medical content
logolepsy_star's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
But it does! The world is vibrant and well thought out, and by the end of the story we are left wanting more.
Kvothe as a character is very, very interesting. On paper, I shouldn't like him. He's a jerk, can be arrogant, and likes getting into trouble more than is good for him. But the author also establishes that Kvothe is a human, with feelings, hopes, and desires. The relationship between himself and Denna helps show Kvothe's humanity as well. We also see that Kvothe can be insecure and afraid at times. The author is not unwilling to show us Kvothe's flaws as well as his strengths.
The way this book is structured is interesting too. It takes a while for it to get going, but once it does, there's no stopping it! I liked the idea of Kvothe dictating his story to Chronicler serving as the framing narrative and him telling his story. Kvothe is a very good storyteller.
The writing style was pretty great. It was very immersive. Sometimes it got to the point where the purple prose was over the top, but it wasn't often.
By the end of the book, I still had a lot of questions. Why did the Chandrian kill Kvothe's family? How did he finally get expelled from the University? What other shenanigans does he get into? Guess I'll have to read the next book to find out!
If you enjoy fantasy with complex characters, stellar world-building, and a plot that will keep you sucked in and wanting more at the end, this book is for you!
Graphic: Violence
fruya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Physical abuse and Sexual harassment
dreadspawn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use and Misogyny
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Forced institutionalization
kathleencoughlin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
olivi_yeah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
danasaur's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and War
cmbossy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
This book spans from tragic and nauseating to lighthearted and witty. I’d say that it is not the most descriptive but can still be very heavy.bookwyrm242's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I do think the writing could have been more concise, there was no reason this had to be 700 pages. But the academia, conflict, magic, and desires were definitely compelling. The reveal at the end that I proudly predicted will be the main thing that keeps me going through the series. I would say this is an okay read, and perhaps good for fans of thick “hard fantasy” novels with lots of descriptions.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism