The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
lorelei2186's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
First of all, the Felurian calling Kvothe a "lusty man" after trying to death by snu snu. Bitch, that's a child. He is sixteen. Go to prison.
Then all the Adem women finding this child irresistible. I don't know a single woman in her late 20s who would look at a 16-17 year old boy (again, a child) and go "Yeah, I want that." Go to prison.
Then Kvothe bravely rescues two girls from bandits, living out that weird power fantasy that men seem to have where they stop a rape by beating up a rapist (and yet they won't call their male friends out for sexually harassing or assaulting someone....okay). And after being brutally raped for days on end, one of these girls has the audacity to say "I hate men." I know, the horror. A girl experiences multiple brutal assaults by multiple men and has decided that she doesn't particularly like or trust men right now. And Kvothe, the dumbass, gets upset and says "I'm a man :( we're not all like that." He really looked this girl in the eye after she survived being raped and said "Well not all men!" Fuck off. It's even worse that it's implied he almost experienced sexual assault in his backstory, and yet he couldn't conjure up even a little bit of empathy. What the actual fucking fuck is all of this.
Tl;dr why did this book have to get so horny when the main character is a 16 year old boy. That's a child. Kvothe is a child. There are multiple sex scenes featuring a child. Go to prison.
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Rape
obredwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Rape
proza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and War
nerdkitten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Violence, Xenophobia, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Classism, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Cursing, Excrement, Grief, Sexual violence, War, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Death of parent, Biphobia, and Racial slurs
juliachn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Rape and Racism
akirma's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, Blood, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Cursing, Confinement, Alcohol, Animal death, Sexual violence, Rape, Homophobia, and Sexual content
amelia_d'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The main positive for me is the incredible, detailed and original world building. I felt really engrossed in the world and loved learning more about how this world works.
For the most part I also found the story very compelling and intriguing, although it is quite scattered in a real-worldy kind of way which I'm aware some people didn't like.
Despite all that, the negatives for me almost made it unreadable at times. The main issue for me was that I found Kvothe thoroughly unlikeable, for most of the book he's constantly bragging about everything he does and how brilliant he is at everything he tries. I found this very grating. However it was almost unreadable due to the way Kvothe talks about women. I won't get into the details so this can remain spoiler free but at times I felt like I was reading a fanfic written by a 14 year old boy or an incel. I was cringing and sending pics to my friends/boyfriend of some paragraphs because I actually couldn't believe what I was reading. It felt very much like reading an incel's sexual fantasy who wishes that they could be Kvothe and I absolutely hated it. (also mild spoiler, there's a bit where Kvothe almost literally says "not all men" to a SA victim, seriously.)
So I am very torn. As I say, the story is compelling and intriguing and the world building is very impressive but at times the writing got so bad in terms of female characters in particular that I really don't know that I could bring nyself to read the 3rd book if it's ever completed.
Graphic: Grief, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
xjr'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? It's complicated
4.0
It is the consequence of the way Kvothe decides to tell his story. Some adventures relevant to the plot were skimmed over leaving only an interesting and at the same time infuriating synopsis. Worse, Kvothe argues in one of the chapters why this is the case and let's just say I did not personally appreciate it. At the same time, other chapters are long-winded while providing little more than charming writing and showing what's been already established. Admittedly, it for the most part makes sense within the universe and framing of the story, it's just not my preference.
What I did appreciate was how this book delved deeper into the multifaceted layers of culture, language, court society, and at last tangible exposition on the mysterious realm of the Fae! Â
As always it ends with a cliffhanger and many things are still up in the air so I'm hoping this series gets finished properly before the end of my life time.
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Physical abuse
Minor: Kidnapping, Rape, Stalking, and Xenophobia
darkefyres's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Sexism, and Torture
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death of parent, Classism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
navya12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Body horror, Classism, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault