bellh's review against another edition
4.0
It was very interesting for a short story. I wish there was more so the story could have some more character development, but it was still really good.
_tilly_'s review against another edition
4.0
Loved it just as much on a re-read and would definitely want more from this story.
oldladysadie's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Absolutely beautiful meditation on what defines artistry, and what defines a person. Shai is fucking amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Blood and Body horror
bluebeardswife's review against another edition
5.0
an outstanding novella
so interesting, engaging and compelling that i actually cried (little tears, i reserve being a sobbing mess for bigger stories) because i desperately want(ed) more from this characters, story and magic!
as usual the world building was beautifully crafted and the magic system is now my favorite after the mistborn one
again, as it happens with all of bsando stories, i couldn’t help but feel completely enchanted and lost in this world. the descriptions of the magic, the complexity of shai’s character and the uncertainty of the outcome of not only her “mission” but her life’s future... truly incredible.
this is the perfect example of brandon sanderson’s talent with far less pages than his usual works, which makes this novella more impressive to me
(((btw there was no mention of hoid, which feels weird to me, so i’m wondering if the dude that tricked her was supposed to be him
so interesting, engaging and compelling that i actually cried (little tears, i reserve being a sobbing mess for bigger stories) because i desperately want(ed) more from this characters, story and magic!
as usual the world building was beautifully crafted and the magic system is now my favorite after the mistborn one
again, as it happens with all of bsando stories, i couldn’t help but feel completely enchanted and lost in this world. the descriptions of the magic, the complexity of shai’s character and the uncertainty of the outcome of not only her “mission” but her life’s future... truly incredible.
this is the perfect example of brandon sanderson’s talent with far less pages than his usual works, which makes this novella more impressive to me
(((btw there was no mention of hoid, which feels weird to me, so i’m wondering if the dude that tricked her was supposed to be him
not_mike's review against another edition
5.0
Paperback.
"You can't always write what you know - not exactly what you know. You can, however, write what you can see." -From the postscript, page 170
"You can't always write what you know - not exactly what you know. You can, however, write what you can see." -From the postscript, page 170
octliderro's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
belle_fiction's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely wonderful! Sanderson has quickly become my favourite author this year and this novella firmly cements this. A story involving soulstamping and the ability to rewrite the nature of an object’s existence. His ideas are always singularly unique, fascinating, immersive and easy to comprehend despite their complexity. What more could you want? <3
jmarryott23's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
The world created and teased here is really something for being such a short book. The same goes for the magic system, but what else would you expect from Sanderson? The winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novella, this has some hardcore fans and the 4.37 rating on Goodreads is a testament to that. For my part, I was certainly invested but wasn’t quite blown away by the pacing. Despite its very short length, it’s a bit slow to get to where it’s going and is over fairly quickly. With that said, it has a lot to say about the nature of art. The characters, world building, and themes in a quick novella? Dang, I really enjoyed it.
*I listened to this on Audiobook on a long drive*
*I listened to this on Audiobook on a long drive*
nitterbug's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0