A review by mattiedancer
The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan

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

2.75

Writing: 2.5⭐️/5 
**SPOILERS**
Oh boy. So. Perhaps it’s me, but it really feels like this one was extra fluffy. The amount of paragraphs that could have been trimmed for brevity and clarity was outstanding. Multiple times it felt like Jordan had written himself into a circle of repetition trying to make a point. This, combined with a very slow-moving plot, really made this a laborious read that did not move smoothly, quickly, or easily.

Characters: 3.0⭐️/5
I liked the glimpses of Rand we got in this book! I feel like his voice and character get stronger and stronger with every installment. I also greatly enjoyed Min’s POVs, but everyone else felt lost in the shuffle. I want to say this is because there were simply too many characters vying for screentime because it really felt like no one really had time to shine – and if they did, they certainly couldn’t shine for long.

Plot: 3.0⭐️/5 
Wow. I understand we have a lot of characters to cover, but – oh boy – the best way to describe this book is slog. Sections upon sections of walking and trudging through the snow were intertwined with over-redundant foreshadowing and exhausting “villainous” narratives that added nothing really substantial to the plot. 

Who Should Read This Book? 
  • Those who read books one to seven of The Wheel of Time and are able to overlook some misogyny

Content Warnings? 
  • Toxic relationships, blood, gore, abuse, domestic abuse, war, sexual assault, rape, toxic friendships, gaslighting, misogyny, sexism, death, murder, injury, injury detail, sexual harassment, emotional abuse, slavery, animal death

Post-Reading Rating:  3.0⭐️/5
Again, we’re lacking a “wow” moment at the end for me. Plus, the whole “stories become rumours” bit at the end is starting to feel very tired.

Final Rating: 2.75⭐️/5
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