A review by kursten
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
4.0
4.25 stars for the emotions and sentimentality this book got from me
Just as Way of Kings did, this book had a slow and steady start that ended in a riveting and phenomenal finale. Unlike the Way of Kings, this book lacked the skill and subtle interweaving of characters and events that enabled satisfying twists and conclusions. This is one of Sanderson's earliest books so I think that's expected, but it did lessen my enjoyment. Specifically, certain tools and solutions to the characters' problems were sudden and quite unexpected. They came out of nowhere and/or were idealistic solutions that wouldn't have worked given the characters and environment they were engaged in. Other solutions were foreshadowed more frequently, but were left largely unexplored so that when they were eventually employed, it didn't feel realistic or satisfying, it felt convenient. Some character actions likewise felt convenient.
Most of the characters I really enjoyed spending time with, even if it took 75% of the book to really establish my attachment to them. There were a few characters I think could've been explored more and brought additional value to the story - Karata being one of them - but overall, they were a good bunch. Occasionally however, they took actions that seemed incredibly out of place for their personality, motivations, and intelligence (ex. Ahan). These developments felt like convenient plot devices that moved the story in the direction Sanderson wanted it to go, rather than where it would have organically gone. On a petty note - Sarene got on my nerves. She was so sure she understood the political climate and people involved, but often completely misread the situation. This bothered me more so because I don't feel that she learned anything despite having her mistakes clearly explained to her. Some extra growth there would have been nice and I think also for the other characters as well. This was not a book focused on character development (excepting Hrathan) so much as plot-development, which doesn't make it bad, but ironically makes it a less developed and therefore impactful book in my opinion. I guess I like my books both plot and character-driven.
I know I sound like I didn't enjoy this book, but I really did. While the above points detracted from my experience, Sanderson has a unique gift for writing a story that embodies pure and honorable ideals and, in turn, characters that exemplify them very well. It pulls at your heart strings and gives you this tugging hope for the characters' success and you can't help but become attached to the story and fall a little in love with the cast. This key element is only enhanced by the complex social dynamics that are explored and manipulated, the push and pull between our 3 main characters and their interactions, and the examination of a person's faith and purpose.
So while this book is not one of my all time favorites, it's close and has still managed to procure a special place in my heart.
Just as Way of Kings did, this book had a slow and steady start that ended in a riveting and phenomenal finale. Unlike the Way of Kings, this book lacked the skill and subtle interweaving of characters and events that enabled satisfying twists and conclusions. This is one of Sanderson's earliest books so I think that's expected, but it did lessen my enjoyment. Specifically, certain tools and solutions to the characters' problems were sudden and quite unexpected. They came out of nowhere and/or were idealistic solutions that wouldn't have worked given the characters and environment they were engaged in. Other solutions were foreshadowed more frequently, but were left largely unexplored so that when they were eventually employed, it didn't feel realistic or satisfying, it felt convenient. Some character actions likewise felt convenient.
Most of the characters I really enjoyed spending time with, even if it took 75% of the book to really establish my attachment to them. There were a few characters I think could've been explored more and brought additional value to the story - Karata being one of them - but overall, they were a good bunch. Occasionally however, they took actions that seemed incredibly out of place for their personality, motivations, and intelligence (ex. Ahan). These developments felt like convenient plot devices that moved the story in the direction Sanderson wanted it to go, rather than where it would have organically gone. On a petty note - Sarene got on my nerves. She was so sure she understood the political climate and people involved, but often completely misread the situation. This bothered me more so because I don't feel that she learned anything despite having her mistakes clearly explained to her. Some extra growth there would have been nice and I think also for the other characters as well. This was not a book focused on character development (excepting Hrathan) so much as plot-development, which doesn't make it bad, but ironically makes it a less developed and therefore impactful book in my opinion. I guess I like my books both plot and character-driven.
I know I sound like I didn't enjoy this book, but I really did. While the above points detracted from my experience, Sanderson has a unique gift for writing a story that embodies pure and honorable ideals and, in turn, characters that exemplify them very well. It pulls at your heart strings and gives you this tugging hope for the characters' success and you can't help but become attached to the story and fall a little in love with the cast. This key element is only enhanced by the complex social dynamics that are explored and manipulated, the push and pull between our 3 main characters and their interactions, and the examination of a person's faith and purpose.
So while this book is not one of my all time favorites, it's close and has still managed to procure a special place in my heart.