A review by mattiedancer
A Crown of Swords 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

2.5

Writing: 2⭐️/5 
**SPOILERS**
This is a shorter book than several of the previous and yet it felt like one of the most tedious so far. Several times throughout the novel, Jordan would have paragraph-long descriptions that read like Wikipedia entries. Beyond the tedious sections, Jordan also left out most – if not all – of the most action-packed sequences in favour of revisiting them via flashback. Several times we join characters after something exciting happens, and are told about it in the character’s head, instead of just being allowed to experience the story altogether. This drew out the reading significantly. I will also never forgive RJ for not letting me see Nynaeve and Lan’s wedding.

I also, personally, felt the reluctance to say the word, “Rape” in rape scenes was a pointed choice that I don’t agree with. Also, knowing that RJ intended the Mat rape scene to be a “humourous role-reversal” really takes any unintentional realism he may have woven into that scene feel gross, unnecessary, and lacking compassion.

Characters: 2.25⭐️/5
Every RJ novel I read, I complain about how the characters never remain consistent. And, here we are again. At multiple instances, Elayne and Nynaeve’s names could have switched and it wouldn’t have mattered. In fact, the only characters who really retain their own personalities are Rand, Mat, and Perrin – though even they fluctuate to some extent. 

The characters have such fantastic potential and yet they cannot seem to remain consistent long enough to meet that potential. And, though there are 2700 named characters throughout this series, several of the more minor characters feel so unimportant the only purpose they seem to serve is to make the plot more confusing and convoluted.

Plot: 3.0⭐️/5 
The plot could have been more interesting, but there was no reason for anything to take as long as it did. This book – to achieve the necessary plot – could have lost a solid 100-200 pages and been a stronger, more interesting read. Some parts were definitely interesting, so elements were definitely engaging, but overall it fell kind of flat, and I spent most of the time wishing I got to see the fight between Perrin and Rand instead of two paragraphs on what a longboat is. 

Who Should Read This Book? 
  • Those who read book one to five 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, 

Post-Reading Rating:  3.0⭐️/5
This one really didn’t have that amazing moment at the end. It was just okay. 

Final Rating: 2.5⭐️/5
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