3/5. This is going to be a hard book to review as I loved parts of it but was deeply frustrated by other parts.
The Good:
- The world building is amaz3/5. This is going to be a hard book to review as I loved parts of it but was deeply frustrated by other parts.
The Good:
- The world building is amazing. It’s incredibly complex and feels so real. Sometimes it does go into ‘complicated’ territory as I had to keep remembering the roles each tribe played in history, how they work in the present time, how they impact the story. It doesn’t help that each tribe has basically a different story on history (which is super realistic) but also made me confused at times.
- The political intrigue is genius. The political conversations in this book were so damn good. I haven’t enjoyed reading about schemes on such a level such ASOIAF.
- The dialogue was top notch!! Kept me so hooked.
- I adore Alizayd – WHO DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER.
- I like Nahri as well, although I think her opinions on some things (which I will get into later) are so fucked up that it hurts. She is a smart character, yet she does make mistakes in this book, but I can see her growing to be a powerful political force in the next few instalments.
The Bad:
- The plot is very slow. Very, very, very slow. It was bearable for the most part, but once there were 100 pages left and there was still no action, even I was getting burned out. Also, the first half of this book basically focuses on Dara and Nahri travelling to Daevabad and “flirting” (terribly), which made me fall asleep so many times.
- This book took me like 20 days to read, so that’s pretty good indication of how slow it is. Granted, I was playing way too much Elder Scrolls Online to blame my slowness entirely on this book, but the lack of plot did not help.
- The biggest gripe I have of this book: Dara.
- This man is a piece of garbage and I will stand by that.
- He’s basically a Nazi and yet people seem to like him? And he’s meant to be the love interest in this book? Who would choose this awful, condescending blood-purist over MY BOY ALIZAYD?
- Let me give you some examples of why this man made me want to choke him:
- He treats Nahri like a piece of shit when he thinks she’s a half-blooded Djinn. When the king announces she’s a pureblood, Dara immediately becomes more interested in her.
- He worked for a group of people who burned half-bloods in the street simply for being of mixed blood, despite them being the progeny of the very purebloods who hate them.
- He’s like 1500 years old and Nahri is 20 or so. I did not realise I was reading a Sarah J. Maas book???
- Not only is he old af but he’s condescending to Nahri on so many occasions. He straight up tells her this when she asks for advice: “Playing them [political games] is not your place. There are those in our tribe far more qualified to do so.” Bro shut up.
- He is a Daeva Supremacist and is constantly is being a dick to anyone of a different tribe/race than him. He calls Alizayd ‘sand-fly’, ‘crocodile’ and called Nahri ‘dirtblood’ when he first meets her. Like wow yeah I guess racism is hot?
- He is called the Scourge of Qui-Zi because he DESTROYED AN ENTIRE CITY BASED ON THE REASONING THAT IT WAS FULL OF HALF-BLOODED DJINN. This man pulls a fucking Rape of Nanjing on this city and he’s still expected to be redeemable? No honey.
- Nahri still is devoted to him despite this? And tries to paint him as a war hero who tried to fight for her people’s freedom (Who I honestly see as fanatics who are obsessed with blood purity and viciously murder any mixed blood people they meet. THEY ARE LEGIT FUCKING NAZI’S OF THIS WORLD, WHY ARE THEY BEING REDEEMED, WHYYYY)? Do we not see the hypocrisy in this?
- Tl;dr the love interest is scum and a racist.
Overall:
This book has a lot going for it, and a very large issue which I’m hoping will be resolved with Dara just straight up becoming the villain, but I guess that won’t happen. I will read the next ones because Alizayd is awesome and the world is very interesting.
This is going to be short because words can’t really convey what I’m feeling right now. Just know that it’s A LOT. Lots of emotions.
The en 5/5 stars
This is going to be short because words can’t really convey what I’m feeling right now. Just know that it’s A LOT. Lots of emotions.
The ending was perfect. The final image of Vin and Elend … perfection. The way each character and each plot point turned out to mean something … perfection. The way the ending tied in with the whole series … perfection.
This book is perfection.
Now excuse me while I go cry for a few hours. ...more
Edit: Finished Hero of Ages and now I have returned to change my rating of this book to 5 stars because it deserves it and I was just being nitpicky Edit: Finished Hero of Ages and now I have returned to change my rating of this book to 5 stars because it deserves it and I was just being nitpicky when I didn't give this masterpiece what it deserved.
4.5/5 stars
The Well of Ascension is a brilliant book with easily one of the best and most harrowing endings I have ever read. Seriously, I was actually terrified of what was going to happen. And I was NOT let down in the reveal. But I’ll take about that later in my spoilery thought-list ;)
But wow, did Sanderson really craft an amazing third act for this book. It was action-packed and (I hate this cliche but whatever I’ll say it) I couldn’t put the book down. Reading about all these characters that I’ve come to love (especially Vin, OreSeur and Sazed) face such dire odds was KILLING ME. I seriously cannot stress how absorbed I was in the ending of this book — I’m writing this review at 2am and I’m still buzzed from the adrenaline, so maybe that will give an indication.
Vin is amazing and undoubtedly one of my favourite characters of all time. Surprisingly, Sazed also is up there after this book. His entire plot was what captivated me the most and I adored how his character changed to become more open with his affection and love for those around him. (view spoiler)[ His final line in this book did make me want to cry though, I hope he’s okay and survives the next book :( (hide spoiler)]
I also want to quickly mention the new characters we got in this book, especially Zane, Allrianne and Tindwyl. I was interested in pretty much all three of them, but found Zane quite … tropey? He was still a cool character but for most of the book he seemed to fill the role of the “second YA love interest that you know will never win” even though this book is not YA and he was more manipulative than this, but it still felt a bit like it. Tindwyl was a breath of fresh air — finally, another badass female character aside from Vin. Allrianne was okay, but her … relationship … with Breeze was weird and felt so out of place.
As usual, Sanderson’s action sequences are flawless and so well written. Vin does some crazy shit in this book, especially with the introduction of Duralumin, a new metal she discovered. Seriously, crazy damn stuff. It’s epic.
My only complaint is the slow-paced first and second acts, which are mainly focused on the political side of Luthadel under siege. I liked seeing Elend grow into a much more complex character here, but he still isn’t a favourite of mine, and he takes up a lot of page time here. I love me a good political fantasy (and despite my complaints, this was a great bit of political fantasy), but I wasn’t expecting it to last for over 500 pages :)
IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE FINAL EMPIRE THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GO READ IT ALREADY, IT’S AMAZING AND THIS BOOK IS EVEN BETTER. You’re welcome.
Okay spoiler time :D
(view spoiler)[ - THE ENTIRE PART WITH KWAAN’S WRITING WAS SO AMAZING AND EVERY TIME SAZED WAS ON PAGE I JUST WANTED HIM TO GO RESEARCH and I never thought I’d say I wanted a character to research on-page. - The reveal about the Well of Ascension being both iNSIDE Luthadel and containing an evil deity that Vin then released into the world … my brain and heart both exploded from sheer tension and craziness. - I NOTICED that Sazed’s rubbings were changing and was like uwu what’s this, thinking I was just going insane, but no I’m actually a genius who cannot be fooled by this weird god Vin has released. I’m basically Kwaan :) - OreSeur :(((((( WHY WHY WHY would you betray Vin like that :( But then he helped her beat Zane so I’m happy again :) But now he’s gone to the other kandra and will probably die so I’m sad again :( - Elend is now A MISTBORN?????? Because of that metal Vin made him eat??? And he’s probably going to be as powerful as Vin and the original Mistborns? Amazing, epic, beautiful, fantastic, gorgeous, spectacular. I want them to kick ass together in the next book. - Straff made me wish I could turn into a fictional character just so I could throttle him. I hated him so much. - I kinda hate how the Ars Arcanum at the end of the book lists both Malatium (The Eleventh Metal) and Electrum (which we haven’t even seen) like I feel like these are both spoilers because our characters haven’t encountered Electrum yet (as far as I’m aware?) and they don’t know the name of the Eleventh Metal soooo - I 100% believe that Vin is also a Feruchemist or has Feruchemy in her bloodline. Her mother giving her the copper (I think it’s copper) earring when she was a child makes me think it’s going to play a huge part in the next book. If I’m remembering right and it is copper, I will bet any money it holds memories that will be key in the next book, maybe about Vin’s parentage and why her mother said she was a queen as she was going loopy. - RIP to my mans Clubs and Dockson, you were cool dudes, especially Clubs - I loved when Vin controlled the Koloss, she really is ridiculously powerful - Also when she killed Zane despite him burning atium … that part was cool af - I think that’s all my thoughts, sorry this is so haphazard, I’m tired and there was a lot to spoilery discuss. - Thanks for sticking around :) (hide spoiler)]...more
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