Dianna > Recent Status Updates

I've gotten past the biggest event from book 1 IMO, and I've stalled. Some of what I loved from Phedre's perspective (Hyacinthe's relationship) is changed by reading Josceline's perspective... for the better plot-wise, but it is making me re-think the whole series. That makes me not want to keep reading!

Devoured the first half on a road trip - can’t wait to finish!

Ssllllloooowwww. Thank goodness I’ve come to care about the characters, because the writing (nosedive toward the misogynistic) and the pace have gone super south. I’m only keeping on, because I have faith that Brandon Sanderson will do a better job.

I took tons of notes in the first half of the book. It really is very well written in a very poetic style I’m coming to recognize as her own unique writing voice. About 60% through though I started paying less attention, so I’m taking a break and will come back.

“The belief that one can use words to undo the meanings that others attach to these very same words is to commit the empathic fallacy - the belief that one can change a narrative merely by offering another, better one - that the reader’s or listener’s empathy will quickly and reliably take over.” p.34

Ughh... the fetishizing is getting worse instead of better. In the Aes Sedai ritual they make everyone bare their chests to prove they're women (what?), and they take long lingering stares at each other, assessing (and the author commenting). Ugh. It's getting difficult to read. I'm hoping that Sanderson's turn comes soon, or Jordan gets a better editor in the next book. This one is hard to read.

In Discussion questions for Chapter 1, the author asks "Is CRT pessimistic?" because racism is ordinary and embedded in society, and changes in the dominant society change racism (not desire for betterment of society). "Or is it optimistic?" because it believes racism is a social construct which can be changed? And the follow-up: "Is medicine pessimistic because it focuses on diseases and trauma?"

Has the whole series been this misogynistic or am I only just noticing it? Every other thought in Rands head is about how women need so much protecting. This could be (I used to think it was becoming) a series that empowered it’s women - they are fierce warriors and powerful magic wielders. But it seems to be more fetishized than thoughtfully rendered. Did they change editors at this book or something?

Listening to this for a sort of book club with friends. Trying to do a chapter a day.

Reading this for a sort of book club with friends. Trying to do a chapter a day.

Listening to this on audio during my runs - in honor of Thich Nhat Hahns recent passing. He definitely made a difference in my life. It’s nice to revisit

Listening to this a chapter a week for a book club.

I’m much less discombobulated swapping between storylines this read.

Rereading a decade later and I remember very little. But the image of a woman leashed brought back some memories of what is to come and I am pre-emptively sad.

Wait - the audible book abruptly changed narrator at chapter 28. Weird.

I'm definitely absorbing more detail second time around - glad I'm re-reading!

Re-read before trying the new show out.

Ugh. So. Much. War. Maneuvering. And machinations. Barf.

Oohhh a great twist!! I saw a twist coming - the narrator is a thief of course - but it was still very good. I immediately want to keep reading this series, and I’m not even done with the first book yet.

Opening the first few chapters with patricide, rape, despair, poverty, and more... it took me several short stints where I just had to stop due to the darkness in order to finally get into it. If this were something I was reading in print I would have abandoned it, but it's a little easier to handle in audio.

In the beginning of this book there are drawings of each character, and they’re distractingly cartoonish. I quickly skipped through and didn’t read it, because dwelling there would have made me not want to read the book.

I love the bard-re-telling aspect! Very Rothfussian :)

This book has been returned and rechecked out several times as I'm slogging through it. It's quite unusual for me to do that with any book, let alone a Sanderson book. I just got it again yesterday after about a 6 week break (it still has holds lists). I know exactly where I am in the story, but I'm having a hard time wanting to go back.

The cognitive realm is a little less weird this time. We’ve just entered it, and I’m not finding it as distracting as in the last book.