Mel’s Reviews > Shaman's Crossing > Status Update

Our young hero is learning an age old lesson. Sorry, kid, Old Money AND New Money are responsible for the travesty of imperialism. And Old Money will always turn on New Money if it has to to maintain their power and position. Nepotism runs the world. Even the fictional ones. Better luck next time, lil guy. Maybe you should have sided with the trees 🤷🏻‍♀️

Respectfully? Can somebody lock this kid in a supply closet somewhere?

I’m not sure if it is because of how Protestant everything is, but Nevare is the most prudish and most hetero character Hobb has ever written. This is what Fitz would have become if he’d been raised as a prince and not a bastard. And if The Fool had not been there being all flamboyant and mysterious with elegant fingers or however else Fitz describes his best friend who he is totally not gay for.

Poor Nevare just wants to ride horses and collect rocks and he is being forced on spirit quests and bullied into seances. Leave my dude alone.

All of Epiny’s arguments about society and womanhood are watertight, but the way she keeps cornering people and forcing situations especially spiritual ones is pissing me off. You simply cannot force your cousin to have a seance. Or to believe in mediums. It’s giving girl at a party who won’t stop lecturing you about your star sign after you’ve repeatedly reminded her you don’t believe in astrology. Ick.

Trist sucks and Spink is a good kid and I want him to win this battle of juvenile wills we are witnessing through Navare.

I would like the world to know that I am sincerely enjoying this book even if my updates seem sarcastic. It’s really really well structured and Hobb is unmatched when it comes to the character/plot introduction slow boil. I am currently in the happy and warm frog in the pot stage. I will soon be cooked and consumed. Can’t wait (:

I would love to love Epiny, but given the placement of her introduction in the story, and the variations of what her name meaning implies…she is most likely going to be Nevares foil and I’m betting turn evil at some point. And if that doesn’t happen she will more than likely die tragically for the man pain/heroes journey transformation of it all. Womp.

Cannot wait for Nevare to go to the academy and be away from his father. This man’s Protestant flavored kink for productivity and honor and practical worthiness is tiresome.

…And then out of nowhere mr micromanaged teen with daddy issues is pressured by another male authority figure to go on this world’s version of a peyote trip where his deeply held beliefs are challenged by otherworldly forces. Plus he comes home with extreme injuries and painful scars he’ll carry for the rest of his life??? Yeah, close enough, I guess. Welcome back, Fitzchivalry Farseer. 🎉