I'm a big Mark Lawrence fan after being introduced to him through The Red Queen's War series, but this book wasn't like that. It was different in the way black chocolate is different from white - the taste isn't similar, but it's still chocolate and lovely.
Going into it, I didn't love it at first, and often felt like it was going to be a predictable mess... but boy was I wrong. The plot progression slaps you at every turn of the page and that ending... I have no words.
If you love fantasy, this is definitely worth the read.
The stories are separate and finally come together in a fairly predictable way. It is a bit didactic, but imagine yourself a very bright, curious, thoughtful and sensitive 14, 15 or 16 year-old struggling with the usual thoughts and feelings of angst and hormones and loneliness and you stumble onto this book and identify with the character (or at least like her) and suddenly you're not the only one thinking these thoughts or dreaming these ideas. They aren't being forced on you by a teacher, but they're shared through a book. You are not alone, there are entire schools of thought written about these thoughts and feelings.
Life changing book. This book eloquently articulates and expresses ideas and concepts I feel I've always lived by but had never consciously realized: through her clear cut and rational storytelling, Ayn Rand shifted it all into my conscious mind.
Very capitalistic, very individualistic, very powerful and no doubt very polarizing. Whether you love it or hate it, this book will stay with you.
Things you should know about me. I don't live in New York City. I don't work in a publishing house. I know very little about anything. This book is magical. That - is all I have to say. If I could scream...I would shout!
This___was____for some reason -- challenging for me. I remember Alavaro saying something along the lines of, "If you want to write a novel about 'A,' you must write about 'C,' 'B,' and 'Z!'
Great storytelling, so-so on the writing style, because it's geared more toward YA, but I prefer adult-style.
Amazing book overall.