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3.5/5
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Second time reading.
Rating: 5/5
Started: 24 March 2022
Finished: 29 March 2022
Summary:
Between interruptions of nosy citizens, thieves, and monsters, Inkeeper Kote continues his story of when he was Kvothe: his time at the University, his journeys to far-off lands, and his never-ending search for the mythical Chandrian, who murdered his family when he was a child.
Thoughts:
Holy heck, this book. If I thought it was good the first time around, it was nothing compared to my second read. Maybe it was because I was more invested in the characters, or maybe it was because I was already familiar with the world building and magic systems, but it killed me. I spent a huge part of my time reading grinning like an idiot. It's so immersive, and so clever, and so full. The world and characters and magic all feel like puzzles, 3-D, something to be explored and solved, rather than created in my imagination as I read.
I almost have too many thoughts to be able to sort them out. It probably has something to do with the length of the book--1,100+ pages worth of thoughts is a lot to keep track of--but I think regardless of the length, the complexity of the book, added to by the complexity of the protagonist's mind, makes it a hard book to analyze. It's framing as a story makes that hard as well, since it blurs the lines between myth and reality several times over, confusing the reader a little as to what is real and to what degree.
But there are several things that are identifiably my favorite: Tempi, Ademre, Kvothe's cleverness, and Elodin. I know I have a bit of an issue with liking perfect characters--I get made fun of it by my friends sometimes--but the fact remains that I am a sucker for a competent character. And that's probably why I like TWMF better than TNOTW. In the first book, Kvothe is young and is barely scraping by. In the second, he begins to have real control over things. He learns and does the absolute coolest things--fighting like an Adem assassin, the name of the wind, and all kinds of magic. He shapes his own story deftly. He makes decisions with more confidence. And I adore it.
As much as I love the university, Kvothe's learnings there, the incredible library hunts with Wil, Sim and Fela, and their battles against Ambrose (when they are successful) the really good part of the book begins when Kvothe befriends Tempi. The moments when Kvothe begins to learn Adem hand-speak and the Katan are unparalleled. I really just adore all of Kvothe's time in Ademre, though. There's something about the culture there, I think, that feels perfect to me. I love the idea of hand-speak to death, since it's so hard to fake facial expressions, and because it just seems super cool. I also love how intentional the Adem are. The way they think, speak, and fight seems so beautiful to me, and I am endlessly jealous that I cannot go there.
I love Kvothe as a protagonist. If I were to chart a list of his character on paper, it would probably seem 2-D and dry; stereotypically bland. But there's something about his character that makes him a little more than that somehow. It must have something to do with how clever he is--he is always prepared to do something unexpected, and those thing turn out well enough of the time that I am willing to watch him fail sometimes. That's rare for me, but his mistakes often lead to learning, which makes them, with some exceptions, relatively excusable.
I adore Kvothe's improvement. In Ademre, in the University, and in his personal life. They are all so satisfying. His successes create situations where he is the best, and I am such a sucker for that idea.
A quick side note: Elodin, at the end of the book, is everything. It becomes clear that he is smarter than anyone could have guessed, even with his being Chancellor for a while despite his young age. I cannot wait to see what happens with his storyline.
In keeping with the theme of desperate and excited waiting for the third book, The Doors of Stone, here are some theories that I have about the book, that I will try to come back to when I read it, and mark whether I was right or not:
- I think that the man who taught Kvothe to play Tak in the Maer's palace is going to play some role in the third book, since he seemed important but his identity was never revealed. It seems too good of an opportunity for Rothfuss to pass up.
- Denna's patron has to be one of the Amyr. Not inherently evil like the Chandrian, but hidden and secret and dangerous.
- I don't really think it'll happen, but I would love to see Tempi again. His departure from Kvothe was incredibly abrupt, and I'd love to see his relationship with Kvothe continue.
- I think Mola and Devi will get together, and Wil with some man. Rothfuss apparently said TDOS would have more diversity, and he already has some queer characters, so here's to hoping.
- And finally, my friend pointed out that the final line of the first and last chapters of each book describes Kvothe's silence as "the cut-flower silence of a man who is waiting to die." They guess this means Kvothe will die at the end. He'd better get his powers back first.
I am dying to see how the third book goes, moreso in the current timeline than the storytelling one. I want to understand more about Bast and his fascinating relationships with Kvothe, since he is fae and older and yet speaks like a servant, a student, a fond nephew. I wonder what Chronicler's real motivations are. I hope to death that Kvothe gets his power back.
My book hangover right now is awful. Between going back to school after spring break and not having this gorgeous world of magic and cleverness, I am really not enjoying life at the moment. But I hope that TDOS will come out sooner rather than later, and I can fall once again into Rothfuss's gorgeous world.
Words:
Desultory (adj) lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
Pilloried (v) put on a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which one is exposed to public abuse
Bestiary (n) a descriptive or anecdotal treatise on various real or mythical kinds of animals, especially a medieval work with a moralizing tone (bes-chee-ary)
Vestigial (adj) forming a very small remnant of something that was once much larger or more noticeable
Trawl (v) fish with a trawl net or seine
Mendicant (adj) given to begging
Hale (adj) of a person, especially an elderly one: strong and healthy
Bilked (v) obtain or withhold money from someone by deceit or without justification; cheat or defraud
Enmity (n) the feeling or state of being actively opposed or hostile to something or someone
Brocade (n) a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread
Pagan (n) a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions (from latin "paganus" meaning villager, rustic --> not solely a christian word, and so not necessarily weird to use in fantasy)
Pittance (n) a very small or inadequate amount of money paid to someone as an allowance or wage
Gibbous (adj) of the moon: having the observable illuminated part greater than a semicircle and less than a circle
Fastidious (adj) very attentive to and concerned with accuracy and detail