I agree with Dot that there wasn't enough Lift in the book.
She was "awesome" when she was there, but she wasn't there enough and we got maybe one little scene from her perspective.
Actually, I agree with Dot on a lot of her points.
Shallan's and Wit's conversation about the split personalities/different aspects was very well done and a definite highlight.
I was rather upset about Elkohar's death (he was trying so hard! He was looking up to Kaladin and trying so hard to be a better man (semi-questionable role model aside - I mean, Kaladin is great, but he's far from perfect or figuring everything out) and he believed the best about his wife up to the end (and I was so hoping he'd be right
), and then he took his son and was trying to be a hero and he was so thrilled about Shallan's drawing of him and the hope of who he could be, that he could be better! AND HE WAS ALMOST A RADIANT WHEN MOASH KILLED HIM! GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!) - I almost shut the book and walked off for a bit.
I had hoped that the flashbacks with Dalinar would make me like him better, thinking that we would get to see him before things went bad and looking forward to some sweet interactions with him and his wife, BUT NO. Poor Evi!!!! She did deserve so much more!
She was wonderful, and she tried so hard, and Dalinar JUST TROD ALL OVER HER AND WAS A TERRIBLE FATHER AND AN EVEN WORSE HUSBAND. The only bright bits we got were then overriden by his behavior - the fireplace scene, Adolin's birth, and then the ride in the carriage when Dalinar tries for the very briefest of moments to understand Evi. And, yet, even when he recognizes he doesn't deserve Evi, he spends something like seventeen years not changing who he is or even really trying. I don't think he even really tried to love her. :/
And I was furious about Navani calling Evi vapid. I do understand the cultural value of witty women, but still...no one tried to be kind to her or reach her on her cultural level.
All that said, the flashbacks
were informative, and did explain exactly why Dalinar made the deal (oh, but after he always dealt so harshly with Evi for bring up the Nightwatcher! Her confession that she thought about going to the Nightwatcher to ask that she would be made an intelligent wife, so that Dalinar would be proud of her, was heartbreaking.
) - but the man who came out of it was hypocritical. I understand the importance of Dalinar becoming that man so that later he could handle what he had done, but still! I still don't understand really what the Thrill was or why he trapped it, though...
And Dalinar still needs to tell his sons that he killed their mother, however unintentionally, since it was his wrath and lust for vengeance and his hard heart that killed her. And he also really needs to apologize and make amends for being such a horrible father - especially to Renarin (I couldn't believe he forgot about him and just thought he wasn't suitable for battle and thus didn't matter). While he's at it, too, Navani needs to know the truth. I still am very unhappy about that relationship, but she is his wife now, so...
And Renarin. GAH. I still don't know how or what it means that he somehow bonded a "corrupt" spren (on one hand, it wasn't a good thing based on Jasnah's reaction and Renarin has obviously been in some turmoil and torment because of it but on the other hand, Renarin was allowed to heal people and Glys didn't necessarily seem malevolent based on what we saw?), but the poor boy needs more hugs and lots of help. I'm not a fan of Jasnah, but her actions in that scene were excellent and made her much more human. I loved that she let her love for Renarin and the memories of a small boy clinging to her for comfort because his father doesn't love him override her logical decision that he was a danger; her making the decision to not kill him and instead hugging him was wonderful.
Adolin...I warmed up to him some this book (as Kaladin said, you couldn't help liking him), but I still don't think his murder of Sadeas was dealt with well. Even though he's conflicted, he still thinks he was justified and Shallan's and Dalinar's reactions didn't help matters (COME ON, FOLKS!). His simple, though not very helpful, statement that he liked Shallan as Shallan was sweet.
As for Shallan...I'm glad she finally got some handle on her different personalities, but, like Dot, I'm kinda concerned that they will make a reappearance at some point.
And I am kinda relieved that the love-triangle didn't become full-fledged...but I don't like how it was resolved. It didn't really feel like a resolution - or, rather, it didn't resolve things between Kaladin and Shallan. Shallan shoves her feelings/thoughts into a "Veil's feelings" basket (which is also her???), never mind that Veil didn't come into the Life-Changing Adventure in the Chasm sequence at all. Kaladin also makes a sudden (and not very convincing?) argument that he didn't have any feelings for her, that she simply reminded him of Tien???
Kaladin was great. I really appreciated his character growth, especially as he consciously tried to overcome his prejudices - particularly as he realized the insustainability and shallowness of his hatred for lighteyes. His reunion with his parents was wonderful, and his adventure with the Parshendi was bittersweet. Elkohar's death scene was heart-breaking, as Kaladin came face-to-face with his inability to save everyone.
Also impactful was the scene where Kaladin came close to speaking the Fourth Words. I'm very curious about what the words were that he couldn't quite speak - accepting that he couldn't save everyone, maybe?
Syl was great too.
Her attempts at hiding who she was in Shadesmar were funny and a bit sad, especially as we found out why.
I did feel like there were threads dropped, especially Rlian's. I did enjoy Venli becoming a Radiant - I hope she comes about and breaks away from her overseers. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing more of Rock and his family in the next book.
It also sounds like the Windrunners have the advantage of the Knights Radiant with 5 (assuming Skar and Druhy are both Radiants now) full-fledged members now, not to mention a whole troop of Squires.
Though I don't remember Teft saying the Second words? He said the Third words, though, to become a Radiant... Can the Words be said out of order?