So, I'll fully admit, this book did not have me hooked at the start. First off, I don't really dig the super egotistical thang. Secondly, the format was a little jarring of the story within a story as well as the third person switch to first person. After finishing the book, I didn't mind the format and found it rather clever. Kvothe's story is incredibly fascinating, if only detracted by the blowhardiness of Kvothe himself. I mean, his ego wears a giant flashy hat which is wearing another fancy hat on top of a fez. His ego ends up getting tempered out by the constant rain of shit that happens to him and the entertainment comes from watching his clever ways to maneuver out of problems.
***SPOILER ALERT***
Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #1: Kvothe details his life as one of the Edema Ruh, the wanderers, the performers. He had a happy family life early on with a mother and father who loved each other very much and an extended family from the performers who took care of each other. The problems begin with the Chandrian when his father is focused on creating a fantastical song about them. The result of his father's song is the entire camp being massacred with the exception of Kvothe who had been out in the woods leaving him with the haunting words that "Someone's been singing the wrong sort of songs."
Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #2: Kvothe's entrance to the University of course can't be the normal, hey I went to school---it was pretty awesome, yo. Of course he set all of the newest brightest records by entering the school by having them pay him since he was so brilliant. And when he gets in trouble early on, he earns a whipping, but he also moves up in rank. Which is unheard of. Since he's so amazing. Like I said earlier, the book itself is incredibly engaging and entertaining, but MAN. This guy fucking loves himself.
Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #3: Denna. She's not just the girl he loves. She's the most beautiful woman that ever lived and her eyes were full of moondrops and twiddleblossoms and her smile---Oh no. I can't compare how superfantasticalamazing she was to anything. So yeah. Kvothe exaggerates a bit. She's a fascinating character though who shows interest, but keeps dancing in and out of the picture so unexpectedly it keeps you engaged as a reader. She's a charmer for sure as well as a confidently manipulative woman in all the fun ways, but Kvothe goes on for pages and pages about her.
I started it out skeptically, especially once Kvothe's narrative voice took over. I didn't want to like it because this should be called Name of Kvothe's Ego. But the writing was fantastic and the story was incredibly fascinating and drags you along whether you want to keep reading or not. I'm anxiously looking forward to reading the next book, egotistical narrator or no!
Rating: 4
No comments:
Post a Comment