Kai

Is it better to be dumb and happy or smart and sad.

Could be given to anyone no matter age gender race Yada Yada and they would be moved by the basic and interesting story this novel paints.

The best way to describe this book is just lame. It's lame. It's boring, plain, and unoriginal.

I found out it was inspired by Chinese history, which I found interesting and cool. But then I realized the author was a Chinese American who was born in America. This directly coincided with the very warped depiction of China throughout this book. These issues aside, I think the book just simply does not bring anything to the table.

I think my disappointment stems from the overhype that this novel had. They said it was the next best fantasy debut, the best fantasy of the modern era. But I found that to be completely untrue. You can't just reforge ideas made in the past, copy them but make no apparent change or own originality and call it a day.

Let's start with the world. Every fantasy novel the first thing you want to do is open the map and take a look. But what I saw before me was some lame ass place with just a few labels and provinces. That's when I knew this novel was gonna be lame...

Our story is about a peasant girl who somehow aces the exam to go to the best school in the country or whatever. This is a concept that I have seen so many times, but I have never been so flabbergasted at the way the author decides to depict the girls struggles. Sometimes I have an issue with characters having something known as main char syndrome, where for some reason everything is shaped around the main char. Now this isn't particularly true in this book as the war showing the main char's uselessness in the grand scheme of things is quite interesting (there are many issues with this tho that Ill go into later). However, the fact that Rin can just burn herself and ace an exam that you are supposed to study for your entire life for? Also what even is this exam. If you do the best you go to military school... Please. How does a practical exam even prepare you for that.

Now let's actually talk about the school. So we are told that at this school you learn strategies and implement super interesting tactics to war. So how come, during the fighting that happens in the books later basically none of this happens? It feels so cast to the side, like half the book was just for nothing. Instead of using tactics and strategies that we learn about in the school, they just use some kind of suicide squad with powers. And also these powers are honestly so so lazy.

The most unique part of this novel is the mentor mentee relationship between the gatekeeper and Rin. But the things learned during this are just thrown away. Like ok your supposed to go through all these steps to channel to god, but these suicide squad kiddos can just do it like that? And then we have my biggest annoyance. How useless Rin is. It doesn't feel that she's useless because this is a big war and she's swept in it. No it's because she is so lame when it comes to her power. Like bro u have the Phoenix or whatever but that Atlan guy has it too so what's the point of Rin even existing.

Let me just say right now, I freaking hate Rin so much. I think she is the reason I disliked this book so much. She's so narcissistic and annoying and honestly just so like bratty. Also we are supposed to have this strong female character, but this girl is so infatuated with these random guys like bro I don't careeee about ur dumb romance subplots. She cares so much about what these guys think of her it's honestly kinda just concerning how weak willed her supposed strong female character is.

I can't even remember half the things that happen in this book because it was just so lame and forgettable. The school was done half assed. The world building half assed. The fight scenes are honestly so lame. Even the war part, the part that is supposed to be the highlight of this novel was just not it.

I think one of my favourite stories is Magus of the Library. This novel reminds me a lot about that novel, it it honestly lacks so much in comparison that I found this one to be so so so lame.

This book omg. It is honestly the best piece of literature I have read and tbh might ever be. 

From the size of the book you would expect the reader to be burnt out. For the reader to lose interest once halfway through. But no, Brandon Sanderson hooks you in from the very first page. From the prelude to the epilogue the story is honestly amazing. 

I think the novel takes its time to build its characters. To really show its passion and compassion for the characters in the pages. They seem to ebb and flow from the pages, in such a far away fantasy lies very real and endearing characters. I really enjoys stories from multiple POV's I think its such a great way to really emphasize main characters and what not without taking away from a story. But at the cost of those POV centered books are issues with pacing and the very real issue of simply just having one of the characters fall flat. 

Now with one of the characters being far far away from the others, you would think that there would be some issue with the pacing of the novel, but no, I am just as interested in Shallan's wardship as I am Kaladin's terrible time as a bridgecrew member. I found myself in disbelief that I went from one high intensity moment, leaving on a cliffhanger to someone elses POV. I would want to continue the story so bad that I kept reading, often late into the night. But just because someone elses POV ended did not mean the one that started was bad. No, every single one of these POV's had something of interest and of emotion. 

Characters: 

Kaladin is really just a favourite. I don't think many people can read this guys sections and think that hes lame. Hes cool, and awesome, but also real and emotional. I really liked the way his depression was depicted and also just the amazing story and character building that had happened throughout the novel. Like we have this super strong character but he had so many inner turmoil that made him presentable as a real and flawed character. I think his ending with not wanting to save Dalinar really showcased his distrust and how his past has influenced him as a person. Really truly amazing, all this back story formulating together to really understand the character and what he would do. 

Dalinar is the GOAT. He is so respectable and is a leader depicted right. He has such an interesting story, one that I personally found to be the forefront of this novel even though Kaladin had so much more pages. I sat on the edge of my seat with every choice he made and with every word he spoke. What an absolute goat. 

I will say that Adolin is kinda idk he didnt have enough for me. I think I liked him a lot but I would have rather seen things from Renarin's POV for more diversity with the cast. Almost all the characters r crazy strong fighters so seeing someone like Renarin POV woudl've been cool. 

Shallan is unfortunately where the cookie crumbles. I still think she is so cool and well written but she had just less of a personality than the others. I did like her a lot but I felt she just didn't have as much of an impact or as many pages tbh. But still really nice to see the history and other side of the world other than war through her lense. 

Another gripe I have is they should've had more like darkeye perspectives maybe? idk cuz everyone other than Kaladin is a lighteye. But honestly its whatever not a biggie, but this couldve made things more diverse ig. 

I also really enjoyed the little interludes between the parts. This was although initially i was like WTH give me back Kaladin. BUt then I honestly really appreciated the nice little worldbuilding that they did. 

The story was also fantastic. Lots of action but great worldbuilding. The twists were expectable but also well done. I kept thinking wit was the assasin but ig not. And I thought Sadeas was gonna die not betray Dalinar. 

Also the characters are just really mature and aren't dumb for lack of better words so the story felt great. 

I have too many good things to say about this book. I truly have never felt so many emotions while reading a novel in a long while. This is an encapsulation of everything I enjoy in a story and a novel. 

Don't do drugs!

This book was on the hot section at my library and there was a sticker attached that red “lucky express 7 day rental” and I thought, oh shit i better read this book before I'll never see it again. So I pushed Luminaries to the side (it was 800 pages) and started a journey through Lee County with Demon Copperhead.

My first thought was, wow this guy has a horrible and terrible life. My second thought was, wow fuck society. So put two and two and you will realize that this novel was a heavy hearted depiction of those who were unfortunate. Unfortunate was an understatement, I've read about terrible lives but there always seemed to be some magical way they got out of their circumstances like some sort of magical letter telling them they're a wizard. But this never happened for poor Demon. I kept reading waiting for the good to happen but it just got worse and worse, a brutal depiction of reality.

When it finally got better, by stroke of luck, it wasn't like all of Demon's problems were gone. He was still that kid with that leaky well with water oozing out of him. Everything was going well for this guy, but he was still broken and it showed when bad luck hit again. At first you feel bad for Demon because his life is absolutely horrible. But when things get bad the second time, sure you feel bad for him but not because his life is terrible, but because you can relate to his issues, his struggle, and his own hole draining all the good out of him. You never hate Demon because you can't. He's like your child that you wish to get better, to wake up one morning and decide to change his life around, but change like that isn't realistic and Demon Copperhead the novel is very realistic.

You have this Toblerone format of depicting Demon's life and the ups and downs of it all. And this just makes everything way worse. You yourself feel like Demon. During the bad you can't wait for him to get better, and at the peak of his life you can't help but wonder how its all going to fall down. And it doesn't just randomly get bad, it is ultimately his own choices that causes his own misfortune in the later half of his story. And this hurts more than misfortune you can't control, it hurts because it's pain that he has no one to blame for. But when it finally goes up again it feels so satisfying, like he finally pulled his shit together.

This novel has never made me question how lucky I am to live the life I have.

Likes:
Demon. He is such a well written character. A kid who obviously has his flaws. One that you won't believe is the age he is during the events of his life. One that is mature but just as immature. That one line where the housekeeper tells him his job is to be a kid was just so opening to what this guy had to go through. I really liked his interactions with other characters and the way the author wrote his narration felt real instead of cliche and over the top.

Setting. It helps that this place in a real place in the world. I always find a really good novel to have its setting almost be one of the characters. The novel goes deep into what Lee County is without going too over the top.

Writing. Holy cow Barbara Kingsolver cooks with her writing. I found that random lines hit so hard and there was no moment that I was bored of what was going on. It reads like a teenager's writing the good and the bad yet the descriptions feel so otherworldly and crazy. I really liked the pacing and how there are no life turning moments, instead series of events that change Demon's life which I found to be more realistic.

There are honestly so many more good things to say about this book. It was just so good in almost every way possible. Every character is so fleshed out and has so much to say without saying anything at all. Characters are diverse without having DEIB shoved into your face. The depiction of addiction hurts so badly that it feels like its coming out of the pages. I especially liked how brutal Dori was.... The foster care system was so brutal.

Dislikes:
I'm trying very hard to think of what I dislike but I can't come up without anything of interest. I think the one major thing I had an issue was the lack of an relationship Demon actually had with Dori. I get that its kind of the point but it would've been nice to see something else other than sex being described by Demon. But tbh I feel like there was purpose of having Dori written like that.

Another slight issue I had was how I felt that Demon and Emmy just kind of died off. Like there relationship was sooo interesting and it felt like there was nothing done with it later on.
I also have a slight issue with Demon being with Angus at the end because it felt like Angus was more of a sister/brother to Demon and not a potential love interest. It also doesn't really suit Angus's character imo and I was rooting for Demon and Emmy lol. But despite my bias I really felt that the whole Angus thing at the end was kind of offputting, almost incestuous.

In conclusion. Loved the book!

I think you can summarize this novel in a honestly really simple way: Ruth is such a bitch. I caught myself saying the phrase “that bitch” too many times to count. Other than that feeling of pure hatred toward this character (not really hatred but maybe like annoyance?) I felt myself feeling very little. 

Tbh I don't really know what this novel was trying to get at. I felt the heartwarming moments to be mild and the character development to be as flat as the Saskatchewan plans. I thought there would honestly be more, be more plot, be more characterization of the characters, just simple be more. But instead I was kind of hit with a super cold and boring novel. One where it said something but I felt nothing from it. I don't think I disliked this book that's for sure (this was acc my first audio book btw) but I just thought that there was nothing to be gained from reading it. 

I think that this thing would've been a cool cool thing where it depicted this amazing and interesting group of friends, their struggle in the real world after being sheltered by this pretty sheltered school, and then there was always some weird thing about them, some mystery regarding the group of friends. They meet later and boom u see how the years have affected them, how the act of becoming an adult changed them. And then at the end, boom, u get exposed to the thingy at the end and whatever. idk the ending part where its supposed to be a surprise ig didn't really feel like anything important it was just kinda like, damn sucks man. 

Characters: 
Kathy - some girl who tbh I dint give two shits about. Like she felt so inhuman. Ig that's the point with them being clones or whatever. But there was acc like no emotion coming out of anything this girl did. The main part of this book was ig the little song she liked and the fact that they couldn't have babies ig? but tbh I thought like bruh this girl is not that girl.

Ruth - Bitch. She was just honestly such an awful friend and I think she was the most real part of this book. This idea that this bitch girl who was such a bitch when she was younger, but only realized when you grew older, reconciles with her friends ig and is not so much of a bitch when she's dying is interesting ig. But yeah pretty realistic of this bitch ass friend ig, shows how friendship is more blah blah and sometimes it's blind or whatever. 

Tommy - bro this guy. What was he even supposed to be. Ig some things happened to him but like idk it just bro this guy encapsulates what is wrong with this novel. Just random things thrown on to the character to make them feel like a human when in reality they just feel hallow and empty and idk. 

Adding on to the characters I felt that this whole true love thing between Tommy and Kathy that ruth said they had was just silly. I don't know what true love is but I don't think those two were a good depiction at all. I felt they were just two chummy friends who kinda knew each others secrets. Could be very easily substituted by others. So def not true love. 

Yeah but honestly I just don't think it was that great of a book. Tbh just something to listen to in the background and it's not that sigh what I was expecting. Tbh I only read this book because some really really pretty girl said it was her fav book and I thought wow I better check it out, but maybe that girl's personality is just as dull as this book. Who knows?