Danielle

45 HOURS of audio book COMPLETE! All in all it took me about 3 months of commutes (though I didn't listen to it every commute). This was my first time listening to a fantasy book (other than my mom reading to me as a kid), and I'm not sure I liked it — but that could also be unique to this book. I found it hard to get into a good rhythm with it. The interludes were more confusing. I got kind of bored during the bridge crew sections and during battles, probably would have skimmed if I were reading. The narration was also super cheesy and the male narrator's “feminine” voice made me cringe, along with every time he said “NOOOOOOOOO!!!” (See: cheesy). The female narrator was less monotone, but pronounced names inconsistently and differently from the male narrator, which was distracting.

In terms of the book itself: I didn't find this universe's magic system as compelling, or easily grasped, as Sanderson's others. There were few moments when I felt truly engrossed and like I needed to know what would happen next — but again, this could be because I listened to it disjointedly and never for long enough to get in a rhythm.

At some point I'll finish up the series, but I don't think I'll listen to any more as audiobooks. I gave it 3 stars to mirror my enjoyment level. Sometimes felt like a chore and while it was at times enjoyable, I'm excited to move on to something else.

Unfortunately, I think the way I read this one stymied my enjoyment of it... between returning to the city, apartment hunting, moving, travelling... it was a fractured reading experience that prevented me from being able to truly immerse myself. Gaiman is an entertaining and assuredly imaginative writer, so it's a fun read. Not sure what genre to put this in... fantasy/sci-fi with a bit of a mystery twist? The concept is interesting, at a high level: that the gods our ancestors brought over from various cultures are eventually subsumed by the new deities of TV, computers, etc. But I think the message was a bit heavy-handed at times. Curious to watch the TV show, as I could see how it would lend itself well to the screen (is there irony there?).

I'm glad I heard not-so-great reviews about this book, because I came into it with low expectations.

I can see how it would be harder to enjoy if you are not a woman in your 20's, because a lot like Girls, it is very essentially mid twenties: a young women grappling with childhood as much as recent adult years, unsure of how to move forward doing what she knows she wants to do, uncompromising, in both personal and professional life. Isn't that true of all of us young females? There's a certain hopeful terror for people our age. I found the essays relatable; her feelings and her takeaways are not ones of a wisened woman, just a girl who grew up and is still growing up.

I love the writing style. It's hilariously neurotic, brutally honest and at times, startlingly poetic. But it's not pretty. It's not always funny. I like that. It's unabashedly self-absorbed. We're all self-absorbed. It's a little weird, and a little dramatic, but mostly it's real and very poignant for the confused 20-something. I truly think it touches something in all of us, artists especially.