The Way of Shadows

How did 600 pages break and remake me 20 times? This book was a fantastic read.

The Way of Shadows is a re-read for me, although it does not show on goodreads. I originally read the entire trilogy when I was around 15 years old and I think I read it too fast as I didn't remember what happened right after finishing the books. This time around I consumed the book a lot slower and took the time to try and adsorb the plot as best as I could.

The book follows Azoth, a young boy from the slums who is given the opportunity to remake himself when he apprentices himself under the greatest wetboy in the city, Durzo Blint. The process is no gift and proves to change Azoth in more ways than one. The book follows his journey from a boy of 12 to a man over the age of 20 and his quest to become a wetboy worthy of the respect of his master.

This time around I enjoyed every aspect of the book and managed to understand the plot much better than I had before. I felt the characters and the plot were the strongest aspects of the book and both were done incredibly. I had no complaints there., and in fact found myself experiencing the full spectrum of human emotion by the time I had finished the book. In the effort to keep this review spoiler free, I won't go into any further detail. Suffice it to say, I wish all books had plots this fast paced and complex.

Additionally, the characters really compelled me. Azoth and Blint broke and remade my heart multiple times each, and at the heart of this book was their progress from master and apprentice relationship to one closer to a father/son. By no means was this a clean or healthy relationship but it felt all the more real for it.

I do wish the various countries and their rivalries had been established better before later aspects of the plot came into play as it was difficult but not impossible to understand the different rulers and their motivations. I adored the writing in this as it toed the line between poetic and the type of fast paced action writing I enjoy.

All in all, I would recommend this book and I can't wait to crack on with the second book in the series. I'm fairly certain I won't finish it without crying.