Warnings: this review deals with personal problems and focuses on a small part of the book. Don't expect to learn if the plot's good from me, it's not what this is about.

There's a lot of things that could be said about this book. I could talk about how imaginative and intricate Sanderson's universes and magic systems are. I could mention that the ending deserved more space to breathe, that it all went down too quickly, but that the balance between the main plots and the personal plots of the characters was perfect ─ as always. I could babble for hours about Elantris and the Cosmere in general, but I'm sure tons of more talented people have already posted articulate reviews, and it wouldn't be honest anyway because what fascinated me the most about Elantris isn't the story itself, nor its characters. So I'm going to wear you all down by fangirling about pain.

I'm usually a private person, but for the sake of this review, there's one highly personal thing you should know about me: I've suffered from chronic pain since I was six years-old. After almost two decades of living with this on a daily basis, I'm pretty familiar with how it works, how it makes you feel, how it impacts your life and surroundings... When I started Elantris, I must admit I had tons of prejudice about the use of physical pain as a part of the "curse". I was terrified this would be the first book of Sanderson I wouldn't love, because I know most people can't fathom what it's like to be constantly suffering. In my mind there was no way this would be portrayed correctly, people always minimize the reality of it, and I was convinced I'd be utterly disappointed. I guess I should have known better... Come on, past!me, this is Brandon Sanderson! The guy's a perfectionist, he wouldn't have settled down for less than the most realistic depiction.

As you've guessed by now, it is one of the most realistic depictions of chronic pain I've encountered so far. For readers who have never met someone with this disease / don't have it themselves, Raoden's pain might seem like a detail in the grand scheme of things. But that's precisely what makes it so real. It's far from being the main focus, people who aren't from Elantris constantly forget he's suffering and they need to be reminded that there are things too dangerous for him, that he can't afford to risk getting injured because, for him, it means a world of renewed agonies. Raoden himself focuses on other things right until it's clear it might make his plans fail. And even then, he doesn't hope for the pain to stop, he doesn't make it his top priority. He just hopes it will leave him enough time before he collapses. The suffering isn't his main priority, barely exists in other people's eyes, and has no influence in comparison to what's happening in both Elantris and the world. But it's still everything in Raoden's and his people's life. Before the prince starts fighting for them, most Elantrians have given in to the pain (both from injuries and from the constant hunger) and those who haven't are just waiting for it to take control. Once the New Elantris project starts, the pain is no longer what they have in mind at all times, but it is still what controls their lives. Why do they ask for food to Sarene and why do they start a garden? It's all because the hunger is too much to bear, even though they don't actually need nourishment. Why is it crucial for them to have great shoes, even though they don't feel the cold and the roughness of the streets under their feet, and need the ressources for other things? It's because walking around barefooted or having bad shoes will cause more pain. Why do even the insane ones try to avoid fights as much as possible? It's because they'd rather deal with a familiar pain (the hunger) than risk creating more agonies for themselves. The pain is everywhere in Elantris, it controls it and its inhabitants more efficiently than any human leader. The people trapped there don't even realize it anymore, it's their second nature to avoid injuries at all costs, and to deal with the sufferings they already have. Apart from Raoden (whose pain is slightly different), none of them gives it a second thought on a daily basis. They live with the pain, it shapes their daily life, and the only moments they truly ponder on it is when they see Hoeds or when they know they're about to become one themselves. The pain isn't just a gimmick to make the malediction look terrible ; it's Elantris' reality.

As for Raoden's sufferings, although they're slightly different from what others feel, it gives everyone a good look at what it's like to live with chronic pain. According to his mentions of it, he has a constant pain that he's able to live with, that is something in the back of his mind, and allows him to focus on other things although it costs him energy. That's chronic pain for you. And this is for everyone who doubts us ─ the real life people living with this ─, it explains why we're not constantly crying and begging for it to stop. It's always there, but most of the time it's quiet enough that we can go on with our daily tasks. And sometimes, like Raoden's, our pain is like waves and we're left half-drown on the rocks, waiting for the next tide to catch us. The way he talks about it, like a jealous mistress who is waiting to take full control over his life, but one he can't seem to hate entirely, one he sometimes even wants to join on his own accord, it tells you everything there is to know about chronic pain. It really is something that is always there, sometimes quiet enough that you're able to live with it, and sometimes so powerful and violent that you have to live against it. No matter how badly it treats you, it's a part of you.

Even though Raoden's sufferings are well depicted, what got me on board and made me forget my doubts is that thing the Hoeds do. I can't even count the times I've iterated insane stuff when the pain was too strong... My experience might not be the same as all chronic pain sufferers, but I know it's true for more people than just me, so it's safe to say that the Hoeds' iterations are further proof that Sanderson did his researches on the reality of constant agonies.

I'm aware that this review isn't usual and might be too personal, but Sanderson's job on that point deserved to be noted. Lots of people don't know that chronic pain is a thing, don't consider it to be an actual disease, and it's both refreshing and important that a popular fantasy author decided to include this reality as a part of his universe, and did it with as much accuracy as possible even though it's part of a magical problem. I also needed to explain why, although the story had flaws such as the pace becoming too quick in The Spirit of Elantris, I didn't sanction this. This book gets five stars because I'm grateful for Sanderson's work on a real life disease that is but a small device in his story, and admirative of his dedication to his craft and to realism. And as he's a Goodreads author and might (highly hypothetical) read this review one day: thank you, Mr. Sanderson, from the bottom of my heart for depicting chronic pain in a way that resonates so much with someone who has this disease.

PS: Hoid you little sneaky freak!