A review by josiah17
The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Tentatively bumped to 5 stars after finishing the trilogy on 7/30/24.

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"To recognize you are the source of your own loneliness is not a cure for it. But it is a step towards seeing that it is not inevitable, and that such a choice is not irrevocable."

The blurb of this book, which I don't even normally read, really gave me false expectations for this book. I was expecting more excitement and another intriguing quest, but instead the plot kinda meandered and wasn't always enticing. However, this is probably the most emotionally impactful entry in the series so far. The character work, relationships, evolving dynamics, all of it is just generational by Hobb. And because of that, a seemingly stagnant plot never actually felt stagnant; so much was happening with Fitz's introspection and the evolution of characters and relationships. It was a rollercoaster. Tawny Man is finally giving me everything that everyone raves about when it comes to Fitz's entries in Realm of the Elderlings. I'm honestly really close to still giving this 5 stars, but I'll hold off until I finish Fool's Fate to let my thoughts solidify. Fantastic book.

"Perhaps having the courage to find a better path is having the courage to risk making new mistakes."

(Loved all the connections to Liveship Traders too. Can't imagine people skipping that trilogy and missing all these references and crossovers.)
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