m_j_webb's reviews
325 reviews

I had to read this book twice because I didn't take the time to enjoy it thoroughly first time around. That was my fault as I rushed it. This is a book that you need to take your time over, drink in every sumptuous paragraph and enjoy the author's slow unwinding of the tale. It really is beautifully written and I never appreciated that until I decided to give it a second go because of the extraordinarily good reviews on this site. Big learning curve for me and a big thumb's up for Mr Rothfus. :-)

This is the first book I've read by Cesar and I have to say it was a good read. The concept is interesting and well researched, the characters believable and consistent, and the writing is of a good standard (with one or two points which are made below). All in all I thought it a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reads to think about and take your time over. It's long (perhaps a little too long?) but it is filled with interesting moments and character interactions which keep you engaged e.g. Jordan's relationship with Louise, the bullying by Clemo, the dreams he has and what they mean, how he deals with tragedy etc, etc
I felt the book could benefit from an edit. The reason for this is the use of Irish vernacular in the narrative e.g. words such as 'seen' are used instead of 'saw' and 'done' instead of 'did'. I think when read by a wider audience this may be an issue. However, as stated, an enjoyable read which you should try for yourselves. Cesar has definite qualities which will appeal to readers.