Tress of the Emerald Sea

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“unadulterated Brandon Sanderson magic” – Webster

Notes

With a few tips, he wasn’t so boring at all. Secretly, I can tell you that you aren’t either. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to lower your value. Don’t trust them. They know they can’t afford you otherwise.

Aimed to replicate the tone of Good Omens by Terry Pratchet.

Summary / Reflection

Such an enjoyable read. Sanderson aimed for a fairytale tone, and he succeeded in capturing the swashbuckling and whimsical without being childish. The book didn’t often depict violence, but when it did it was uncensored and showed you the stark reality.

In true Sanderson fashion, the world building and “magic system” was well-defined. When our hero came up with a unique solution within the constraints, it was even more satisfying.

The love story between Tress and Charlie was also sweet. I didn’t see the twist of him being Huck the whole time coming, and my heart constricted when she was about to go off with the Charles doppelgänger, about to live a life of distance to the one she loved. There were many beautiful moments throughout the story.

Hoid narrating the book was mostly very fun. Occasionally he was a bit obnoxious when he got too “preachy” in his commentary, but generally I appreciated his meta-view of the situation.

This book was a real page turner, I finished it in three days and couldn’t put it down after starting. The page titles contributed to that, always luring you into the next mystery. All in all, a fun, good-hearted and engaging read.