My Experience with The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
I wasn’t afraid of the mists like the Skaa.
Mistake.
In Brandon Sanderson’s second Mistborn novel, The Well of Ascension, he ups the ante, subverts expectations, and reinvigorates your love for his characters. After the events of The Final Empire, we rejoin the cast and watch Elend Venture attempt to rule a kingdom justly—a task that proves far from simple. Meanwhile, Vin searches for an imposter while attempting to uncover the truth about the deepness and lost histories surrounding the hero of ages.
Like the previous installment, this novel is well paced with magical action. Vin has to fight some of her most challenging battles yet and is the final line of defense for Elend. The Final Empire lightly touches on political intrigue, but The Well of Ascension leans in, challenging the characters and the reader to consider what true leadership looks like.
I found myself drawn deeper into the lure and magic of this world. When the first novel ended, I thought I’d learned most of what I needed to know about Allomancy and Feruchemy. I knew the powers; I knew the limits; I knew the lure.
Again, mistake.
Sanderson digs deeper and finds new ways to use the magic systems. He explores how different elements of the world are tied together and unveils deeper mysteries that he has yet to answer when the story concludes.
The developing love story between our protagonists is fantastic. Set in trust, the two work well together, but, like all relationships, that trust is tested, giving us a beautiful and compelling relationship to follow. We’re also surprised with a romance of a very different kind.
Patience is required with this volume. The first in the series was paced a bit quicker, but Sanderson slows down a touch here and takes his time, trusting that his audience will enjoy the direction he’s taking. While I enjoyed the flow of the narrative, it may be hard to stick to it if you don’t trust the author to bring it home (spoiler alert: Sanderson’s endings are always worth it).
The way this novel ends, I pretty much have to read the conclusion. There are answers I need. If I don't finish this series, I fear I'll be making a horrible, horrible...
Mistake :)
