Oh Mr. Brandon Sanderson… You have been on my TBR list for forever and the Mistborn series is one I have heard about and heard about! Similar to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and Robin Hobb’s Farseer series, the books sit either on my bookshelf or on my TBR list, but they are just so legendary and MASSIVE, I admit each time I would reach for them I would hesitate. So many pages, so many new characters, magic systems, worlds, etc. I would reach for a lighter read…
I apologize.
The hype is more than well deserved. Mistborn: the Final Empire now sits on my bookshelf with floating hearts around it.
From the first pages I was locked in and from there grew only more entranced by the world, the characters, and most of all the magic! It is so unique from other fantasy books and sooooo intricate. At first, I was worried about keeping it all straight— there are multiple metals that these characters “burn” (aka use) and a bunch of rules about how they can be manipulated. But soon it falls in the background and you are caught up in the story.
I will say this— maybe google some trigger warnings before you read this book. I wouldn’t say it bothered me, but there are some really intense topics right from the get go. A few of the major ones including rape, murder, and abuse. So just a heads up if you may be sensitive to certain topics, check into that! But it is those details that make you sympathize with these incredibly diverse and deep characters that you quickly fall in love with (or hate in some cases).
Though this book is not the biggest of Brandon Sanderson’s books, there is a lot that happens in just over 500 pages and wow there is not a dull moment!
If you have been looking for a new fantasy world, one that will sweep you off your feet and wreck your heart, in the best way— grab this book!
Now here come spoilers!
***Spoiler Alert!! Major spoilers for this book so please only proceed after this point if you have read them already! SERIOUSLY I don't want to spoil anything for you with this series.
I really just want to give Vin a giant hug. This poor little girl has had a hellish life were everyone has either betrayed or used her. The world is cruel but it seems to make her a target. It’s no wonder that once she finds Kelsier—or rather Kelsier finds her— she refuses to believe that anyone can be as kind as the revolutionary and his crew. And once she learns their goal is to take down the Lord Ruler, the god of their world, she decides to stick around even if she does believe it is a complete waste of time and will likely end in all of their deaths. For Vin, that is nothing new. She has endured worse for far less stakes. As she finds herself settling into her role as their spy on the nobility, she begins to realize that she can be more than an invisible tool for people to wield. Then she meets Elend, a noble who could care less about what that means, and begins to hope that maybe her life could be more than just survival and pain. Kelsier reveals to her that she is a rare level of Allomancer called a Mistborn and her world completely shifts. She doesn’t just have power, she is power. Even to a level that has Kelsier awestruck by her ability. It is so amazing to watch the transition she goes through as she finds herself and embraces her destiny to defend those she at last has allowed herself to love. For a girl who doubted everything and everyone, it is a complete 180 degree turn.
And then there is Kelsier… I have very mixed feelings about Kelsier. Throughout the book, I went back and forth on what his true motivations were. It seemed too good to be true, this Survivor of Hathsin, who wanted to save the world. He is definitely a morally grey character and that doesn’t change. As I said before, this is a cruel world and he fits right in there. He has no problem murdering loads of people, and even begins to place himself as a religious figure for people to rally around. Then when he basically orchestrates his own death in order to light the final spark in the fire of the revolution of the enslaved people, it only solidifies the mixed feelings I had for him. He took one for the team I guess..? But in doing so, left his crew to scramble and pick up the pieces of his mess… and poor Vin… she had begun to view him as a father figure, the only person she has wholeheartedly loved and trusted in her life and he allows himself to be killed in front of her. Like I said— this book is heart wrecking.
Even worse is that too late Vin figures out a piece of the puzzle and realizes that with Kelsier gone, she is the only other Mistborn of their group, the task falls on her to take out the Lord Ruler. Kelsier! Why??
The final battle scene is so intense and kept me on the edge of my seat as I prayed for Vin to survive— because I did not think that she would actually be able to take him out the first book. And boy, does she! She kicks his ass and down goes the Lord Ruler! Yay! Bye Bye, Evil King!
Until you start to ponder his final words… and you have to wonder… maybe the Lord Ruler was who he was for a reason…
Book number two — Mistborn: Well of Ascension, you are up next!!!! Whew!!
Pull up a chair and let’s find your next favorite story!
