Quotes
“I closed my mouth and looked across the water. Inches away, Denna did the same. I could feel the heat of her. She smelled like road dust, and honey, and the smell the air holds seconds before a heavy summer rain."
"Neither of us spoke. I closed my eyes. The closeness of her was the sweetest, sharpest thing my life had ever known.”
“You see, there’s a fundamental connection between seeming and being. Every Fae child knows this, but you mortals never seem to see. We understand how dangerous a mask can be.”
“Wounded pride can spur a man to wondrous things.”
“Bones mend. Regret stays with you forever.”
“That’s why stories appeal to us. They give us the clarity and simplicity our real lives lack.”
“To really fear something you have to dwell on it.”
“Wild things recognize stealth for what it is, a lie and a trap.”
“You meet a girl: shy, unassuming. If you tell her she’s beautiful, she’ll think you’re sweet, but she won’t believe you. She knows that beauty lies in your beholding.” Bast gave a grudging shrug. “And sometimes that’s enough.”
His eyes brightened. “But there’s a better way. You show her she’s beautiful. You make mirrors of your eyes, prayers of your hands against her body. It is hard, very hard, but when she truly believes you…” Bast gestured excitedly. “Suddenly the story she tells herself in her own head changes. She transforms. She isn’t seen as beautiful. She is beautiful, seen.”
It’s been a hot minute since I just read fiction for the fuck of it. But on Tim Ferriss’s recommendation I decided to give this epic novel a chance and I’m glad I did. It is the classic coming of age tale of a troubled hero, out for revenge. The story develops a bit slowly, but the character development is incredible. For me, the best part of a good fantasy or science fiction novel is the universe the author builds with each stroke of the keyboard. What made the world that Rothfuss created particularly awesome was the way that he described the physics and metaphysics behind the use of magic. It is so well done, it is about one youtube video away from being credible in this reality. It’s way more plausible than flat earth.
More than that though, Rothfuss is undeniably one of the most skilled wordsmiths to explore the fantasy genre, coming close in moments to the fiction GOAT, Cormac Mccarthy. I was a little disappointed with certain elements of the story, but nonetheless, I recommend this book fully.Quotes
“I closed my mouth and looked across the water. Inches away, Denna did the same. I could feel the heat of her. She smelled like road dust, and honey, and the smell the air holds seconds before a heavy summer rain."
"Neither of us spoke. I closed my eyes. The closeness of her was the sweetest, sharpest thing my life had ever known.”
“You see, there’s a fundamental connection between seeming and being. Every Fae child knows this, but you mortals never seem to see. We understand how dangerous a mask can be.”
“Wounded pride can spur a man to wondrous things.”
“Bones mend. Regret stays with you forever.”
“That’s why stories appeal to us. They give us the clarity and simplicity our real lives lack.”
“To really fear something you have to dwell on it.”
“Wild things recognize stealth for what it is, a lie and a trap.”
“You meet a girl: shy, unassuming. If you tell her she’s beautiful, she’ll think you’re sweet, but she won’t believe you. She knows that beauty lies in your beholding.” Bast gave a grudging shrug. “And sometimes that’s enough.”
His eyes brightened. “But there’s a better way. You show her she’s beautiful. You make mirrors of your eyes, prayers of your hands against her body. It is hard, very hard, but when she truly believes you…” Bast gestured excitedly. “Suddenly the story she tells herself in her own head changes. She transforms. She isn’t seen as beautiful. She is beautiful, seen.”
