There are a few books out there that polarize readers to either loving them or hating them, and this is one of them. I picked up The Slow Regard of Silent Things after finishing the first and second books of the Kingkiller Chronicles and was wringing my hands waiting for the next one. I loved the poetic language that Rothfuss used in his epic fantasy and was curious to see how he would handle novella length fiction.

I was one of the readers that loved this book, not because it had a riveting story or action-packed sequences or amazing magic, but because it was so drastically different than any other story I had ever read. And that was a good thing. I’ll probably say this a few times but Rothfuss uses language beautifully.

The Story

This book isn’t technically a story at all. Rather, it is the reader following a truly unique person through their day-to-day life. Auri is no normal person either. She lives in the complex maze of underground tunnels, sewers, and vent shafts that exist beneath the university in the Kingkiller Chronicles. Her life is guided by her own super enhanced intuition which make her feel more ethereal than human at times. For example, there are a series of doors that change what they are and where they lead according to the feelings they share with her. One of these doors is always a door she must not pass through.

The one part of her life anchored in reality is Kvothe (the main character from Kingkiller Chronicles). He is one the few people she will allow to see her. One of the most unique sections of the book describes in detail how she wants to make him a bar of soap that is truly his. In language that slips in and out of poetic flow and narration, we watch as she finds the ash, oils, and fats, along with different fragrances that capture her impression of him. It’s not the soap making process that makes this action compelling, but her need and emotional weight that she assigns each action.

The book ends with her gifting the soap to him.

My Review

For me, book was lovely, different, and proved that sometimes there doesn’t need to be a compelling story to create a compelling narrative. Sometimes, all you really need is a character that is so unique and different that it’s fascinating to watch what she will do next, how she will do it, how she thinks about it, and how her emotional journey progresses.

I can see why some people didn’t like this book. Because there isn’t a concrete problem for Auri to solve and she does not grow or change in the course of the story, some may argue that there is no point to reading it. They may argue that because of this there is nothing to be gained from reading her experience. I would argue that they missed the point. This book isn’t meant to change the character. It changes the reader. It opens up the eyes of possibility, showing how different people can be from each other but how they can be driven by the same fears and loves.

All things considered, of all of Rothfuss’s works, this book is one I would consider reading again to unlock more of the secrets held there. I have a feeling a second read-through would reveal even more about this unique character and why her being so different is so important.

Recommendations

Understandably, this book is not a fast or easy read. It requires attention to detail and patience as events and actions unfold. For those who like a beautiful read and are not tied to absolutely having to have a strong plot and a strong conclusion, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I would not recommend this book for anyone other than the most ardent readers. It would not hold the attention of those easily bored or discouraged, especially if they were hoping for a story to dig their teeth into. I also wouldn’t recommend this for extremely literal thinkers as the poetic language leans heavily on metaphoric language.

My personal rating of the Slow Regard of Silent things is a very rare 5/5.

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The release of my second book this last weekend went very well. To celebrate, I gave away over 2000 ebook copies of book one, Stonebearer’s Betrayal, to people all over the world. If you were one of them, thank you for taking a chance on this fantasy series, I hope you like it. If you end up reading it, please consider dropping a review, it’s the best thanks you can give to an author.

If you missed your chance to pick up Stonebearer’s Betrayal for free, the ebook is still available for a steal at $2.99.

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Jodi L Milner is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.