Synopsis:
Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
I read The Name of the Wind because my husband and brother-in-law absolutely ADORE this book. In fact, when I told my husband that I was finally going to read it, after months of him asking me to, his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning! I'm always a little hesitant about books that come to me so hyped because when you go into the book with high expectations, you're demanding a good and entertaining story. That, and I read online that this book was highly recommended for people who had grown up loving Harry Potter. The Name of the Wind is supposed to be an adult book that will appeal to fantasy and magic lovers. Here is my experience...
You can't read this book if you're one of those people who expect right-out-the-gate excitement. This book really didn't get going for the first 150 pages or so. In fact, I found it extremely easy to put down and I DESPISE that in a book. But once I got through that, and we got into the meat of Kvothe's story, I did find myself engaged. Hearing his story in his voice is really nice and WOW, what a life he has led! There are some truly heartbreaking things in his past, and an extremely difficult childhood, and this all leads him to attending The University where adventure awaits... epic fires, hated enemies, wonderful friends, interesting subjects, and confusing and spicy women.
The Name of the Wind is the beginning of Kvothe's story and by no means will you feel like you have a grasp on everything that is going on, and where the story is headed, by the end of the book. When it was all said and done, I rated it 4 of 5 stars on Goodreads because it is entertaining and I DO want to know what happens next. Kvothe is an extremely interesting character but I still don't feel like I totally understand the world that Rothfuss has created. I'm hoping the second story answers more of my questions, rather than creating more as I go like the first book did.
But let me say... this book is NOTHING like Harry Potter. Not even close. I would more compare it to Eragon or The Lord of the Rings or something. The magic in Harry Potter is completely different and The Name of the Wind does not come CLOSE to being as wonderful as the world that J.K. Rowling created. J.K. Rowling created a fantastical world with a lovable cast of supporting characters. One of my major complaints with The Name of the Wind so far is that I don't feel like I'm getting to know any of the characters other than Kvothe. And there's potential as there's some REALLY intriguing characters, but I'm not feeling a connection to any of them and that saddens me.
Here's hoping book two is full of action and doesn't experience the lags that the first book suffered from, we learn more about the world, the magic, and the Chandrian, and that we get to know the supporting cast a bit more than we have so far. After writing my review and reflecting, this book is probably more like a 3.5 for me but I'm generous and will leave my rating alone. So many people seem to adore this book so maybe it's just me! I hope that you love it if you try it out. Enjoy! *XOXO*
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