****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I see lots of negative reviews on this book, and it usually about pacing, plot development, Jordan's super descriptiveness, and the constant reexplaining of things.To be honest, I felt this book was quick paced. Jordan changes character perspectives quite often, which gives the sense of a quick moving story. Sometimes the narrative stays with a character for a little longer, but then the pace picks back up. These multiple perspectives give us a sense of irony by contrasting the differences between viewpoints of a single event that only you as the reader can fully enjoy. I loved it, because it provided for some of the most funny moments in the Wheel of Time series so far.The plot development is slower in the sense that it is not very grand. While the focus is more micro, a lot of things happen that I consider to be very important to the overall story. I felt like that even though the large plot line did not move much, the smaller subplots (if you can call them that) are interesting and build some story and character depth.Jordan's super descriptiveness is not as bad as some reviewers put it. There was probably five or six moments where I felt the drag, but the good thing about being a reader is that you get to choose what you read. Yeah you could choose another book, but what I mean is that you are not required to read every word that is written. If you could care less about Rand's green coat, then skip the paragraph describing that green coat. Is it a cheat? Maybe? Is it an excuse to forget Jordan's dragging descriptive filler? No? However, it does help.The constant reexplaining of cities, people, and culture does get a bit frustrating. Typically, I just skip any description or explanation of things I already know. I understand that Jordan is trying to provided info for those readers who haven't read the last book in a few years, but it gets a little ridiculous when he reexplains things within the same book.OVERALL:While there are some negatives, I thought the story was great. The subplots, or mini-big-plots, were interesting and kept me entertained. The constant switching of character perspectives kept the flow of the book moving and gave interesting perspective and insight into the world. The story had funny moments, intense moments, light heart moments, and serious ones too. There were a few points where the story began to drag, but nothing near as bad as The Fires of Heaven and the whole circus subplot. Overall, this might be my favorite book in the series (that I have read).
