*Technically spoilers for the first 50 pages or so but not tagging as no plot has really happened yet and I do not discuss it.
I know nobody is the DNF police but I am looking for reason to finish this book anyway. I took a break from fantasy because of reasons many could probably guess, however, after the Fifth Season was nominated as NYT top 100 novels of the century this far, I figured it might have something to offer.
It's been a rough start. I don't even mind the back and forth narrative style. Prose is fine enough. But the tired YA / fantasy tropes and paper-thin rationales just keep coming (chosen child in some backwoods town, unambiguously powerful magic users shunned by common folk because fantasy racism always ofc, caste system fantasy because everyone has there place in life aww, YA boys-written-by-women-for-girls vibes hit early and frequent, paper thin set ups that can't support the narrative weight the author needs (loving ordinary husband suddenly goes full infanticide because fantasy racism, believable and arc sustaining, sure).
That being said, I like how it's setting up a parallel plot narrative through who appear to be the three female main characters. I am enjoying that at least one character comes with a well-established backstory, history and place in the world (the 4-ringer) instead of trudging through another child/rural/amnesiac character learning about the world along with the reader.
I'm going to keep at it for a bit but I'm looking for motivation to finish. Does the author find some originality? Any chance I'll end up feeling I've read something that I haven't before?
I don't mean to offend fans. I am just looking for reasons to keep with this book.
by cinred