Book Review: Patrick Rothfuss The Slow Regard of Silent Things

One of these days, I will write a review of the first two volumes in Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles. When I do, I will explain how I avoided reading these books for a long time and how, when I finally committed to reading them, I hardened my heart and determined to hate them. I will also explain how, despite having many problems with the books, through the sheer power of Rothfuss's beautiful writing---that at times verges on poetic---and skill at drawing characters, I came to love them.

For now, it is enough to note that I am pre-disposed to enjoy anything Rothfuss writes, especially if it is set within the Kingkiller Universe. Which is a good thing, in this case, because The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a weird little book. You know you are in for something weird when the book begins with a Foreword from the author that starts: "You might not want to buy this book."

Rather than telling a traditional story, the book is more of a vignette; a week in the life of a (more or less minor) character named Auri in the Kingkiller Chronicles told from her perspective so that it provides insight into her mind.

And what a mind! As readers of the novels will know, Auri is mad. I am not a psychiatrist or a psychologist and I do not have a copy of the DSM to hand, but it seems to me that Auri displays obsessive-compulsive tendencies, has a tendency to catastrophize and hence may be prone to depression, as well as a bread basket of other emotional and psychological problems. It may be that these problems are also the source of her genius, or the result of them.

Despite the fact that nothing really happens, this short book is beautifully written with all of Rothfuss's trademark skill. I thought that Rothfuss's attempts to describe the mind of Auri were, on the whole, quite believable, and hence that it made a very interesting character study. And for readers of the novels, there are hints at the importance Auri will play in the concluding book of the trilogy, and new glimpses of the world that Rothfuss has created.

If you have never read anything else by Rothfuss, this is not the place to start, but for fans of the books it is a must read. On my patented ratings scale, for a non-reader of the novels I would give this 6 out of 10 as the beauty of the prose is offset by the unconventional structure; but for readers and fans like me ...

R⁴ Rating: 8 out of 10.