Mistborn was everything I was hoping it to be, and so much more. It is truly an utterly brilliant fantastical novel that stunned me with its intricate world building, vivacious characters, and creative plot executed with amazing talent that few authors possess. It is quite long, but this is so that Sanderson can explain in detail the art of Allomancy, Mistborns, the land Luthedel, the characters lives and pasts, and the rebellion and overthrowing of the Lord Ruler’s reign that they are planning. I didn’t mind at all the detail, and the perhaps slowness of the plot at times. The original, intriguing plot and characters that I came to dearly love made up for the length. I don’t know if I can say how much I love this book, or how brilliant Brandon Sanderson is, but I will do my best.

There are some books that can have amazing characters that I love, and a not so great plot or world building, that I end up really liking, if not loving. Believable, endearing characters often make up for the lack of a well rounded plot or a concrete execution that impresses me. Sometimes I read a book that has a really intriguing plot, and is written well, but has flat characters, and I just can’t connect with the book. I may be impressed with the writing or world building, but if there aren’t characters that I can connect with, I feel no emotion while reading the book, and I end up indifferent when I finish it. Neither of these cases happened while I was reading Mistborn. Because Mistborn has it all. It has the brilliant plot and world building, astounding unveiling and execution of the plot, and characters who were real and well rounded, who showed emotion, and who I came to love.

Sanderson created a vivid world with a magic system that is intriguing and believable, and makes you feel like you’re right there, living among these people. I loved the idea of Mistborns, that they burn metal in their stomach to become super human. They’re able to move metal, or push off of them, throwing themselves into the air. They can alter people’s emotions, become inhumanly strong, and enhance their senses, so they’re able to hear people from far away. Our heroine, young Vin, finds out that she is a Mistborn, which is quite rare. Vin is such a strong woman. With a shady background of abuse and living on the streets as a runaway skaa (a slave), she is shy and distrustful of everyone. But through Kelsier and his help in training her in Allomancy, she becomes a strong woman, who slowly learns to trust people, and finds long lasting friendships in them.

I loved this one part with Kelsier and Vin.

“Yes,” Kelsier said, “it’s probably best that you avoid Venture completely. Try to offend him or something. Give him a couple of those glares you do.”
Vin regarded him with a flat look.
“That’s the one!” Kelsier said with a laugh. (pg. 235)

There’s Kelsier for you.

Kelsier, was probably my favorite character. He was strong, confidant, commanding, humorous, charming. I loved his personality, and presence that demanded people look right at him when he enters the room (which is usually late). He was always smiling, which was mostly to be more defiant of Lord Ruler, and I loved that. While I knew their age difference, I thought that Vin and Kelsier would form a romance. But the romance led somewhere that I wasn’t quite expecting, and I think I probably liked this way better. Partly because I love Elend, but partly because I loved the relationship that formed between Vin and Kelsier. He became like a big brother to her, or a father figure. Which meant so much to Vin because of her life living with her real brother, who abused her, physically and emotionally. But now, here is someone that Vin finally lets herself care for. That she trusts. I loved seeing Vin’s transformation, and her growing trust in people.

Kelsier was the savior of this world. He was the symbol of hope for the people who had given up. He exuded compassion and love for them, he let them know that he was valiantly striving to save them from the tyrant destroying their lives. Kelsier was incredible. He spent years planning the scheme that would take Lord Ruler’s reign down, and save the skaa, and dethrone the nobles. And it was with his ingenious mind that everything was able to come together in the end, making it possible for them to succeed. They failed at times, they doubted, but Kelsier always got back on his feet, and formed a new plan, or pushed people on. And while I’m here, let me just say something about Kelsier that is completely spoilery if you haven’t read the book. (view spoiler)[I was kind of thinking that he would die. I guess it just seemed right, with what his life had been like, that he was basically alone (no family), and with what his end goal was, to kill the Lord Ruler. But when he actually died, I was still surprised. Especially with the way it happened. I cried. I’m unashamed to admit it. That scene was so sad, yet it was so powerful. And I loved it despite his actually dying. I loved that he died with a smile on his face. Because that was basically his whole life. Smile, show defiance, take what the Lord Ruler thinks only he can have. Happiness. (hide spoiler)]
This sentence Kelsier wrote could just about sum him up.

It was a fun job, wasn’t it?...remember that. Remember to smile. Now, move quickly. (pg. 585)

When I was first introduced to Elend Venture, I liked him immediately. But I didn’t really think that he would play a big part, besides being just an acquaintance Vin would sometimes meet at the balls. But then he showed up more, and I liked him more each time with his quick wit, love of reading, and all around charm and swoon inducing nature.

“Elend Venture,” she said, standing up. “There is something I’ve been meaning to tell you for some time.” She paused, blinking away her tears. “You read too much. Especially in the presence of ladies.” (pg. 643)

Oh yes, I do so love Elend.

And there’s so many other characters that I loved, that I can’t spend time talking about or this review would be way, way too long. But suffice it to say that even the minor characters were fleshed out and I cared for them. There was this one conversation, that was completely pointless, but utterly funny and confusing. When Kelsier and Spook start talking in Spook language, teasing Breeze, and then Dockson joined, dumbfounding Breeze. It was hilarious. And I still can't really understand Spook's strange talking.

Spook frowned. “Niceing the not on the playing without.”
“I have no idea what you just said, child, “Breeze said. “So I’m simply going to pretend it was coherent, then move on.”
Kelsier rolled his eyes. “Losing the stress on the nip,” he said. “Notting without the needing of care.”

You see? It's just so wierd.

Seriously, this man Sanderson can write. His writing, in itself, isn’t starkly beautiful with imagery, but it is deft, it portrays what Sanderson is trying to convey, and paints the land vividly in your mind. He creates these complex worlds with every little detail attended to. Yeah, maybe I’m a little jealous. I wish I could concoct a book even half as amazing as this one. My life would be complete. This book is brilliant, Sanderson is a genius. I loved it completely, and I highly recommend it. Enjoy.



Just some other little thoughts- Those Steel Inquisitors were creepy! Spikes stuck through their skulls, replacing their eyes, and pointing out the back of their heads...YIKES! I would never want to face one of those things. And the Pits of Hathsin is such a dark, depressing place. It gave me chills as I read about it, and the man crawling inside the dark cracks in the ground.

And one more thing. This would make an epic movie. It would be absolutely fantastic.