Hmmm. Where should I begin? Reading Rothfuss' book is a bit like being very hungry while waiting for a slow, slow cooked meal or thick stew. It smells delicious and tempting while cooking . . . you really really want to take a bite. However, despite your rabid hunger, you wait. Patiently stewing. Oh sure there is some excitement thrown in, maybe a sauce boils up and you nearly burn yourself. But for the most part it is the making of the meal that is important - you can wait to eat. The reward of a well prepared meal will be worth it in the end.

Or at least that is what I'm hoping. I feel like this book, while I truly enjoyed it, was a bit like preparing a meal. You get all the things you need and start painstakingly putting them together. This book is everything we need to enjoy the next one. You begin to understand the heart and soul of main characters.

It's a slow burning story that I absolutely sped through without as much as skipping an "and" or "the." I actually would have given it 4.75 stars if that was available. If only because of Rothfuss' constant reminders of the following: Kvothe is poor, Kvothe is a trouper, and Kvothe had spent a time in his life being hungry. These things within the context of the story are obvious to even the dullest reader. The other reason, and perhaps this accounts for the former, is Rothfuss teeters on over explaining the minutia of exactly how things are done. The magic stuff is explained with a kind of scientific or technical writing drone. However, I'd like to point out these little things were not enough to ruin the story for me.

This book has been placed on the YA shelves of some book lists. Though the character (in most parts) is aged anywhere between a young boy and a teen of 15, I can't imagine very many tweens and teens would have the patience to read this one. However, if the reader is heavy into fantasy, I could definitely see them loving this above all other YA fantasy. It just seemed more of an adult read, not for content, just in pacing and style.

I will be in line first thing to get the next installment. The ending was a bit abrupt. Despite being 720 pages in, I wanted more. As I said, it's like waiting for a slow cooked meal - I was ready to start eating. In fact I'm hungry for the beef of the meal (if I ate meat, of course). Or should I say the heavy vegetables? No, I think wanting the meat of the story is what I mean.