Review of "Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

 

“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss review

A The Kingkiller Chronicles novel

As someone who doesn’t read a lot of fantasy novels, this book was recommended to me after I stopped reading “The Way of Kings” by Brandon Sanderson because I felt it too dry. So, I was a bit skeptical when I started this book. The opening sets up the narrative framework for the story. A man that chronicles stories of extraordinary people find an innkeeper (Kvothe) with an extraordinary journey. The book is mostly told as one big flashback with interspersed moments of the innkeeper and the chronicler. While I understand the author setting up the story of Kvothe, building the mystery about his past, I find the parts at the Inn to be a bit, uninteresting.

 

As the story continued, I found myself sucked into the journey of young Kvothe. I loved how the author portrayed Kvothe’s parents. They had personality and genuinely loved each other as well as Kvothe; while also teaching him life lessons. They weren’t bland, overbearing parents. They were real people, and that attachment to these characters is what drew me into the story.

When a terrible accident occurs, Kvothe is left alone, orphaned and in the middle of nowhere, with one goal in mind. He wants to attend the university and become an arcanist to study what happened to his parents. This is where a good chunk of the story takes places and I enjoy the adolescent antics that occur at the university. Kvothe also meets a mysterious young girl, that becomes a focal point and motivation for much of his journey.

 

The overarching plot of Kvothe trying to learn about the people that killed his parents, plays out more towards the end of the book. The author only offers crumbs of information and brings up more questions than it answers. The title of the book, “the name of the wind” is a central theme around the character of Kvothe and adds to his power and mystique by the end of the book.

 

While the narrative framework of an older Kvothe recanting his life story is interesting, I find the opening can be a bit boring; and the interludes at times slow down the pace of the novel. The world that Rothfuss has created is both detailed and immersive. The dialogue is easy to follow even if some of the elements (magic, currency, locations, social customs) can be hard to understand at first. While the fantasy world does have magic and monsters, it treats them in a way that feels grounded and realistic. Characters are the central focus and the world building around them enhances the story, but it's not what kept me returning.

 

This is the first book in a trilogy, so the story is not complete, and the ending made me want to pick up the next book immediately. I went in a bit hesitant about reading this book, partially because it is very long. However, I really enjoy young Kvothe’s journey and the world of Temerant, that author Patrick Rothfuss has created. The magic system is well done, and the different cultures, peoples and races are well developed. I look forward to reading the series, if Rothfuss ever completes the trilogy.