What have we learnt?
• It’s two days later and Siri is leaving for Hallandren, south of Iris. The border between the two nations is vague, which is not surprising considering they had been one nation before the Manywar. Hallandren is based in the Lowlands, a place of tropical forests and colourful animals.
• Siri is scared and angry. Although she is mesmerised by the amount of flowers she sees on her journey. Siri realises that the guards escorting her might have to stay in Hallandren too, and she decides to send them home when she arrives.
• Vivenna tries to change Dedelin’s mind. She is frustrated that she had to go through twenty-two years of training for her father to think that Siri is suitable with just her womb. It was Vivenna’s duty for her people. Vivenna thinks she could have maybe influenced the God King’s decision making, even though everyone knew the God King himself was distant when it came to the politics of his nation. Vivenna is also worried for Siri’s well-being.
• Vivenna is speaking with Fafen. She had chosen to be a monk before her tenth birthday. Every noble or rich family is traditionally obligated to provide one person to the monasteries. It is against the Five Visions to be selfish, even with one’s own blood. They are gathering berries which Fafen will later distribute to those in need.
• They discuss that Vivenna will probably inherit the throne instead of Ridger. Vivenna is frustrated that pre-prepared plans have been distributed. Vivenna concludes that she is no longer needed in Iris and she begins to form an idea. One that is drastic and inproper.
• The God King’s name is Susebron, and he is not Lifeless, but a Returned.
Personal Chapter Analysis
Siri is living at the foundation of her character development in the stasis of the book…
• We can almost perceive the development of the hero’s journey before it has even begun. “Did he really think she’d do a good job? That gave her pause. Then she considered how ridiculous it was.” Siri is living at the foundation of her character development in the stasis of the book.
• Siri is unimportant, careless, childish and irresponsible. Siri has room for improvement, and i’m sure we will see this character overcome her flaws when she faces this dangerous, important task which sits way beyond her comfort zone. This would errupt pride within the reader; a very powerful emotion to achieve in a book.
The story and the world building have been cleverly blurred into one…
• Too much explanation can dull a book and waste it’s storyline. The story and the world building have been cleverly blurred into one. We know we will learn more about this universe through the actions of our protagonist. This makes for an exciting read, hitting many angles simultaneously. It keeps the story rolling. It gives, what would over wise be an uneventful chapter, a strong impact.
• The turning point arrives very early in this book. Not much happens before we are taken off on an adventure, and yet, the pace feels comfortable. Brandon describes the world in a way that makes us feel like it has always been their, even though it’s structure is foreign to us readers.
It aids us in feeling the impact of a drastic change whist tying it up nicely with the start of the book…
• Vivenna is now the unimportant one. The tables have turned, and I find this to be a very clever use of writing skill. Chapter one is all about how Siri feels unimportant and redundant. She has no specific purpose, unlike her siblings. She owes no duty to the Iris people. Then everything comes crashing down.
• Siri switches roles with her oldest sister, who has been preparing for her duty for twenty-two years. This leaves Vivenna in Siri’s place. Unimportant and redundant. “She was redundant now. Useless.Unimportant.” This is ironic. It aids us in feeling the impact of a drastic change whist tying it up nicely with the start of the book.
The characters may develope in opposite directions in conquest for the middle ground…
• The chapter leaves us on a cliffhanger. Vivenna has made a drastic choice, but we do not ye know what it is. “An idea began to form in Vivenna’s head. One that was not, by any stretch of the imagination, proper.” Knowing Vivenna’s character, she is not one to do things the wrong way. She is the ideal Irian in every way. For what might seem anticlimactic for another character, goes against everything Vivenna stands for. This leaves us wanting to read on and discover.
• As we can picture the development of Siri’s character, we can perceive Vivenna’s in contradiction. Siri is careless and irresponsible, so her development aims towards become more of an adult and respecting her duty. This clashes nicely with Vivenna because she already is the ideal Irian woman.
• The cliffhanger leaves us to believe that Vivenna’s development may head towards her becoming more carefree, emotionally expressive, and a little more reckless. This is very interesting as the characters may develope in opposite directions in conquest for the middle ground.
Favourite Sentence
‘Tiny flowers grew in great blanketing swaths on the ground.’
Characters
• Siri
• Vivenna
• Dedelin
• Fafen
Buy the Book on Amazon!
• Warbreaker – https://amzn.to/2QzKFGh
Other Books by Sanderson!
• Three fantasies: Tales from the Cosmere: Elantris, The Emperor’s Soul, Warbreaker – https://amzn.to/2W3p2zp
• Way of Kings: The Stormlight Archive – https://amzn.to/2JPF4uP
• The Final Empire: The Mistborn Trilogy – https://amzn.to/2wtcy9N
Chapter Capture 