Review: The Well of Ascension

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From page one of The Well of Ascension, I was swept right back into the fascinating world Brandon Sanderson created in The Final Empire. This is a real masterclass in ratcheting up the tension and deepening character arcs to prove the story is nowhere near finished, and neither are the challenges facing Vin and her friends.

Set against the backdrop of the city teetering toward chaos, Vin now had to not only learn to accept her nature as an Allomancer, but also rise to the call of leadership. The stakes have never been higher. With the fragile peace of Luthadel needing to be kept by the crew, there are looming threats from several quarters. The author balances the action really well with the character development in order to show how the burden of leadership weighs Vin and her fellow companions down.

The most captivating thing the book depicts is, without a doubt, the development of Vin. In The Final Empire, Vin was a reluctant hero, searching for her place in a maddening world; this time, she struggles with her trials of leadership and the sacrifices that requires. Beautifully told, it shows internal struggles that place her in a vulnerable position for universal fears of failure and not wanting to cause hurt feelings to those she loves. At times, my heart pounded with hers in key scenes where the potential for betrayal and not knowing what lay ahead for her was foreshadowed.

The character dynamics in The Well of Ascension are richer and more complex. Elend, at first the charming but naive noble, develops into a leading man and has more depth than I ever thought he would. The interplay of Elend and Vin, bringing out the strengths and weaknesses of each, is what makes the relationship so thrilling. I found myself willing them on, hoping they can square the ideal with the real in this so hostile and unforgiving world.

I continue to be in awe of how Sanderson builds up his worlds. The political intrigue in Luthadel notches up to another degree, with several factions vying for prominence, and the addition of new characters complicates the story even further. The way he interlaces this magic within the political landscape is pure genius.

This book paces itself supremely well, with ebbs and flows, so the moments of introspection have room to breathe amidst the adrenaline-fuelled sequences. I was fully invested in this story, never wanting to put it down. The climax in particular is insanely thrilling, as it not only does it solve a good deal of plot threads, it raises questions in turn, just like the previous book.

Summing it up, The Well of Ascension is an amazing sequel; it really develops the story and characters present in The Final Empire. I would wholeheartedly recommend the book to anybody who enjoys detailed world-building and multidimensional characters, and to whom a storyline that questions the nature of power and leadership is appealing.

Content Warnings

Graphic - Violence, Death, War

Moderate - Grief, Gore, Addiction

Minor - Rape, Sexual assault, Animal death

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