Finally Reading Sanderson
After hearing so much about Brandon Sanderson over the years, I finally decided to read Tress of the Emerald Sea. While I’ve always been curious about his books, I had never actually picked one up until now. Overall, it was a decent and engaging story, though it wasn’t without its quirks and challenges.
What It’s About
Tress has lived a peaceful life on her island, surrounded by the emerald-green ocean, finding joy in simple pleasures like collecting cups from passing sailors and listening to stories from her friend Charlie. However, when a voyage to find a bride goes disastrously wrong, Tress must take matters into her own hands. She stows away on a ship, determined to find the Sorceress of the dangerous Midnight Sea. In a world where pirates roam and the sea itself is lethal—where even a drop of water can be deadly—Tress must leave her quiet life behind and carve out her own destiny. Can she survive the perilous journey and find a new path on the spore-filled ocean?
World-Building: A Unique Setting
Sanderson’s world-building is truly unique. The setting—a sea made of spores that react violently when touched by liquid—is intriguing and full of potential. Tress, the protagonist, is a character I genuinely enjoyed following. Her journey is adventurous, and there’s a lot to like about her strength and determination.
The Science Behind the Spores: Over My Head
That said, I didn’t fully grasp everything about the spore-based world. Some of the science and technical aspects went over my head, which occasionally took me out of the story. But even so, the book was interesting enough to keep me reading on.
Hoid: A Mysterious Narrator
One thing that left me scratching my head was Hoid. After finishing the book, I found out that he’s a character from Sanderson’s larger Cosmere universe. Apparently, fans of his work could instantly recognize him as the narrator. As someone new to Sanderson’s books, I didn’t fully understand his role, and it felt a little disorienting at times. I also found his whimsical narrative voice a bit overdone, which occasionally took away from the overall tone of the story. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it was a bit jarring.
Standalone or Series? Confusing Expectations
Another aspect that bothered me was the claim that Tress of the Emerald Sea was a standalone novel. Based on what was presented in the book, I didn’t get that sense at all. It almost felt like the perspective changed midway through, and that left me feeling a bit confused. I don’t mind longer, multi-book series, but I expected this one to wrap up neatly as a standalone.
Beautiful Writing: Quotes that Resonate
Despite these frustrations, there were still some lines that really stood out to me and made me pause and reflect. Sanderson’s writing is undeniably beautiful at times, and there were a few quotes that resonated deeply, even though they didn’t always seem to connect directly to the plot:
“They say that to wait is the most excruciating of life’s torments. ‘They’ in this case refers to writers, who have nothing useful to do, so fill their time thinking of things to say. Any working person can tell you that having time to wait is a luxury.”
“If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind. Give me ten hours a day scrubbing a deck, and oh the stories I could imagine. Give me ten hours adding sums, and all you’ll have me imagining at the end is a warm bed and a thought-provoking free evening.”
“One of the great tragedies of life is knowing how many people in the world are made to soar, paint, sing, or steer—except they never get the chance to find out.”
And my favorite:
“We each make our own lore, our own legends, every day. Our memories are our ballads, and if we tweak them a little with every performance… well, that’s all in the name of good drama. The past is boring anyway. We always pretend the ideals and culture of the past have aged like wine, but in truth, the ideas of the past tend to age more like biscuits. They simply get stale.”
These lines made the book worth reading on their own. Even though the story didn’t always click with me, Sanderson’s ability to write powerful, thought-provoking moments really shines through.
Final Thoughts: A Solid Read, but Not Perfect
In the end, I’d give Tress of the Emerald Sea about 3.5 stars. It was a solid, enjoyable read, but I wasn’t blown away. I rarely give 5 stars these days, and while this book had its high points, it didn’t quite reach that level for me. If you’re a fan of Sanderson’s other works, you’ll likely enjoy it more than I did, but if you’re new to his universe, it might leave you with some unanswered questions.
Have you read Tress of the Emerald Sea yet?
Let me know your thoughts! Did you connect more with the story? Drop a comment below and don’t forget to follow for more book reviews and discussions!