A hectic work month has set me back in keeping up with this blog, but I have a brief reprieve this week, just long enough to write a review of a recently finished novella, The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss.
This is the first book I’ve ever read that warns readers they may not want to buy it. And the author is 100% correct—if you haven’t read his novels The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, you should probably skip this one. But if you have read them and really like the character Auri, I suspect you won’t be disappointed.
Auri is the reclusive, waifish girl who lives in the Underthing beneath the University where the series’ main character, Kvothe, studies magic. The novella follows a week in Auri’s life as she prepares for a visit from someone she longs to see—a person strongly hinted to be Kvothe. From there, we journey through Auri’s world—the Underthing—a strangely haunting ruin that she has mapped in her mind. Auri spends her days rummaging for forgotten objects, each of which, in her mind, has feelings, and some even have names.
She illuminates the Underthings with light from Foxen, a small blue alchemical globe that may or may not be a living thing. In fact, almost every object—in Auri’s mind—is a living thing with a purpose and a specific place. In a more conventional world, Auri’s behavior might be seen as indicative of a mental disorder, but in the world of the story, there’s something magical about it.
As for the story itself, The Slow Regard of Silent Things barely hints at a plot. There is no antagonist—at least as much as I could tell—and hardly any conflict. But somehow, it still works. Auri’s story is charming and her character is endearing. Also, the story is short, keeping the reader engaged without overstaying its welcome.
All of this said, if you’ve read the two books in Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles and didn’t particularly like Auri, this story might not be for you. For me, however, it offered a warm respite from the Grimdark fantasy I’ve been reading these days. In the end, I’m glad I spent a brief moment with Auri and Foxen delving through the Underthing.