I recently completed Sanderson’s fifth installment in his Stormlight Archives series. Having eagerly anticipated this release, I found the series to be more captivating than his Mistborn novels. While I enjoyed Wind and Truth, it did not resonate with me as strongly as his other works. Given that this is the fifth book in the series, discussing its nuances without revealing some spoilers is challenging. Please note that this review contains spoilers for the previous four novels and will broadly address what differentiates this book.
My primary critique of Wind and Truth is the frequent shifts in points of view (POV). The Stormlight Archive books are known for their extensive array of POVs, more so than any other novels I have encountered. However, in previous installments, I felt more immersed in a single character’s perspective for longer periods, with fewer cliffhangers at the end of each POV segment. In Wind and Truth, POVs often shifted mid-conflict, withholding information that the character knew but did not share with the reader. Sanderson likely intended to convey a sense of simultaneous events occurring globally, akin to visual media like anime or movies. Nonetheless, I found myself desiring a more consistent focus on specific characters to avoid the constant transitions between different events. Unlike visual media, where quick scene changes are effective, the written format often required hours of reading to resolve particular cliffhangers.
Another aspect I found lacking in this novel was the memorable fight scenes that I typically enjoy re-reading. Throughout the Stormlight Archives, several significant battles, such as Kaladin in the arena, Kaladin versus Zeth, and Adalyn against the thunderclast, have been consistently engaging and full of surprises. These scenes often left me anxious about the characters’ fates. While Wind and Truth had a few notable moments, it did not evoke the same excitement as some of Sanderson’s other action sequences.
The Stormlight Archives feature main characters who become Radiants and grapple with serious issues such as mental health, addiction, abuse, and disability. Rhythm of War delved deeply into Kaladin’s struggles with depression. Wind and Truth focused significantly on resolving Shalon’s past, sometimes rewriting it and using her dissociative identity disorder (DID) to explain previously withheld details. I have always found Shalon’s multiple personalities problematic.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a controversial and not fully understood condition. As I am not a psychiatrist, I approach novels, movies, and TV shows that depict DID with caution. I recently read a novel that effectively explored DID as a result of severe childhood abuse, using multiple POVs to represent different identities, each with distinct memories. The novel’s inconsistencies suggested unreliable narrators, and the DID revelation felt well-foreshadowed rather than artificially suspenseful.
Shalon’s portrayal of DID differs. She intentionally switches between identities best suited for specific tasks. Throughout the series, I never perceived Shalon as an unreliable narrator because she remained aware while another identity took control. Shalon created Veil to handle certain memories, but it seemed she was avoiding these memories rather than forgetting them. Wind and Truth introduced instances where Shalon, while in control, omitted certain events from the reader. This felt like a rewriting of her past. Revisiting the novels might reveal hints of withheld information, but expecting readers to recall minor inaccuracies from previous books is unreasonable.
When beta-reading and critiquing, I often advise new authors to treat themes like abuse, addiction, mental struggles, and disability with care, ensuring they are not merely character traits. Shalon’s DID seemed more like a character trait used to withhold information from the reader. Despite Sanderson’s extensive research and use of sensitivity readers, I felt he missed the mark on DID. While I do not have DID and cannot speak for those who do, opinions on Sanderson’s portrayal may vary. Some might feel he accurately represented the disorder, while others might think he trivialized it for entertainment. Shalon’s high level of functioning, aided by her multiple personalities, contrasts with the severe difficulties many with DID face.
Ultimately, I question whether Sanderson gave Shalon DID to provide representation for those with a misunderstood disorder or to create narrative surprises. If the former, why were Shalon’s repressed memories all significant plot points? In a disorder characterized by memory gaps, why were there no minor forgotten details?