This was the first book I read written by Brandon Sanderson. I was never a fan of fictions, novels, and I always kept my distance away from fantasy novels. This book changed every perception I had about fantasy novels. It was witty and very refreshing, and I couldn’t stop but wondering what is going to happen to Tress, the main character, and the rest of her crew. The story begins in a gloomy city surrounded by the Emerald Sea. It is not an ordinary sea as it isn’t composed of water like you would normally expect. Instead, they are made of pores: a toxic and hydrophobic material that explodes when touched by the water.

You might think, ‘Who would want to live in that city, it sounds horrible!’, you’re right. However, escaping from the city is strictly forbidden by the rule and authority of the King. Tress, on the other hand, was mildly content with her life in the city despite working vigorously to feed her family.

Then, there was Charlie. Tress and Charlie were good friends. Charlie would make her laugh with stories filled with adventures. But soon after they discover feelings for each other, they were separated by the King who was a father of Charlie and did not like his son getting close to a peasant. King took Charlie on his trip to finding a perfect daughter-in-law. Tress waited. But she could no longer wait after hearing horrible news about Charlie - he was kidnapped by the evil Sorceress. After carefully considering her chances, she came up with a brilliant plan to escape from the city and began her adventure to save Charlie.

So the story actually begins. Soon after, we discover who is narrating the story, Hoid. We then cut to the end of the story where Tress and Charlie finally met and Hoid came to the rescue after breaking the curse from the Sorceress. I like Tress and her personality. She is not an ordinary girl: she is thoughtful and considers consequences of her actions unlike ordinary “heros”. My favourite quote from this book was:

“And then, Tress took the singular step that separated her from people in most stories. The act, it might be said, that defined her as a hero. She did something so incredible, I can barely express its majesty. ‘I should consider this more,’ Tress thought to herself, ‘and not jump to conclusions.”

I adored how she was never foolishly spontaneous. She was quick at actions when she was faced with trouble, but she also didn’t try to cut corners and diligently made her way out.

The book started out as a romance novel but ended with a Sorceress taken down by a worldhopper and a pirate crew members. It was fun to read.