I liked reading this book, but it was a journey full of ups and downs. The likeable protagonist from the first book starts off this book by killing a dog, tormenting her servants, and... gender-shaming a slime...? The weird old "Smile more and you'd be pretty" dude from the first book gets replaced by a younger guy who's big on pointing out that Vin "isn't like other women, she actually has a thought in her brain, cares about things, and isn't a complete idiot." (Not an exact quote.)

I was reading this book with a group of people, and the best character in the series murdering a dog so she could use its dead corpse to torment someone else was just... the point where most of them put it down. I've been reassured that the third book is the best and it makes up for the second book. At this point, I feel like I'm being held hostage.

The thing is, I've heard Sanderson talk about how awkward his early books were in terms of gender and dog murder. Knowing that makes it easier to read. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe these books at the start of his career were a mistake. I'll probably try Stormlight Archives and see if it's better. Clearly, Sanderson is a skilled writer... so long as there are no women, LGBTQIA+, or non-white characters around. Then it gets bad fast.