I really wanted to enjoy rereading this series, but it just didn’t live up to what I remembered. The writing is just clunky, there’s very little transition between scenes and it doesn’t flow very well. Also, I had forgotten how uncomfortable Eragon and Arya’s relationship makes me.

I understand that Eragon is going through a coming of age, having his first crush.. but he crosses a line with Arya over and over. I just feel like he should’ve learned his lesson earlier? It felt like a repeated endless cycle of him liking her and her very graciously turning him down. It doesn’t feel like a love story for the ages it just feels weird.

I have always loved the worldbuilding of the series, and to an extent I still do, but I’ve always wished the Urgals were more developed. I appreciated the bit at the end where Eragon realizes his own prejudices against the Urgals are unfair, I just would’ve liked to get to spend more time in Urgal society. Especially since the books spend a lot of time in Dwarf and Elf societies. My favorite characters were always the side characters even when I was younger (Saphira, Nasuada, Roran, Elva, Murtagh), but Eragon as a character has never been my favorite. And he continues not to be. I think I will take a break in my reread of this series or just skip rereading and read the Murtagh book.