The Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Wikipedia tells me that the male version of a Mary Sue is a Gary Stu. The main character of this book, Kvothe, is a massive one of those. There is nothing this guy can't do, except, according to him, talk to women, even though the fairest maiden in all the land who every dude within a thousand miles is trying to bed, is in story-book-doe-eyed-true-love with him. Additionally, he is unapologetically a bragging douche about it.
He is utterly convinced of his own importance. He threatens to burn people's houses down a lot, which was a bit offputting for someone who seems to think himself so virtuous. In fact, the heroes in this book threaten people who aren't giving them their way pretty much any chance they get. Kvothe is kind of a bully, and I did not end up pitying him his many many injuries throughout the book.
Also, I'm fairly certain he is in a gay relationship without knowing it. For all his talk of maidens, Kvothe saves the tenderest words for his companion, Bast. My first instinct is to commend such a bold move by the author, but since it seems entirely unintentional, I don't know how to feel about it. Or maybe he knew the whole time.
Despite all this, the book is incredibly hard to put down and I read the 600+ page tome in about a week. There is something endearing about the way Kvothe views himself and the world. Something that seems incredibly innocent for such a man of deep studying and knowledge. It's worth a read if you're in between books and looking for a page turner. If you want something that will challenge you as a reader, this probably won't be your jam.
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Amazon Link: The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One
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