Similar to The Alloy of Law, Wax does not change too much as a character. Like the previous book, solving the latest case requires Wax to push himself to his physical and intellectual extremes, but these to attribute alone do not cause character growth. Character growth requires someone to be pushed to an emotional limit as well as to another extreme: be that physical or intellectual. Over the course of the entire story, Wax is slowly being pushed to an emotional and religious breaking point, however he never quite reaches that point until the very end. In The Alloy of Law, Wax discovers that the god he worships is undeniably real and plays a role in shaping the world. However, in Shadows of Self, Harmony plays a much more active role, directly guiding Wax and sending him help. However, this means that when the unthinkable happens, Wax must rationalize it with his new knowledge and world view. This book doesn’t quite hand readers the emotional development they want, but promises that it will come in the future.
Shadows of Self is another great read by Brandon Sanderson. The book immediately starts off with several action-packed chapters to immediately draw readers back into the new world of Mistborn. The book does eventually slow down, allowing for the main plot to be established as well as the changes that the previous year has wrought among the familiar trio. However, this breather doesn’t last for long, as the plot is continually speeding up at an escalating place until it reaches its climax.
Being a Brandon Sanderson novel, Shadows of Self takes this new world to heights it has never seen before with expert world-building. Elendel is a dense city full of people pushing the boundaries of science and the metallic arts. Technology continues to progress, as does religion and the use of both allomancy and feruchemistry. Sanderson somehow manages to convey and emulate the living nature of progress and people, creating a world that feels real and alive. This book also takes special attention to focus on the lower class as well as the socioeconomic disparities between the wealthy and the poor. There is an especially heavy emphasis on how corruption and misuse of power can cause dissatisfaction among the working class, leading to riots.
Brandon Sanderson also pays attention to the supporting characters inhabiting this book. In The Alloy of Law, Wayne and Marasi were overlooked in favor of establishing Wax as a badass; however both characters play a much more prominent role in this book.
Wayne is generally the comic relief character and the most optimistic of the group. Unfortunately, his past isn’t full of sunshine, and his guilt continues to haunt him. In this book, we visually see him attempt to make amends and attempt to grapple with his shame. Through him and his many disguises, we also get to see experience the difference between the poor and the wealthy on a more personal level. This adds to the world building and provides a comprehensive view of the Elendel.
At the same time, Marasi is trying to become her own person. In the previous book, Marasi had a huge crush on Wax and was fascinated by his time in the Roughs, however, people change with time. In this book she is more independent, determined, and adept at using her particular skill set. As she attempts to prove herself, she faces social isolation and judgement at every turn, but she continues on in spite of it.
While Wayne and Marasi have more character development, neither of them are at a level where they can really compete with Wax, so they often let him take the lead and do most of the fighting. While this makes sense story wise, it always makes me sad to see a female character get sidelined in a fight, especially when the previous trilogy had one of the most powerful and headstrong female characters in fiction.
Speaking of Vin, this book continues to make several references to the events of the previous series without ever letting it take over the current story. Old friends make reappearances or are mentioned in great detail. Every small reference to the previous trilogy attacks a reader’s nostalgia, making this book even more enjoyable.
I give this 376 page book 4 stars.