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Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
7 reviews
lilypad537's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Rape
xjr's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This book warns it might not be liked because it does things conventional stories do not. Heed this warning, as it is true.
The story in short is a glimpse of Auri's life over 6 days. Outside of that it contains a few references to Kvothe and alchemy, especially at the end.
If you're into slice of life, nothing really happening in a major way, character studies, personified items, beautiful words and a lot of repetitions you'll like it more than me.
The author's foreword tells one might like this for its mysteries, words and secrets, the hidden turnings of the world. I am into those, but mostly for what they do in a plot. In this story they're present all over, accepted and then... Nothing.
It's not for me, but I've slowly read it (as it's slow and very boring to me) and learned to appreciate it for what it is.
The story in short is a glimpse of Auri's life over 6 days. Outside of that it contains a few references to Kvothe and alchemy, especially at the end.
If you're into slice of life, nothing really happening in a major way, character studies, personified items, beautiful words and a lot of repetitions you'll like it more than me.
The author's foreword tells one might like this for its mysteries, words and secrets, the hidden turnings of the world. I am into those, but mostly for what they do in a plot. In this story they're present all over, accepted and then... Nothing.
It's not for me, but I've slowly read it (as it's slow and very boring to me) and learned to appreciate it for what it is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
paisleypetty's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
totesdrotes's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
One of the single most beautiful things I've ever read
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Mental illness
octopus_farmer's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Disclaimer: I have not finished any other Rothfuss book. Despite this, I thought the story cute but the tone weirdly infantile. Auri is clearly traumatized (the reasons of which left vague which I preferred), but I got a little skeeved by her main interaction with everything being kissing. I would have liked this more if I hadn’t read the introduction and author’s note as well. I don’t think it’s as weird a story as he thinks it is, and his insistence on seeing Auri as “broken” undermined any sort of complexity he had for her in the story. Oh well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
redthistle's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I see a lot of angry or disappointed reviews for this book and it honestly makes me laugh.
The author begins by telling you that this book may not be for you, that it's different, it doesn't do what a regular story normally does. He warns you that if you're looking for an extension of his other stories, for more of Kvothe, then this really isn't the book for you. Those people then chose to rate this book poorly and write a review about how they disliked it because it was nothing like Rothfuss' other work or that it wasn't what a normal story should... He literally warned you of that, why are you surprised?
Anyway, I personally adore this weird little book, and it is weird. If you have read the Kingkiller Chronicles and you love the character Auri then this is a book for you. It takes place over a week of time with Auri living her life down in the underthing. You get to know her better and see how she survives in her own special way. It's slow and peaceful and beautiful.
If you are neurodivergent in any way I feel like this book may help you to feel seen and loved, I know it did that for me. Auri does things her own way and she views the world through a very different lens than most people, as many neurodivergent people do. As a HSP who struggles with anxiety and control issues I found this story about Auri to be oddly very comforting.
The author begins by telling you that this book may not be for you, that it's different, it doesn't do what a regular story normally does. He warns you that if you're looking for an extension of his other stories, for more of Kvothe, then this really isn't the book for you. Those people then chose to rate this book poorly and write a review about how they disliked it because it was nothing like Rothfuss' other work or that it wasn't what a normal story should... He literally warned you of that, why are you surprised?
Anyway, I personally adore this weird little book, and it is weird. If you have read the Kingkiller Chronicles and you love the character Auri then this is a book for you. It takes place over a week of time with Auri living her life down in the underthing. You get to know her better and see how she survives in her own special way. It's slow and peaceful and beautiful.
If you are neurodivergent in any way I feel like this book may help you to feel seen and loved, I know it did that for me. Auri does things her own way and she views the world through a very different lens than most people, as many neurodivergent people do. As a HSP who struggles with anxiety and control issues I found this story about Auri to be oddly very comforting.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Excrement, and Panic attacks/disorders
onceuponabookcase's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Having recently finished reading The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, and being a little frustrated at having to wait for the sequel after the cliffhanger last sentence, I immediately bought The Slow Regard of Silent Things, and I absolutely, completely adored it!
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a novella from Auri's point of view that takes place after The Wise Man's Fear. Auri is Kvothe's friend, a young woman who lives in the Underthing - what she calls the huge number of connected tunnels and disused rooms under the University town. She is a former student whose mental state was effected by her studies, and consequently seems quite childlike and innocent, is very nervous and skittish, and doesn't like being around people, accept Kvothe.
The times when Kvothe visits Auri are some of my favourites in both books. I adore Auri; while innocent and sometimes seeming like she doesn't make much sense, there is a profoundness to her, and I just think she's completely wonderful. So I was really excited to read her own story and get a glimpse at her life. And that's exactly what it is, a glimpse over the course of a few days. Before the story starts, there's a foreward from the author saying that it, "Doesn't do a lot of the things a classic story is supposed to do," which is very much the case. With Silent Things, we get to see Auri's day-to-day; nothing especially exciting happens, she doesn't talk to anyone, it just shows us what she gets up to when she's not hanging out with Kvothe. But what we do get is the chance to get to know Auri better, and a deeper understanding of who she is.
At first, it was completely joyous, just being with Auri and her curious way of thinking, seeing what she gets up to. Inanimate objects have personalities to her, they have names, they are her friends. On the first day we see how she takes Foxen, a stone that emits a blue-green glow when drops of some solution are added to it, with her to The Yellow Twelve, where there is an exceptionally deep pool that she dives into to find new treasures. We go with her as she discovers new rooms in the Underthing, and see her put things to rights. Not necessarily make things tidy, but put objects in the exact place that is right for them. Even if it's under the carpet. Even if it's left tilted and spilled across a vanity.
But the more I read, the more disconcerted I grew. Although Auri is skitish and nervous, and doesn't like being asked certain kinds of questions, I had always previously felt that she was happy. She doesn't have the kind of life anyone would want for her, and there's only so much Kvothe can do without offending her or scaring her off. But I still thought she was ok. Yes, she has neurological issues, but she's happy in her world. But while it doesn't take an awful lot to make Auri happy, it doesn't take much to send her mind spinning. And the more I read, the more my heart broke for Auri.She considers it her duty to make sure the world is in the proper way of things - meaning, everything in it's place. She obsessess over finding every object it's place. Everything has it's place, and that's where it's meant to be, and it's Auri's job to find it's place, and she must do so, no matter how long it takes. No matter if she's tired and wants to sleep. She needs to find the object it's proper place.
Kvothe has mentioned previously how clean Auri is, and I always found that surprising considering she's living in dusty old tunnels and rooms. But we find she's also very concious of being clean. She washes her face and hands and feet multiple times a day. I'm no doctor, so I couldn't say for sure, but this, alongside the need to make sure everything is in it's place, makes me think she has OCD.
And then there's the fact that Auri doesn't feel she deserves very much. She considers herself greedy and wicked when she considers taking a lovely clean sheet from a wardrobe. She can't want nice things for herself. Things belong in their place. This also relates to food. Food isn't just food, it also has it's place. So she eats very little, and only when she becomes lightheaded and faint. So there's this sense of duty, and this sense of sacrifice, and she doesn't feel she has a choice, because this is the proper way of things. And if things aren't right, she spirals into panic attacks.
Auri's life is difficult, and it was just so sad. She needs help, but what proper help can she get? The only option is to have her locked up in Haven, the mental hospital, which would kill her. I adore her even more now; Auri is just so precious and needs protecting, she needs looking after. But I don't know how she can be given the help she needs, in the world she lives in, and also given how skittish she is. I just want someone to help her.
But there's also so much more to Auri. I don't want to give anything away, but she remembers her studies, and is still capable of doing the things she learnt. There's also something else, something more, that was surprising and amazing, but also makes me feel kind of wary. I don't know what that would mean for her, where it would lead in The Doors of Stone, and I'm scared about where things will take her. The ending is also absolutely heartbreaking in completely different ways, and I'm just so worried for her.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a weird little story, but it's absolutely brilliant, and I loved it more than I can say. It made Auri even more real to me, and despite how sad it made me, it's such a beautiful, precious story. It's fantastic, and I'm so looking forward to seeing more of Auri in The Doors of Stone, even if I'm worried for her.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a novella from Auri's point of view that takes place after The Wise Man's Fear. Auri is Kvothe's friend, a young woman who lives in the Underthing - what she calls the huge number of connected tunnels and disused rooms under the University town. She is a former student whose mental state was effected by her studies, and consequently seems quite childlike and innocent, is very nervous and skittish, and doesn't like being around people, accept Kvothe.
The times when Kvothe visits Auri are some of my favourites in both books. I adore Auri; while innocent and sometimes seeming like she doesn't make much sense, there is a profoundness to her, and I just think she's completely wonderful. So I was really excited to read her own story and get a glimpse at her life. And that's exactly what it is, a glimpse over the course of a few days. Before the story starts, there's a foreward from the author saying that it, "Doesn't do a lot of the things a classic story is supposed to do," which is very much the case. With Silent Things, we get to see Auri's day-to-day; nothing especially exciting happens, she doesn't talk to anyone, it just shows us what she gets up to when she's not hanging out with Kvothe. But what we do get is the chance to get to know Auri better, and a deeper understanding of who she is.
At first, it was completely joyous, just being with Auri and her curious way of thinking, seeing what she gets up to. Inanimate objects have personalities to her, they have names, they are her friends. On the first day we see how she takes Foxen, a stone that emits a blue-green glow when drops of some solution are added to it, with her to The Yellow Twelve, where there is an exceptionally deep pool that she dives into to find new treasures. We go with her as she discovers new rooms in the Underthing, and see her put things to rights. Not necessarily make things tidy, but put objects in the exact place that is right for them. Even if it's under the carpet. Even if it's left tilted and spilled across a vanity.
But the more I read, the more disconcerted I grew. Although Auri is skitish and nervous, and doesn't like being asked certain kinds of questions, I had always previously felt that she was happy. She doesn't have the kind of life anyone would want for her, and there's only so much Kvothe can do without offending her or scaring her off. But I still thought she was ok. Yes, she has neurological issues, but she's happy in her world. But while it doesn't take an awful lot to make Auri happy, it doesn't take much to send her mind spinning. And the more I read, the more my heart broke for Auri.
Kvothe has mentioned previously how clean Auri is, and I always found that surprising considering she's living in dusty old tunnels and rooms. But we find she's also very concious of being clean. She washes her face and hands and feet multiple times a day. I'm no doctor, so I couldn't say for sure, but this, alongside the need to make sure everything is in it's place, makes me think she has OCD.
And then there's the fact that Auri doesn't feel she deserves very much. She considers herself greedy and wicked when she considers taking a lovely clean sheet from a wardrobe. She can't want nice things for herself. Things belong in their place. This also relates to food. Food isn't just food, it also has it's place. So she eats very little, and only when she becomes lightheaded and faint. So there's this sense of duty, and this sense of sacrifice, and she doesn't feel she has a choice, because this is the proper way of things. And if things aren't right, she spirals into panic attacks.
Auri's life is difficult, and it was just so sad. She needs help, but what proper help can she get? The only option is to have her locked up in Haven, the mental hospital, which would kill her. I adore her even more now; Auri is just so precious and needs protecting, she needs looking after. But I don't know how she can be given the help she needs, in the world she lives in, and also given how skittish she is. I just want someone to help her.
But there's also so much more to Auri. I don't want to give anything away, but she remembers her studies, and is still capable of doing the things she learnt. There's also something else, something more, that was surprising and amazing, but also makes me feel kind of wary. I don't know what that would mean for her, where it would lead in The Doors of Stone, and I'm scared about where things will take her. The ending is also absolutely heartbreaking in completely different ways, and I'm just so worried for her.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a weird little story, but it's absolutely brilliant, and I loved it more than I can say. It made Auri even more real to me, and despite how sad it made me, it's such a beautiful, precious story. It's fantastic, and I'm so looking forward to seeing more of Auri in The Doors of Stone, even if I'm worried for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
The story implies an assault of some kind against a woman happened in the past
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