Recap: As a person who practices magical forgery, Shai is used to being condemned by her government and society, assumed a rascal to others. But the fact is she is so good at forgery that, though judged for her actions, her talent is not overlooked. So for 100 days, we are dropped Shai’s world, where she has been imprisoned, but tasked with forging a new soul for the Emperor. The Emperor is suffering from brain damage after a failed assassination attempt, and his team is hoping Shai will be able to forge his soul enough – and so well – that he may be able to continue serving as Emperor.
Though treated poorly by some in her imprisonment, her forgery talents continue to dazzle and amaze. Ultimately, Shai builds a rapport with some of those who are watching her in her cell. But even she wonders if she’ll able to accomplish this tall task in only 100 days. She hopes to not only forge the Emperor’s soul, but to improve upon it and make him a better person. But even if she accomplishes this, will it even matter? Or will she still remained locked up or worse, beaten or killed? Shai continues to build a magical forgery of the Emperor’s soul while simultaneously planning her escape, as the calendar moves closer and closer to her 100-day deadline.
Analysis: The Emperor’s Soul is a brief novella that can be found grouped within a larger text of fantasy author Brian Sanderson’s work. It’s also part of his Cosmere universe. Apparently there are 60 books created within Sanderson’s Cosmere universe, and I have to wonder if I would have better understood this one had I read some of the others. As a person who generally doesn’t read too much fantasy, I felt a little out of my league with The Emperor’s Soul. I found it difficult to get into this book, even though it was short. The way it started felt sudden, as if I were suddenly dropped into something without any grounding, much like Shai is dropped into prison not knowing what’s truly next for her.
I stuck it out of course, and ultimately found the themes of art (What constitutes as art? When does art turn political? How can art be used as a force of change?) and imprisonment (What’s the best way to treat prisoners?) interesting. But I wish I knew more about the character of Shai, the Emperor and ultimately more about the world in which they were living to better understand their motivations and the circumstances they were operating under. I imagine that if you’re a fan of Sanderson’s work, this is a fun, interesting read. But if you’re unfamiliar with his style or fantasy in general, it may be a tough sell.
MVP: Shai is the protagonist and obviously the most interesting character with quite a dilemma to take on. She shows growth and makes the less obvious choice to keep the reader interested. And being a badass female in this world of men is something I will always support.
Lara's Book Club 