This is my reaction blog for Wind and Truth. Beware of spoilers! Index post here. 

NOTE:
Okay I think it's pretty telling that I stopped for months after I got to a Szeth flashback chapter, and then didn't find the motivation to pick it up again. Which is sad because  prior to picking up this book I was really looking forward to getting his backstory and learning about the Shin society in particular. Unfortunately I'm really not feeling it. Hopefully I'll get over that. 

Also despite successfully avoiding nearly all spoilers in the many months it's been since the book came out, I have heard several complaints about Kaladin and Szeth’s arcs in particular. As I'm not super enthusiastic about them at the moment, that lack of a sense of something to look forward to in this aspect of the story is impacting my eagerness to read. 

With that said, I recently reread a particular fanfiction* that got me excited about the cosmere again so I'm hoping that I last a little longer in finding time to make it through wind and Truth and to continue making these blog posts. 

Alright, on with the chapter. 

Chapter 36 
Title: Correct Answers
Icons: Betab and Ishar – heralds of wisdom and piety, or maybe guidance in the case of Ishar

I remain confused about the geology of Roshar, and especially Shinovar. It makes very little sense to me that small stones and pebbles would be lacking lower down on the slopes of the mountains while being present up above. Even lacking the highstorms, normal weather patterns and rain ought to cause small rocks like that to make their way downhill. 

Szeth is remarkably self-aware for a young child, to realize that he wanted to be put to work. I will say I'd practically forgotten about the rarity of metal on the planet. The lack of knives is a good reminder of its value and scarcity. 

I kind of like the way that The Farmer is capitalized as a reminder of hierarchy in Shin culture. Normally, The Cook is also capitalized. I'll keep my eyes out for more positions with apparent honorifics.

The measuring ladle is a fun idea. Having a multipurpose tool like that to handle each specific recipe adds some interesting color to the world. 

Oh, but actually cooking is a matter of taste. Surprise. Understandable how a child like that could be shocked at altering the recipe. 

“Colors-nimi” feels a little too much of a direct translation. Like, if someone were to belabor the specific character meanings of a name or title translated from Chinese into English. It would serve to make it feel foreign and exotic, rather than convey the feel of the address. Contrast it with Brightness from the Vorin speakers. I could see “Colors-nimi” being used when an outsider to Shinovar is the POV character, but when it’s a native speaker of the language… I don’t know. I'm probably being hypercritical.

The Farmer criticizing the extra pepper is the perfect outro to that semi-philosophical conversation. Made me laugh.

Molli the sheep is missing! Oh no! The question is, will Szeth run off on his own to look for her, leaving him away from his village when the raiders attack, or will the favorite sheep die?
(I mean, both is always an option, but that feels a little like overkill at this point. It's not like the rest of his life is lacking in trauma.)
Ah, yup. He's looking for the sheep.
 

* The fanfiction is Life Ore Death by Obloquy, which I believe I've mentioned before. It's a crossover where a feruchemist character gets sent to Earth in the Young Justice universe, derailing a number of things there. I love the character, the writing, and the magical theorizing.