Zoja

Hello everyone! This is my first post to this discussion (it's actually my first post to any discussion, ever). These 80 pages have been a joy to read and they really helped me with my »Stormlight Archive-withdrawal syndrome«. You guys gave some very detailed insight and analysis of the books! When I speak of my opinion it is not my wish to change anyone's mind about the way they perceive the events of the book – since I know my own mind would also be (almost) impossible to change. Also, this is just my very personal and very subjective opinion, not a fact. So chill I believe BS created a very interesting romance, in some places so subtle, you barely notice it. I am talking about the Kaladin-Shallan connection. I never once doubted that they have a strong one, and the way BS veiled it seems quite masterful to me. The little hints about what (I believe) they are going to share in the future are everywhere and these hints have all been thoroughly discussed in this thread. Just a couple of things that were very subtle, but somehow really stuck in my mind after reading OB: - putting Kaladin on the first place when talking to Wit. There is absolutely no reason to put Kaladin first in this sequence, as Dreamstorm (I think) already mentioned. She did though, giving the impression that Kaladin (not Adolin or Elhokar) is the person in the forefront of her mind, whether she admits this to herself or not (note that just a couple of chapters before this scene she actually tells us that Kaladin has »a way of sticking in people's heads«). It is also important to note that this scene with Wit is one of those scenes where I perceived Shallan as the most real her; Wit has that effect on her, maybe because he seems to know her or/and maybe because he has known her for a very long time. She says herself: »The persona…fled once you recognized me.« She was talking about the Veil persona (she was wearing Veil's clothes), but it seems to me all personas fled once Wit recognized her. In fact, Shallan acts like a little girl when talking to Wit, full of amazement and awe before this enigmatic being. They continue the conversation, and from the little girl she »transforms« into a witty scholar with a very sharp mind. Their exchange becomes very entertaining, both of them using their celver minds in a fast-paced dialogue. She radiates self-confidance and intellect in the continuation of this scene, but she is also vulnerable and, as we see just a little later, full of purpose. Whatever the reason, she seems very open when talking to him. She shows us what she could become, when she is whole. We see all of her aspects blending – the little girl, the scholar, the brave Radiant who wishes to change the world, the self-confident Shallan on a mission, and even the polite Vorin girl who says that »selflesness is a Vorin virtue«. For me, this real Shallan is beautiful, complex, pretty badass and very entertaining to read. So, to sum it up, in this state of mind, where Shallan is being herself, she is also putting Kaladin first, which is, in my opinion, a very strong, yet subtle indication of her feelings. You can call this digging for things I wish were there, but I rather look at it as a nicely veiled »thumbs-up« to Shalladin crew Little hints like that is what I like most about the Shallan-Kaladin connection. Even more than the obvious ones. - the »mentally direct« vs. "brilliant" I do love this conversation (especially the »punchy guys« part), becuase it shows us the growing friendship and conncection between Adolin and Kaladin, which is cute. However, this exchange is inconsequential for the story and it certainly didn't have to include Adolin not immediately »getting« what Kaladin was trying to say. Therefore, while giving us the view on Kaladin-Adolin bonding, I also think that this dialogue was giving us an example of the »mental-directness« of Adolin that Shallan mentions before. At the same time I think it is meant to show us the sophistication of Kaladin - using the fancy word »axalacious«, which kind of made me go »Whaaat?« (English is not my first language, so I didn't even realize that Kaladin made up a very witty pun, which takes quite a couple of seconds to »get«; however, I'm sure Shallan would get the joke immediately). It made me think - why would a bridgeboy use a word like that? I really don't mean to sound rude to Adolin (I mean, I didn't get the joke either), but I simply think this conversation meant to show us his shortcoming, or at least something Shallan, as a scholar, might consider a shortcoming. And to make it even worse for Adolin, BS showed us, in the same conversation, how Kaladin does not lack in this area at all. It is a conversation you can percieve as multi-layered: the bonding, the joking-around, Adolin actually being really smart and funny, but then, at the end, not quite reaching the same level as Kaladin. - There are of course plenty of other much stronger hints throughout the book, which you all covered already, the most obvious being »the girl who stood up«, Shallan enjoying flying in the wind and Shallan »leering« at Kaladin on the ship. The latter is, for me, another moment when Shallan seems to be her: standing solidly on both two feet, indicating Veil's confidence; but at the same time wanting to draw the scene before her eyes, indicating Shallan's artistic nature – which Veil totally lacks. What will the future books bring? No idea, but I strongly believe that the story of Shallan and Kaladin is only beginning. Hey, I could be totally wrong, but then again, where's the fun in certainty?