I was initially stoked when I realized Rothfuss had written an Auri-centered novella. I ordered The Slow Regard of Silent Things and when it arrived I peeked at the Goodreads reviews and then I got nervous. Some of the reviews are terrible. Rothfuss' preface even notes that people will not even like this book. But me? What can I say, I like it weird.One of my favorite works is Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Giildenstern are Dead - an absurdist tale of what happens to two minor characters when they're not the focus of action in the major work. And I have been so curious about what happens to Auri when she's not on the rooftop with Kvothe in the Name of the Wind series. Well, now I know. She's very busy keeping the Underthing in Order.
Auri is a tragic character, terribly broken by experience and hardship, but she's also resourceful and while she seems scared and timid, she is actually playing by a rigid set of rules that only she understands. And in her world, in her mind, those rules are what keep the universe in order. It's a tall ask for a small person.
The language of the novella can be maddeningly confusing. I'm sure Rothfuss had an elaborate map or reference guide to keep it all straight. To write in Auri's voice for so long must have been a painstaking process. I'm glad he took the time, because no one sees Kvothe as Auri does and it's interesting to see the why behind how she behaves.
4/5 Stars.
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