Library Staff Recommendation
Tress of the Emerald Sea is a stand-alone novel set in Sanderson’s broader Cosmere universe. You do not need to have read other Cosmere books to follow this story. For people who have read other Cosmere books, the narrator is a familiar figure.
At its heart, this is a journey story. Our heroine sets off from her isolated home, travels to distant lands, meets strange people, and undergoes a degree of personal growth. It is also ultimately a story of a rescue, albeit in this case the woman sets off to rescue the boy in distress. Although a very classic narrative, Sanderson does it justice with his usual excellent worldbuilding and complex magic systems. The main characters are loveable, and the villains easy to hate, but there are also a few characters that are delicious shades of grey.
The narrative style is a little different to Sanderson’s usual. It was inspired by the classic The Princess Bride, by William Goldman (the afterward explains this influence). Like its inspiration, Tress is written in a light-hearted and humorous tone. I spent most of the novel with a smile of my face and laughed out loud on several occasions. I was initially surprised by the departure from Sanderson’s usual style, but I came to appreciate it very quickly.
My biggest complaint was that the ending felt a little anti-climactic. I was expecting one last twist or one final challenge to overcome, but instead the day was won. Despite the end not being my favourite, the whole journey leading up to it was enjoyable.
4/5 Stars