The Slow Regard of Silent Things

I've been eagerly waiting for Patrick Rothfuss to release a new book for years, so stumbling upon this short story was a pleasant surprise. Still hoping to read something from Kvothe's world, I decided to give "The Slow Regard of Silent Things" a try.

This short book explores the life of Auri, a character loved by fans of the series. Auri expects someone (probably Kvothe) to visit her home and works hard to make it beautiful. Auri is known for her innocence, childlike nature, absent-mindedness, and determination. As you follow her through her home, you see her moments of fear, how she deals with being alone, and how she imagines things with small objects she finds. She tries to be brave while respecting the nature of things, carefully placing everything where it belongs.

You feel a sense of empathy for Auri's loneliness in her large, cavernous home and silently wish to dive into the book and say, "You're not alone! I'm here too, don't be afraid!" As you near the end of the story, you admire her innocence like a friend or confidant, and as she finds joy in small things, you start to feel joy too. As a reader eagerly awaiting "that" person, you realize you're just as excited yourself.

Though this review of a short story is brief, the book reminded me to approach life with enthusiasm, to keep going on familiar paths even when hope seems lost, and that being alone is only enjoyable in moments of leisure. It also made me appreciate the value of friendships. Thank you, Patrick Rothfuss (but seriously, how about releasing the third book?).

To be so lovely and so lost. To be all answerful with all that knowing trapped inside. To be beautiful and broken.