1 review
The Name of the Wind
10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
by Patrick Rothfuss
Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
Reviews
Aiden
November 10, 2025
Name of the Wind was my favorite book for about a decade (actually I liked the sequel, A Wise Mans Fear, slightly more, but I largely bundle them together). It is my most reread book - I've read it over three times. While Wheel of Time rekindled my love of fantasy, Name of the Wind was the original book that made me fall in love with the genre.
My nostalgia certainly plays a role in my love for the book, but even beyond that Name of the Wind is spectacular. Rothfuss has a way with words like no other author I have ever read. His prose is evocative, gripping, and whimsical. His writing is absolutely masterful - filled with subtle implications and double meanings for readers to dissect. He immerses you in Temerant so deeply, even the childrens stories and side tales are enthralling.
The frame narrative is also well done. The story flips between present day and Kvoth's past. While the reader knows where the story ends, it only serves to enhance the narrative. The suspension comes from the how the journey unfolds, not the destination.
Some have criticism for Kvoth's character and how Denna is written, but honestly these things never bothered me. As someone who has a massive ego, I actually found Kvoth to be quite relatable and found his self made disasters to be amusing.
Beyond that, I have nothing more to criticize. I love this book - it will always be an all time great to me. I hope others find as much joy and entertainment in it as I have.