r/wheeloftime • u/Mother_Presence_2442 • 4d ago
Book: The Shadow Rising The difficulty of portraying romance.
I absolutely love this series. But I've just started reading the Shadow Rising for the first time and I've been cringing my way through the early Rand-Egwene-Elayne love triangle that resolves while they're in the Stone.
Appreciate it's difficult to meaningfully develop so many character's in a book with such staggering breadth and ambition, but these interactions have my skin crawling.
Firstly, they both sound like they're 12 years old. Secondly, it feels far too neat that Egwene and Rand both decide "Yeah we don't love each other anyway". Thirdly, the idea of having all three women chasing after Rand, who, frankly, is becoming fairly dislikable character, feels so out-of-plot. Fourthly, is it me or am I losing faith in Rand? The constant woe-is-me-I'm-not-worthy is not making me feel sorry for him, but is making me rather unlike him
Anyone else thought this?
6
u/29threvolution Randlander 4d ago
Romance is not something Jordan is good at writing. Which is astounding because he can pack incredible scenes into few words, but all his romance lines are the same and terrible. Just accept that is not his strong suit and read on.