Eclectic Readers discussion

This fantasy novel shares the origin story of the mysterious hero Kvothe in his own words. It takes us from his early days performing in a troupe of wandering entertainers and studying with an alchemist through his triumphs, tragedies, and adventures at The University where he attempts to learn the history which resulted in his parents' deaths. Share your own words and thoughts on Kvothe and his story here!

The book is called "The Name of the Wind".

Names of things are important. Kvothe wants very much to learn the name of the wind.

Kvothe is able to conjure the name of the wind when he has his big confrontation with Ambrose.

Mission accomplished, right? Not quite.

I would like to argue that maybe in the literal sense, Kvothe found what he was looking for. In the figurative sense, no.

I'd like to propose the idea that Deena/Dianne/Dinnah/Dwhatever is Kvothe's other "name of the wind".

She goes by many names, but calling her by any of them never bring her to him. He looks for her, but he doesn't know what name she is going by, he doesn't know where to look. She moves where she pleases, like the wind goes where it wants. (I think there was a line in the book that even says she goes where the wind takes her, but maybe I'm making that part up....)

Even at the end, Kvothe tears her signature from the note she left him, and the paper drifts in the wind, never choosing a direction, or maybe choosing all the directions. It's a manifestation of who she is, and more importantly, what she is to Kvothe. She is the "name of the wind" that Kvothe can't figure out.

Kim, I love that theory! And to go along with that, I loved when kvothe is starting the section about her and says something to the fact that he needs to tread lightly or not come at her too directly, even in a story, because she might get spooked and disappear.

Meredith wrote: "Kim, I love that theory! And to go along with that, I loved when kvothe is starting the section about her and says something to the fact that he needs to tread lightly or not come at her too direct..."

That sounds like a skittish cat. LoL

I agree that the names of things seem very important. That Dena goes by various names made me think of some other book/show/movie (don't remember) where if you learn someone's true name then you have incredible power over them - Doctor Who's Shakespeare episode has a little bit of this, they are able to name the bad guys and get rid of them. It seems that if other people were to learn Dena's true name then she would lose her own power and people would have more control over her. OR she likes to run out on bills and men and so she changes her name a lot to hide from them.....

the idea of knowing someone's name gives you power over them is an intense concept!

or dine and dash has merit too! totally valid and likely.

I just looked up "true name" on wikipedia. a whole article exists!

Oh, yes, knowing someone's "true" name and that giving power shows up in religions and myths of different cultures for sure.

Tara can probably go into a lot more detail about this, but many Jews will not write out the word "God" and will usually write "G-d" instead. I remember our World Lit professor kept marking on Tara's papers "G-d" as typos and finally Tara had to tell her "I'm Jewish, we don't write out the name God." Am I remembering that correctly, Tara? It's been a while, lol.

And we see this more in the later books of the Kushiel's Dart trilogy, but Phedre finds out the only way to save her friend who's trapped on an island by a god is to find out the god's true name so she can have power over him and be able to control him, so she goes on a quest to find out his true name.

Meredith wrote: "Oh, yes, knowing someone's "true" name and that giving power shows up in religions and myths of different cultures for sure.

Tara can probably go into a lot more detail about this, but many Jews ..."

It's an idea that even goes back in classic fairy tales - remember Rumplestiltskin?

Names are important and powerful.

Yup, Nette, I just made a note of that myself for our discussion! :-D And The Neverending Story? "Bastian, say my name!"

I just want to say that I loved the dragon/dracos. He was an herbivore which is so cool, I don't read a ton of fantasy but this is the first herbivore dragon I've ever heard of. I like the idea that the forest would not be able to support an animal that size if it ate meat. His ending did make me very sad :(

Megan wrote: "I just want to say that I loved the dragon/dracos. He was an herbivore which is so cool, I don't read a ton of fantasy but this is the first herbivore dragon I've ever heard of. I like the idea tha..."

I loved this adventure too! Such a wonderful (albeit sad) twist.

I like Kim's theory about Dena's name. It totally fits to who she is. But would she know about the power of the name? We know that she travels from man to man so any one of them could educate her on that. But I feel like the regular person wouldn't really understand. I felt she was more of a sly, clever woman, but doesn't really know anything about magic. But the deceit may be in that; making others think she doesn't know anything about it.

I'm not sure if denna even needs to know about the power of a name. I think she knows her own true name has history and meaning to her so just from sheer self preservation, she needs to protect or discard that name in order to survive. even in everyday life, a taunting name or a loving nickname can all hold a certain kind of power over us. how many of us grew up wishing we had different names? if denna knew or understood the magical implications, that'd be interesting, but I don't think having that explicit knowledge changes how she needs to enforce that in her life.

also, destiny's child, say my name say my name

Ha, yeah - I still don't like "Megan".

oh side note. I went to see a movie with a friend last night and at dinner beforehand, we were talking about books. i mentioned that i dont gravitate to fantasy much and enjoy memoirs. well she recommended the name of the wind to me lol she said it had a memoir like narrative and that's when it hit me that was why I liked the story! haha

Kim wrote: "oh side note. I went to see a movie with a friend last night and at dinner beforehand, we were talking about books. i mentioned that i dont gravitate to fantasy much and enjoy memoirs. well she rec..."

Nice! It does have a memoir feel since Kvothe is dictating to the Chronicler.

So I just remembered a point that I wanted to mention on the podcast but couldn't quite put into words at time of recording. What if Kvothe closed off a part of his mind because there was something horrible he wanted to forget and that's why he can't use sympathy? Remember he did that after he left the troupe and he was in the forest? He closed off that part of his mind because it was too painful to think about.

It is basically a memoir fantasy novel! I like that idea - its one persons story, told as a book. His story just happens to be INSANE and also there's magic and dragons and whatnot

I think there's a lot to learn about knowing the true names of things, and I love the idea of putting the ever changing names of Deanna into that. I wonder if maybe he learns her real name, something horrible happens relating to her, and he blocks out her name and thus all names and his ability to do magic? Tying it all together. I dunno!

Also here are my other notes from this book (expanded to make like, any sense at all):

The setting - what is the world we're in, and how we find out the rules and background of it
The framing device, which we talked about, but also how we go back to it at the end
Bast, and the chronicler
The idea of 'demons, and other creatures and whether they are real and how
Stories within stories! Including those of Haliax, Lanre and Ecannis. The stories told about Kvothe at university
Kvothe's fondness for inns, and innkeepers, and his becoming an innkeeper later himself (tho apparently not a great one)
Kvothe's character in general - what makes him who he is, and a prodigy too and all that
Why does he decide to go to the university? And sell that book?
When talking about something that happens w Deanna, he describes himself as "how young, how foolish, how wise"
The moment when he gives the girl a charm, and thinks of himself as an actual hero. Is he?
Learning the name of the wind in his 'sleeping mind"

THINGS

Shira wrote: "I wonder if maybe he learns her real name, something horrible happens relating to her, and he blocks out her name and thus all names and his ability to do magic?"

Yes, I think that's a great theory! I need to read more to see what happens to them!!

I'm also fascinated to learn more about the Chandrian and what is it that compels them to destroy any evidence that they exist.

So I've been thinking for a while that the story of Kvothe and Denna is supposed to eventually mirror the story of Lanre/Haliax and Lyra, and I think it kind of fits in with that theory, Shira! The legend says that after Lyra's death Lanre/Haliax did something that has given him great power at an incredible cost. So maybe something happens to Denna, Kvothe tries to find/use her real name (not even specifically her actual birth name, but her "wind" name) to bring her back, and in his case, the cost is his sympathy? Or perhaps the cost was so great that he couldn't go through with it, and his failure results in him losing all his power? Either by self-blocking or magical blocking?

Ooh, I like these theories!

Meredith wrote: "Oh, yes, knowing someone's "true" name and that giving power shows up in religions and myths of different cultures for sure.

Tara can probably go into a lot more detail about this, but many Jews ..."

Hey, omg... yeah that happened. She was the only teacher I had to explain that to... so odd. I'm not sure if that is about somethings true name as much as it is about respect. You can write the full name of G-d if it's on something that won't be destroyed.

But, I think there is a lot about knowing the truth in religious texts.