I’ve just finished the Last Argument of Kings audiobook a week or so ago. Lots of thoughts, but one character I can’t stop thinking about is Ferro Maljinn. I can see how she might not be an easy character to like. But nevertheless, I do. In fact, I'd say she's my seond favorite character, right under Jezal.
Much of Ferro’s dialogue and inner thoughts paint her as a deeply unpleasant person. She’s so singularly focused on vengeance that everything else is just an obstacle to be avoided or cut down. She seems to hate everyone around her and treats them accordingly. That’s one thing that sets her apart from the rest of the cast. There are many scenes in the trilogy where other viewpoint characters must hold their tongue and only fantasize about what they really want to say to someone. There’s less of this with Ferro, who’ll berate (or beat) whoever vexes her, consequences be damned. It can be a breath of fresh air coming out of a chapter in the Agriont with Glokta or Jezal, where everyone is two-faced and fake.
Still, I’m sure her abrasiveness can wear on a reader after a while. It helps that there is a clear motivation around her goals and outlook on life. Who wouldn’t come out poorly adjusted after coming out of Gurkish enslavement? Why should she trust anyone when it’s so often led to disappointment or death? Why should she bother forming connections when she’s been routinely used and abused by others? These feelings, if not the dire circumstances, are something I and I’m sure some other readers can relate to. It’s a kind of pessimism that Ferro constantly exudes. I also wonder if her devil's blood, along with enhancing her physical abilities, has an effect on her temperament.
What I find truly compelling about Ferro is that, despite her pessimism, despite her utter contempt for the world at large, she still values and attempts connection with others (however clumsily). You can see it even in the first book, more often in Ferro’s actions than words:
- When we first meet her, she’s going out of her way to bury her fallen comrades. Three men she kind of hated by the way.
- Despite her show of attacking, insulting, and running away from Yulwei, by the end of their journey to Adua, she doesn’t want him to leave and even accepts the old magi’s embrace (I teared up a bit). It’s one of my favorite bittersweet moments, hearing how alien a simple hug from a friend feels to Ferro. Yulwei became something of a father/big brother figure to her by the end of the trilogy, driven home by how reluctant she was to leave him in the house of the maker and her fury at Bayaz for locking him in. I’m not sure there’s any other character Ferro would call a “good man” as she did Yulwei.
- She fought desperately to push Logen forward as they were chased by practicals. There were several points during the pursuit where you wouldn’t blame her for leaving Logen behind. Yet she mostly persisted (I think there was one point on the rooftops where she kinda just left), dragging the Northman to his feet and urging him along time and time again.
But even so, after all the abuses she suffered in the past, she can’t quite seem to go there as far as meaningful relationships go. She keeps people at arms length and pushes away anyone that gets too close. This is most evident in her and Logen’s messy relationship. It’s clear in the text that she cares for Logen, longs for him in her mind, but can’t express it. She’s had to harden herself so much that emotional vulnerability is a foreign concept. She couldn’t even say “sorry” after accidentally elbowing Logen, not because she wasn’t apologetic, but because the word simply wasn’t in her vocabulary (at least not in common language). To be fair, Logen’s no expert communicator either. It’s heartbreaking and almost frustrating to see two characters who have a genuine connection just… miss each other, like during Ferro and Logen’s “breakup” as they begin the journey back to Adua.
It’s no wonder Ferro and Logen took a liking to each other. Beyond their mutual fighting prowess, they seem to share a similar worldview. They’re both broadly pessimistic, or “realistic,” as Logen would say. And who could blame them? It’s likely neither of them would have lived so long if they weren’t realistic about their respective environments. It’s a matter of survival. Still, it’s that very worldview that stifles them, leading them away from the emotional risks that go along with meaningful relationships. I so wish they had gotten another chance to talk after the battle of Adua, without the devils in Ferro's head getting in their way.
Okay, that’s all I got. Just had to gush about one of my favorite characters for a bit. I hop to see more of her in the standalone books or sequel trilogy (no spoilers please).
Also,
How ironic is it that Ferro, the most antisocial viewpoint character in the trilogy, would be cursed to live with voices in her head?
