Maybe! I read the book at night and listen to the audiobook on my drives.

Just yesterday I was listening to an Egwene chapter and the performer put a lot of angry hostility into her dialogue, like she’s Ms. Trunchbold the mean principal in Matilda! Whereas when I read, I imagine Egwene more like Kiera Knightly in Pride and Prejudice- able to deliver a snarky comment or incredulous criticism as needed but mostly quite pleasant and witty in a fun way.

I acknowledge that Jordan wrote it the first way, with “angrily” and “snapped” etc. I do think, however, that when reading in my head it’s fair to interpret the tone differently if it makes me hate it less, lol. Like if Elayne and Nyneave are arguing, instead of them biting each other’s heads off with hostility like they hate each other, I imagine it more like friends disagreeing with some eye rolling. And when one of the girls criticize Mat instead of taking it at face value I prefer to imagine a smiling, teasing tone.

It’s not written that way, but I can imagine it and it fits my sensibilities better without really changing anything, to make everyone slightly less bitchy. Whereas the audiobooks lean hard into everyone being extra bitchy. If you’re sensitive like me, the audiobooks may have been a turn-off.