Education has always been a bit wonky in Wheel of Time. The fact that Egwene learns how to be smarter and better at everything than women who've spent decades if not centuries plotting and learning, and in less than two years, should tell you that. Best way to look at it is to just accept that Robert Jordan left a few holes here and there.

Also, "only 3000 years ago." lolwat?

RJ was just really, really bad with spelling names. No native English speaker would pronounce this stuff the way he does.

Pretty sure Damer Flinn loses an entire arm, not just a hand. In the last battle.

I actually like Shawn-chan, personally.

Oh! Fail. Not Fuh-yeel. Let's be honest, my pronunciation speaks more to the character anyways. ;)

The black tower, post last battle. Least pretentious place in the world, with the best healthcare and standard of living. 

Birgitte = Bur-jit. Sorry. I just can't do Burrgeetay.

Honestly Egwene is the one of the only irredeemably bitchy characters this side of Elaida and Tuon... which is why her being considered the go-to "strong woman" of the series always irked me. She's the closest thing the books have to a Mary Sue if you ask me, and the [removed] she pulls on Nynaeve (and the fact that Nynaeve lets her do it) is a perfect example of other characters dumbing down and bending themselves to fit her whenever she's in the scene.  The only times I found myself rooting for her were those rare moments when she is faced with an opponent even more frustrating than she is. Otherwise, she simply tries to sell out her friends to every group of authoritative women she meets (first helping the Wise Ones manipulate Rand, then the Aes Sedai, then manipulating Mat for the Aes Sedai, then trying to manipulate Rand into giving up his prophesied duty to her because of course the farm girl who's been outside Emond's Field for two years knows better than the Dragon Re-goddamn-born).  I was glad she died, I just wish she'd died sooner and less gloriously, as befits her personality.

There are plenty of examples of strong, likable female characters in the books: Birgitte, Moiraine, Siuan [Removed], Faile, Berelain, Verin,  Nynaeve, Elayne (I guess), Aviendha, the Wise Ones, Setalle Anan... Christ, I could probably sit here for an hour writing out names. But Egwene should be left in a small box somewhere, because she's terrible.

What is it, screw-kill-marry?

Berelain, Egwene, Min

Suttree, I too would be interested in seeing your theory. Generally when you attack an idea you also offer an alternative. You know: "No, the earth isn't flat; It's round." For the past few pages you've just been telling people that their evidence is worthless and their arguments false, without any real reasons.

What was the voice? Who is Nakomi?

The US covers look like fantasy books. Ain't really a bad thing.