Normally in my read-throughs, this is the book that Egwene and the Aes Sedai really begin to piss me off.

I can forgive Egwene a lot of faults early on; she's the daughter of the highest power and (presumably) richest man in Emond's Field, so it makes sense that she would be spoiled and entitled.
However, by this point, she's been imprisoned 3 times, not escaping by herself once. She's been proven wrong and incompetent numerous times. And yet, she still believes she knows best, despite all evidence otherwise.

The Aes Sedai are even worse. For supposedly being the wisest and most enlightened people in the world, they all act like idiots. I'm not sure if RJ thought he was making them seem realistic, and did a poor job, or if he intentionally meant them to be dumb, but the fact that the rebels refuse to bow before the Dragon Reborn is about the most idiotic thing that could have happened.

It's a good thing the series isn't focused on the Aes Sedai, or this is the book that I would have quit the series on.