Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Den femte årstiden by N.K. Jemisin

81 reviews

epbuckley89's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Murder, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Bullying, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Animal death

Minor: Colonisation, Cursing, Genocide, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

glitterdeww's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Knowing how much praise it's garnered since it's debut, I have felt intimidated by The Fifth Season for years now. I am INCREDIBLY glad that I finally read it! What this book accomplishes is outstanding. The commentary on life and death, ages ending and beginning - Resurrection, and what that looks like from the smallest of instances to the grandest of scale - is truly and utterly brilliant. She portrays a world of classism and racism that is EQUALLY fantastic and believable that will gut you in it's heartbreaking reality.

Beyond Jemisin's incredible world and character development (which, if you know you know, omg! Lol) I found the structure of the story, from first page to last, to be remarkable. I'm fairly certain that if I was not told how well done this book was, I may not have dug into every scene to the extent that I did upon first go through. But goddamnit lol I cannot get over the level of precision in her story structure. The breadcrumbs she leaves... The explanation and then LACK of explanation to guide the reader into drawing those conclusions... The crafting is perfection. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Classism, Death, Genocide, and Hate crime

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cannibalism

mald626's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, and Torture

ches2496's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The good:
The world building was intricate and well thought-out, and the mysteries kept me reading and wanting to find out what happened. It’s also why I will continue the series!

The bad:
I wasn’t a huge fan of the second person used for certain perspectives, but I could work with it.

Trigger warnings explanation:
This book was pretty dark. Although the violence wasn’t graphically depicted, generally, there was a lot of violence against children. Which made sense for the plot, but was also difficult to read. There was quite a bit of sexual content, although usually not graphically described. Things like the breeding of humans made sense for the plot. It was referred to, but not described graphically. There was at least one moderately graphic scene involving a three-way. There were also two brief references made to sexual violence against children.

Conclusion:
Overall, it was an interesting, albeit dark fantasy with unique world-building and an intricate plot!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Classism, and Child death

Moderate: Xenophobia, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Violence, Racial slurs, Murder, War, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Grief

Minor: Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

sparksofkell's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Classism, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual content, Hate crime, Child abuse, and Torture

Minor: Pregnancy

emily_journals's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the writing, I loved the unique storytelling; I can't really think of anything about this book that I didn't love. This book is told from 3 (kind of 4) different storylines that center on different characters. There are 3 mains storylines being rotated out for most of the book, but the prologue, interludes, and some of the last chapter are all told from a different perspective. The characters in this book are so complex and so uniquely developed and all of the characters in each of the different storylines are all equally developed and interesting. I think the writing of this book is really what stands out the most to me. The way this book is written with the 3 different storylines alongside the omniscient narrator giving hints and clues with the prologue and interludes is so brilliantly done and I've never read another book that does storytelling in this same way before. This book also just has such a cool premise that I personally am so intrigued by, but you don't really learn the premise of the world until the very ending of the book (although it is hinted at earlier) which I think is such a good way to do world building. I very highly recommend this book, but definitely be sure to check trigger warnings for this one because there's a lot of trauma/grief happening in this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Abandonment, and Sexual assault

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, and Transphobia

mauricekofi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don't think I can describe accurately what this book makes me feel except awesomely sad and elated. Jemisin is a master of her craft and I thank God I came across her writing because I'm changed for life and you will be too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Child death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Grief, and Slavery

faithaforman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Excellent storytelling with dark moments that will take your breath away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Classism, Slavery, Child death, and Cursing

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Pedophilia

cherry_lake's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Completely loved this book, so excited to read the next one. 

Things I loved about it:
- World building
- Character development 
- Queerness as an unremarkable aspect of the world
- Excellent pacing 
- Complete commitment to the geology theme 
- Such a good plot twist near the end 
- Loose writing style that easily enveloped very difficult themes and humor

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Physical abuse, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Torture, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying and Pregnancy

biobeetle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Torture, Slavery, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Abandonment, Bullying, and Death