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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-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
Ugh. It is simply enraging, the frequency with which the author engenders miscommunication between characters by confidently proclaiming, "but the character couldn't possibly describe it, because the words simply didn't exist," moments before immediately describing it in simple English to the reader . Don't expect me to believe that an intelligent, well-educated character can't possibly explain what you casually achieve a sentence later.
Admittedly a minor nitpick here, but I swear this author has a deep misunderstanding of how big cities are. She describes the entire world as being composed of microscopic 200 person townships, barely subsisting, and yet the equatorial cities hold millions and millions of people? Where are the medium sized cities? Where do the millions get their food? I mean, I don't wanna be that guy obsessing about the sustainability of the agricultural infrastructure in a fantasy novel...but come on.
Another nitpick here, but I'll be in the middle of the story, consumed by the worldbuilding, when suddenly the author will distractingly insert her modern, 2017 views on gender, sex, or race. I do enjoy seeing these topics in my books, as they make you think, remind you how society should be, and can help change the cultural zeitgeist for the better. But I shouldn't suddenly feel preached to in the middle of a novel aboutmagic earthquake wizards . Plenty of authors manage to include commentary on sexism, sexuality, racism, etc while making it a graceful and fluid part of the story. Just glancing at the books I read in July, see: Earthsea, Handmaid's Tale, Poisonwood Bible, and Circe for some excellent examples.
But anyway, nitpicks aside, I constantly wanted to give this series a chance; as it had so much obvious potential, but I really can't recommend it. Yes, the concept is great, but the execution is deeply flawed. The magic and power levels change constantly just to fit the plot, the character writing and behaviors change at the whim of the author, and the author is constantly pulling your attention out of the story with nitpicky bs.
Admittedly a minor nitpick here, but I swear this author has a deep misunderstanding of how big cities are. She describes the entire world as being composed of microscopic 200 person townships, barely subsisting, and yet the equatorial cities hold millions and millions of people? Where are the medium sized cities? Where do the millions get their food? I mean, I don't wanna be that guy obsessing about the sustainability of the agricultural infrastructure in a fantasy novel...but come on.
Another nitpick here, but I'll be in the middle of the story, consumed by the worldbuilding, when suddenly the author will distractingly insert her modern, 2017 views on gender, sex, or race. I do enjoy seeing these topics in my books, as they make you think, remind you how society should be, and can help change the cultural zeitgeist for the better. But I shouldn't suddenly feel preached to in the middle of a novel about
But anyway, nitpicks aside, I constantly wanted to give this series a chance; as it had so much obvious potential, but I really can't recommend it. Yes, the concept is great, but the execution is deeply flawed. The magic and power levels change constantly just to fit the plot, the character writing and behaviors change at the whim of the author, and the author is constantly pulling your attention out of the story with nitpicky bs.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An amazing end to this amazing trilogy, this took the longest for me to get through out of the three but I loved what it was able to flesh out thematically the most. The world really comes together in the stone sky, as we finally get to take a look at the entire earth as a whole: around, above, and straight through it. It is as alive as any other being that inhabits it, and it is part of the chain of systematic usurpations of resources to better those that deem themselves more superior. The broken earth trilogy really demonstrates how humanity has created false inequalities between all beings who were created equal and relies on that inequality to prosper, and this book really cements the idea by flipping back and forth between present day following Nassun and Essun, and back to the past with Hoa’s origins and the creation of the Stillness and Seasons.
I think Hoa’s chapters were really the standout for this book, as we finally got to see who our narrator really was. He finally lets us into his world and the origins of the current world. We get to see him go from complacency to action, and it’s so impactful, something that anyone who has gone through developing social consciousness could relate to. To me he and the tuners also represented the concept of the “model minority”, which was an intriguing angle to include in the social commentary.
Nassun and Essun representing both ends of a parent-child complex and also how both of their upbringings and outside influences lead them to wanting opposing outcomes for the existence of humanity was interesting too. I think the book did decide which was the “right” side by the ending outcome, but I do think it’s really hard to say what was right. To destroy and dismantle the whole system giving room to start anew, or fix what is broken and be the change you wish to see. I did like the outcome for the sake of the characters though, and while heartbreaking it was a fitting and hopeful end that I think the series needed after so much bleakness.
I felt the one thing that brought the pacing down was so much on the focus of Castrima’s migration, I didn’t really feel like it added much to the story, although I get Essun had to be shown dealing with her new life turning into stone. It felt a bit redundant with the Obelisk Gate and I didn’t feel like enough time was spent with the other Castrima members for me to care too much about them, but I think it was important for Essun to learn to rely on community and camaraderie so I understand why it was done.
The narration of this book and series as a whole is really what makes it stand out, both in the way Hoa speaks to Essun (and we finally find out why he tells her all this by the very end which I loved) and the voice NK Jemisin has as a writer. It’s just so beautifully written and the voice feels alive and real, a true consciousness. I’m sure it was as much of a writing challenge as it was a reading challenge 😅 but I really enjoyed the prose. I really am interested in what the thought process was behind writing this series and looking more into the choices she made, and if you can get me interested like that I definitely think that says enough. I hope to revisit the trilogy again and see what more I can pick up, I think it deserves multiple reads!
I think Hoa’s chapters were really the standout for this book, as we finally got to see who our narrator really was. He finally lets us into his world and the origins of the current world. We get to see him go from complacency to action, and it’s so impactful, something that anyone who has gone through developing social consciousness could relate to. To me he and the tuners also represented the concept of the “model minority”, which was an intriguing angle to include in the social commentary.
Nassun and Essun representing both ends of a parent-child complex and also how both of their upbringings and outside influences lead them to wanting opposing outcomes for the existence of humanity was interesting too. I think the book did decide which was the “right” side by the ending outcome, but I do think it’s really hard to say what was right. To destroy and dismantle the whole system giving room to start anew, or fix what is broken and be the change you wish to see. I did like the outcome for the sake of the characters though, and while heartbreaking it was a fitting and hopeful end that I think the series needed after so much bleakness.
I felt the one thing that brought the pacing down was so much on the focus of Castrima’s migration, I didn’t really feel like it added much to the story, although I get Essun had to be shown dealing with her new life turning into stone. It felt a bit redundant with the Obelisk Gate and I didn’t feel like enough time was spent with the other Castrima members for me to care too much about them, but I think it was important for Essun to learn to rely on community and camaraderie so I understand why it was done.
The narration of this book and series as a whole is really what makes it stand out, both in the way Hoa speaks to Essun (and we finally find out why he tells her all this by the very end which I loved) and the voice NK Jemisin has as a writer. It’s just so beautifully written and the voice feels alive and real, a true consciousness. I’m sure it was as much of a writing challenge as it was a reading challenge 😅 but I really enjoyed the prose. I really am interested in what the thought process was behind writing this series and looking more into the choices she made, and if you can get me interested like that I definitely think that says enough. I hope to revisit the trilogy again and see what more I can pick up, I think it deserves multiple reads!
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
