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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, Death of parent
Like the first two in the trilogy, Jemisin crafts the final acts with amazing skill. I've never read a story woven together in this way, and I am forever impressed. Finally understanding the history of Hoa, Antimony, and Steel was wonderful illumination on the series as a whole. I loved that aspect of the book and how it intertwined with the present characters' lives.
The thing that keeps me from rating this 5 stars (as I did with the other two) was that the fates of Essun, Alabaster, and Schaffa felt a bit anti-climactic. They spent so much time building and then grappling with incredible strength and power, and then just sortof... dissolved. However disappointing it felt, I understood Essun's end the most because of her love for her daughter. I was just surprised that the other two essentially fizzled out rather silently as they became devices for Essun and Nassun to reach the conclusion. I find myself still grappling with it because I absolutely understand why it worked out the way it did. It makes complete sense! Sometimes endings are heartbreaking! But I can't shake the feeling that a few key pieces didn't quite live up to the rest of the writing.
Despite having mixed feelings about the outcome, I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy. Honestly, I can't wait to buy my own copies of these and read back through for details I missed on the first pass. I loved these characters, and truly appreciated the detail and craft of the plot. It's a learning experience in addition to simply being entertainment. If you're on the fence, I will gladly be the one to push you over to the side of READ IT, NOW! Seriously, stop what you're doing and dig in. It's so worth it.
The thing that keeps me from rating this 5 stars (as I did with the other two) was that the fates of Essun, Alabaster, and Schaffa felt a bit anti-climactic. They spent so much time building and then grappling with incredible strength and power, and then just sortof... dissolved. However disappointing it felt, I understood Essun's end the most because of her love for her daughter. I was just surprised that the other two essentially fizzled out rather silently as they became devices for Essun and Nassun to reach the conclusion. I find myself still grappling with it because I absolutely understand why it worked out the way it did. It makes complete sense! Sometimes endings are heartbreaking! But I can't shake the feeling that a few key pieces didn't quite live up to the rest of the writing.
Despite having mixed feelings about the outcome, I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy. Honestly, I can't wait to buy my own copies of these and read back through for details I missed on the first pass. I loved these characters, and truly appreciated the detail and craft of the plot. It's a learning experience in addition to simply being entertainment. If you're on the fence, I will gladly be the one to push you over to the side of READ IT, NOW! Seriously, stop what you're doing and dig in. It's so worth it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
emotional
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
This wasn’t my favorite of the trio logo but it did tie everything together and had somewhat satisfying ending.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 Stars – A flawed finale, yet better than "The Obelisk Gate"
As the final book in the trilogy, I had high expectations for The Stone Sky. It picks up right where The Obelisk Gate left off and is told through three different POVs.
The first half of the novel was quite strong. The characters continued to develop, and the plot moved forward in a coherent and engaging way. We also got insight into the distant past—a part I had been especially looking forward to—and for the first 60% of the book, it really delivered.
But then... the cracks in the series started to show.
Character motivations became unclear, and the major revelations—while conceptually interesting—were delivered in a way that lacked emotional impact. The decisions characters made often felt senseless, and my hope that everything would come together at the end was slowly lost.
Then came the climax.
The climax of the distant-past storyline felt cheap and overly melodramatic, like something out of a rushed YA novel. The present-day climax fared a little better, with some genuinely interesting character interactions, but the plot itself was weak. I found myself reading through the scenes while trying not to fixate on the glaring flaws.
That said, I really appreciated the second-person narration. It felt odd in the first book, but over time it grew on me and ultimately became a highlight of the series. I also liked the worldbuilding and lore—despite their often clumsy delivery.
As for the characters: I didn’t enjoy the protagonist much in the earlier books, but she was far better written here. The character from the distant past was mostly solid. However, the third POV character was unbearable. I hated reading from their perspective—which, ironically, I appreciated on some level since it did evoke strong emotion—but having to spend nearly a third of the book in that POV was frustrating.
One of my biggest issues was the lack of clarity—regarding character motivations, the magic system, and even basic scene descriptions. Too often, I was left wondering what exactly had just happened, or why anyone acted the way they did.
In conclusion: a strong start, a decent core narrative, but a disappointing ending that left too many questions unanswered. I’d say this book is worth your time only because it wraps up the trilogy—and it’s not very long—but if the flaws in the previous books annoyed you, this one likely won’t change your mind.
As the final book in the trilogy, I had high expectations for The Stone Sky. It picks up right where The Obelisk Gate left off and is told through three different POVs.
The first half of the novel was quite strong. The characters continued to develop, and the plot moved forward in a coherent and engaging way. We also got insight into the distant past—a part I had been especially looking forward to—and for the first 60% of the book, it really delivered.
But then... the cracks in the series started to show.
Character motivations became unclear, and the major revelations—while conceptually interesting—were delivered in a way that lacked emotional impact. The decisions characters made often felt senseless, and my hope that everything would come together at the end was slowly lost.
Then came the climax.
The climax of the distant-past storyline felt cheap and overly melodramatic, like something out of a rushed YA novel. The present-day climax fared a little better, with some genuinely interesting character interactions, but the plot itself was weak. I found myself reading through the scenes while trying not to fixate on the glaring flaws.
That said, I really appreciated the second-person narration. It felt odd in the first book, but over time it grew on me and ultimately became a highlight of the series. I also liked the worldbuilding and lore—despite their often clumsy delivery.
As for the characters: I didn’t enjoy the protagonist much in the earlier books, but she was far better written here. The character from the distant past was mostly solid. However, the third POV character was unbearable. I hated reading from their perspective—which, ironically, I appreciated on some level since it did evoke strong emotion—but having to spend nearly a third of the book in that POV was frustrating.
One of my biggest issues was the lack of clarity—regarding character motivations, the magic system, and even basic scene descriptions. Too often, I was left wondering what exactly had just happened, or why anyone acted the way they did.
In conclusion: a strong start, a decent core narrative, but a disappointing ending that left too many questions unanswered. I’d say this book is worth your time only because it wraps up the trilogy—and it’s not very long—but if the flaws in the previous books annoyed you, this one likely won’t change your mind.
dark
emotional
mysterious
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