Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

148 reviews

savvyrosereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The first book in the Broken Earth trilogy introduces Essun, who must go on a journey across the apocalypse after her husband kills their son and kidnaps their daughter.

I’ve heard incredible things about this trilogy for years, and they were all absolutely true. I’m so glad I finally picked this up, and honestly it deserves so much love and attention.

The world-building was a bit complex and slow at first, but once I figured out what was going on the intricate universe Jemisin built really shone through. I loved the characters and was alternately brain-broken and heartbroken by the plot, which kept me on the edge of my seat, especially towards the end.

I buddy read this one with my real life bestie and we had a BLAST—we’re both so excited to pick up THE OBELISK GATE right away!

CW: Violence/death (including child death); slavery; some gore

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Child death

hdunscombe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Slavery, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, and Genocide

Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Vomit, Cursing, Stalking, Xenophobia, Gore, Animal death, and Cannibalism

amanda_doty's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

Plot is a bit slow in the beginning, but when it picks up...whoo. I think I read the second half of this book in 2 days. I could not put it down. Jemisin's way with words is magical. The magic(?) system is unique and the world-building leaves enough to the reader to really feel like you're there, but as like a visitor, not a native. The characters are flawed and believable. The themes are real and raw and the way Jemisin handles them is poignant, but not cliche. The best parts of this book are definitely Jemisin's writing style (I have over 200 highlights and notes...which is a lot) and the character building. Overall rating 4.05. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Slavery

vcatterson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization

jjokokomo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This is not a fast read. The world building is immense and complicated. The characters can be difficult but I quickly became invested in them. There are many twists and turns and the author continues to keep the reader guessing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, and War

this story is not linear

juniper_vs_tbr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

**PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS**

I've never read a high fantasy book before as they were also so intense with lore drops.

This book doesn't bomb you with lore but breaks it down and does re-explain things from times, which made this a fun read.

I loved the characters and putting together to overarching story. It was brutal, but I still kept reading on.

I have never read a book this long so quickly. No big book has ever been easy to read or this fun.

The world building is so smart, the characters beyond interesting (especially Alabaster) with so much unexpected queer representation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Genocide, Murder, Racial slurs, Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Slavery, War, Trafficking, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, and Kidnapping

aidareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

perhaps it was my brain but i got kinda confused with the narrator thingy. i do think it was super interesting to have multiple "narrators", one of them being 2nd person, but towards the end i got a bit lost with the characters (if you know, you know). still, i hope i like the rest of the trilogy a bit better because the plot is certainly super interesting and relevant!! and i loved the diversity and the queer rep!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Body horror, and Child death

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Cannibalism

lthintz's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Grief, and Physical abuse

tangledweb65's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

This was a challenging book to read, and I found it slightly slow to start, but GOD it was worth it. One of those books you finish and immediately reach for the next in the trilogy. I absolutely admire the style of storytelling she manages to achieve, and how she makes the characters such normal people while being so completely not. Absolutely amazing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, War, Child death, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Classism, Child abuse, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Torture, Xenophobia, and Trafficking

Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Deportation, Medical content, Animal death, Colonisation, Slavery, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Excrement

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