Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

230 reviews

sammymilfort's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

phan_boy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

Interesting magic and world building. Great characters and character development. The plot is emotional and impactful. Overall this is one of the best fantasy stories I have read in a while

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Hate crime and Sexual content

Minor: Bullying and Cannibalism

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

li_veiros's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

I haven't read something I loved this much in a long time, can't wait for the second one. Besides the amazing worldbuilding and interesting structure, which I always enjoy, it has great representation! Probably the best representation I've read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Dysphoria

it has pirates! Which is very cool.

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Vomit, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Colonisation

lillelow's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.75

Intriguing story with solid world-building, rich history, and well-developed cultures and social structures that bring the setting to life. The characters are well-fleshed out, realistic, and their relationships evolve naturally - although I can’t help but wondering how many bad things can realistically happen to a person. The depicts a cruel world with lots of death, trauma, and jarring imagery on many different levels. While I guessed some of the supposed big reveals early on, there was still plenty to decode, and I’m sure much will only make full sense when reading the second novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Hate crime, Slavery, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Classism

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I really love the way that N.K. Jemisin introduces characters. Like, we see each character at face value and then slowly uncover more about them. It feels more realistic than the way some other books do characterization. And it makes the characters feel so much more likable, even when they make questionable decisions. The world-building is done in the same way, which works really well for me. And the raw emotion of it all is really moving. I think that all apocalypse stories have a lot to say about grief, but as you see all three of the plotlines ultimately converge around it, it becomes so impactful. 
I’m curious to see how the next book is structured! I’m not sure it even can be structured the same, but i’m interested to see how the differences will change the reading experience. I’m not always a fan of multi-pov but this one was so delicious that i fear nothing can top it.
also—don’t even get me started of the allegory of it all. masterful!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, and Kidnapping

Minor: Animal death, Transphobia, Cannibalism, and Dysphoria

language_loving_amateur'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

Very good; it will certainly stay with me. It is a lot to handle, and I need a breather before the next book. But also so much happens, I kind of want a plot summary and a detailed character sheet. Very heavy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content and Colonisation

Minor: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism

bamfling's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Minor: Gore, Vomit, Stalking, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

amschelly153's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This was a roller coaster ride of a book. Intense and stunning and well written. Amazing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Murder