Reviews tagging 'War'

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

23 reviews

nerdy_reader_9571's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

Of the three emotionally devastating books in the trilogy, this one hit me the hardest. The history of this world provided in the third installment pulled together so much of the story for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Murder, Torture, and Slavery

Moderate: War and Violence

Minor: Rape

tayindago's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, War, Blood, Cannibalism, and Violence

_cecilie_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

 I'm not usually in the habit of reading series back to back which is an indicator of how immensely intriguing and satisfying this sometimes fantasy sometimes sci-fi skewing trilogy was. After having read the conclusion I can now whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who likes darker themes in their fantasy reading, complex characters, themes of found family, parenthood (both human and cosmic), discussions of racism, prejudice and genocide mirroring our own human society. 
I'm not kidding when I say that when this trilogy gets dark, it can get DARK but the reading experience was extremely rewarding nonetheless and I may have shed some tears here and there.

Some other pros are: flawed but ultimately likable characters, great side characters that matter to the overall plot, LGBT representation and in general different types of love and relationships, POC representation, original and creative world building, and I'm sure I'm missing some other things.

Nitpicks: Sometimes the dialogue was almost too modern sounding which took me out of the story and there were times I wished the writing style had been a bit more straightforward about what was going on. And since we are talking about tiny complaints: I wish the earth had been called Mother and not Father Earth to show the vengeful love that motherhood can be as a coin of which the earth is one side and Essun is the other. But maybe there was a reason for Jemisin to write Father and I’m just predisposed to viewing earth as a mother? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, War, and Violence

abijmieds's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

I rarely give a final book 5 stars, but this book wrapped up the trilogy in such a memorable and satisfying way. You have to pay attention through the final third, but it really pays off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Death

Moderate: Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Violence, War, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

cdc95's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Violence, War, Grief, and Genocide

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

gandalf_a's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, Body horror, Murder, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Death, and Cursing

Minor: War, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Slavery

madamenovelist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Death of parent, Body horror, Blood, Cursing, Classism, Violence, Murder, Medical trauma, Gore, Racism, Colonisation, Death, Xenophobia, War, and Racial slurs

thewileyseven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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 would give it more than five stars if I could. The stunning finale to easily the most beautiful, captivating, thoughtful, enticing, and important trilogy of modern SFF. I am just blown away by the world created in these books and the way it has so irrevocably changed mine. Cannot recommend these highly enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Child abuse, Colonisation, and War

diken's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cannibalism, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Violence, and War

cryosphinx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

When the Earth speaks, it is not in words.

What a damned good conclusion to this series. A lot of the mysteries get explained as well so this was just a thrilling ride that had me questioning what the ultimate conclusion would be up until the end. I will forever scream from the roof tops about Jemisin's writing being some of the most beautifully written prose I've experienced. Because at the end that's what this is, an experience. Some of my favorite, most heart wrenching moments are in this book. I am beyond happy I read this trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Genocide, and Violence

Moderate: War, Death of parent, and Slavery

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and Cannibalism