Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

15 reviews

ceridwen33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Again wonderfully written from a craft perspective. Easily the least tear-inducing of the trilogy.

That being said, I did wonder how the conclusion of "maybe we shouldn't murder literally all humans" was the most optimistic part of the series.

I still had to force myself to get through all the darkness in this series. I'm glad I had the experience of reading it, but I immediately removed them from my house afterward so I'm not visually reminded of how dark a view of humanity these books have. I'm pessimistic enough by myself without the help!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Terminal illness, Violence, and Abandonment

kalagrace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

A very satisfying ending to the trilogy. Sad but hopeful. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hellsjerome's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

Stuck the landing!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide

Moderate: Child death and Terminal illness

shlymiller's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

abijmieds's review

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

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

biobeetle's review

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical trauma and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness and Pregnancy

hailstorm3812's review

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

This book is bursting with hope. It just keeps reminding you that yeah, life is hard, and people can be awful but also life should be great and people make it worth living. The POVs work really well to reinforce these ideas. My only thing is that sometimes the fantasy and scifi elements clash but that also kind of helps thematically.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, Violence, and Abandonment

Minor: Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pregnancy

ailsaod's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

 There was a bit of what I like to call third book overbuildup here - the mysteries of books one and two were very intriguing but in this book there wasn't quite enough time to unpack everything so you feel a bit overwhelmed. There is a lot of ground to cover - both in terms of narrative and distance and while the getting there was interesting the final destination was a bit eh. I was pretty sure going in that there wasn't going to be a happy ending given the tone of this trilogy but I am still here asking what am I supposed to do with this?? (I shall not go into any further detail because spoilers but I did not find it satisfying at all!)

I did however appreciate there being an in universe reason for the trilogy being in second person, now that was very cool! I also enjoyed how cool some of the settings visited in this book were and how they still stick in my mind all these months later.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

jessthanthree's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Cannibalism

drips's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

a few tiny plot holes nagged at me but overall it's a beautiful heart wrenching conclusion to the trilogy. what a pleasure to raze through a series in a week again (and so much food for thought to boot! i'll probably read these again one day, maybe in paperback)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Cursing and Vomit