Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin

17 reviews

kammikim's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

This was a fantastic extension of the story started in "The Killing Moon" - the events taking place years later but feeling like a logical development from where things left off. Old characters reappear in ways that are consistent yet showing growth, and the new (or newly central) characters provide the basis for a compelling sequel. I was impressed with how Jemisin developed both these characters and their story arcs - I found myself surprised by the events as they unfolded, and by how my feelings toward the characters shifted over time. I loved the dream magic and world of Gujaareh as they were introduced in the first book, and this one added even more power and interest to those elements without feeling redundant. Both books were quick and engrossing reads for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, and War

radlizareads's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child death, Murder, Incest, and Child abuse

eclipse799's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Domestic abuse, Murder, Grief, Mental illness, War, Xenophobia, Blood, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Classism, Dementia, Confinement, Death, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gore, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Incest, and Violence

annie__bananie's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Incest, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Rape

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Child death, Death, Blood, and Body horror

kemrick19's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, War, Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Incest, Death, Slavery, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Violence, Rape, Sexual content, and Murder

atarbett's review

adventurous 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Rape

applequinn's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Gore, Death of parent, Child death, Child abuse, Rape, Incest, Mental illness, and Violence

victims of abuse are portrayed as "better off dead"

lautodd_'s review

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Absolutely loved the end to this series. I wasn’t completely satisfied by the first book of the series— it felt semi-slow, but also not fully alive. There was action and relational development, but it felt more history and setup for The Shadowed Sun than anything else. As if I had to read The Killing Moon for context, background, and historical knowledge of the world Jemisin built, but my appetite as an interested and captured reader would mainly and primarily be addressed in The Shadowed Sun, Book Two. This second iteration was a wonderful close. I loved the character development in this work; I thought there journeys were a bit more interesting than in the first. 

I loved the new cast of characters (along with a few old ones from The Killing Moon, Book One). I thought it a fresh and clever take on Jemisin’s part to consider this new Gujaareh in the wake of political unrest, war, and being under Kisuati rule.

I also cornily enough absolutely and embarrassingly squealed at Hanani and Wanahomen ending up together, in their own unique way that realistically, however briefly, spoke to the healing journey she was on/beginning/walking through from all the grief she had accumulated from the start to the end.

Enjoyable read, overall— couldn’t put it down/finished it greedily in 2 days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

coaxmetal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Child death, Child abuse, Incest, and Domestic abuse

sapphicshark's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Incest, and Body horror