Scan barcode
stierwood's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I didn’tunderstand the use of the 2nd person until about 2/3rds thru the book, and then thought it was rlly clever.
Characters were complex and loveable.
I have a history degree. That this book focuses on history, how it is told, and who writes it was so good to read and exceptionally well-done. The lore was sooo fleshed out.
A hard one to read in a slump. The world building was complex so thank gd for the appendix.
Dark, but never unnecessarily so.
Except every modern dystopian piece of media i have consumed recently has had cannibalism in it and my tummy hurts.
Graphic: Transphobia, Slavery, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, War, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Sexual harassment
alba_marie's review
- 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
4.0
The issue with it was that The Fifth Season was a bit too stylised. It required a deep dive into the book, investing in at least 50 pages to really immerse oneself in the text, style and world. And normally, I might be into that. Normally I'd probably love that, even. But it was certainly not the right book to read with a newborn! It was supposed to be done before the baby arrived, but the baby had other ideas and he came early. This is a book that requires full concentration and focus. Not a book you'd dip your toes in here and there in between feeds. For that reason, I struggled a bit to connect with it and follow the various characters and time lines.
But it's clear that Jemisin is a very good writer and visionary. She is amazing at world building, and characterisation. She pulls at one thread and a butterfly flaps its wings 300 pages later.
It takes a long time to get into the story, and to see how all of the stories collide and combine. But when they do, there's an "oh shit" moment that I might have caught earlier on if I had been less sleep deprived.
Beware though – one of the POVs is written in "you" format; the style is obtuse and the purple prose is sometimes difficult to understand. This is high brow fantasy. This is the book that proves that fantasy doesn't have to always be fun and games; that fantasy can also be literary fiction.
At its core (pun intended), the book centres on earthquakes, thermal energy, geology, and earth movements – and the people attuned enough with the earth to control them. It takes the reader across barren landscapes, apocalyptic earths, through earthquakes, past ancient lost civilisations, into crowded cities, and onto pirate ships, secret islands and into the heart of the (evil?) institution at the heart of it all.
I will certainly be reading book 2... when my baby is a wee bit older!
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
deinonychus's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Torture, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Death
cadence99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Grief, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
bookslumper's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, Police brutality, Confinement, Racial slurs, Torture, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Genocide
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Minor: Domestic abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Rape, and Slavery
purlhaggard's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Such a cool world, such different systems, I loved it,
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Violence, and Kidnapping
decklededgess's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
A biting allegory for the atlantic slave trade and the treatment of enslaved folk, representation of generational trauma and the pain of choices made to protect and survive, and so much more.
It's a three part timeline following three characters in different eras of this world leading up to the catastrophic natural disaster that will lead to the next seasonal change that occurs in this universe. Each character is living an entirely different life: a child getting recruited into an academy to train her powers, a trainee going on her first mission, and a women with powers who was in hiding and is now in search of her kidnapped child.
I had no idea where anything was headed nor what the goal of the book was outside of survival. In that way I suppose this is a dystopic apocalypse survival book as well as a fantasy. Every new detail revealed was a depressing shock to the system as I read yet everything that led me to say, well what the hell else did I expect that's the dire reality of this world and the real world tragedies it's referencing.
I look forward to the next two books with trepidation.
Graphic: War, Trafficking, Slavery, Murder, Domestic abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Body horror, Vomit, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Death
kieran_c's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
5.0
Honestly, this wouldn’t have been the kind of plot I expected to become enthralled by. I’m simple, and like basic happy ever afters. And this is dark, incredibly so. But, you are as gently eased into the level of darkness as is possible, in my opinion, and this dark stuff is what makes you connect so strongly with the story. The characters aren’t naturally loveable, due to their demeanours and actions, but I don’t think they are supposed to be. You see their faults, but connect so strongly with them and understand why they’re there.
I couldn’t recommend the book more highly
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Genocide, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Child death and Bullying
apersonfromflorida's review
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Trafficking, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Death, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Fire/Fire injury