Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

275 reviews

linhsreadinghour's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

I’m so conflicted with how I feel about this book 🤣 I think I liked it but I wouldn’t rate it 5 stars because I found it to be so so slow until about 60% where it picked up for me. I was so so confused at the start but I still found myself wanting to read on?? The writing was dense and the POVs didn’t start to make sense until something was revealed later on, in which others may had already picked up on. The writer trusts the reader to make their deductions along with the characters but I think I’m not smart enough for this book so I was confused and wished the answer to some deductions were laid out clearly for me in some way - but this is personal preference and not a criticism of the book. Themes of race, morality, identity, indoctrination and the extent one achieves their goals,  were explored. 

Unique fantasy world and magic system with intriguing writing and structure. I’m just glad I’ve read it cause it was on my shelf for so long and everyone raves about it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Death, Grief, and Violence

massivepizzacrust's review

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Violence, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Death

coatpocketcreature's review

adventurous dark 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, War, Child death, and Violence

gtorian22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

This 5 star read makes me want to change a lot of my previous 5 stars to 4. There is just something about this book that changed something about me.  I cannot explain it, but the hype for this book is legit.  I will admit I was confused and lost for a good portion of the story, I loved the story but I had no idea what was happening....until I understood it all.  The characters are all so unique and interesting, the setting is expansive and gorgeous it's own way.  This book is P U R E fantasy where the more modern romance tropes are removed.  Some of the more shocking moments (check the CW's) are not used for pure shock value, they add understanding to the character and why they are who they are.  This book is written in 2nd person and that was so new to me, but from the start Jemisin makes the characters feel so real and planted in their world that is it easy to slip into the shoes of Essun and travel the world with her.  It's triumphant and devastating at the same time and I want more.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child death, Child abuse, and Violence

autumnruth's review

adventurous 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: Abandonment, Child death, Violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder

barda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol and Pedophilia

zsabella's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.5

nk jemisin is sooo good at hooking readers with loads of mystery and intrigue that gradually introduces us to the world of the stillness. I adore a slow burn world-building atmosphere when it’s written this well! there are intense scenes and character revelations in this that will live in my mind for a while. but personally, this felt like reading a vividly told, heartbreaking prologue of what’s to come in the sequels, so my low rating is a reflection of me being impatient with the plot lines converging in the last few chapters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Classism, Violence, and Bullying

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

stepfarmer's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

i literally have no words. this is easily one of the best books i've ever read and ch 22 especially is one of the best things in literature period. i wish i had read this when it came out in 2015 when i was a teenager so that this would've shaped my development.

as it stands, though, i'm still being shaped by it. holy fuck!!!! what a story!!!! the casual queerness of characters is sooooo beautiful, too, the way there just happens to be a transwoman and a transman and a little queer polycule going on UGH. the prose is masterful and the characters feel so good and so real and the MAGIC SYSTEM. ohh the magic system is so unique. it takes a little to get a hang of it and i do think there are times where the descriptions get a bit too muddled, but in the end it doesn't matter because the rest of the book is so wonderful. 5/5 stars 100/100 forever for the rest of time.

where is the moon btw

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Cannibalism, Cursing, War, and Body horror

tangledweb65's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

This was a challenging book to read, and I found it slightly slow to start, but GOD it was worth it. One of those books you finish and immediately reach for the next in the trilogy. I absolutely admire the style of storytelling she manages to achieve, and how she makes the characters such normal people while being so completely not. Absolutely amazing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, War, Child death, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Classism, Child abuse, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Torture, Xenophobia, and Trafficking

Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Deportation, Medical content, Animal death, Colonisation, Slavery, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Excrement

anniehayez's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

I really can’t put my thoughts into words other than to say this is a perfect book. I think this is the most unique, intricate, heartbreaking and awe inspiring story I’ve ever read. A true masterpiece.  (Please see content warnings)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Pregnancy, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Grief, Slavery, and Murder

Moderate: Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Body horror, and Blood

Minor: Vomit, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Sexual assault, Rape, Transphobia, Trafficking, and Torture