Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Stone Sky (Booktrack Edition) by N.K. Jemisin

83 reviews

utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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 masterful conclusion to the trilogy, giving explanations for so many of the questions set up in the first two books. I found one of the viewpoints a lot more confusing than the others, and felt it was less well woven-in than the previous books. However, the ending was satisfying in its (what I felt anyway) inevitability, with the full circle moments and

overall narrative framing device

. I think some of the best literature holds a mirror up to the world it is written in, humanising and allowing us to empathise better with others - this trilogy certainly does that, and I think this book is the most on the nose in this sense. I'm sad to be leaving this world behind, but will almost certainly reread in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Death, Violence, Genocide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief and Child death

Minor: Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Sexual content

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

apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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: Violence, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Grief, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism

onthesamepage's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

4.5

But there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors. They conjure phantoms endlessly, terrified that their victims will someday do back what was done to them—even if, in truth, their victims couldn’t care less about such pettiness and have moved on. Conquerors live in dread of the day when they are shown to be, not superior, but simply lucky.

This series is one of the best I've ever read. The only reason I didn't give the conclusion 5 stars is because I, personally, had a much better time with the first 2 books—when everything was a mystery, and my mind was racing to try and figure it all out. This is the final book, and there isn't much mystery left, which absolutely makes sense, but it did lower my enjoyment just a smidge. That, and the pacing felt slower to me.

They’re afraid because we exist, she says. There’s nothing we did to provoke their fear, other than exist. There’s nothing we can do to earn their approval, except stop existing—so we can either die like they want, or laugh at their cowardice and go on with our lives.

If you're worried that you'll still be left with questions by the end of this, don't be. I think that Jemisin skillfully explained everything you've been wondering about, and maybe more. The writing is gripping and beautiful as always, and the ways in which the characters and relationships develop stunned me with how deep it went. The journeys that Essun and Nassun go on separately, and how that impacts the way they see each other, everything was masterfully executed. This entire series, despite being heavy on the science as well, is so rooted in humanity, and I love seeing that within SFF.

But for a society built on exploitation, there is no greater threat than having no one left to oppress.

Honestly, nothing I can say can ever fully express how I feel about this series. I can only say that it's absolutely worth picking up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Racial slurs, and Cannibalism

amyhasel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I was in love with this series from the first page of the first book, and this finale is it. N. K. Jemisin is able to balance horror and humor like no one else - it manages to be realistic, gory, and then lighthearted in a moment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Child death and Physical abuse

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

martinatan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.5

Really stuck the landing on this one!!! I was so skeptical reading through the middle part that the ending wouldn’t be satisfying but it turned out to be thrilling, heart wrenching, really intriguing and only a little confusing. I felt myself a little lost in the buildup of more lore every so often but that was more because I got distracted often while reading, and I had read The Obelisk Gate over a year ago. I think all the characters’ endings felt true to their character development, although

Lerna’s death was so surprising and sad and just a twist of the knife that felt it was done to in just further push how tragic Essun’s life has been as a mother and a partner

. But idk that’s my first impression having just read that scene 30 minutes ago. In terms of actual lore and thematic development as well as experimental writing style, this was a really spectacular conclusion overall to the trilogy and helped solidify the cohesiveness of all three books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Medical content, Slavery, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Violence

biobeetle's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Murder and Medical trauma

Minor: Pregnancy and Terminal illness

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Cannibalism and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

What an end to this series. The world building was incredible though very complex. I will ceaselessly love all three of the main characters. Very sad too, especially with getting all the background information and how everything is built on racism and xenophobia. Important for the very same reason. 

Found Family, Complex Discussions of Racism

“No need for guards when you can convince people to collaborate in their own internment.”

“Well, some worlds are built on a fault line of pain, held up by nightmares. Don’t lament when those worlds fall. Rage that they were built doomed in the first place.”

“(It bothers her that she does this, watching him constantly for shifts of mood or warnings of tension. It is another thing she learned from Jija. She cannot seem to shed it with Schaffa, or anyone else.)”

“But there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors. They conjure phantoms endlessly, terrified that their victims will someday do back what was done to them—even if, in truth, their victims couldn’t care less about such pettiness and have moved on. Conquerors live in dread of the day when they are shown to be, not superior, but simply lucky.”

“I think,” Hoa says slowly, “that if you love someone, you don’t get to choose how they love you back.”

“There are stages to the process of being betrayed by your society. One is jolted from a place of complacency by the discovery of difference, by hypocrisy, by inexplicable or incongruous ill treatment. What follows is a time of confusion—unlearning what one thought to be the truth. Immersing oneself in the new truth. And then a decision must be made.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Death of parent, Blood, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, Confinement, Cursing, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Xenophobia