Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

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

18 reviews

agedmordorblue's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

5.0

Phew, that was a tough conclusion to this trilogy. After two books of ash and despair, I had to take a small break, which doesn't mean this is an amazing story! It definitely is a genre of its own, sitting somewhere between fantasy, sci-fi and apocalypse survival. The book tackles many difficult and distressing topics in a brutal and confronting way. I think it really distinguishes itself from the mass of fantasy books out there that have very bland messaging in the end. Highly reccomend!

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_cecilie_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.5

 I'm not usually in the habit of reading series back to back which is an indicator of how immensely intriguing and satisfying this sometimes fantasy sometimes sci-fi skewing trilogy was. After having read the conclusion I can now whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who likes darker themes in their fantasy reading, complex characters, themes of found family, parenthood (both human and cosmic), discussions of racism, prejudice and genocide mirroring our own human society. 
I'm not kidding when I say that when this trilogy gets dark, it can get DARK but the reading experience was extremely rewarding nonetheless and I may have shed some tears here and there.

Some other pros are: flawed but ultimately likable characters, great side characters that matter to the overall plot, LGBT representation and in general different types of love and relationships, POC representation, original and creative world building, and I'm sure I'm missing some other things.

Nitpicks: Sometimes the dialogue was almost too modern sounding which took me out of the story and there were times I wished the writing style had been a bit more straightforward about what was going on. And since we are talking about tiny complaints: I wish the earth had been called Mother and not Father Earth to show the vengeful love that motherhood can be as a coin of which the earth is one side and Essun is the other. But maybe there was a reason for Jemisin to write Father and I’m just predisposed to viewing earth as a mother? 

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biobeetle's review against another edition

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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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bergha1998's review against another edition

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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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frankieclc's review against another edition

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4.0


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madamenovelist's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.75


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thewileyseven's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

I would give it more than five stars if I could. The stunning finale to easily the most beautiful, captivating, thoughtful, enticing, and important trilogy of modern SFF. I am just blown away by the world created in these books and the way it has so irrevocably changed mine. Cannot recommend these highly enough. 

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jessthanthree's review against another edition

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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


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leanne_miron's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective 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


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studydniowka's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I couldn’t think about better end of this epic story. Everything we learn about Hoa 🤯

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