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grahamclements's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this book by accident as I aimed to buy one of her novels which had one the Hugo award. Jemisin, won the Hugo three years in a row from 2016 for Broken Earth trilogy so that sparked my interest. I was also interested because she was a Black writer too. Having said that I had "Grown" out of reading sword and sorcery novels years ago, prefering fantasy such as American Gods. Killing Moon is set in an Eygpt type world which helps get rid of the cliches inherent in many novels set in a medieval English type world, ie there are no trolls, elves or wizards. It is about a Gatherer and his apprentice who help release the souls of the dying to their version of heaven or nirvana. They discover a conspiracy to start a war. I was expecting a different sort of style or attitude because of the author's background, but I can't say I noticed one. The writing though is very descriptive, especially of emotions, but not flowery. Knowing there was a second book set in the same world, I expected it might have a hanging ending, but instead it had a very conclusive ending. A very enjoyable read.
aapasara's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
henneyce's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ludiviin's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
4.25
this book was overall very intriguing and compelling. it started out very nice; jemisin has a good foundation laid out and she eases you into the world building so smoothly. but towards the middle-end, i felt things start to drag out a bit, and the resolution felt super quick. there was soooo much building up and up and up and so much tension and so many factors to look out for, and then the way things got cleaned up in maybe 5 minutes of reading upset me a bit. i wouldn’t say it was detrimental to the feel of the book, it was still done well and in good writing, but it’s just something i noticed. the characters are so much fun to follow along with as they all really guide the story. there’s a glossary at the end of the book if you’re having trouble keeping up with everyone or the world’s specific vocabulary, but THE GLOSSARY DOES SPOIL. i think if you’re looking for a world to feel super immersed in and characters to adore, it’s definitely worth your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Rape and Child abuse
shandyt's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 stars. Lyrical and enchanting, but I agree with other reviewers that the distance the prose imposes between the reader and characters makes it hard to feel too invested. I will admit to getting emotional at points.
yeager's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.0
vengefuldime's review against another edition
4.0
The book pulls together multiple complex and intriguing characters, cultures, and beliefs. There is a lot of yearning and horror, alongside deep human connections. The writing was easy to fall into despite the new world and its rules. The climax seemed to end a bit short for me, but there is a sequel.
maximum_moxie's review against another edition
4.0
Like all of Jemisin's books, the world of this novel is beautiful, lush, and deep. The story, too, is excellent. Yet the execution of these one felt a bit more rushed and/or dense than it needed to be. Names and perspectives can get confusing in the beginning--but the emotional punch and beautiful mythology makes this worth reading nonetheless.
emislostinabook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? No
5.0
nsfoliveira's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0