Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

62 reviews

benditlikebecka's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Cannibalism

sophiarichter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

Wow. I mean the world building alone makes this book a minimum 4-star - the author puts so much thought and care into a world of turmoil, strife, and oppression. She writes about pain and violence so intimately it almost hurts to read, but turns it into something of grit and determination, painting a world that is so intensely fucked up and imaginative you can’t stop reading and hoping. The use of multiple viewpoints usually annoys me, but it was done in such a way that actually really worked for me. The ending was a bit too abrupt for my taste and left me wanting more (which is a bit disappointing because i have heard the rest of the series is not as good) but overall an amazing story. Definitely should come with major trigger warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Child death

elsa_lectora's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This is a second re-read for me. I should have remembered that now it's not the best time to do so (see trigger warning). But this still is an amazing book. Three points of view, a girl, a young girl and a mature woman, slowly entangling one with the other. A thrilling worldbuilding, with pieces of a perfect puzzle inexorably falling into place. The need to know more of the story... 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

tangledweb65's review against another edition

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.

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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 against another edition

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)

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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

ches2496's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

The good:
The world building was intricate and well thought-out, and the mysteries kept me reading and wanting to find out what happened. It’s also why I will continue the series!

The bad:
I wasn’t a huge fan of the second person used for certain perspectives, but I could work with it.

Trigger warnings explanation:
This book was pretty dark. Although the violence wasn’t graphically depicted, generally, there was a lot of violence against children. Which made sense for the plot, but was also difficult to read. There was quite a bit of sexual content, although usually not graphically described. Things like the breeding of humans made sense for the plot. It was referred to, but not described graphically. There was at least one moderately graphic scene involving a three-way. There were also two brief references made to sexual violence against children.

Conclusion:
Overall, it was an interesting, albeit dark fantasy with unique world-building and an intricate plot!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Classism, and Child death

Moderate: Xenophobia, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Violence, Racial slurs, Murder, War, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Grief

Minor: Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

m_a_daross's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Rape, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Murder, War, Death of parent, and Death

kell_xavi's review against another edition

5.0

The wholly original fantasy series starts with a novel of three narratives that link to tell a partial recent history and present of a world where natural disasters coupled with magics of earth and stone shape the lives of all who live there. In one segment, the story has a form similar to the walled village and desperate journey of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower; in one, a young girl begins training in an oppressive arcane academic; in the third, two bitter strangers begin a quest that enriches and reveals more than anticipated.

Very good writing, complex and engrossing parallel plot lines, unique characters, interesting politics and world-building.  I'll reserve judgment otherwise until I've read the rest of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Child death, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Classism and Bullying

Minor: Cannibalism

amyhasel's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad 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

5.0

I am blown away. This book is super dark from the second it starts but manages to balance with a wry humor that is so difficult to pull off. I was genuinely surprised by every reveal. The world-building is insane and I can't get enough! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Animal death, Child death, Child abuse, and Death

biobeetle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Torture, Slavery, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Abandonment, Bullying, and Death