Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

91 reviews

pogue's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, and War

queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

 5 ⭐ CW: bullying, violence, child abuse/child sexual abuse, murder of a child, torture, slavery, cannibalism, descriptions of blood and corpses, mass murder, compulsory breeding, transphobia, caste system

"But each of us is just another weapon, to them. Just another useful monster, just another fucking rogga."

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison is a science fiction? Fantasy? Both? Either way, this book was amazing. I'm not gonna lie, it was a slow start until I starting putting it together. I'm slow on the uptake sometimes.

In the world of The Stillness there is a fifth Season, basically the apocalypse due to massive earthquakes or super vulcano eruptions. Because if this, the society has adapted to disaster preparedness. I found it interesting that in this world, Earth is referred to as Father Earth rather than the more commonly know Mother Earth. Father Earth is characterized as evil and vengeful and hopes humanity is eventually destroyed. They say Father Earth hates the Orogenes for taking his only son. But no one knows what that means.

Orogenes (or rogga-slur) are people born with the ability to manipulate the earth; controlling earthquakes and volcano eruptions. In this world they are oppressed and used for their abilities and killed with impunity. We follow one such person and learn of the horrors she witness and the lengths she took to get away from it.

This book was incredible and intricate and delightfully original. I loved the MC, curmudgeonly as she sometimes was. The stuff about the Obelisks are fascinating and I can't wait to learn more next book. I don't want to say too much more for fear of spoilers. Great rep in this book! We have trans rep, gay rep, bi rep, and polyamory rep! Jemison is just incredible. Also, my new favorite cuss is Earth's flaming farts! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Murder, and Transphobia

Moderate: Bullying, Slavery, and Cannibalism

sexual abuse of a child, compulsory breeding, caste system, mass murder

lilifane's review against another edition

adventurous 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

Woah, that was intense. It took me a while to get into it first and get used to the writing. Just because the world building is so rich and dense and there is a lot you need to understand. But there are no info dumps, you basically have to learn along the way. It didn’t help that I only discovered the appendix when I was almost done with the book. 🙈 But it was fascinating from the very beginning and definitely worth it. I flew through the second half and couldn’t put it down. The characters are not the most likeable at first but I fell for them, hard. I went through hell and back and more hell with them and they’re basically family now. This is also probably the most diverse fantasy book I‘ve read so far. So many different ethnicities, body forms, hair structures, age groups, sexual orientations and even trans representation. So many different relationship types that are explored. And it‘s also written by a black woman. I‘m a fan! 

The story, uff, it‘s a lot. It’s brutal, disturbing, full of gore, death and physical as well as emotional abuse of children and adults. But it‘s basically about the end of the world, so… I would recommend to check the trigger warnings. On the other hand it deals with important topics like discrimination, oppression, slavery, destruction of the environment. It‘s a depressing story that feels too real. I could write a lot more and still not be able to fully express what this book has done to me. It wrecked me and gave me hope and broke my heart and devastated me. Can‘t wait to read the rest of the trilogy… 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Cannibalism and Pregnancy

smiley_ari's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault

Minor: Pregnancy

alayamorning's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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: Child death, Death, Blood, and Child abuse

Moderate: Torture, Vomit, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Pregnancy

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Cannibalism, Slavery, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia

amandinha's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, and Child death

Minor: Bullying

filmscore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Physical abuse

Minor: Blood, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

laguerrelewis'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? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I first got introduced to N.K. Jemisin through her work on Green Lantern Far Sector, and I thought “Wow! It’s incredible the breadth of themes and worldbuilding and larger concepts she’s included so efficiently!” Everything I loved about that and more was put into this book. I can EASILY see why this won a Hugo, and I can’t wait to read the sequels!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual content, and Sexism

Minor: Rape, Suicide attempt, and War

arithegnome's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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: Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual content

Minor: Blood, Bullying, and Cannibalism