Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

91 reviews

erikwmj's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Death

abbyschalupa's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

emzhay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I don’t blame her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Genocide, and Racism

Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content

Death of a parent.

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Murder, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, Death, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail

tayanapier'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

A wonderfully devastating end to the trilogy. 
NKJ has woven themes of oppression and motherhood so effortlessly into a SFF world that you can feel it in every page.

Why you need to read this series:
LGBTQI+ representation
The pros
Found family
The world building and magic system is insane
This series is unapologetically black

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Genocide, and Grief

Minor: Cannibalism

steveatwaywords's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

4.75

The conclusion of Jemisin's work faces the problematic trope of any fantasy novel or series: how to end without staging a predictable "magical" monumental climax where good triumphs over evil. While the plot walks markedly towards this climax, I was relieved and grateful for her staying true to the characters and methods she had established in the first two books: and in doing so she creates a conclusion which is satisfying and (fairly) unpredictable. And this is what I appreciate from Jemisin, the first fantasy or SF writer I have found in decades who understand how people function: that we are complicated, conflicted, and rarely wholly rational. Yes, we believe in principles, in ideals, but how easily our choices (and our mistakes) feed and compromise them, even while we feel we are walking a certain course. Jemisin creates heroes, but not ones that fulfill their quests by subscribing to external conflicts of good and evil, creation and destruction. What a rewarding read from the genre!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Genocide and Racism

Characters and races in the novel are systemically poorly treated and abused; in the background it is clear that genocide has been conducted upon one group for centuries. It is fairly easy to see parallels to our contemporary history. However, all of these issues are treated sensitively and with an appropriate sense/discussion of injustice.

totallyshelfaware's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence

sydneyjn's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

kellyofcali's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was excited to read the close of this series, and I think it was mostly done quite well - by now, you are used to the unusual second-person narration and the plot moves along nicely, converging the various storylines. There are times when the author start to add in more world-building that feels a bit late and confusing - she can't get into it as much as previously, even if you want to know more. And in some ways, due to plot you spend less time with some characters you had loved. However, an admirable ending to the series overall! Definitely allegories to climate change, as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Slavery, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Medical content, Abandonment, Blood, Toxic friendship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Torture