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The story continues from where the 1st left off. The basic structure is changed though. Where the first had a twist that united perspectives, this one follows 3 or 4 perspectives from different characters mostly focusing on 2 main plotlines.
There's more lore dump here, the majority of the book focuses on fleshing out the temporary home Essun has landed in, the social constructs, the way the world there works, the risks they run, the mysteries its shrouded in, and the mysteries Alabaster has to reveal.
It feels like you're waiting the majority of the book for pieces to fall into place, Essun's frustration with Alabaster not revealing more at once mirrors my own that Jemisin doesn't reveal it faster either. I understand it's meant to be revelations and take time, and reflect mastering something, create contrast between characters, but it did kinda feel like we were waiting for the inevitable conclusions to happen.
Luckily it is a pacey read.
The other main plot line revolves around Essun's daughter Nassun, who wasn't present in the first book and here has to grow up very quick, and learns much of what Essun does (both mechanically and morally) but does so more intuitively (because she just magical like that). Her struggles with morality are logical based on her surroundings, and the further I get into this series, the more worried I am about what kinds of ethical conclusions Nemisin is working towards.
There's always been a heavy dose of sarcasm, trauma and sorrow, but in this book as Essun struggles to care about people, Nassun lands in nihilism, but both end up doing horrific things in the process and based on those positions. The recurring theme throughout seems to be "if someone has to die, it isn't going to be me or mine", which I've yet to see a moral center that counters this. Are these all horribly traumatised people, perhaps manipulated by society or ancient godlike entities? — Sure. — is Nemisin giving us any hope other than to crush your enemies and see them driven before you? ... not really.
It's incredibly readable though, the plot keeps plotting, the characters keep dramaing, and the style keeps styling, so 3rd book here I come.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism
Graphic: Body horror, Xenophobia, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Cannibalism, Murder
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Hate crime
Minor: Cannibalism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Blood, Medical content, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Miscarriage, Self harm, Slavery, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Gore, Xenophobia, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, War
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Alcohol
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Blood
Graphic: Body horror, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence
Minor: Cannibalism