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evelasco's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Hate crime, Murder, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Child death
Moderate: Ableism, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cannibalism
bergha1998'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? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book is so full of big ideas, one of the most ambitious feats of literature I’ve read. I liked this one being a dual timeline with the daughter Nassun. Though part of it being in second person, although that person was obviously Essun or Hoa, felt a bit off to me. I’m sure plot wise perhaps in the third book it will make more sense as a choice. I just am not a fan overall of second person.
Found Family, Duo POV, Second Person
“Like those weird cults that crop up from time to time. I heard of one that asks an old man in the sky to keep them alive every time they go to sleep. People need to believe there’s more to the world than there is.”
“The dreamer, the rebel, always reconsidering the way things have always been because maybe they should never have been that way in the first place.”
Found Family, Duo POV, Second Person
“Like those weird cults that crop up from time to time. I heard of one that asks an old man in the sky to keep them alive every time they go to sleep. People need to believe there’s more to the world than there is.”
“The dreamer, the rebel, always reconsidering the way things have always been because maybe they should never have been that way in the first place.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, and Gaslighting
the_bees_books's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Loved the second book in this series, even if it did have a little book two syndrome, cannot wait to see where book three takes me to!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, War, and Body horror
mgewald's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
sugarpal's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
A stunning follow-up to The Fifth Season. Jemisen’s world remains intricate and immersive, her writing highly skilled, though her pacing is on the slower side. Also, I would give a strong content warning for an abusive relationship, specifically child abuse. Jemisen worked as a psychologist and therefore has a horrifyingly real perspective on the psyches of both abuser and abused.
Unlike the first book with its three perspectives, this novel mostly follows two POVs, the main one written in second person like in The Fifth Season, the other in third, with some interludes. (I did find the second person narration more intrusive in this installment, but as I suspected there is a narrative reason for it, so.) Slight spoiler concerning the content warning: one perspective is that of the abuser, the other of their victim, so you really see both sides of the story. The telling rang absolutely true to me, because Jemisen is incredibly sympathetic to both characters, but that’s also why I think this book could be hurtful to someone with trauma in that area. But then, it’s just an incredibly dark book. I advise caution.
On with the actual review, then. Obviously, one of the main focuses of this book is abuse, especially child abuse. Jemisen really examines the abusive cycle, how victims become abusers, how they imitate what they know, how people can do terrible things to people they really do love, and that just because they do them out of love doesn’t make them excusable. I really love (and hate) how balanced Jemisen is with her characters, how she sympathizes with them but never sugarcoats things, and lets the reader decide what they can condemn or forgive. And when, exactly, does a person change enough to redeem themself? Can they ever –– can they choose to become someone new?
Of course, because this is an N.K. Jemisen book, there’s so much more. Between the usual sci-fi/fantasy considerations of morality, murder and survival and sacrifice, Jemisen also thoroughly examines the natures of bigotry and oppression, exploitation and dehumanization. Though these subjects are often touched on superficially in stories, as an African American woman, Jemisen brings an incredibly important and urgent perspective, and she makes it personal. Despite this trilogy’s setting in a far-future post-racial survivalist dystopia, it is a thorough indictment of the status quo.
I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first, but then that bar was sky-high. Still an incredible novel — I highly recommend.
Unlike the first book with its three perspectives, this novel mostly follows two POVs, the main one written in second person like in The Fifth Season, the other in third, with some interludes. (I did find the second person narration more intrusive in this installment, but as I suspected there is a narrative reason for it, so.) Slight spoiler concerning the content warning: one perspective is that of the abuser, the other of their victim, so you really see both sides of the story. The telling rang absolutely true to me, because Jemisen is incredibly sympathetic to both characters, but that’s also why I think this book could be hurtful to someone with trauma in that area. But then, it’s just an incredibly dark book. I advise caution.
On with the actual review, then. Obviously, one of the main focuses of this book is abuse, especially child abuse. Jemisen really examines the abusive cycle, how victims become abusers, how they imitate what they know, how people can do terrible things to people they really do love, and that just because they do them out of love doesn’t make them excusable. I really love (and hate) how balanced Jemisen is with her characters, how she sympathizes with them but never sugarcoats things, and lets the reader decide what they can condemn or forgive. And when, exactly, does a person change enough to redeem themself? Can they ever –– can they choose to become someone new?
Of course, because this is an N.K. Jemisen book, there’s so much more. Between the usual sci-fi/fantasy considerations of morality, murder and survival and sacrifice, Jemisen also thoroughly examines the natures of bigotry and oppression, exploitation and dehumanization. Though these subjects are often touched on superficially in stories, as an African American woman, Jemisen brings an incredibly important and urgent perspective, and she makes it personal. Despite this trilogy’s setting in a far-future post-racial survivalist dystopia, it is a thorough indictment of the status quo.
I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first, but then that bar was sky-high. Still an incredible novel — I highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Child death, Murder, Slavery, and Violence
laguerrelewis's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
If you’ve already started this series you know why it’s great. Everything I loved from The Fifth Season is expanded upon here, and new elements are just as excellent and appreciated. I’m picking up book three literally right now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, and War
Minor: Sexual content
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