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buellapearl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
This is a complex and immersive world. It's really interesting fantasy while having important ties back to our lives
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual content, Murder, and Child death
Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual violence
spacelime's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Violence, and Racism
tqlikesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
“When we say 'the world has ended,' it’s usually a lie, because the planet is just fine. But this is the way the world ends.
This is the way the world ends.
This is the way the world ends.
For the last time.”
Compelling characters and stunning worldbuilding wrapped up in a package of immersive storytelling- Jemisin has crafted a unique, brilliant and horrifying world with an amazing set of characters, whose stories are brimming with emotion.
Truly one of the most clever, engaging and well-written fantasy stories I have read in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Child abuse, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Genocide and Slavery
jbellomy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While epic fantasy continues to not be my genre, even I can't deny that this shit is good. Jemisin creates a completely convincing world and populates it with lived-in characters. It's also well plotted, and horrifying/infuriating/straight up sad at exactly the right moments. I'm not the hugest fan of her prose style – the balance between formal and informal mode is difficult to pull off in epic fantasy, and I think that's where this book struggles most. Also, this conversation happened approximately five times:
Character 1 (usually Alabaster): *makes grim, vague allusion to terrible thing going down behind the scenes*
Character 2 (usually Syenite): "What?"
Character 2's inner monologue: Oh. Oh. {Please note here that Jemisin is infatuated with Oh, and relies on doubling said Oh to imbue dread in the reader.}
Character 1: *Fully explains terrible thing going down, rendering the previous allusion useless, since apparently he could've just been clear in the first place.*
So that bothered me. But usually the prose is more than serviceable, and I'm being nitpicky because this is just a really impressive feat and I feel bad that I didn't enjoy myself more? I need to accept that this is not my genre. But not before I read this whole series so I can get the parallel satisfactions of being in on the zeitgeist and nitpicking an incredible writer's work.
Character 1 (usually Alabaster): *makes grim, vague allusion to terrible thing going down behind the scenes*
Character 2 (usually Syenite): "What?"
Character 2's inner monologue: Oh. Oh. {Please note here that Jemisin is infatuated with Oh, and relies on doubling said Oh to imbue dread in the reader.}
Character 1: *Fully explains terrible thing going down, rendering the previous allusion useless, since apparently he could've just been clear in the first place.*
So that bothered me. But usually the prose is more than serviceable, and I'm being nitpicky because this is just a really impressive feat and I feel bad that I didn't enjoy myself more? I need to accept that this is not my genre. But not before I read this whole series so I can get the parallel satisfactions of being in on the zeitgeist and nitpicking an incredible writer's work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Death, and Child death
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