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abmochapman's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Child abuse
Moderate: Body horror, Racism, Misogyny, Bullying, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cannibalism and Slavery
moonlitreading_'s review against another edition
- 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
The Fifth Season seemed hella intimidating before I started it, and it still kind of is after reading it because it’s a book with so much complexity to it. All the new words, places, and terms were really confusing at first so I became best friends with the glossary lol. This book has three POVs and one of them is in the second person which was uncommon, if not, new for me to read. It was an interesting experience to read in the second person and I found that I didn’t mind it. I liked Jemisin’s writing and her world-building was immaculate.
How the Orogenes used their abilities fascinated me and it just proved that they’re really powerful. Essun, Syenite, and Damaya are the main characters of the book and I love when the connection between the three of them revealed itself.
I loved the representations this book gave. The majority of the characters were people of color. There’s also LGBTQIA+ representation in the book. There were gay, bi/pan, and trans characters and a poly relationship.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Grief, Slavery, Racism, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Cannibalism
katievallin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Child death, Racism, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Bullying, Police brutality, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Body horror
Minor: Cannibalism, Alcohol, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
buffy87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content: complicated, I needed to take notes. Multilayered, you learn as you go what's happening, a fantasy with heavy science element, very long intro but I enjoy the MC.
Asexual: two explicit sex scenes, casual mention of sex, not a lot of physical intimacy
Recc: higher literacy levels, HS+ but some jr high kids could read it if advanced,
Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, War, Child death, Genocide, Slavery, Body horror, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
cookiecat73's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Child death, Blood, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Transphobia, Genocide, Bullying, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Gore, Vomit, Animal death, Body horror, Racism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Slavery, Dysphoria, and Confinement
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child death, Murder, Racism, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Trafficking, Bullying, Slavery, and Blood
Minor: Transphobia, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Cannibalism
emilyplun's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Torture, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Bullying, and Pedophilia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Stalking
I'm not being overly cautious with all the CW labels; there are a LOT of really heavy themes in this bookkaimetcalfe's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Gore, Violence, Medical content, Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Torture, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Alcohol, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy
onyxkat's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Murder, Xenophobia, Racism, and Violence
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
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.
What can I even say about this book that is eloquent enough to express what a masterpiece this is? I buddy-read this book, which forced me to read it slower than I probably would have otherwise, but this book took over my brain for a couple of weeks. I had so much fun trying to figure out where everything was headed and how this world worked, and I'm not even mad I was right about some of it, because it was masterfully done. The writing hooked me from the very beginning as well; even the second person perspective that so many people seem to dislike didn't bother me at all.
One of the things I did have to get used to is to trust that the author would, eventually, explain everything. I spent the first few chapters very confused by all the new terms that aren't immediately explained, so if you find yourself having a similar experience, don't worry: she'll get to it a bit later.
"Orogenes have no right to say no. I am your Guardian. I will break every bone in your hand, every bone in your body, if I deem it necessary to make the world safe from you."
Every perspective and every chapter layers on top of the one before to really flesh out the world, in a way that feels organic instead of like an infodump. We're introduced to the idea of Orogenes and the kind of magic they have, the Guardians that watch them to make sure they don't hurt anyone, the racism Orogenes face in this world, and the concept of a Fifth Season full of calamities that can last many years. And then the book takes its time slowly giving us more information about each of these as we progress through the story. The societal structure is fascinating to me, and I really liked that I got to see it from three different perspectives.
There are a couple of interludes that feel explicitly like a tease. They pose questions that make you think about the world beyond the parts the author is showing us, and when I finally got the answer to some of them, my reaction was, "damn it, I should've known!" That's exactly the kind of reading experience I want, and I can't wait to continue in the series.
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Sexual assault