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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
dustjacket_fullofmonsters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Cannibalism
elizabeth_lepore'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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Hate crime, and Transphobia
city_girl_writer'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, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Cannibalism
rtaire'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: Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, Slavery, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Child death, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Cannibalism
bookslumper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, Police brutality, Confinement, Racial slurs, Torture, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Genocide
yomireads'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, Violence, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, and Racial slurs
savvylit'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
This series was absolutely riveting and compelling. The Broken Earth trilogy is not only a sci-fi/fantasy epic but also a centuries-spanning mystery. Jemisin's characterization and world-building are perfection. Personally, I do not usually enjoy books with heavily detailed world-building, but my interest in the characters kept me invested long enough to accept and eventually delight in the setting of Broken Earth. Syenite, Alabaster, Essun, Lerna, Innon, Tonkee, Hoa, Nassun, Ykka... I truly fell in love with each of these often deeply flawed humans being stretched to the limits of survival.
This trilogy is stunning for its honesty and nuance regarding the spectrum of humanity. Among the known characters, there is no strict good vs. evil dichotomy. There are just humans with or without the knowledge to make the right decisions. Even characters who seem to be enemies are more complex than that. Additionally, Jemisin's characters often challenge the gender binary and celebrate love in all forms. Lastly, beyond the multi-faceted people, this series contains disturbing and thought-provoking analogies for real world oppression and hatred. The subject matter is heavy but realistically and compassionately portrayed. I can't wait to read more of Jemisin's work!
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Racism
studydniowka's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Death, Confinement, Classism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, Torture, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Blood