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f18'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: Violence, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Slavery
Minor: Colonisation, Cannibalism, Child death, Genocide, Incest, Pregnancy, and Vomit
alfarmer'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: Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
mirandaleighhhh'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
4.0
This was my least favorite of the three (though still FANTASTIC) due to the pacing? Maybe it was just my own headspace, but I found the Syl Anagast chapters to be very long and a bit boring. Objectively, it was all interesting, but I probably would have enjoyed them more if it wasn’t the last book.
The ending felt anticlimactic, but I think that was my own brain wishing so badly for a beautiful embrace, apologies, and happily ever after. I am stricken by the palpable distance that remains between Nassun and Essun to the end, and by how NK Jemison wrote this while grieving the loss of her own mother.
pain pain pain pain
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Death of parent
azariamckay'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: Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Body horror, Grief, Violence, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Genocide, Pregnancy, and Ableism
crybabybea'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: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Medical content
sarasreading'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
4.5
I was so happy to finally get some answers in this one, and that we start getting them right from the beginning. The way Jemisin seamlessly blends multiple genres, POVs, and timelines was just so good. And the stakes just kept raising and raising while still being at its core (ba-dum-bum) an intimate mother-daughter story.
The trilogy as a whole explores so many systemic problems from our own past and present that are mainly caused by those with power who continually chose their own interests over what's right. It's incredibly complex in its ideas, scope, and characters. Every character is layered, which just draws you in even deeper.
I got all the answers I wanted, and the ending was really satisfying to me. The first book might still be my favorite in the trilogy (that twist still has my jaw on the floor!), but the entire series is amazing. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Death, Body horror, Torture, Abandonment, Racism, Slavery, and Genocide
shlymiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Grief, Terminal illness, and Medical trauma
nilssjoberg'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: Death
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Confinement, Child abuse, and Cannibalism
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content
utopiaandmelancholy'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: Medical content, Death, Violence, Genocide, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Sexual content
_cecilie_'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
I'm not kidding when I say that when this trilogy gets dark, it can get DARK but the reading experience was extremely rewarding nonetheless and I may have shed some tears here and there.
Some other pros are: flawed but ultimately likable characters, great side characters that matter to the overall plot, LGBT representation and in general different types of love and relationships, POC representation, original and creative world building, and I'm sure I'm missing some other things.
Nitpicks: Sometimes the dialogue was almost too modern sounding which took me out of the story and there were times I wished the writing style had been a bit more straightforward about what was going on. And since we are talking about tiny complaints: I wish the earth had been called Mother and not Father Earth to show the vengeful love that motherhood can be as a coin of which the earth is one side and Essun is the other. But maybe there was a reason for Jemisin to write Father and I’m just predisposed to viewing earth as a mother?
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, War, and Violence