Reviews tagging 'War'

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

46 reviews

cfitz13's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Sexual content and War

lipstickitotheman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.75

Also so wonderful. The more we learn about the world, the more devastating it is. Maybe my experience with world-ending fiction is with YA, but Jemisin's ability to balance the universe/wider experience with the POV/main characters is indescribably good. Once again relieved that I already reserved the next book from the library. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Ableism, Death, Terminal illness, and Child abuse

Minor: Cannibalism, War, Addiction, Medical content, Child death, Xenophobia, and Violence

thebearlinwall's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Child death, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Xenophobia

crybabybea's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

4.5

Mind blowing. 

All the amazing things from the first book are present here. Doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome like so many trilogies do. I appreciate the time spent in the first book world-building as it made this book read like a breeze, and the author even introduced a new magic system which was much easier to grasp thanks to what we learned in book one. Just a really great example of how to continue a series. I can't wait to see how it ends!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Cannibalism, Blood, War, Murder, Death of parent, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical content, and Physical abuse

utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

This book was unstoppable, it had so much drive and momentum, and manages to really builds on the existing explanations of the world and its magic system as well.  Every chapter was compelling, I loved the relationships developing between the characters, the intensity of feeling, whatever the emotion. I read the second half in pretty much one sitting. Just fantastic writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Violence, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Medical content, War, Genocide, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol

shlymiller's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• 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

The perspective shifts and storytelling style in this book are masterful. A work of art. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death of parent, and Violence

madimoss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Violence

Moderate: Cursing

cdc95's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder and War

Minor: Sexual content and Child death

squidnamedfinger's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

almost as good as the first. really close. pacing falls just a BIT short in my eyes--understandably, being the second of a trilogy. Jemisin is excellent at driving the plot through the middle installment though. so many hard-hitting character moments and tense scenes play out in exciting ways, even if there's not as much that this book is juggling compared to the first.

the prose in this novel is even better than The Fifth Season, though. I found myself rereading certain passages several times over to glean the full depth of Jemisin's writing. the way she describes the sensations of magic use are exceptionally striking. 

her characters continue to shine through as well. Schaffa was a surprise hit with me, and Tonkee and Hjarka are my favorites in Castrima. 

very much looking forward to seeing how this series concludes. lots of tension still lingering even after the end of this installment.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Racism, War, and Violence

biobeetle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, War, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Terminal illness

Minor: Chronic illness and Stalking