Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Zerrissene Erde by N.K. Jemisin

197 reviews

crybabybea's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Astoundingly inventive world and magic system with a post-apocalyptic flair, morally gray and diverse characters who you can't help but root for, simple yet beautifully descriptive writing, and filled with so much intrigue and mystery that it's hard not to devour the book hundreds of pages at a time. The story is at times weighed down by the mass amount of world-building required to set it up, but information is presented in a fresh and compelling way. The book is told from three perspectives which leads to a dramatic snowball effect into an explosive ending with one of the best cliffhangers I've ever read.

Incredible, incredible first in a truly imaginative series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Rape, Cannibalism, Death, Animal death, Slavery, Torture, Sexual assault, Genocide, Murder, and Grief

rmperezpadilla's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Torture, Child death, Racism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Slavery, and Sexual violence

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

amyplayshorn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the most unique magic systems and worlds I’ve seen! What a super cool concept. It was also written in a unique way, a very efficient means of telling a story and telling a back story at the same time. This book is beautifully written. Can’t wait to start the next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Slavery, Child abuse, and Rape

glitterdeww's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Knowing how much praise it's garnered since it's debut, I have felt intimidated by The Fifth Season for years now. I am INCREDIBLY glad that I finally read it! What this book accomplishes is outstanding. The commentary on life and death, ages ending and beginning - Resurrection, and what that looks like from the smallest of instances to the grandest of scale - is truly and utterly brilliant. She portrays a world of classism and racism that is EQUALLY fantastic and believable that will gut you in it's heartbreaking reality.

Beyond Jemisin's incredible world and character development (which, if you know you know, omg! Lol) I found the structure of the story, from first page to last, to be remarkable. I'm fairly certain that if I was not told how well done this book was, I may not have dug into every scene to the extent that I did upon first go through. But goddamnit lol I cannot get over the level of precision in her story structure. The breadcrumbs she leaves... The explanation and then LACK of explanation to guide the reader into drawing those conclusions... The crafting is perfection. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Classism, Death, Genocide, and Hate crime

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cannibalism

mald626'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, and Torture

bex4dayz's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Child abuse, and Slavery

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Cannibalism

mauricekofi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

I don't think I can describe accurately what this book makes me feel except awesomely sad and elated. Jemisin is a master of her craft and I thank God I came across her writing because I'm changed for life and you will be too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Child death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Grief, and Slavery

laraloops's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

A beautifully written book, filled with conflict that felt real and powerful. The characters aren't perfect but you love them - I liked the way that the book focused on identify and interwove it in the perspective changes. The book was poignant and the world building intriguing but I didn't get too lost. I loved the inclusion of LGBT+ characters and how they were both very prevalent and naturally included in the story. The relationships between characters were so well written, complicated and messy but there's also love there so prevalent as well.

I'm excited to read the next book, especially interested to find out about the Stone Eaters and their motives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Violence, Death, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual harassment

confusedgoat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Slavery, Child death, and Sexual content

faithaforman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Excellent storytelling with dark moments that will take your breath away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Classism, Slavery, Child death, and Cursing

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Pedophilia