Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

61 reviews

emzhay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

The book overall meanders around which can get boring at times (though I personally enjoy that kind of writing) and the first half is rather info-dumpy which got frustrating. The stand out to me is the narrative about childhood. About growing up under abuse, realizing your parent no longer loves you, confronting the oppressive system that made them that way and choosing to break the cycle yourself. It was complex and breathtaking and heart wrenching.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Cannibalism

Insects

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, War, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Vomit, Genocide, and Gore

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, and Slavery

smrj's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Body horror, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, and Cannibalism

amebaery's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.25

Todo es terrible en este universo, madre mía. Es un "no se pueden tener cosas bonitas" en libro. Miedo me da leerme el tercero.

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Everything is terrible in this universe. This book is the definition of "we can't have nice things". I fear what i will find in the third one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Child death

alayamorning's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Murder, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Terminal illness, Animal death, and Medical content

Minor: Ableism, Cannibalism, and Sexual content

lilifane's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

Wow. I think this was the best second book of a trilogy I've every read. I know there are a lot of people who feel differently, but for me this was perfect, and I loved it as much as the first book. I loved how it focused on the characters and their relationships and development and didn't care that not much was happening plot wise. I didn't need it. The world and the characters were fascinating enough that I didn't need any action at all. And the way you learned new things with the characters in the tiniest ways was very satisfying for me. Got to love Jemisin's writing and word use to make your head spin when the revelations become mind-blowing and emotional and epic. The ending was fantastic, and it broke me even more than I thought was possible, and I can't wait to read the last book in the series. 

But again, soooooo so many tw/cw. Not as many and as gruesome as in book one but definitely more than enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racism, Violence, and War

corriejn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Sequels are frequently disappointing, but Jemisin has managed to pick up seamlessly where The Fifth Season left off, masterfully keeping the reader engaged and looking forward to the final installment of the trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content

byrdies's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Genocide, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Body horror

filmscore's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Death

Minor: Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

redthistle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

The Broken Earth trilogy is by far the strangest, most complex, and thought provoking series I have ever read.
I found the first in the series to be a real struggle to get through and while I was glad I read it I didn't find I enjoyed myself all that much. When I started the second in the series (this book) I was nervous I would feel the same way but was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this one much more. 
I think that is because Essun was my favorite character in Fifth Season and in Obelisk Gate she gets a lot more development and many more chapters. 
I really loved seeing her relationship with Hoa develop in this book as he is my other favorite character. 
I also really loved getting to meet Nassun as well and learn about her and see her develop along her own journey. 

I personally feel like this series really is more like one novel split up. I think if you read the first it only works if you continue the entire thing, the first makes infinitely more sense the further you read into the series. 
NK Jimisin is a genius, her writing is a masterpiece of science and poetry that leaves you feeling lost and found at the same time. I

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence