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A review by lcharles
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
An alluringly cryptic, dystopian-esque fantasy, this book was just so weird, in the best possible way. I was confused for the better part of the book, but captivatingly so. I would feel like I was on the verge of grasping things, and Jemisin would come in with a new whopper to make me rethink everything. So fun! I couldn't put this down. A very refreshing angle of sci-fi/fantasy.
The character development was emotionally compelling, as well. Raw, flawed, and deeply human — even when they were doing inhuman things. Jemisin doesn't just write characters; she carves them out of grief, rage, and love. I found myself rooting for them, aching with them, even when I wasn’t sure I fully understood them yet. And that slow, deliberate unfolding of who they are (and why) made every reveal hit that much harder.
Finally, the political landscape of the Stillness is woven in with such precision. Jemisin drops hints like breadcrumbs - fragments of history, small injustices, and strange societal norms that slowly merge into a chillingly relatable system of control. I still have so many questions - and that's the point. Jemisin trusts the reader to sit with the discomfort, to ask, to wonder, to ruminate. I'm not overly hopeful I'll get my answers in book two, though. I think I'm going to have to see this one all the way through before that lightbulb moment.
The character development was emotionally compelling, as well. Raw, flawed, and deeply human — even when they were doing inhuman things. Jemisin doesn't just write characters; she carves them out of grief, rage, and love. I found myself rooting for them, aching with them, even when I wasn’t sure I fully understood them yet. And that slow, deliberate unfolding of who they are (and why) made every reveal hit that much harder.
Finally, the political landscape of the Stillness is woven in with such precision. Jemisin drops hints like breadcrumbs - fragments of history, small injustices, and strange societal norms that slowly merge into a chillingly relatable system of control. I still have so many questions - and that's the point. Jemisin trusts the reader to sit with the discomfort, to ask, to wonder, to ruminate. I'm not overly hopeful I'll get my answers in book two, though. I think I'm going to have to see this one all the way through before that lightbulb moment.