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A review by abbief
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
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? No
5.0
It's less than halfway into the year but I think this book has the potential to be one of my favourite of 2024. The first thought I had after finishing this book was "why didn't I read this sooner" could tell you how much I like and enjoy this book.
The characters, especially the fmc is amazingly well-written. I love all the povs we get in this book, none of the switches annoy me, none of the povs were boring. Every one of them is there for a great reason, for building up the tension, mapping out the world and leading up to big reveals. The author also did a very brilliant twist on the povs in this book which made me screamed "I should've known this!" It is rarely seen to be done, and it was executed perfectly.
The world-building is amazing. I love the concept of the systemetic oppression of people with powers. The details that the world consists is both terrifying and brilliant. The world may be fantasy, but the atrocities commited by people in within are not. Reading this book made me so angry as a woman of colour, but it also shows that the author knows how to dive deep into the readers' heart and shake their emotions.
Some nitpicking. The plot is a bit hard to follow some times since the mechanism of the magic system is complex. But not fully understanding every single word in the book wouldn't make you not understanding the main plot line. The romance is also... weird. I personally do not really mind it, it didn't really do much for me, but it might bother some people. There's a few scene which feel like a total fever dream and it's just... weird.
This book picked up right at the beginning and I could not put it down. It is a heavy, reflective read yet I enjoyed every moment of reading it. Could not wait to pick up the rest of the series.
The characters, especially the fmc is amazingly well-written. I love all the povs we get in this book, none of the switches annoy me, none of the povs were boring. Every one of them is there for a great reason, for building up the tension, mapping out the world and leading up to big reveals. The author also did a very brilliant twist on the povs in this book which made me screamed "I should've known this!" It is rarely seen to be done, and it was executed perfectly.
The world-building is amazing. I love the concept of the systemetic oppression of people with powers. The details that the world consists is both terrifying and brilliant. The world may be fantasy, but the atrocities commited by people in within are not. Reading this book made me so angry as a woman of colour, but it also shows that the author knows how to dive deep into the readers' heart and shake their emotions.
Some nitpicking. The plot is a bit hard to follow some times since the mechanism of the magic system is complex. But not fully understanding every single word in the book wouldn't make you not understanding the main plot line. The romance is also... weird. I personally do not really mind it, it didn't really do much for me, but it might bother some people. There's a few scene which feel like a total fever dream and it's just... weird.
This book picked up right at the beginning and I could not put it down. It is a heavy, reflective read yet I enjoyed every moment of reading it. Could not wait to pick up the rest of the series.