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A review by allbutterbiscuit
The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I really loved this book. I grew very attached to all the characters, and felt like "The Stone Sky" brought their stories to a satisfying, hopeful end.
The way I cried through all of "Syl Anagist: Two". Like when Hoa says "I have been content. But now I see the way these normal people look at us, and my heart aches. I don't understand why. Perhaps all the walking has damaged me."
After all the build up of what we know of the Stillness and how it treats those considered less-than-human, it was heartbreaking to watch Hoa and the other stone-eaters-to-be realize their place in that world. The imagery of the makeup caked on their face that Kelenli tenderly washes off, having to pretend they feel no pain as their hair is tugged into more "human-like" braids, realizing their rooms are just jail cells, the briar patch. It's an extension of the painful awakening Essun experiences in book 1 and Nassun in book 2.
This book had a lot of powerful messages about resistance and revolution. For example, "there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors." The backstory behind the empire, the fulcrum, and the guardians all feel true to life. Those in power work hard to maintain the status quo and conjure up convoluted stories to turn the oppressed against each other. Lorists in the Stillness, just as in real life, play an important role in telling the truth.
The way I cried through all of "Syl Anagist: Two". Like when Hoa says "I have been content. But now I see the way these normal people look at us, and my heart aches. I don't understand why. Perhaps all the walking has damaged me."
After all the build up of what we know of the Stillness and how it treats those considered less-than-human, it was heartbreaking to watch Hoa and the other stone-eaters-to-be realize their place in that world. The imagery of the makeup caked on their face that Kelenli tenderly washes off, having to pretend they feel no pain as their hair is tugged into more "human-like" braids, realizing their rooms are just jail cells, the briar patch. It's an extension of the painful awakening Essun experiences in book 1 and Nassun in book 2.
This book had a lot of powerful messages about resistance and revolution. For example, "there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors." The backstory behind the empire, the fulcrum, and the guardians all feel true to life. Those in power work hard to maintain the status quo and conjure up convoluted stories to turn the oppressed against each other. Lorists in the Stillness, just as in real life, play an important role in telling the truth.