A review by rubybereading
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

This is the most conflicted I’ve felt for any of my “5 star” reads. I’m not even 100% sure how I feel about it. The plot was not really a “plot”, but it also was. A lot happened without a whole lot really happening. But so much happened! I spent pretty much the entire read fully engrossed. First of all, it was so well-written, and clever, and intentional with the choices. And it was uniquely constructed—almost frustratingly so. But I was pulled into the world almost immediately (mostly because I’m very intrigued by dystopian, apocalyptic stories), even though it was confusing as hell from the very beginning. And I had such an emotional attachment to the characters that I found myself crying at some of the oddest moments in their stories. I was so emotionally invested when I didn’t even necessarily like them that much at times. But I felt like I understood them. And I felt so much hurt for them. All I thought about in the couple of weeks that it took me to read this book was this book, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it a few days ago. I even had dreams about it, y’all! 1 or 2 while in the middle of it, and at least one since I finished it. It feels like it’s in me. Lol! I know that sounds dramatic af, but it does. But I’m so bothered by it because I don’t have any closure. What I was hoping would get resolved by the end, doesn’t. And it ended in a way where you HAVE to continue to the next installment of the series. I loooooatheHUH(!!) when writers do that, but I also want to jump right into the next book—something I literally NEVER want to do. I’m not really a series finisher, but I can’t stop thinking about it and it’s making my stomach hurt. But that also makes me not want to go right to the next one because, if it happens again, I might go on a murderous rampage! 😀 The fact that I want to finish it almost made me give this like 2 stars. Is that weird? No, but really, giving it less than 5 felt almost blasphemous. Even when I was thinking “4.5” because of the ending, that made my stomach hurt too. So 5 it is. Smdh!