A review by carlyxdeexx
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

5.0

I devoured this book—it was just as excellent as the first, though I may like the first a teensy bit more based on personal preference alone. It feels like an in-between volume, which is what it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not exciting or engaging in its own right. This book pulls the curtain back on more of the prior one’s mysteries, shows all the pieces falling into place, and it becomes more clear that the narrator is not only distinct from our protagonists, but notable in their own right.

I feel a little bit lost while reading, but never too lost, as I always trust I’ll find the bit of clarity I’m missing somewhere down the line—I won’t be in the dark for long. New key world building details are explored in depth, the characters are as grounded and authentic as ever, and the Stillness feels even more real than it did in book one. How much should humans meddle with the natural order of things? What is natural and what isn’t—who defines that? When there seems to be no good or right answer, how do we make the necessary choice?

I can’t wait to read more by Jemisin after I finish this series, because if her other work is anything like this, I know I’ll always be in for a treat.