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

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

The Fifth Season is easily one of the best books I've read.  It's a dense and challenging read, and if you're new to N.K. Jemisin, I would recommend starting with the Inheritance series because it's fun and more forgiving as you get used to reading in tandem with the glossary in the back of the book. This book's glossary was full of heavy history and I could see that being difficult for newcomers.

Not since Jeff VanderMeer's Area X books have I had such a brain-melting reading experience as what you've read continually changes meaning. The Fifth Season is an intricate puzzle box and I absolutely adore its existence.  It's dense and delicious. I cannot wait to learn more in the sequels!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings