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

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Not quite as great as the first book, but still compelling and immersive fantasy/sci fi that carries the massive plot forward and builds its world and characters beautifully. I found some of the prose and dialogue clunky, including a sentence here and there that felt like something an editor should have caught, and I thought some of the narrative got lost in abstraction while Jemisin/the narrator is describing the elaborate magic system(s) at work. I also missed the huge scope and sweeping movement of The Fifth Season, since most of The Obelisk Gate takes place in just two settings. That said, I happily disappeared into this book and am excited to start on the next one in the series!
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