rdoskocil 's review for:

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
3.0

Objectively speaking, this is a good book. The writing is solid, the world-building is rich and complex, and the story is unique and surprising. Personally speaking, though, it was a chore getting to the last page.

For me, the main pitfall of this book is the main character, who seems to lack both personality and emotion. I couldn’t see her as anything more than a cardboard standee observing the world around her. A flat protagonist makes for a flat experience. Without a strong lead, the plot becomes thin, too; this is primarily a story about wandering, with a few interesting moments sprinkled in. I’m still not sure I understand what point it was trying to make.

I can appreciate this book for what it is and the skill that went into crafting it. It just didn’t ring my bell. Shrug.