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A review by tregina
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin
4.0
I was a little overwhelmed by this book, in the good way. The scope of it was as small as a human relationship and as large as the universe all at once, and you felt it, which is what made it all work.
What the author always does so well, and this is no small thing, is make us understand how alien the gods are. They do not think or understand or see the world the way mortals do. They are capricious and impulsive. They don't make decisions the way a mortal would make decisions. And yet in many ways they feel the things we do; they have to, in order for us to relate to them as a reader. This is an extremely fine line, and she treads it masterfully. You are never—never—entirely sure what you're going to get.
I wish I could give half stars. I would probably give this a 4.5. There are plot holes and loose ends and things I would have liked to see more or less of, but I'm left with a real sense of satisfaction in its wake.
What the author always does so well, and this is no small thing, is make us understand how alien the gods are. They do not think or understand or see the world the way mortals do. They are capricious and impulsive. They don't make decisions the way a mortal would make decisions. And yet in many ways they feel the things we do; they have to, in order for us to relate to them as a reader. This is an extremely fine line, and she treads it masterfully. You are never—never—entirely sure what you're going to get.
I wish I could give half stars. I would probably give this a 4.5. There are plot holes and loose ends and things I would have liked to see more or less of, but I'm left with a real sense of satisfaction in its wake.