Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

5 reviews

ecmbeanie's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Racism, Cannibalism, and Colonisation

studydniowka's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Nie znam piękniej napisanej fantastyki. Warto przeczytać tylko dla tego języka i dla tej narracji (w drugiej osobie!), żeby zrozumieć, jak poetycko opisać koniec świata…

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Cannibalism

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Abandonment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

hanarama's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Good: 

• Melodic, poetic prose. 
• Complex world building. 
• Complex themes of destiny, duty, sacrifice, etc. 

The Bad:

• Struggling to understand at times. 
• Very sad. 

You Might Like this if You Like: 

• Epic, contemplative fantasies. 
• Creative world building and magic systems. 
• Post-apocalyptic stories.
• Characters who make hard choices. 

I feel at times as though I didn't actually read this or Fifth Season, but rather entered a trance and absorbed Jemisin's writing. Her prose is so melodic and unlike anything else that it just washes over me. 

Though this book loses the POVs of Syenite and Damaya, we get chapters from Essun's daughter, Nassun. I really loved that this book goes between mother and daughter. It really emphasizes many of the themes of the book, and after the Fifth Season, it is interesting to see Nassun follow a path very similar to her mother's, but diverging in many key ways.  

There is so much world building in this book. So much of what is introduced in the Fifth Season is expanded upon here. Jemisin is such a talented world builder. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, and Murder

regnistegra's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, and Murder