Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

O Céu de Pedra by N.K. Jemisin

41 reviews

martinatan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.5

Really stuck the landing on this one!!! I was so skeptical reading through the middle part that the ending wouldn’t be satisfying but it turned out to be thrilling, heart wrenching, really intriguing and only a little confusing. I felt myself a little lost in the buildup of more lore every so often but that was more because I got distracted often while reading, and I had read The Obelisk Gate over a year ago. I think all the characters’ endings felt true to their character development, although

Lerna’s death was so surprising and sad and just a twist of the knife that felt it was done to in just further push how tragic Essun’s life has been as a mother and a partner

. But idk that’s my first impression having just read that scene 30 minutes ago. In terms of actual lore and thematic development as well as experimental writing style, this was a really spectacular conclusion overall to the trilogy and helped solidify the cohesiveness of all three books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Minor: Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Cannibalism and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

Not sure how exactly to word a review. For a book I was blown away by. It has its faults but otherwise it was a rock solid ending to the trilogy (ah rock puns). 

“I think,” Hoa says slowly, “that if you love someone, you don’t get to choose how they love you back.” 

the devastating and ugly consequences of oppression, exploitation and racism that humanity keeps returning to through the long history of this series is also tampered by moments that give us hope that humanity can change and may change for the better after this conclusion 

It’s hard to explain without reading all of the series but it is emotional and gut wrench but filled with a lot of love

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Body horror

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

What an end to this series. The world building was incredible though very complex. I will ceaselessly love all three of the main characters. Very sad too, especially with getting all the background information and how everything is built on racism and xenophobia. Important for the very same reason. 

Found Family, Complex Discussions of Racism

“No need for guards when you can convince people to collaborate in their own internment.”

“Well, some worlds are built on a fault line of pain, held up by nightmares. Don’t lament when those worlds fall. Rage that they were built doomed in the first place.”

“(It bothers her that she does this, watching him constantly for shifts of mood or warnings of tension. It is another thing she learned from Jija. She cannot seem to shed it with Schaffa, or anyone else.)”

“But there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors. They conjure phantoms endlessly, terrified that their victims will someday do back what was done to them—even if, in truth, their victims couldn’t care less about such pettiness and have moved on. Conquerors live in dread of the day when they are shown to be, not superior, but simply lucky.”

“I think,” Hoa says slowly, “that if you love someone, you don’t get to choose how they love you back.”

“There are stages to the process of being betrayed by your society. One is jolted from a place of complacency by the discovery of difference, by hypocrisy, by inexplicable or incongruous ill treatment. What follows is a time of confusion—unlearning what one thought to be the truth. Immersing oneself in the new truth. And then a decision must be made.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

thewileyseven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

I would give it more than five stars if I could. The stunning finale to easily the most beautiful, captivating, thoughtful, enticing, and important trilogy of modern SFF. I am just blown away by the world created in these books and the way it has so irrevocably changed mine. Cannot recommend these highly enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War

diken's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

omnisyncd's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Excrement

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Slavery, Torture, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Murder, and Pregnancy

cryosphinx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

When the Earth speaks, it is not in words.

What a damned good conclusion to this series. A lot of the mysteries get explained as well so this was just a thrilling ride that had me questioning what the ultimate conclusion would be up until the end. I will forever scream from the roof tops about Jemisin's writing being some of the most beautifully written prose I've experienced. Because at the end that's what this is, an experience. Some of my favorite, most heart wrenching moments are in this book. I am beyond happy I read this trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Slavery, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and Cannibalism

abitbetterbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

Brilliant conclusion to a brilliant trilogy. I really had no idea where this was going and Jemisin absolutely nailed the finale with remarkable precision. So inventive and truly unlike any other fantasy series I’ve ever read. Everyone who loves fantasy must read this trilogy; an absolute masterclass in set up and pay off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Confinement and Sexual content