nebulographer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
A fantastic end to a narratively-adventurous trilogy, culminating in a truly emotional confrontation between mother and daughter, an exploration of sacrificial love, and a note of hope for the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
surdiablo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
3.5
Definitely an improvement over the previous book, with a satisfying well-written ending ( although perhaps a bit predictable but that isn't necessarily bad ). I did not love it like the first book but it answered pretty much all the unanswered questions I had throughout the series, and everything was tied up nicely for the most part, except for . It was a really good series overall and I don't regret reading it, as I had my doubts after finishing second book. What I enjoyed or appreciated most was the answers we finally got after waiting for long, as those revelations were interesting enough and didn't ruin the story in anyway for me.
Spoiler
nothing much about stone eater alabaster anymore? cmon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content
emzhayreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I don’t blame her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Genocide, and Racism
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content
Spoiler
Death of a parent.iordanmoore's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Colonisation, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Sexual content, Racism, War, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Genocide, and Death
leocancer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
dakotach7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
An incredible conclusion to probably one of the most beautiful and human stories I've ever read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, and Sexual content
rosequarterdrifting's review
dark
emotional
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
4.75
favorite serious quotes:
Hoa says to your slumped back, "I can't die."
You frown, jarred out of melancholy by this apparent non sequitur. Then you understand: He's saying you won't ever lose him. He will not crumble away like Alabaster. You can't ever be surprised by the pain of Hoa's loss the way you were with Corundum or Innon or Alabaster or Uche, or now Jija. You can't hurt Hoa in any way that matters. "It's safe to love you," you murmur, in startled realization.
"Yes."
She draws up her feet and wraps her arms around her knees, curiously vulnerable for someone whose presence within the strata is as deep and dense as a mountain. I reach up to touch her ankle, greatly daring, and she blinks and smiles at me, reaching down to cover my fingers with her hand. I will not understand my feelings for centuries afterward.
The onyx says, in its ponderous, wordless way:
Execute Y/N?
And in the cold stone silence, alone, Nassun chooses.
YES
"It might take some time."
"I don't think I'm very patient."
But you take my hand. Don't be patient. Don't ever be. This is the way a new world begins.
"Neither am I," I say. "So let's get to it."
It's almost like the old days, except that now Hoa appears as you walk, gets left behind as you keep walking, then appears again somewhere ahead of you. Most times he adopts a neutral posture, but occasionally he's doing something ridiculous, like the time you find him in a running pose.
Remwha crouches to run a hand along the wooden slats of the floor. I don't know why he does anything.
Asked Tinimony to take me into the hole today and she said no. What's in the hole, huh? What's in the hole.
complex mother-daughter relationships fraught with abuse and they have to? sign me up
Spoiler
Hoa says to your slumped back, "I can't die."
You frown, jarred out of melancholy by this apparent non sequitur. Then you understand: He's saying you won't ever lose him. He will not crumble away like Alabaster. You can't ever be surprised by the pain of Hoa's loss the way you were with Corundum or Innon or Alabaster or Uche, or now Jija. You can't hurt Hoa in any way that matters. "It's safe to love you," you murmur, in startled realization.
"Yes."
Spoiler
She draws up her feet and wraps her arms around her knees, curiously vulnerable for someone whose presence within the strata is as deep and dense as a mountain. I reach up to touch her ankle, greatly daring, and she blinks and smiles at me, reaching down to cover my fingers with her hand. I will not understand my feelings for centuries afterward.
Spoiler
The onyx says, in its ponderous, wordless way:
Execute Y/N?
And in the cold stone silence, alone, Nassun chooses.
YES
Spoiler
"It might take some time."
"I don't think I'm very patient."
But you take my hand. Don't be patient. Don't ever be. This is the way a new world begins.
"Neither am I," I say. "So let's get to it."
Spoiler
It's almost like the old days, except that now Hoa appears as you walk, gets left behind as you keep walking, then appears again somewhere ahead of you. Most times he adopts a neutral posture, but occasionally he's doing something ridiculous, like the time you find him in a running pose.
Spoiler
Remwha crouches to run a hand along the wooden slats of the floor. I don't know why he does anything.
Spoiler
Asked Tinimony to take me into the hole today and she said no. What's in the hole, huh? What's in the hole.
complex mother-daughter relationships fraught with abuse and they have to
Spoiler
catch the moon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Excrement, Gore, Medical content, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
troisha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Xenophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Drug use, Excrement, Infertility, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
elly29's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Eh, there was a lot going on. I think the book's purpose -- to challenge structures of power in a fantastical alternate world, that we see mirrored in our own world -- is excellent. The feelings were real. Essun as a character was interesting and grew.
But, Nassun was the worst. Reading her chapters was a slog, for me.
But, Nassun was the worst. Reading her chapters was a slog, for me.
Spoiler
The comm-in-exile was difficult and sad. Hoa's character was great, and his history was great, except his motivations were paltry at the end. And we still don't know how he ended up in the garnet obelisk. (Is there a novella or something available??)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual content
eve_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- 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
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ I highly recommend reading this book immediately after finishing the second one. I waited a month or so in between and it was hard for me to remember a lot of important details and world-building that are crucial to the story.
⁕ I don’t know how it’s possible, but the character development in this one was EVEN BETTER than the previous two novels. I especially appreciated how Jemisin delves deeper into the main characters’ impact on each other.
⁕ The way that Jemisin explores the binary of supremacy and oppression, how one cannot exist without the other, is just... wow. This story will not leave me for some time.
⁕ Because the first two books of this series were SO good, I was worried that the ending wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Thankfully, it was satisfying on both a smaller, character-based level and on a larger scale, plot-driven level.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ I highly recommend reading this book immediately after finishing the second one. I waited a month or so in between and it was hard for me to remember a lot of important details and world-building that are crucial to the story.
⁕ I don’t know how it’s possible, but the character development in this one was EVEN BETTER than the previous two novels. I especially appreciated how Jemisin delves deeper into the main characters’ impact on each other.
⁕ The way that Jemisin explores the binary of supremacy and oppression, how one cannot exist without the other, is just... wow. This story will not leave me for some time.
⁕ Because the first two books of this series were SO good, I was worried that the ending wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Thankfully, it was satisfying on both a smaller, character-based level and on a larger scale, plot-driven level.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Racism, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content