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f18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Tempted to take away a star just for just throwing away Best Character Lerna like that D: At minimum he deserved for Essun to be looking at him when it happened. But I'm not that petty. I'm not...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Slavery, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Genocide, Incest, Vomit, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
ananthousflorist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, and Grief
bezarue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
While I still think the first book is my favourite, I still think this finale deserved all the accolades it received. I found Nassun a lot less irritating in this one, possibly because she was in it less, and the final showdown with Essun hurt my heart. Did not enjoy being teased with the possibility of Alabaster and that never coming to fruition, and I kind of wanted Tonkee, Hjarka & Danel to have a bit more relevance in that final bit but other than that don't really have any notes. N K Jemisin has created a masterful exploration of systemic racism and generational trauma within a sci-fi/fantasy plot that keeps you hooked the whole way through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Genocide and Grief
Minor: Gore and Pregnancy
azariamckay's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
WOW!! I officially finished the Broken Earth Trilogy and Ms. Jemisin gave us soooo much in this last book. What an epic way to end a trilogy! I can’t wait to reread this series 🩷
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Genocide, Racial slurs, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
sarasreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
Wow, I can't believe I've finished this trilogy. What a ride it was! I feel like I've gone through something with these characters. Every step of this journey was masterful.
I was so happy to finally get some answers in this one, and that we start getting them right from the beginning. The way Jemisin seamlessly blends multiple genres, POVs, and timelines was just so good. And the stakes just kept raising and raising while still being at its core (ba-dum-bum) an intimate mother-daughter story.
The trilogy as a whole explores so many systemic problems from our own past and present that are mainly caused by those with power who continually chose their own interests over what's right. It's incredibly complex in its ideas, scope, and characters. Every character is layered, which just draws you in even deeper.
I got all the answers I wanted, and the ending was really satisfying to me. The first book might still be my favorite in the trilogy (that twist still has my jaw on the floor!), but the entire series is amazing. I can't wait to read more from this author!
I was so happy to finally get some answers in this one, and that we start getting them right from the beginning. The way Jemisin seamlessly blends multiple genres, POVs, and timelines was just so good. And the stakes just kept raising and raising while still being at its core (ba-dum-bum) an intimate mother-daughter story.
The trilogy as a whole explores so many systemic problems from our own past and present that are mainly caused by those with power who continually chose their own interests over what's right. It's incredibly complex in its ideas, scope, and characters. Every character is layered, which just draws you in even deeper.
I got all the answers I wanted, and the ending was really satisfying to me. The first book might still be my favorite in the trilogy (that twist still has my jaw on the floor!), but the entire series is amazing. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
agedmordorblue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Phew, that was a tough conclusion to this trilogy. After two books of ash and despair, I had to take a small break, which doesn't mean this is an amazing story! It definitely is a genre of its own, sitting somewhere between fantasy, sci-fi and apocalypse survival. The book tackles many difficult and distressing topics in a brutal and confronting way. I think it really distinguishes itself from the mass of fantasy books out there that have very bland messaging in the end. Highly reccomend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, and Xenophobia
shlymiller's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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
A masterful conclusion to the trilogy, giving explanations for so many of the questions set up in the first two books. I found one of the viewpoints a lot more confusing than the others, and felt it was less well woven-in than the previous books. However, the ending was satisfying in its (what I felt anyway) inevitability, with the full circle moments and overall narrative framing device . I think some of the best literature holds a mirror up to the world it is written in, humanising and allowing us to empathise better with others - this trilogy certainly does that, and I think this book is the most on the nose in this sense. I'm sad to be leaving this world behind, but will almost certainly reread in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
_cecilie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
I'm not usually in the habit of reading series back to back which is an indicator of how immensely intriguing and satisfying this sometimes fantasy sometimes sci-fi skewing trilogy was. After having read the conclusion I can now whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who likes darker themes in their fantasy reading, complex characters, themes of found family, parenthood (both human and cosmic), discussions of racism, prejudice and genocide mirroring our own human society.
I'm not kidding when I say that when this trilogy gets dark, it can get DARK but the reading experience was extremely rewarding nonetheless and I may have shed some tears here and there.
Some other pros are: flawed but ultimately likable characters, great side characters that matter to the overall plot, LGBT representation and in general different types of love and relationships, POC representation, original and creative world building, and I'm sure I'm missing some other things.
Nitpicks: Sometimes the dialogue was almost too modern sounding which took me out of the story and there were times I wished the writing style had been a bit more straightforward about what was going on. And since we are talking about tiny complaints: I wish the earth had been called Mother and not Father Earth to show the vengeful love that motherhood can be as a coin of which the earth is one side and Essun is the other. But maybe there was a reason for Jemisin to write Father and I’m just predisposed to viewing earth as a mother?
I'm not kidding when I say that when this trilogy gets dark, it can get DARK but the reading experience was extremely rewarding nonetheless and I may have shed some tears here and there.
Some other pros are: flawed but ultimately likable characters, great side characters that matter to the overall plot, LGBT representation and in general different types of love and relationships, POC representation, original and creative world building, and I'm sure I'm missing some other things.
Nitpicks: Sometimes the dialogue was almost too modern sounding which took me out of the story and there were times I wished the writing style had been a bit more straightforward about what was going on. And since we are talking about tiny complaints: I wish the earth had been called Mother and not Father Earth to show the vengeful love that motherhood can be as a coin of which the earth is one side and Essun is the other. But maybe there was a reason for Jemisin to write Father and I’m just predisposed to viewing earth as a mother?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, War, and Injury/Injury detail
abijmieds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
I rarely give a final book 5 stars, but this book wrapped up the trilogy in such a memorable and satisfying way. You have to pay attention through the final third, but it really pays off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail