Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

40 reviews

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.”

---

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

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

4.25

A truly strange and wonderful story. The themes of exploitation, community, bigotry, and fear were carried through with a clever nuance that will have me thinking about this world for weeks. There was a fairly large plot hole (

if Hoa can take Essun, or anyone, through the Earth to a known location of another, why didn’t he just do it in the first book, or after Meov?

) that was quite distracting. Overall it came together in a satisfying and frustrating conclusion. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

leguinstan's review against another edition

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

4.5

Wonderful ending to the Broken Earth trilogy!! This novel delved deeply into the history of the stone eaters and answered all the questions brought up by previous entries in the series. All the major characters were explored in depth to the very end. I really don't have much to say. The Stone Sky is a satisfying and cathartic conclusion to a well-written series. If you've made it through to the second book in the series and enjoyed it, I really see no reason to stop now. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Genocide, Racism, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Ableism and Sexual content

madamenovelist's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

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. 

---

Content Warnings

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

diannaherondale'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

4.5

This is one of the most perfect finale for a series I have ever read. And what a series it was. I was tempted to put if 5 stars immediatly after I finished but I just felt like a couple of Nassun chapters in the middle brought it down. I still want to put it 5 though. I don't know if I changed it later. 

I loved this book and te world and the characters and the writing. N. K Jemisin really did it all.

The pacing of the mystery was the MOST satisfactory thing ever. When I thought that we knew how the world worked she always found a way to turn it around but in a really coherent and detailed way. I have still a couple of doubts about some things like the guardians but I think that's just because I'm dumb. I can't wait to re-read it all. I think it would be a really satisfying experience as well, knowing what I know now. 

Essun is now one of my favorite characters of all time. The way her character developed and grew even when having done so many horrid mistakes was one of the highlights of the series in general. Her relationship with Nassin SPECIALLY was so much bigger and impactful that I could haver ever imagined. I cried a little at the end ngl. 

One of the most compelling parts of her character was getting to see the way in which her perception of the world,  and how to fix it change through the books, and in this one specially, being contrasted by Nassuns view. Both of them have suffered so much, but Essun, having known so much people and lived so much more, was able to see through her hate and suffering, and turning it into her life purpose, however awful that sounds. 

Nassun on the other hand is really young. She didnt have a good support network nor does she has seen much of the world like her mother had. The only way in which she is able to cope with all the harm that was done to her was ro put all her immense power to use to /

literally end the world

so that no one else had to suffer ever again. It was sad and hard to read but I still rooted from her at the end. 

My favorite character surprisingly at the end was Hoa, the new (but also not new if you know what I mean) narrator of this book. Alabaster was my favorite before (and I did miss him here) but Hoa earned my heart in this one. He is one of the reasons I want to re read the series. I think it will only made me love him more. 

Getting to see his past life was one of my absolutely favorite parts. The COMMENTARY that was in those flashbacks scenes omg. I audibly gasped at some of those quotes. The world building was amazing since book one but here was on another level.

I cannot stop thinking about the message and the finale and I think it's gonna be a while. I would love to read like an extra chapter or epilogue if only to check on my favorite characters after all that happened but I guess that would take away the poetry out of the last lines. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse

abitbetterbooks's review

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. 

---

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

deedubb's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

This series is nothing short of a masterpiece. Social commentary, fantasy, great world building, interesting magic system, emotional moments, multiple POVs female main characters, POC characters. It’s got I all.

ending is bittersweet and satisfying.  All loose threads are tied up.  Not a wholly happy ending, Jemisin let’s us mourn with Nassun

this work will continue to resonate with me for many years to come. I definitely  have a book hangover after finishing the series 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racial slurs, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

ecmbeanie's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Pregnancy

jessthanthree's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Cannibalism