Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

382 reviews

kell_xavi's review against another edition

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4.0

Very good writing, complex and engrossing parallel plot lines, unique characters, interesting politics and worldbuilding... I'll reserve judgment otherwise until I've read the rest of the series. 
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amyhasel's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

I am blown away. This book is super dark from the second it starts but manages to balance with a wry humor that is so difficult to pull off. I was genuinely surprised by every reveal. The world-building is insane and I can't get enough! 
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leandrathetbrzero's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

*BOOK REVIEW CATCH UP #1/54 😳*

Finished this back in July as a buddy read with Danni! Since then, we completed the series in its entirety and had so much fun.  Of the three books in the Broken Earth Trilogy, this one is my favorite. NK Jemisin does a great job interweaving multiple perspectives from characters in very different environments and at different places in their lives...all while the world is literally shaking and crumbling around them.

If you are considering this series, but you are either on the fence or feeling a bit intimidated (because it IS a complex series), my advice is as follows: FIND A BUDDY. It's always more fun to enter a book in pairs anyway :)
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readingklee's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

5.0

I’ll have to revisit this when I can form better sentences, but N.K. Jemison just single-handedly gave me a whole new paradigm on fantasy. Truly stunning, the story, the characters, the quality of the writing itself, so incredible. This was the fastest I’ve read a thicc book since middle school. So excited to dive deeper into her work. 
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tired_cicada's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

Do you ever go into a book knowing nothing about it and it is just gut punch after gut punch? Cause apparently that's how I need to pick my books from now on casue y'all this book had me in the palm of its hand!! 

(Check trigger warning through!)

I am I sucker for nonlinear story telling, I live pick out the lies and the half truths! I am glad I didn't know anything about this though, cause if I'd know this book was told in second person I probably wouldn't have picked it up, but...
This it was just too good! 

I would recommend this book to my friends... But maybe not my mom. If you know you know.

I need book two right now!
WE ARE GOING TO STEAL THE MOON!!!


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squidnamedfinger's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad 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

5.0

totally gripping all the way through. couldn't put it down. you know a fantasy book is good if it's got me actually referencing the glossary.

Jemisin does such a great job creating a world that is as deeply insidious as our own. her use of second-person perspective is especially good at hammering it in that YOU should be feeling this sense of hatred and injustice at every turn. I love the way the perspective character often describes people in terms of how desirable the empire sees them. it really drives home how deeply the ugliness of this world affects the way her characters think and act.

and her CHARACTERS. the whole cast is enthralling. I won't say much because I think they deserve to be introduced on their own, but my favorites are Tonkee and Innon.

Jemisin also supplies just the right amount of information; the glossary and timeline are vague enough to give a sense of the world without spoiling anything. I actually went back and reread the prologue about halfway through to get more context, then I read the glossary and ignored the timeline (until the end). 

her pacing is also a huge strength--I was confused for the first few chapters jumping time and perspective, but by the time I got about 80 pages in (around when you're introduced to Damaya and Schaffa) it clicked. from there it just delivers blow after blow of outstanding scenes that all echo each other across every storyline. 

cannot recommend this enough. brutal and horrifying--but it's also heartwarming, and quite funny in passing moments. quite a few passages had my jaw on the floor. really excited to dive into the next in this trilogy.
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iteechesinglish's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark 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? No

4.0

 Really interesting world building and compelling storytelling. I was a little put off at first by some of the naming conventions (4-ringer to show how many rings an orogene has earned for example) but after 100 pages or so the story sucked me in. The author creatively uses different narrative voices in a way that doesn't become clear until the end. I recently had a conversation with someone who claimed that sci-fi explores social issues in a way that fantasy doesn't, but I think this book proves that fantasy can be used in the same way rather than as simple escapism. Will be reading book 2. 

Summary for myself: At the beginning of the book we are introduced to 3 separate storylines. 1) Damara is a young child who is a "rogga," someone with earth powers. She is taken from her family by a Guardian to be trained at the  Fulcrum. 2) Syenite is an adult oregene (earth wizard?) who is building a career at the Fulcrum and assigned to breed with another powerful orogene named Alabaster. 3) Essun is a "rogga" living in secret in a normal comm who has just discovered her husband has murdered their young son after discovering the boy was a "rogga." We watch as Damara turns into a star student at the Fulcrum, Syenite discovers the dark side of the Fulcrum as she accompanies Alabaster, and Essun searches for her husband and daughter in the aftermath of an apocalyptic earthquake. The entire world is built on the concept of "seasons" and the capriciousness of the earth below them. An apocalypse is a "fifth season." As the 3 stories converge, Syenite accidentally causes the destruction of an entire comm on the coast. She and Alabaster are rescued by a Stone Eater who takes them to a free island comm where roggas are valued and honored. They form a polyamorous relationship with the comm leader, Innon and have a child. But the comm is found and attacked by the Fulcrum and in desperation Syenite destroys everything and kills her child to prevent him being taken by the Guardians. The book ends with Essun, accompanied by Tonkee the geomest and Hoa the Stone Eater, discovering an underground comm built from an obelisk/geode? that is run by orogenes/roggas. She finds a dying Alabaster there who implores her to continue his work of destroying the planet. Dun dun dunnnnn.
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addie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

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amsswim's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

Anyone looking for a Hugo winning fantasy? THis was my first read by this author, but I really like her writing style. Full of details and feeling, I really felt my heart aches for what the characters go through. The plot and setting start a bit abstract, but in a way that pulled me in entirely. I'm not usually a series girl, or I haven't been in years, but maybe this will get me back into it. I have 2 more after this.
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luis_vieira's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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