thebookishatelier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Moderate: Gore and Child death
Minor: Cannibalism, Trafficking, Rape, and Sexual assault
leanne_miron's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Gore, and Slavery
Minor: Pedophilia and Cannibalism
malorykiyomi's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Child death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Kidnapping
jessthanthree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Torture, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Slavery, Child abuse, and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Animal death, Body horror, Pedophilia, Classism, Cannibalism, Dysphoria, and Rape
pollyflorence's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Physical abuse
savvylit's review against another edition
- 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 was absolutely riveting and compelling. The Broken Earth trilogy is not only a sci-fi/fantasy epic but also a centuries-spanning mystery. Jemisin's characterization and world-building are perfection. Personally, I do not usually enjoy books with heavily detailed world-building, but my interest in the characters kept me invested long enough to accept and eventually delight in the setting of Broken Earth. Syenite, Alabaster, Essun, Lerna, Innon, Tonkee, Hoa, Nassun, Ykka... I truly fell in love with each of these often deeply flawed humans being stretched to the limits of survival.
This trilogy is stunning for its honesty and nuance regarding the spectrum of humanity. Among the known characters, there is no strict good vs. evil dichotomy. There are just humans with or without the knowledge to make the right decisions. Even characters who seem to be enemies are more complex than that. Additionally, Jemisin's characters often challenge the gender binary and celebrate love in all forms. Lastly, beyond the multi-faceted people, this series contains disturbing and thought-provoking analogies for real world oppression and hatred. The subject matter is heavy but realistically and compassionately portrayed. I can't wait to read more of Jemisin's work!
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Violence, Death, Injury/injury detail, Pregnancy, and Racism
mossgoblins's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Excrement, Body horror, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
rachelcotter1's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Rape
studydniowka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Death, Confinement, Classism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, Torture, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Blood
rgreyreads's review against another edition
- 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
This book throws you into the deep end of a post-apocalyptic world that is on the verge of yet another apocalyptic event. But this one, might just be the final one.
There are a smallish group of marginalized magical people and the humans that enslave them, but most of the population of Father Earth (yes Father not mother, no idea why) is small because Father Earth is angry and continuously triggers these world shattering events called "Seasons". They are always different, and always devastating. Most of the time these seasons wipe out large swaths of the population and their civilizations, forcing humanity to start over every few decades.
The plot can be hard to sift through at first, because again, you are thrown into the deep with no life-raft, but once you have a handle on the basics and the characters are established (about 70 pages in or so), the story takes off and some of your questions are answered, then a lot more are posed. The writing is amazing, the second person parts are so immersive and make you really feel like you are a part of this story, and the amount of forethought is incredible. I personally am upset with myself for not picking this up sooner. The very obvious climate themes are so relevant, and terrifying in this context. The psychological depth of the characters and their journeys, and the raw emotion of the main character's personal tragedy, not to mention the tragedy of the orogene in general is gut-wrenching, and so beautifully done.
If you haven't read this yet, I doubt you will disappointed. Overwhelmed maybe, but not disappointed.
Graphic: Sexual content, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Slavery, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Animal death, and Blood