Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

6 reviews

debhawk84's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I read this book 8 years ago, and listening to it, it remains my favorite of the series. Oree is one of my favorite characters N.K. Jemisin has written so far. I love the character progression of Shiny and the deeper insight into the Three.

Seeing Shadow, Sky, and all the gods and godlings through Oree's eyes painted such an interesting picture. N.K. once again created a beautifully vivid new world for readers to get lost in, and the plot was so good. I still marvel to think this was her debut series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Violence, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Ableism

ecmbeanie's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, Violence, Police brutality, Classism, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent

risaleel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Blood, Ableism, Classism, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: War, Grief, and Pregnancy

mlynch133's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, and Police brutality

Moderate: Ableism, Incest, and Cannibalism

Minor: War, Slavery, Torture, and Pregnancy

achingallover's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

booksthatburn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Broken Kingdoms is damn good. It's driven by relationships and conversation in a way that could slow down a lesser book, but here every interaction is filled with the weight of the past, whether spoken or unspoken. It knows when to rest and to move

Everyone has a past in a way that makes them feel real, like we have a snapshot of their lives and they were here before and will continue on afterwards. This, to me, is a hallmark of a well-written story with complex characters. Oree and Madding had a relationship in the past which has echoes now, but their current dynamic is clearly different than what it must have been before the story started. Shiny knows various people and gods in ways that speak to past relationships, whether casual or intimate, and we have enough information to inform our understanding of what is unsaid, but without constantly explaining backstory.

In trilogies, especially in series that are intended as trilogies by the time book two is written, there is usually a problem where book two isn't complete enough to stand on its own. Even in series I love, I've noticed this problem, and usually book three makes up for it in terms of the strength of the trilogy as a whole. But not here, book three won't have anything to atone for; The Broken Kingdoms is rich, complex, full enough to stand on its own while also building on the history from The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

Oree feels like a distinct voice from Yeine, in book 1. Her focus is different, her concerns are different, and her approach to obstacles is grittier, more direct. She is functionally blind, and I appreciated how her comparison between the magical sight she does have and what she guesses ordinary sight must be like made sense in context. It would have been easy for her (as a character written by a sighted person) to continually opine on what seeing must be like, but instead she only discusses it when she has magical sight and uses parts of the language around ordinary sight to try and get a better description of the unique manner of her sight.

It felt so good to read this book. I loved every minute of it and I'm very excited for The Kingdom of Gods.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Sexual content

Moderate: Ableism, Death, and Slavery

Minor: Sexual assault

CW for ableism, suicide, sexual assault, slavery, death.