seanml's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
My thoughts on the series as a whole so far are still the same: some good, some bad. But I think this sequel was an improvement over the first. I like our protagonist; they were a very interesting character to follow. There was one major plot thread at the end of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms that I was hoping Jemisin brought back for this one, and sure enough she did! I thought the narrative really picked up in the last quarter of the book, and the author’s descriptions were definitely the highlight of the book. 7.5/10.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Torture
Minor: Incest, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Vomit
coffinfinite's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
A dazzling sequel to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms builds on and expands the lore and world of the first book while also delivering another heart wrenching story of Gods, mortals, love and betrayal. Following Oree, a blind woman who can see magic, we are plunged into a chaotic nightmare of cults, violence and conspiracy that she must overcome or perish. Oree is as compelling a protagonist as Yeine from the first book, and her blindness is used by the author to create mystery through soundscape descriptions accentuated by the occasional flurry of magical “vision”, which adds a great deal of depth and intrigue to the story. I read The Broken Kingdoms in two intense sessions and was captivated from start to finish, and I can’t wait to read the final book in the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
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