war's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.75
mermaid42's review against another edition
4.0
I really like the world and the magic system I just didn't enjoy this book as much as the first. The pacing is off and not much happens for 2/3 of the book. The ending was great though and I'll be picking up the final book asap.
shnnnfly's review against another edition
5.0
Wow I LOVED this!!!! I am so blown away by how good this book was that I feel like I cannot truly capture my feelings with words. The sheer TENSION that Jemisin crafted, especially through the second half of the book where Castrima is starting to turn against the orogenes, and then when the fight starts with Rennanis, was so intense. The countdown to the vote and the way that Essun was pushed to her limit was insanely riveting. The other scene that really got me was when Tonkee’s arm has to be cut off because the iron piece was invading her. The stone eater storyline and Hoa’s evolution throughout was also perfection. EVERY character was perfection - Alabaster. Nassun. Ykka. Even the ones I hated, Schaffa and Jija, were just so well done. I haven’t felt this emotionally connected and invested in a book in a long time, and I think a lot of it has to do with Jemisin’s writing style and language. I have entirely changed my opinion on second person because of this trilogy, although maybe it really only works in this context. It took me awhile to get into, especially for the first book, and it took me a second for this book too, but the way it drew me in during the intense scenes is completely unmatched. I CANNOT wait to dig into the third book and finally get this moon business sorted out.
PS: The other two aspects of this book that I absolutely loved, which I am not going to get into because I could write a whole paper on this book if I really wanted to, are 1) the social justice undercurrent and 2) the way Jemisin adapts physics to her magic system. CHEF’S KISS.
My favorite quotes/moments:
“Life cannot exist without the Earth. Yet there is a not-insubstantial chance that life will win its war, and destroy the Earth. We’ve come close a few times. That can’t happen. We cannot be permitted to win.”
“The onyx is the key. First a network, then the Gate. Don’t rust it up, Essun. Innon and I didn’t love you for nothing.”
“You shout again but this time it is effort, it is aggression. SNAP and you break lattices and magic strands and reseal them to your own design. CRACK and you lift whole crystal shafts to throw them like spears and grind your enemies beneath. You look for Gray Man, the stone eater who hurt Hoa, but he is not among the mountains that threaten your home. These are just his minions. Fine. You’ll send him a message, then, written in their fear.”
PS: The other two aspects of this book that I absolutely loved, which I am not going to get into because I could write a whole paper on this book if I really wanted to, are 1) the social justice undercurrent and 2) the way Jemisin adapts physics to her magic system. CHEF’S KISS.
My favorite quotes/moments:
“Life cannot exist without the Earth. Yet there is a not-insubstantial chance that life will win its war, and destroy the Earth. We’ve come close a few times. That can’t happen. We cannot be permitted to win.”
“The onyx is the key. First a network, then the Gate. Don’t rust it up, Essun. Innon and I didn’t love you for nothing.”
“You shout again but this time it is effort, it is aggression. SNAP and you break lattices and magic strands and reseal them to your own design. CRACK and you lift whole crystal shafts to throw them like spears and grind your enemies beneath. You look for Gray Man, the stone eater who hurt Hoa, but he is not among the mountains that threaten your home. These are just his minions. Fine. You’ll send him a message, then, written in their fear.”
movaughn42's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
This book left me wanting more the entire time and did not have the tedious prologue or the bullshit ending of the first one.
This book left me wanting more the entire time and did not have the tedious prologue or the bullshit ending of the first one.
stephaniebookish's review against another edition
5.0
Slower in pace, but immensely interesting and intricate in its world building and relationship dynamics. I can’t wait to see how this crazy story will end!
geve_'s review against another edition
2.0
Hmm.
Unfortunately, this was pretty disappointing. It really doesn't live up to the first at all. Where the first had strong characters and a strong plot, this was really just following established characters around and learning more about them (although most of them do not change at all during this book), which I'm not as into. It wasn't BAD, not at all, it just really wasn't for me.
Gripes:
1: Kinda boring. Not a ton happens and there were a BUNCH of info dumps. I get that the author obviously had this whole world built, but it really made for not the best read.
2: I hate child characters. Sorry, this one is a me specific, I just really hate reading from kid perspectives. I will say this author did a really good job making this kid seem like a kid, I'm impressed by her skill, but I still didn't like reading it.
3: Pacing was not great. This kinda goes along with 1, but when the main character gets to the place where she she doesn't do much.
4: I really didn't get the sudden. There are a few other plot points I'm kinda scratching my head about, but am hoping they'll be resolved in the last book. And also sometimes you just have to accept that not EVERYTHING is going to be perfect in a series with this much going on.
5: The fantasy powers. Ugh, I'm honestly really sick of them. This one is also just me, I'm not a big fantasy reader and the powers really took over in this one, and sometimes they didn't make that much sense to me. It started to feel very convenient when things could or couldn't be done.
Good?
I mean, it still has interesting complex characters and a whole ass world, and a very looming finale. Unfortunately my library doesn't have the third book for some reason, so I may or may not every finish this series, and I don't feel all that compelled given the lackluster second book.
Unfortunately, this was pretty disappointing. It really doesn't live up to the first at all. Where the first had strong characters and a strong plot, this was really just following established characters around and learning more about them (although most of them do not change at all during this book), which I'm not as into. It wasn't BAD, not at all, it just really wasn't for me.
Gripes:
1: Kinda boring. Not a ton happens and there were a BUNCH of info dumps. I get that the author obviously had this whole world built, but it really made for not the best read.
2: I hate child characters. Sorry, this one is a me specific, I just really hate reading from kid perspectives. I will say this author did a really good job making this kid seem like a kid, I'm impressed by her skill, but I still didn't like reading it.
3: Pacing was not great. This kinda goes along with 1, but when the main character gets to the place where she
Spoiler
spends this entire book4: I really didn't get the sudden
Spoiler
dropping of her search for her daughter. It was resolved by hoa just not being able to sense her anymore? that was pretty weak all around5: The fantasy powers. Ugh, I'm honestly really sick of them. This one is also just me, I'm not a big fantasy reader and the powers really took over in this one, and sometimes they didn't make that much sense to me. It started to feel very convenient when things could or couldn't be done.
Good?
I mean, it still has interesting complex characters and a whole ass world, and a very looming finale. Unfortunately my library doesn't have the third book for some reason, so I may or may not every finish this series, and I don't feel all that compelled given the lackluster second book.
squidnamedfinger's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
almost as good as the first. really close. pacing falls just a BIT short in my eyes--understandably, being the second of a trilogy. Jemisin is excellent at driving the plot through the middle installment though. so many hard-hitting character moments and tense scenes play out in exciting ways, even if there's not as much that this book is juggling compared to the first.
the prose in this novel is even better than The Fifth Season, though. I found myself rereading certain passages several times over to glean the full depth of Jemisin's writing. the way she describes the sensations of magic use are exceptionally striking.
her characters continue to shine through as well. Schaffa was a surprise hit with me, and Tonkee and Hjarka are my favorites in Castrima.
very much looking forward to seeing how this series concludes. lots of tension still lingering even after the end of this installment.
the prose in this novel is even better than The Fifth Season, though. I found myself rereading certain passages several times over to glean the full depth of Jemisin's writing. the way she describes the sensations of magic use are exceptionally striking.
her characters continue to shine through as well. Schaffa was a surprise hit with me, and Tonkee and Hjarka are my favorites in Castrima.
very much looking forward to seeing how this series concludes. lots of tension still lingering even after the end of this installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Racism, War, and Violence
jennydoesnotgetit's review against another edition
5.0
Even better than the first in the series. The Obelisk Gate enriches everything set up in book 1, and benefits from an expansion of narrative voices. There’s nothing I can say about this series that hasn’t already been said, and anyway, I am about to start book 3. Finis!
biobeetle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, War, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Terminal illness
Minor: Chronic illness and Stalking