delphinaris'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Bullying, Animal death, Alcohol, Infertility, Infidelity, Child death, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Violence, Transphobia, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Slavery, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, Confinement, and Child abuse
This book is majorly fucked up; especially the scenes in the Fulcrum. Read at your own risk.kemrick19'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: Body horror, Death, Grief, Violence, Blood, Child death, Torture, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gore, Ableism, Classism, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Cursing, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Vomit, Pedophilia, and Sexism
stierwood'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
4.0
I didn’tunderstand the use of the 2nd person until about 2/3rds thru the book, and then thought it was rlly clever.
Characters were complex and loveable.
I have a history degree. That this book focuses on history, how it is told, and who writes it was so good to read and exceptionally well-done. The lore was sooo fleshed out.
A hard one to read in a slump. The world building was complex so thank gd for the appendix.
Dark, but never unnecessarily so.
Except every modern dystopian piece of media i have consumed recently has had cannibalism in it and my tummy hurts.
Graphic: Transphobia, Slavery, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, War, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Sexual harassment
alba_marie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The issue with it was that The Fifth Season was a bit too stylised. It required a deep dive into the book, investing in at least 50 pages to really immerse oneself in the text, style and world. And normally, I might be into that. Normally I'd probably love that, even. But it was certainly not the right book to read with a newborn! It was supposed to be done before the baby arrived, but the baby had other ideas and he came early. This is a book that requires full concentration and focus. Not a book you'd dip your toes in here and there in between feeds. For that reason, I struggled a bit to connect with it and follow the various characters and time lines.
But it's clear that Jemisin is a very good writer and visionary. She is amazing at world building, and characterisation. She pulls at one thread and a butterfly flaps its wings 300 pages later.
It takes a long time to get into the story, and to see how all of the stories collide and combine. But when they do, there's an "oh shit" moment that I might have caught earlier on if I had been less sleep deprived.
Beware though – one of the POVs is written in "you" format; the style is obtuse and the purple prose is sometimes difficult to understand. This is high brow fantasy. This is the book that proves that fantasy doesn't have to always be fun and games; that fantasy can also be literary fiction.
At its core (pun intended), the book centres on earthquakes, thermal energy, geology, and earth movements – and the people attuned enough with the earth to control them. It takes the reader across barren landscapes, apocalyptic earths, through earthquakes, past ancient lost civilisations, into crowded cities, and onto pirate ships, secret islands and into the heart of the (evil?) institution at the heart of it all.
I will certainly be reading book 2... when my baby is a wee bit older!
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
drips's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Child death, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Sexism, Rape, Genocide, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, and Sexual content
sunsetcity's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Classism, Torture, Gaslighting, and Sexism
laguerrelewis'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: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: Rape, Suicide attempt, and War
melissarose02's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Child death, Sexism, and Racism
carissa230'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? No
5.0
The book follows three main characters. The world is made up of Orogene, people that can feel the earth and help to quell shakes or create them, guardians that work to control the orogene, and those with no powers. The ones with power are unwanted, and feared by those that do not have the power.
Damaya is an orogene, a guardian has just show up to take her to a training facility where she can be controlled. Better to be controlled and used than to be killed for your powers. Damaya is going to learn to control her power, and use it to help get the planet through a new season.
Syenite has achieved her 6th ring, proving she has some power. She has been assigned to conceive a child with Alabaster, a 10 ring. They should produce a powerful child. While they are working on conceiving a child (neither of them enjoy the procreation), they are going on a quest to save a village. They will be forced to work together to save the town.
Essun's son has just been brutally murdered his father. Essun had kept her childrens powers a secret, but he must have seen something he shouldn't and killed the little one to try and control the situation. Her daughter is missing and Essun is on a mission to save her daughter before her father finds out her secret as well.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism