The Fifth Season

Author: N. K. Jemisin

Genre: Fantasy, Science fiction, Adult, LGBT

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

The story begins with the world ending. Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze - the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years - collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

We follow three female perspectives throughout the book, Essun, Damaya, and Syenite. Essun's perspective is written in second person.

I was really excited to read this because this book is hyped by so many people. The writing was great, the characters were diverse, the world was complex.. However, I found this just an okay read. I took about a week to read this, which is slow for me. Whenever I put the book down, I was not inclined to pick it up again anytime soon. I found that the plot was too complex for me and went over my head a little. Thus, I do not think I will be continuing with the series anytime soon.

Thus far, I have read 2 books by N.K. Jemisin: The City We Became (which I DNF-ed), and this book.

SPOILERS AHEAD. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

I was shocked to discover that the three perspectives were actually the same character at different points in her life, but other than that, the story was just okay.