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A review by mediaevalmuse
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
4.0
The summary for this book is slightly misleading, since it makes it seem like the book is just about one character. The novel actually features (sort of) three main POV characters, all with life experiences that are tied together. I’ve had this book on my shelf for a little while, and I picked it up following the announcement that it was being adapted as a tv series. I read it over a long period of time because the semester was super busy - so if some of my evaluations are inaccurate, it may be because of that. Overall, though, this book was a wonderful sci fi/fantasy read that combines complex worldbuilding and characters.
Things I Liked
1. Women: Part of the reason why I loved this book is that there were so many women doing many different things. It shouldn’t be a surprise, given Jemisin’s other books, but if you read a lot of sci fi/fantasy, it feels more rare to come across a book that is entirely focused on women’s stories.
2. Worldbuilding: Jemisin’s worldbuilding is superb. I love the idea that we’re in a dystopian fantasy world where seasons can last centuries and radically alter the population of humanity. I also love the lore that Jemisin builds and the way she centers it around earth and stone (elements that, in my experience, tend to be overlooked). It really felt that there was a closer connection to the earth than dystopias which feature barren wastelands.
3. Power Structures: Jemisin’s novel is interesting in that it’s not necessarily about political rebellion or social revolution - at least, not yet. Part of it is, but it’s also about taking a hard look about who wields power and who is disempowered. In the novel, the people who have what are essentially superpowers are the ones who are outcast and heavily controlled - their potential is always being held back out of fear. However, the characters come to realize that their oppression is unjust, and the fate of their world lies in undoing such oppression.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Gaps in Information Delivery: This may be a personal reaction of mine and not necessarily anything wrong with the book. It seemed that there was a tendency in this book to not give enough information at certain times - the main things that stand out are the exposition and several moments in the novel where big twists happen. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the way the world works for the first few chapters, for example, and there was also a time when something big would happen and the way it was described was so indirect that I was more confused than intrigued. As a result, a lot of information was delivered rapidly by other characters after the thing happened. But again, this may be personal preference: I’m picky about this kind of stuff.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in science fiction, dystopia, fantasy worlds, elemental magic/abilities, superpowers, mythology, and lore.
Things I Liked
1. Women: Part of the reason why I loved this book is that there were so many women doing many different things. It shouldn’t be a surprise, given Jemisin’s other books, but if you read a lot of sci fi/fantasy, it feels more rare to come across a book that is entirely focused on women’s stories.
2. Worldbuilding: Jemisin’s worldbuilding is superb. I love the idea that we’re in a dystopian fantasy world where seasons can last centuries and radically alter the population of humanity. I also love the lore that Jemisin builds and the way she centers it around earth and stone (elements that, in my experience, tend to be overlooked). It really felt that there was a closer connection to the earth than dystopias which feature barren wastelands.
3. Power Structures: Jemisin’s novel is interesting in that it’s not necessarily about political rebellion or social revolution - at least, not yet. Part of it is, but it’s also about taking a hard look about who wields power and who is disempowered. In the novel, the people who have what are essentially superpowers are the ones who are outcast and heavily controlled - their potential is always being held back out of fear. However, the characters come to realize that their oppression is unjust, and the fate of their world lies in undoing such oppression.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Gaps in Information Delivery: This may be a personal reaction of mine and not necessarily anything wrong with the book. It seemed that there was a tendency in this book to not give enough information at certain times - the main things that stand out are the exposition and several moments in the novel where big twists happen. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the way the world works for the first few chapters, for example, and there was also a time when something big would happen and the way it was described was so indirect that I was more confused than intrigued. As a result, a lot of information was delivered rapidly by other characters after the thing happened. But again, this may be personal preference: I’m picky about this kind of stuff.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in science fiction, dystopia, fantasy worlds, elemental magic/abilities, superpowers, mythology, and lore.