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Dreamblood #1-2
The Dreamblood Duology
In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers -- the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe... and kill those judged corrupt.
But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru -- the most famous of the city's Gatherers -- must question everything he knows. Someone, or something, is murdering dreamers in the goddess' name, stalking its prey both in Gujaareh's alleys and the realm of dreams. Ehiru must now protect the woman he was sent to kill -- or watch the city be devoured by war and forbidden magic.
But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru -- the most famous of the city's Gatherers -- must question everything he knows. Someone, or something, is murdering dreamers in the goddess' name, stalking its prey both in Gujaareh's alleys and the realm of dreams. Ehiru must now protect the woman he was sent to kill -- or watch the city be devoured by war and forbidden magic.
774 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2016
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October 15, 2022
Admittedly, I've given both books in this duology a four-star rating. However, the two books together have done something to me that no book has ever done before: after finishing The Shadowed Sun, I found myself so deeply affected by the story that I couldn't move on to read anything else. I ended up rereading The Killing Moon not long afterwards, and that was the first time I've ever reread a book in my life. So, even though I didn't find either of these two books perfect (as explained in their individual reviews here and here), I have to give them a collective five stars for all the precious things they made me feel.
The emotional impact is largely owing to Jemisin's incredible worldbuilding. I've never read a book with such a vivid setting: everything about the country's politics (from foreign relations to the internal structure of social classes and conflicting ruling powers), culture (from the power of religion and faith to the style of architecture, clothing, and ways of speech), history (from the origin of warring neighbors to the lore and evolution of their different beliefs), etc., are painted in such meticulous detail that I can't help but feel as if I live in that world myself. And that world is just so fascinating. The excitement of returning to it alone was enough to keep me pinned to my chair as soon as I started the second book, and it was the same nostalgia that prompted me to reread the first one.
Within this vast and complex world, it is the magic, or more specifically the Hetawa (the main temple and the central religious power in the city), that enthralled me the most. I'm not a religious person, so I'm not sure how that might have affected my perception here, but everything about the priests at the Hetawa drew me to them. I love the peace and justice that lie at the center of their belief, the fierce loyalty that they give to their faith and their pathbrothers. Although some of them can act a bit naive or stubborn sometimes, they all grew in the end (especially during the ten-year gap between the two books; it was striking to see how the events of book one had shaped every character over time), and overall I simply find every one of them likable and admirable. I've never come across a book where I swoon over so many characters, both major and minor, and I think all of them will stay with me for a long time after the story ended.
Of course, there are other aspects where I wished these books could be better. Jemisin's writing style leans on the emotionally detached side, which is not particularly to my taste. This could have been such a poignantly beautiful story if she had chosen a different kind of voice. But that doesn't change the fact that this duology is still one of my favorites, and I'll wholeheartedly recommend it to any fans of high fantasy.
The emotional impact is largely owing to Jemisin's incredible worldbuilding. I've never read a book with such a vivid setting: everything about the country's politics (from foreign relations to the internal structure of social classes and conflicting ruling powers), culture (from the power of religion and faith to the style of architecture, clothing, and ways of speech), history (from the origin of warring neighbors to the lore and evolution of their different beliefs), etc., are painted in such meticulous detail that I can't help but feel as if I live in that world myself. And that world is just so fascinating. The excitement of returning to it alone was enough to keep me pinned to my chair as soon as I started the second book, and it was the same nostalgia that prompted me to reread the first one.
Within this vast and complex world, it is the magic, or more specifically the Hetawa (the main temple and the central religious power in the city), that enthralled me the most. I'm not a religious person, so I'm not sure how that might have affected my perception here, but everything about the priests at the Hetawa drew me to them. I love the peace and justice that lie at the center of their belief, the fierce loyalty that they give to their faith and their pathbrothers. Although some of them can act a bit naive or stubborn sometimes, they all grew in the end (especially during the ten-year gap between the two books; it was striking to see how the events of book one had shaped every character over time), and overall I simply find every one of them likable and admirable. I've never come across a book where I swoon over so many characters, both major and minor, and I think all of them will stay with me for a long time after the story ended.
Of course, there are other aspects where I wished these books could be better. Jemisin's writing style leans on the emotionally detached side, which is not particularly to my taste. This could have been such a poignantly beautiful story if she had chosen a different kind of voice. But that doesn't change the fact that this duology is still one of my favorites, and I'll wholeheartedly recommend it to any fans of high fantasy.
September 29, 2019
I started with this book with high hopes and huge expectations. Unfortunately none of these came true for me and I ended up as part of the minority that could not find access to the story.
Jemisin based her duology on a world derived from the ancient Egyptian culture, and I found it really difficult to develop interest in this.
In the first book, The Killing Moon, she uses three fourth of the book to describe her world and the culture, while nothing much is happening. All the action happens in the last fourth and seems a bit hurried to me. Furthermore after all the action, basically nothing has changed for the society.
In part two, The Shadowed Sun, there is no need for a lengthy introduction and the story starts rightaway. But even with my hardest effort, I could neither find the story interesting nor did I care for the protagonists.
Please note that the world building is excellent, the magic system is innovative and the writing is convincing. This book is just not for me.
Therefore my rating is only 2 stars.
Jemisin based her duology on a world derived from the ancient Egyptian culture, and I found it really difficult to develop interest in this.
In the first book, The Killing Moon, she uses three fourth of the book to describe her world and the culture, while nothing much is happening. All the action happens in the last fourth and seems a bit hurried to me. Furthermore after all the action, basically nothing has changed for the society.
In part two, The Shadowed Sun, there is no need for a lengthy introduction and the story starts rightaway. But even with my hardest effort, I could neither find the story interesting nor did I care for the protagonists.
Please note that the world building is excellent, the magic system is innovative and the writing is convincing. This book is just not for me.
Therefore my rating is only 2 stars.
December 24, 2016
Killing Moon Review
I just absolutely love the way that Jemisin reveals the worlds and characters that she creates. From the very beginning Jemisin requires her readers to sit up and pay attention because every detail is important to the story line and she wastes no time easing readers into her stories. Killing Moon is a dark story and there were several times that I wanted to hold my breath hoping that things could work out differently than they do, even when I saw the inevitability of the situations. The Killing Moon is a story where love, truth, and righteousness isn't necessarily enough to carry the day. Self sacrifice, loyalty, faithfulness to duty, and the willingness to do what is hard and heartbreaking are what is required to save their lands from destruction.
Although this is book one in the Dreamblood duology, the story is a complete one and didn't leave me feeling as if I were left dangling. So if you for some reason want to only read book one and come back for book two later, it is perfectly doable.
The Shadowed Sun Review
The Shadowed Sun takes place 10 years after The Killing Moon and it's wonderful. Complex characters, actions that are judged right or wrong depending on which side of the conflicts you are standing on, and a world that just gets more rich and engaging. Readers get both an intricate plot that is paced to keep the reader engaged as well diverse and multilayered characters that are relatable. I felt invested in almost every character.
After having sung the praises of Jemisin's The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate, it should be no surprise to anyone that I also loved The Dreamblood Duology. If you are a fantasy fiction fan and you have not yet picked up a Jemisin book, you are seriously doing yourself a disfavor! The worlds created by N.K. Jemisin are complicated, detailed, and unique. There's an interview at the end that is both entertaining and encouraging. Could there be more stories in the Dreamblood world in the futrure? Jemisin doesn't commit to it, but she certainly gave me hope that there may be more in the future.
**I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
I just absolutely love the way that Jemisin reveals the worlds and characters that she creates. From the very beginning Jemisin requires her readers to sit up and pay attention because every detail is important to the story line and she wastes no time easing readers into her stories. Killing Moon is a dark story and there were several times that I wanted to hold my breath hoping that things could work out differently than they do, even when I saw the inevitability of the situations. The Killing Moon is a story where love, truth, and righteousness isn't necessarily enough to carry the day. Self sacrifice, loyalty, faithfulness to duty, and the willingness to do what is hard and heartbreaking are what is required to save their lands from destruction.
Although this is book one in the Dreamblood duology, the story is a complete one and didn't leave me feeling as if I were left dangling. So if you for some reason want to only read book one and come back for book two later, it is perfectly doable.
The Shadowed Sun Review
The Shadowed Sun takes place 10 years after The Killing Moon and it's wonderful. Complex characters, actions that are judged right or wrong depending on which side of the conflicts you are standing on, and a world that just gets more rich and engaging. Readers get both an intricate plot that is paced to keep the reader engaged as well diverse and multilayered characters that are relatable. I felt invested in almost every character.
After having sung the praises of Jemisin's The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate, it should be no surprise to anyone that I also loved The Dreamblood Duology. If you are a fantasy fiction fan and you have not yet picked up a Jemisin book, you are seriously doing yourself a disfavor! The worlds created by N.K. Jemisin are complicated, detailed, and unique. There's an interview at the end that is both entertaining and encouraging. Could there be more stories in the Dreamblood world in the futrure? Jemisin doesn't commit to it, but she certainly gave me hope that there may be more in the future.
**I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
August 14, 2017
I loved The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate, so I was thinking good things when I picked up this volume. Good things, it turns out, includes a story that has absolutely cemented Jemisin as one of my absolute favorite writers.
Good prose? Check. Nuanced and thoughtful understanding of human nature? Check. Drama and tension? Oh so many checks. Deep, pervasive, subtle world building? Check. A plot that holds you and hooks you? Check. Characters that are flawed and real and wonderful? Check.
Good prose? Check. Nuanced and thoughtful understanding of human nature? Check. Drama and tension? Oh so many checks. Deep, pervasive, subtle world building? Check. A plot that holds you and hooks you? Check. Characters that are flawed and real and wonderful? Check.
March 9, 2017
I will read everything this woman writes. Her ability to create interesting characters, and fascinating worlds, is amazing and inspiring. These two books do not disappoint.
December 16, 2016
Свят, в който сънищата притежават могъща магия.
Свят, в който след като умреш се преселваш завинаги в селенията им, а смъртта идва от жреците на Хананджа, богинята на сънищата. Трима герои, твърде различни един от друг, които заедно трябва да спрат надигането на древно зло, поглъщащо всеки живот, и да не се превърнат сами в чудовища. Прочетете ревюто на Вида Делчева на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
Свят, в който след като умреш се преселваш завинаги в селенията им, а смъртта идва от жреците на Хананджа, богинята на сънищата. Трима герои, твърде различни един от друг, които заедно трябва да спрат надигането на древно зло, поглъщащо всеки живот, и да не се превърнат сами в чудовища. Прочетете ревюто на Вида Делчева на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
February 12, 2017
Historically, my taste in fantasy series has leaned heavily toward Medieval Europe-style tales full of knights and swords and castles and dragons -- and there's nothing wrong with that. But the fantasy genre has grown so much in recent years, and NK Jemisin has been the single shining beacon that has shown me just how good diverse fantasy can be.
The Dreamblood Duology has everything that a 'traditional' fantasy series might have -- intricate world-building, well-crafted characters, a compelling magic system, mad kings, great heroes, and hard choices. But it has so much more than that: feminism; female empowerment and agency; friendships (not rivalries) between women; racial and cultural diversity; LGBQT characters; religious and political commentary; and few romantic or sexual subplots (though I found the bit of romance to be satisfying and realistic.)
NK Jemisin has a consistently fresh take on the fantasy genre, and the worlds she crafts are worlds I want to live in.
The Dreamblood Duology has everything that a 'traditional' fantasy series might have -- intricate world-building, well-crafted characters, a compelling magic system, mad kings, great heroes, and hard choices. But it has so much more than that: feminism; female empowerment and agency; friendships (not rivalries) between women; racial and cultural diversity; LGBQT characters; religious and political commentary; and few romantic or sexual subplots (though I found the bit of romance to be satisfying and realistic.)
NK Jemisin has a consistently fresh take on the fantasy genre, and the worlds she crafts are worlds I want to live in.
December 12, 2018
The first book (THE KILLING MOON) is a delight, stuffed with worldbuilding and a plot that crackles along, and then it comes to a rather abrupt conclusion. More abrupt is the revelation (to me, who knew nothing going into this) that the second book (THE SHADOWED SUN) takes place 10 years later with a whole slew of new characters (although old friends do appear). And the plot takes a backseat to more worldbuilding and relationships, although it again kicks into gear in the last 150 pages or so, which left the whole tome feeling rather unbalanced. Some of this is about expectations, but those expectations aren't just about what the second book in a duology could/should be -- they're about knowing what Jemisin is capable of, and THE SHADOWED SUN falls short of that mark. It's still a blast to read, but decidedly second-tier. (THE KILLING MOON is 100% worth your time, and honestly once you read that, you'll ~have~ to read THE SHADOWED SUN and it's all worth it in the end.)
April 6, 2020
I'm never going to get enough of Jemisin's worlds or words. It took me exactly 30 days to read this Duology; in part because I was sick and when i was reading i was going slowly, savoring as you will. I think this runs neck and neck with the Broken Earth trilogy, for me. Great stuff to combine dream theory with Ancient Egyptian culture. Following Ehiru and Hanani through this magical world was hypnotizing. I'm not a religious person anymore, as I've just decided to live my life as honest and pure as I can, for the sake of my health: mental and physical. I can, however, indulge in my love of mythologies and still find some comfort in the magic of it all. Narcomancy, a magic charged by dreams, may be the best thing Jemisin has created in her stories.
August 28, 2018
So wonderful. It's not as ground-breaking (no pun intended) as the Broken Earth trilogy, but it's absolutely perfect on its own. A deep, well-thought out mythology, based loosely on history but still totally original; fantasy elements that are internally consistent and intelligent; characters and relationships that are rich and deep and heartbreaking and beautiful; a plot that's gripping and exciting and satisfying. Loved it.
September 17, 2022
I loved this series so much. Maybe even more than The Fifth Season, and that’s saying something. Jemisin’s character building and plotting are masterful. She spends less time world building in this series than usual and more time delving the human spirit.
Both books are love stories at their hearts: between an assassin priest and his boy apprentice in book 1 and between a semi mad prince and a nun healer in book 2.
In both cases, those love stories seem utterly impossible. As usual, Jemisin’s delight in painting herself into impossible corners and wiggling herself out of it right before our eyes. My favorite of the two was Book 2: The Dreaming Moon. One of the great love stories in many ways. Tough, singular characters with everything to lose. The world falling apart around their ears. Horror and a catching dream plague closing in. Yet…yet, love blooms.
Both books are love stories at their hearts: between an assassin priest and his boy apprentice in book 1 and between a semi mad prince and a nun healer in book 2.
In both cases, those love stories seem utterly impossible. As usual, Jemisin’s delight in painting herself into impossible corners and wiggling herself out of it right before our eyes. My favorite of the two was Book 2: The Dreaming Moon. One of the great love stories in many ways. Tough, singular characters with everything to lose. The world falling apart around their ears. Horror and a catching dream plague closing in. Yet…yet, love blooms.
March 11, 2017
She is the bomb. Seriously, I love everything by her that I've ever read. This book is amazing
December 25, 2017
-The killing moon --->3.5
-The shadowed sun --->4.5
May 18, 2018
This is really a 4.5 rating - it's not quite as good as the Broken Earth series, but it is still VERY good. I was fascinated by the world-building Jemisin did here; it's based on Egyptian culture but feels very unique and not at all derivative of anything else - the whole concept of dream magic and its four humours is fascinating. And the two books included in this duology explore the culture and world she created in very different ways, both of which are fascinating in completely different ways. The first book is a suspense thriller that starts a little slow as the major components of the city of Gujaareh are revealed, but then pulled me in more and more as I learned more about Ehiru and Nijiri and Sunandi and their related paths to bring peace to an insane prince and a mythical monster. I didn't think the story could be topped, and it wasn't because Jemisin goes in a completely different way with the second story, taking a briefly seen character from the first book and detailing his crusade, reflected through his relationship with Hanani. Their relationship is a beautiful, complex thing, and served as a spine for a story that is every bit as epic as the first book but in a completely different way. I can't do either story justice. I am just enchanted by the worlds that N.K. Jemisin creates and consistently fall in love with her characters, her cities, her worlds, and the conflicts she instills within them. Highly recommended.
September 14, 2020
Jemisin's books usually take me a little while to get into. She creates original worlds and magic systems, and because she is so unique there are no familiar tropes to create an instant bond with the story. You have to dig a little deeper and work for it, but in the end it's always worth it. The Dreamblood duology is about an Afrocentric society where magic comes from dream humors. There is an ancient medical system based on the four humors of the body- blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Diseases are thought to be caused by imbalances in the humors. Similarly, the people here rely on dreamblood (from death), dreamseed (from erotic dreams), dreambile (from nightmares) and dreamichor (from regular dreams). Dreamblood is the most potent and a large enough amount can heal dramatic injuries such as reversing paralysis or a withered limb. It can also cure madness, but used recreationally it is very addictive.
The dream humors can only be collected by Gatherers, monk-like figures who are trained in stealth and martial arts. They must exercise self-control in sharing all the humors they collect. They can't partake in what they collected when it is collected. They only receive humors from the Sharers, and only get enough to be balanced and functional. Since dreamblood can only be collected at the time of death, Gatherers are killers. They can be used as executioners to rid the city of those who are evil and corrupt beyond recall. They can also be hired for what is essentially assisted suicide, to help those who are at the end of life and want to die without pain. When your life is ended by a Gatherer in this way, it is completely peaceful and they escort you to your personal heaven.
With that light background, I can give you the overarching plot. While the city of Gujaareh worships Hananja the Goddess of Dreams and her servants, the Gatherers, other cities think that murderers are being placed on an undeserving pedestal. When corpses frozen in terror start popping up, rumors of a Reaper (a rogue Gatherer who kills cruelly and without discretion) set the city on fire. The first book in the duology follows Gatherer Ehiru and his apprentice Nijiri on their quest to find the source of their city's (and their faith's) corruption, and the second book deals with the political consequences 10-15 years down the line.
This book has Jemisin's signature attention to detail. She is meticulous about creating a society that isn't just unique, but actually makes sense. It's wonderful to read a fantasy populated by Black people and in a subtle but satisfying bit of counterprogramming, the wealthy, powerful caste in this society are dark skinned while the servant caste is light skinned. Queer characters exist in this universe and they aren't unusual, nor do they all get killed. The women are strong but still feminine. Jemisin's work is a must read for an example of how writers can diversify the stories they create without reducing those characters to labels or tokens. It was quite a satisfying read but if you are new to Jemisin, I recommend starting with the Inheritance Trilogy-- it's a bit more accessible and doesn't make you feel as if you need a glossary starting out.
The dream humors can only be collected by Gatherers, monk-like figures who are trained in stealth and martial arts. They must exercise self-control in sharing all the humors they collect. They can't partake in what they collected when it is collected. They only receive humors from the Sharers, and only get enough to be balanced and functional. Since dreamblood can only be collected at the time of death, Gatherers are killers. They can be used as executioners to rid the city of those who are evil and corrupt beyond recall. They can also be hired for what is essentially assisted suicide, to help those who are at the end of life and want to die without pain. When your life is ended by a Gatherer in this way, it is completely peaceful and they escort you to your personal heaven.
With that light background, I can give you the overarching plot. While the city of Gujaareh worships Hananja the Goddess of Dreams and her servants, the Gatherers, other cities think that murderers are being placed on an undeserving pedestal. When corpses frozen in terror start popping up, rumors of a Reaper (a rogue Gatherer who kills cruelly and without discretion) set the city on fire. The first book in the duology follows Gatherer Ehiru and his apprentice Nijiri on their quest to find the source of their city's (and their faith's) corruption, and the second book deals with the political consequences 10-15 years down the line.
This book has Jemisin's signature attention to detail. She is meticulous about creating a society that isn't just unique, but actually makes sense. It's wonderful to read a fantasy populated by Black people and in a subtle but satisfying bit of counterprogramming, the wealthy, powerful caste in this society are dark skinned while the servant caste is light skinned. Queer characters exist in this universe and they aren't unusual, nor do they all get killed. The women are strong but still feminine. Jemisin's work is a must read for an example of how writers can diversify the stories they create without reducing those characters to labels or tokens. It was quite a satisfying read but if you are new to Jemisin, I recommend starting with the Inheritance Trilogy-- it's a bit more accessible and doesn't make you feel as if you need a glossary starting out.
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September 28, 2018I have't felt the desire to read this in weeks (a month?) and I just was not enjoying this as much as I hoped I would. The magic system was promising, but I didn't stick around long enough to get a lot of information on it. The world was interesting, but not as much as the one in The Fifth Season was.
Over all, I think I was comparing this too much to The Fifth Season in my mind. That's not really fare because that book is one of her more recently releases, and (hopefully) would be better since she's grown as a writer (theoretically), but I just can't help it. I really really loved that book, and this just does not live up, bottom line cut and dry.
Still going to give the Inheiritance omnibus a try, but I'm going to try to give it a fairer shot since I know some of Jemisin's more earlier work is not as much my style as The Fifth Season was (also definitely need to get around to reading Obelisk Gate soon!!)
Over all, I think I was comparing this too much to The Fifth Season in my mind. That's not really fare because that book is one of her more recently releases, and (hopefully) would be better since she's grown as a writer (theoretically), but I just can't help it. I really really loved that book, and this just does not live up, bottom line cut and dry.
Still going to give the Inheiritance omnibus a try, but I'm going to try to give it a fairer shot since I know some of Jemisin's more earlier work is not as much my style as The Fifth Season was (also definitely need to get around to reading Obelisk Gate soon!!)
April 2, 2019
N. K. Jemisin, will you marry me?
SHIT I LOVE:
- THE WORLDBUILDING
- THE MAGIC SYSTEM
- THE SLOWISH PACE (It didn't get boring, it just gave you plenty time to sink into that good shit)
- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
- THE CHARACTERS (PROTECT MY BOY NIJIRI PLS)
- YANASSA (I love her so much she deserves her own point on the list)
SHIT I DID NOT LIKE
- THAT THERE'S NOT MORE not that the story didn't wrap up nicely nothing is lacking I just WANT MORE cause yknow how it is. @NKJemisin if you write another book I will spend my money so fast.
I may or may not (most likely not I know what I'm like) come back and try to write a better review but for now I just have emotions and a desire to yell.
SHIT I LOVE:
- THE WORLDBUILDING
- THE MAGIC SYSTEM
- THE SLOWISH PACE (It didn't get boring, it just gave you plenty time to sink into that good shit)
- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
- THE CHARACTERS (PROTECT MY BOY NIJIRI PLS)
- YANASSA (I love her so much she deserves her own point on the list)
SHIT I DID NOT LIKE
- THAT THERE'S NOT MORE not that the story didn't wrap up nicely nothing is lacking I just WANT MORE cause yknow how it is. @NKJemisin if you write another book I will spend my money so fast.
I may or may not (most likely not I know what I'm like) come back and try to write a better review but for now I just have emotions and a desire to yell.
November 26, 2018
These books, about a world where dreams are healing and life ending, and nightmares are prowling, and power is complex, wound up being really good. I struggled with the first book, as I could not connect with any characters, and the dreamy 17 hours of narration really dragged for what felt largely like world building for me, despite the murder dream plot. People had feelings, but I felt that they were missing something essential to make me care about them. The second book had characters that I found way more personable, and who I liked. I there was actual human contact and love and humour. And it was so good.
August 19, 2023
I’ve read Jemisin’s other series’s and this is hands-down my favourite. A rich world that I want to spend more time in, complex characters I wanted to spend more time with, and a riveting plot that kept me guessing until the last page. Can we have more books in this series, please?
January 23, 2017
This was a good book. I really loved how divided the reader can get over who is in the right or wrong. Granted, the bad was clearly bad, but I love how divided I was on whether Ehuri or Sunandi were in the right.
Looking forward to book two!
Looking forward to book two!
February 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this book (not that it shows on the ridicule amount of time that I took to read it... but I somehow am not in the mood to read this year... o_O)
I liked the whole idea of the Magic in these books a lot, and that it was somewhat based in ancient Egypt.
I liked The Shadowed Sun a bit more, the setting, the characters, the climax.
In short, a very good read!
I liked the whole idea of the Magic in these books a lot, and that it was somewhat based in ancient Egypt.
I liked The Shadowed Sun a bit more, the setting, the characters, the climax.
In short, a very good read!
October 15, 2022
The Killing Moon: 5 stars
It's kind of amazing the journey these characters go through. Some key pivotal points were cliche, but my focus was really drawn to the moral dilemma of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in general. I think it is handled quite well, where the key takeaway is that the terms rely on the patients' choice.
In the City of Dreams, power is shared between the royal family of the Prince and the religious order the Hetawa. Gujaareh, daughter nation of Kisua, is a place where magic thrives on dream tithes. Gatherers enforce the law, Sharers heal, and the Prince serves as the Avatar of the Sleeping Goddess Hananja Herself. Gatherer Ehiru, most beloved of Her Gatherers, is on a routine collection when the tithebearer ominously spies danger lurking over his shoulder and tries to warn him about a forbidden evil. Shaken, Ehiru accidentally destroys the tithebearer's soul and only years of discipline and faith hold him steady enough to reluctantly mentor the new Apprentice Nijiri. Together, both master and disciple discover that Hananja has been infected with corruption far deeper than expected, and with the help of the new Speaker of Kisua, Sunandi, they must prevent a great war between the parent and child nations before greed swallows them all.
I've noticed a characteristic of Jemisin's writing is shattering glass towers of belief, levelling the moral playing field. Gatherers are a sort of religious police force almost like sanctioned assassins, in the eyes of "barbarians" like Sunandi. For religious nuts like Ehiru and wise old folk, they realize that the magic employed by Ehiru is beneficial for the greater good; they can ease into death peacefully in paradise, and that dream energy will be given to the Sharers who heal and revive the infirm. Typical of Jemisin, to trap two stubborn and strong beliefs in a room and argue it out. Introduce the gray area like Nijiri, and poke some holes into both theories, leading to a greater understanding and more peaceful acceptance of both systems.
The Dangerous evil -
The Bigger evil -
Nijiri, you sweet boy. You sweet, sweet fool. I was so happy when Sunandi finally became more accepting of Ehiru's beliefs, but as his knowledge about the political events grew, it was heartbreaking to see how wrecked Ehiru became as a combination of stress and death.
The Shadowed Sun: 5 stars
What an absolutely splendid addition to this world! In comparison, The Killing Moon feels sort of dry and overtly religious. It sort of boggles my mind to realize all of this drama I'd been feeling about this revolution happened in one book! Highlighting the masterful writing of Jemisin to condense what feels like a duology into one book, which is in and of itself forms a duology with The Killing Moon! Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Ten years after the passing of the last Prince of Gujaareh, Avatar of Hananja, the Kisuati Protectorate grows restless as their occupation of the daughter-city proves to be more trouble than its worth. With the retired Speaker Sunandi running interference between the Hetawa an the Protectorate, tensions still rise as Kisuati soldiers and administrators move to overthrow the Hetawa which Sunandi knows, will throw the city into chaos. The lost prince Wanahomen has been in the desert gaining allies with the desert tribe Banbarra and conspiring with some Gujaareti nobles to win his rightful throne back. And to make things worse, a dreaming plague has been slowly infecting the city. Hanani, the Hetawa's only female member, is blamed for the death of a tithebearer and acolyte. To prove herself, Gatherer Nijiri assigns her a secret mission to support Wanahomen's succession and gain his trust as a Hetawan healer with the Banbarra. Gujaareh, the City of Dreams, has endured much in the last decade. Finally, its citizens will prove why they cannot be overlooked.
If you were missing emotional connections in the previous book, here you go! We've got a "will-she-won't-he" little dance routine between Hanani and Wanahomen. We've got social retrospectives looking at the subtler events leading up to the coup d'etat against the previous Prince Eninket. We've also got a really scary disease no one knows how to fight, and it's transmitted through dreams. All here! And while we still love marvelling at the scary cool power of the Gatherers, we get humongously more Hetawa narcomancy theory through Hanani and the Sharers' path. And then, of course, we love laughing at fools who don't observe conquered nations' traditions.
Tiaanet, oh Tiaanet. *TRIGGER WARNING* I've been binging Law & Order: SVU lately. No way Jose, will not stand for this. Like I mentioned in my notes, what kind of culture reveres women as goddesses, but also uses them to seal deals? The damn shunha. Shunha, who keep to the old Kisuati ways where women, while progressively independent, are still seen as objects and property I guess. Sanfi's such a dick. Sanfi's such a dick. Sanfi's such a dick.
Moreso than the first book, where we learned about the Gujaareh way and the Hetawa, we see more female dynamics. The power of women in Banbarra, even though the leaders are still men, the women are the ones who have more deciding power. It is kind of weird though. The opening of The Killing Moon predicates the divinity of women, though with The Shadowed Sun examining the differences between the three cultures, women are still commodities in Gujaareh. For example, women can do men's work in Kisuati, be demanding, have deciding power, etc. The Gujaareh, who consider women goddesses, can't imagine women demeaning themselves doing hard work like a man; and an honorable man tributes his woman with pleasure. And in the Banbarra, the women are the ones who are educated in merchant culture and trade the profits of their mens' raids and hunts, have mini-kingdoms determined by wealth, and have the ultimate deciding power in child custody and male partnerships. All in all, splitting various aspects of feminism and female independence across three cultures while subtly alluding to the inherent misogynism in each.
This is without taking into consideration the Gujaareh's unique view on death, dreams, and peace. Gujaareh is wealthy because it takes care of its poor and infirm. They celebrate death as a mercy, returning to the Dreaming Goddess, who loves peace above all. The Kisuati see this as major weakness, flaw, hence the tensions between the soldiers and its everyday citizens. Man, do we love some Hetawa flex here. The Banbarra, largely represented by Yanassa, is more of our modern viewpoint. Dance at our enemies' death, war is profitable.
Again, Jemisin throws lenses into moralities we take for granted.
It's kind of amazing the journey these characters go through. Some key pivotal points were cliche, but my focus was really drawn to the moral dilemma of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in general. I think it is handled quite well, where the key takeaway is that the terms rely on the patients' choice.
In the City of Dreams, power is shared between the royal family of the Prince and the religious order the Hetawa. Gujaareh, daughter nation of Kisua, is a place where magic thrives on dream tithes. Gatherers enforce the law, Sharers heal, and the Prince serves as the Avatar of the Sleeping Goddess Hananja Herself. Gatherer Ehiru, most beloved of Her Gatherers, is on a routine collection when the tithebearer ominously spies danger lurking over his shoulder and tries to warn him about a forbidden evil. Shaken, Ehiru accidentally destroys the tithebearer's soul and only years of discipline and faith hold him steady enough to reluctantly mentor the new Apprentice Nijiri. Together, both master and disciple discover that Hananja has been infected with corruption far deeper than expected, and with the help of the new Speaker of Kisua, Sunandi, they must prevent a great war between the parent and child nations before greed swallows them all.
I've noticed a characteristic of Jemisin's writing is shattering glass towers of belief, levelling the moral playing field. Gatherers are a sort of religious police force almost like sanctioned assassins, in the eyes of "barbarians" like Sunandi. For religious nuts like Ehiru and wise old folk, they realize that the magic employed by Ehiru is beneficial for the greater good; they can ease into death peacefully in paradise, and that dream energy will be given to the Sharers who heal and revive the infirm. Typical of Jemisin, to trap two stubborn and strong beliefs in a room and argue it out. Introduce the gray area like Nijiri, and poke some holes into both theories, leading to a greater understanding and more peaceful acceptance of both systems.
The Dangerous evil -
The Bigger evil -
Nijiri, you sweet boy. You sweet, sweet fool. I was so happy when Sunandi finally became more accepting of Ehiru's beliefs, but as his knowledge about the political events grew, it was heartbreaking to see how wrecked Ehiru became as a combination of stress and death.
The Shadowed Sun: 5 stars
What an absolutely splendid addition to this world! In comparison, The Killing Moon feels sort of dry and overtly religious. It sort of boggles my mind to realize all of this drama I'd been feeling about this revolution happened in one book! Highlighting the masterful writing of Jemisin to condense what feels like a duology into one book, which is in and of itself forms a duology with The Killing Moon! Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Ten years after the passing of the last Prince of Gujaareh, Avatar of Hananja, the Kisuati Protectorate grows restless as their occupation of the daughter-city proves to be more trouble than its worth. With the retired Speaker Sunandi running interference between the Hetawa an the Protectorate, tensions still rise as Kisuati soldiers and administrators move to overthrow the Hetawa which Sunandi knows, will throw the city into chaos. The lost prince Wanahomen has been in the desert gaining allies with the desert tribe Banbarra and conspiring with some Gujaareti nobles to win his rightful throne back. And to make things worse, a dreaming plague has been slowly infecting the city. Hanani, the Hetawa's only female member, is blamed for the death of a tithebearer and acolyte. To prove herself, Gatherer Nijiri assigns her a secret mission to support Wanahomen's succession and gain his trust as a Hetawan healer with the Banbarra. Gujaareh, the City of Dreams, has endured much in the last decade. Finally, its citizens will prove why they cannot be overlooked.
If you were missing emotional connections in the previous book, here you go! We've got a "will-she-won't-he" little dance routine between Hanani and Wanahomen. We've got social retrospectives looking at the subtler events leading up to the coup d'etat against the previous Prince Eninket. We've also got a really scary disease no one knows how to fight, and it's transmitted through dreams. All here! And while we still love marvelling at the scary cool power of the Gatherers, we get humongously more Hetawa narcomancy theory through Hanani and the Sharers' path. And then, of course, we love laughing at fools who don't observe conquered nations' traditions.
Tiaanet, oh Tiaanet. *TRIGGER WARNING* I've been binging Law & Order: SVU lately. No way Jose, will not stand for this. Like I mentioned in my notes, what kind of culture reveres women as goddesses, but also uses them to seal deals? The damn shunha. Shunha, who keep to the old Kisuati ways where women, while progressively independent, are still seen as objects and property I guess. Sanfi's such a dick. Sanfi's such a dick. Sanfi's such a dick.
Moreso than the first book, where we learned about the Gujaareh way and the Hetawa, we see more female dynamics. The power of women in Banbarra, even though the leaders are still men, the women are the ones who have more deciding power. It is kind of weird though. The opening of The Killing Moon predicates the divinity of women, though with The Shadowed Sun examining the differences between the three cultures, women are still commodities in Gujaareh. For example, women can do men's work in Kisuati, be demanding, have deciding power, etc. The Gujaareh, who consider women goddesses, can't imagine women demeaning themselves doing hard work like a man; and an honorable man tributes his woman with pleasure. And in the Banbarra, the women are the ones who are educated in merchant culture and trade the profits of their mens' raids and hunts, have mini-kingdoms determined by wealth, and have the ultimate deciding power in child custody and male partnerships. All in all, splitting various aspects of feminism and female independence across three cultures while subtly alluding to the inherent misogynism in each.
This is without taking into consideration the Gujaareh's unique view on death, dreams, and peace. Gujaareh is wealthy because it takes care of its poor and infirm. They celebrate death as a mercy, returning to the Dreaming Goddess, who loves peace above all. The Kisuati see this as major weakness, flaw, hence the tensions between the soldiers and its everyday citizens. Man, do we love some Hetawa flex here. The Banbarra, largely represented by Yanassa, is more of our modern viewpoint. Dance at our enemies' death, war is profitable.
Again, Jemisin throws lenses into moralities we take for granted.
July 1, 2021
As usual, great showing. The characters were simply complex, but also annoying in certain respects, but the world built is awesome.
March 5, 2018
4.5. that ending was perfection. I loved all the amazing, strong, well developed characters. Jemisin's world building is quite unrivaled in my opinion. I did fall into a bit of a slump in the middle of the 2nd book but I am mot sure if the book was actually to blame or just me and everything going on at the moment because even in the slump and when I hadn't picked up the book in days I could not stop thinking of Wana and Hanani, Sunadi and Najiri, and all others. Not your typical battles but I loved it even more so for that reason.
May 29, 2018
The Killing Moon - 4/5
I keep the rating from my previous read. The Gatherers are stange but we can relate to Nijiri - and at time with Ehiru - but the best character is without a doubt Sunandi!
Jemisin really knows how to write powerful women! :)
The Shadowed Sun - 4/5
This one has a slow start and it took me a long time to finally care for the characters.
But I do love Hanani!
I keep the rating from my previous read. The Gatherers are stange but we can relate to Nijiri - and at time with Ehiru - but the best character is without a doubt Sunandi!
Jemisin really knows how to write powerful women! :)
The Shadowed Sun - 4/5
This one has a slow start and it took me a long time to finally care for the characters.
But I do love Hanani!
May 8, 2018
No one creates new worlds like Nemison!
I was completely enchanted by both books. They are both the kind of book that asks something from the reader. You have to pay attention and learn the new ways of her new worlds. In return, you get the treat of gorgeously crafted, compelling stories and characters in contexts that give your imagination something to really CHEW on.
I was completely enchanted by both books. They are both the kind of book that asks something from the reader. You have to pay attention and learn the new ways of her new worlds. In return, you get the treat of gorgeously crafted, compelling stories and characters in contexts that give your imagination something to really CHEW on.
August 31, 2018
Check out my review here:
http://www.rewritelondon.com/portfoli...
http://www.rewritelondon.com/portfoli...
April 22, 2020
This is a review of the second book, The Shadowed Sun.
This book just really f***ing spoke to me. It's such an antidote to the Patriarchy and I LOVE it and you should read it. I read for 7 straight hours last night to finish this book at 6 o' clock in the morning ahhhhh
"even the smallest act of peace is a blessing upon the world."
This book has a balanced and enlightened philosophy. Reading this book makes me feel awake and like I know how to be a better human, a better presence on earth.
"So important to treasure life, protect it, understand it in fullness, while it yet lived."
“'Perhaps we can never weed corruption out of ourselves, not completely. But it’s important that we continue to try.'”
"The shiver passed through him again, stronger now, and with it came a sensation of rightness so powerful that he caught his breath. 'What you feel is balance,' said Hanani. 'Peace. Remember it. When that feeling shifts or fades, come back to this place and do what you just did. Or create a different place; it doesn’t matter. When you invoke your soulname, you shed the artifice of your waking self. When you create a realm in this empty place, everything—all that you see—is you. Change it, and change yourself.'"
"There was no peace in continuing to do what had already proven unworkable. Sometimes tradition itself disrupted peace, and only newness could smooth the way."
Her understanding of grief and the traumas we go through is just so spot-on.
"It was as if someone had reached inside her and hollowed out her soul. The edges of the empty place were raw, shaped to fit him; nothing would ever fill it."
"It helped, somehow, to know that she would not stop missing the people she loved. It felt—not good, but right, that the loss of her faith should leave a lasting scar."
Chef's kiss on how to look at being a human from a non-dominant group, on what it means to be a human under the Patriarchy:
“'Just because you have only now realized the potential of women does not mean that we have been fools all this time.'”
"'Earning honor for your clan—or your Hetawa, whichever—that makes you a woman. Glorying in your own beauty, mastering the power of your body, taking care of the world or at least the part of it close by'".
“'You will never be a man, Hanani, no matter how tightly you bind your breasts. You don’t want to be a man. And they may never accept you, no matter how well you follow their rules and ape their behavior. So why shouldn’t you embrace what you are? And serve in whatever damned way you want!'”
“'Any woman can face the world alone, but why should we have to?'”!
Ms. Jemisin respects the topics/cultures she covers so deeply, it enables her to display differences between them without judgement. She is a master of representing cultures at odds with respect and understanding that create such interesting and rich conflict, character arcs, and plot devices.
A tiny example: "Banbarra were so direct that he found them refreshing, even when they meant to be rude." A less tiny example: "In the wake of that, Sunandi could do nothing but allow a moment of proper Gujaareen silence. There was something to the custom, she had decided some years ago, of letting a brief passage of time cleanse the air, after dangerous words and thoughts had tainted it."
This book just really f***ing spoke to me. It's such an antidote to the Patriarchy and I LOVE it and you should read it. I read for 7 straight hours last night to finish this book at 6 o' clock in the morning ahhhhh
"even the smallest act of peace is a blessing upon the world."
This book has a balanced and enlightened philosophy. Reading this book makes me feel awake and like I know how to be a better human, a better presence on earth.
"So important to treasure life, protect it, understand it in fullness, while it yet lived."
“'Perhaps we can never weed corruption out of ourselves, not completely. But it’s important that we continue to try.'”
"The shiver passed through him again, stronger now, and with it came a sensation of rightness so powerful that he caught his breath. 'What you feel is balance,' said Hanani. 'Peace. Remember it. When that feeling shifts or fades, come back to this place and do what you just did. Or create a different place; it doesn’t matter. When you invoke your soulname, you shed the artifice of your waking self. When you create a realm in this empty place, everything—all that you see—is you. Change it, and change yourself.'"
"There was no peace in continuing to do what had already proven unworkable. Sometimes tradition itself disrupted peace, and only newness could smooth the way."
Her understanding of grief and the traumas we go through is just so spot-on.
"It was as if someone had reached inside her and hollowed out her soul. The edges of the empty place were raw, shaped to fit him; nothing would ever fill it."
"It helped, somehow, to know that she would not stop missing the people she loved. It felt—not good, but right, that the loss of her faith should leave a lasting scar."
Chef's kiss on how to look at being a human from a non-dominant group, on what it means to be a human under the Patriarchy:
“'Just because you have only now realized the potential of women does not mean that we have been fools all this time.'”
"'Earning honor for your clan—or your Hetawa, whichever—that makes you a woman. Glorying in your own beauty, mastering the power of your body, taking care of the world or at least the part of it close by'".
“'You will never be a man, Hanani, no matter how tightly you bind your breasts. You don’t want to be a man. And they may never accept you, no matter how well you follow their rules and ape their behavior. So why shouldn’t you embrace what you are? And serve in whatever damned way you want!'”
“'Any woman can face the world alone, but why should we have to?'”!
Ms. Jemisin respects the topics/cultures she covers so deeply, it enables her to display differences between them without judgement. She is a master of representing cultures at odds with respect and understanding that create such interesting and rich conflict, character arcs, and plot devices.
A tiny example: "Banbarra were so direct that he found them refreshing, even when they meant to be rude." A less tiny example: "In the wake of that, Sunandi could do nothing but allow a moment of proper Gujaareen silence. There was something to the custom, she had decided some years ago, of letting a brief passage of time cleanse the air, after dangerous words and thoughts had tainted it."
February 27, 2019
I am well aware I am in a big minority opinion about this duology. Part of it is me and my taste, I haven't read adult epic fantasy before - my preferred fantasy style is YA urban fantasy - and perhaps this wasn't the place to start with adult epic fantasy. But I want to read the Broken Earth trilogy down the line, so I really wanted to try Jemisin's writing style before that so I went with this one because there's only two books, not three or four.
The Killing Moon - 3.5 stars
The Shadowed Sun - 2 stars
Let me start with what I liked. This world is glorious. I loved the worldbuilding. I can tell Jemisin really thought a lot about the world, and its structure, and the magic in it. It's so obvious a lot of thought went into it, and it shows. I love that it's based on Egypt and Nubia. I love that characters are shown in text to have dark skin. Fantasy needs more of that and I was pleased to find it here. My biggest fantasy pet peeve is why, when creating new worlds where the logic of our world doesn't apply, so many authors carry over the prejudices of our world to these new ones. I'm glad this world stepped away from that and was socially different from other fantasy worlds I've read about.
I grew to like The Killing Moon more as I was reading The Shadowed Sun. I like the characters more in The Killing Moon, and I felt like things moved at a decent pace and I was involved the whole time. I also understood what was going on the whole time in The Killing Moon. Not so for The Shadowed Sun.
A flaw in both these books is that it takes so long for things to happen. There are so many pages of the plot crawling along at a snail's pace and it can be mind numbing. The Shadowed Sun really failed for me in this regard because it is so long and yet hundreds of pages go by when it felt like nothing was happening.
While The Shadowed Sun makes a lot of important points about rape and rape culture and includes discussions of sexual violence towards women, and it continues its lush and great worldbuilding, that wasn't enough for me to like this book. I felt like the plot meandered too much and I cared so much less about everyone, even the characters who are in both books, I didn't care about them in the second one. But what really ruins The Shadowed Sun is the romance. It's noxious and I hate it. It felt so out of place to me and I really hated how it dominated so much of the plot. Isn't there a war going on?? I don't care about these two people falling in love! Especially not after he sets her up to get raped and she has to kill herself in self defense which traumatizes her and then you know after a few hundred pages of angsting they get a happy ending. It didn't work for me.
If this wasn't the bind up edition I don't know if I would have picked up The Shadowed Sun, and I definitely don't think I would have fought to the end and read it all. Not the greatest introduction to Jemisin, but I've only heard the Broken Earth trilogy is a vast improvement from her earlier works so I am still hopeful.
The Killing Moon - 3.5 stars
The Shadowed Sun - 2 stars
Let me start with what I liked. This world is glorious. I loved the worldbuilding. I can tell Jemisin really thought a lot about the world, and its structure, and the magic in it. It's so obvious a lot of thought went into it, and it shows. I love that it's based on Egypt and Nubia. I love that characters are shown in text to have dark skin. Fantasy needs more of that and I was pleased to find it here. My biggest fantasy pet peeve is why, when creating new worlds where the logic of our world doesn't apply, so many authors carry over the prejudices of our world to these new ones. I'm glad this world stepped away from that and was socially different from other fantasy worlds I've read about.
I grew to like The Killing Moon more as I was reading The Shadowed Sun. I like the characters more in The Killing Moon, and I felt like things moved at a decent pace and I was involved the whole time. I also understood what was going on the whole time in The Killing Moon. Not so for The Shadowed Sun.
A flaw in both these books is that it takes so long for things to happen. There are so many pages of the plot crawling along at a snail's pace and it can be mind numbing. The Shadowed Sun really failed for me in this regard because it is so long and yet hundreds of pages go by when it felt like nothing was happening.
While The Shadowed Sun makes a lot of important points about rape and rape culture and includes discussions of sexual violence towards women, and it continues its lush and great worldbuilding, that wasn't enough for me to like this book. I felt like the plot meandered too much and I cared so much less about everyone, even the characters who are in both books, I didn't care about them in the second one. But what really ruins The Shadowed Sun is the romance. It's noxious and I hate it. It felt so out of place to me and I really hated how it dominated so much of the plot. Isn't there a war going on?? I don't care about these two people falling in love! Especially not after he sets her up to get raped and she has to kill herself in self defense which traumatizes her and then you know after a few hundred pages of angsting they get a happy ending. It didn't work for me.
If this wasn't the bind up edition I don't know if I would have picked up The Shadowed Sun, and I definitely don't think I would have fought to the end and read it all. Not the greatest introduction to Jemisin, but I've only heard the Broken Earth trilogy is a vast improvement from her earlier works so I am still hopeful.
April 19, 2023
I am just as impressed with N.K. Jemisin's writing skills in this series as I was with her work in "The Broken Earth" trilogy. I can't decide which I like more, because both are so unique and have their own favorable qualities. However, while the beginning of "The Broken Earth" series was the most difficult for me (with each installment settling a bit easier as I got used to the world), I had some trouble halfway through "The Dreamblood Duology," shifting from "The Killing Moon" to "The Shadowed Sun."
In "The Killing Moon," I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, this civilization has an interesting view of women. I wish that there were more female characters for readers to meet and interact with." My wish was granted in "The Shadowed Sun," with two more female narrators added in comparison with only one new male narrator. However, it quickly felt like a monkey's paw wish, because the female protagonists both started off with awful scenes of abuse and sexual brutality that chilled me to my bone. It felt like I was getting the female characters I wanted, but the price was being forced to see them horribly mistreated.
Nevertheless, once I got over my initial shock and distress, I grew more accepting of the stories Jemisin was trying to tell, and by the end of the duology, I was satisfied with how everything had ended. There was no love triangle between the two new female characters and the one new male character (despite my worst fears), and the romance that blossomed between just the two of them managed to endear itself to me by the finale.
I am constantly in awe of Jemisin's writing prowess and am looking forward to trying another of her series--after a brief rest, of course. One of my favorite elements she incorporates into both "The Dreamblood Duology" and "The Broken Earth Trilogy" is intense, non-romantic relationships, such as those between Nassun and Schaffa, and Ehiru and Nijiri. Each pair has an intense dynamic that stands out to me on the page, and it is fascinating to watch the characters fall into arguably unhealthy habits, killing for the people they love and defending the abuses they have committed in the past. That was part of why the transition from "The Killing Moon" to "The Shadowed Sun" was so difficult for me, I think: I was so caught up in the euphoria of Ehiru and Nijiri's wild relationship that I instinctively recoiled away from time-skips and talk of marriage.
In "The Killing Moon," I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, this civilization has an interesting view of women. I wish that there were more female characters for readers to meet and interact with." My wish was granted in "The Shadowed Sun," with two more female narrators added in comparison with only one new male narrator. However, it quickly felt like a monkey's paw wish, because the female protagonists both started off with awful scenes of abuse and sexual brutality that chilled me to my bone. It felt like I was getting the female characters I wanted, but the price was being forced to see them horribly mistreated.
Nevertheless, once I got over my initial shock and distress, I grew more accepting of the stories Jemisin was trying to tell, and by the end of the duology, I was satisfied with how everything had ended. There was no love triangle between the two new female characters and the one new male character (despite my worst fears), and the romance that blossomed between just the two of them managed to endear itself to me by the finale.
I am constantly in awe of Jemisin's writing prowess and am looking forward to trying another of her series--after a brief rest, of course. One of my favorite elements she incorporates into both "The Dreamblood Duology" and "The Broken Earth Trilogy" is intense, non-romantic relationships, such as those between Nassun and Schaffa, and Ehiru and Nijiri. Each pair has an intense dynamic that stands out to me on the page, and it is fascinating to watch the characters fall into arguably unhealthy habits, killing for the people they love and defending the abuses they have committed in the past. That was part of why the transition from "The Killing Moon" to "The Shadowed Sun" was so difficult for me, I think: I was so caught up in the euphoria of Ehiru and Nijiri's wild relationship that I instinctively recoiled away from time-skips and talk of marriage.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews