This book really surprised me! I was surprised by how different it is from the stereotypical images we have of a green monster with bolts in his neck This book really surprised me! I was surprised by how different it is from the stereotypical images we have of a green monster with bolts in his neck rising from a table as a mad science gleefully yells, "it's alive!" and Igor claps his hands. The monster is white with no bolts, the scientist is terrified by his creation, and there is no Igor.
I was also surprised by how relevant this story is still today. And by the topics it touched upon. It discussed the creation of self image, the struggle of finding where we feel like we belong, and even the middle Eastern treatment of women, for example. I was surprised by how little I knew about how this story actually went.
This is an intimate story between two people--you can think of them as a father and son--trying to work out their relationship with each other, and letting hatred, misery, and bitterness get between them. It's not a large scale epic that ends with the villagers storming the laboratory with pitch forks and torches.
Party of the horror, for me, was watching the incredible potential for good, joy, and happiness so thoroughly destroyed. This is a tragedy that is still very relevant today, and I would recommend this book to anyone....more
This was a fun story! I lived how Weir uses such solid science for the majority of the story, and the science he makes up is generally plausible. I feThis was a fun story! I lived how Weir uses such solid science for the majority of the story, and the science he makes up is generally plausible. I felt like this was a really fun science class-physics, astronomy, chemistry, and all in one class with an instructor who doesn't have all the answers and you all get to learn together. I was curious how the story would end, and I thought the ending was brilliant!
This is not a linear story--there are flashbacks throughout to help explain how Grace got to where he is at in the beginning. As a heads up, the parts in space are really heavy on the science and problem solving. It's not an action packed story, though it does keep you in suspense pretty well. The flashbacks have a little more action to them, and there's more intrigue in those parts. What I'm saying is that this is a cerebral story that focuses on thinking through problems more than action adventure. I really enjoyed this book, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea. If it is, though, I think you will really enjoy it!...more
This is going to be a long review, just as a heads up, because I'm reviewing all three books in this series, and these books have made me think a lot This is going to be a long review, just as a heads up, because I'm reviewing all three books in this series, and these books have made me think a lot about myself, my values, and the role of books in our lives.
First of all, a warning for anyone that may need it. These books contain many explicit sex scenes, but these get less frequent as the series progresses and by the second book they are no longer explicit. The entire series has frequent swearing (especially the use of the F-word), death of young children, abuse of children, heavily implied pedophilia (although it condemns such as the evil it is), transsexual characters, bisexual characters, homosexual characters, and free sex in general with anyone and multiple anyones.
I was trying to expand the diversity of authors I read, and these elements were so prevalent in the first book, "The Fifth Season," that I nearly quit the series. However, as I thought about it, I decided that I chose to start this series because it presented a different point of view from my own, and while I may not agree with this point of view, I do think it is still valid. And so, to continue with my original goal of expanding the ideas I am exposed to, I continued to read the series. And I'm glad I did.
Jemisin does some fascinating things with her writing. In particular, she uses the second person point of view not only successfully, but artfully. I've never seen someone use the second person quite like she does in these books. It's an interesting way of bringing the reader literally into the story. She uses point of view in general to do some fun things with time, especially in the first book.ÌýÌý
This series is also an interesting commentary on slavery and racial inequality in general. This reading is a little more subtle in the first book, more overt in the second book, and very clear in the third book. A big contributing factor to this type of reading is the fact that many of the main characters have darker skin, and the main magic race, the orogenes, is essentially enslaved. And yet, I did not think that such commentary ever came across as preachy or too on the nose. Jemisin trusts her readers to take what she has given then and draw their own parallels without any hand holding. Ìý The characters are also very relatable and believable. There are many heartbreaking moments that are heartbreaking because they are consistent with the characters involved, and yet you care for these characters so much you want something better for them. I also liked how the different sides of the battles were not always unified. Not all humans, or rock eaters, or guardians, or any race, had the same motives or goals. There were complex social dynamics within and between these races.
Along those lines very few characters are all bad or all good. Our protagonist does some reprehensible things that even she regrets. While some of the "bad guys" show us a change of heart, or that their motives are better than their actions let on. Some enemies become allies, and some allies become enemies. I especially like how the character Schaffa is handled. (He may be one of my favorite characters in the book, along with Hoa.) I thought it would go one way and it went a different way. And I wasn't sure how things had really changed until well into book 3. Ìý The magic system Jemisin creates is a lot of fun. It acts synergistically with the world building to create a really solid and concrete world, which is appropriate for a magic system set up around seismic activity and geological elements. It's fresh and allows for some interesting problem solving for the characters.
I also really liked the ending of "The Stone Sky." Like any good story, the ending is sad, happy, inspiring, and well done. There are many profound lines here at the end of the world for the last time.
All in all, I enjoyed this series. I skipped over parts I didn't want to read, and I enjoyed those parts I did read. I would say that even though this series contains the elements I mentioned at the start, Jemisin handles the darker topics (such as abuse and murder of children) with, what I feel is, appropriate reverence, without glorifying it or brushing it off as non consequential. She does not advocate these practices, but uses them to portray the desperation and misunderstanding of these characters in a truly terrible situation.
She does seem to advocate for free and open sex and gender identities, and she has no problem with profanity. This does disappointment me, because I feel like it usually distracts from the story, but I can understand that this is where Jemisin is coming from and the type of story she is driven to write.
So, if you are bothered by the things I mentioned at the beginning (and you're not trying to expand the points of view you are reading) then this series is not for you.
However, if you are someone looking for quality writing and a solid story with diverseÌýrepresentation, and you can put up with the things mentioned at the beginning, then I would highly recommend this series to you....more
This book handled sex so much better than the first book. The free sex theme continues, but it is not as frequent or explicit. Thank you! The theme ofThis book handled sex so much better than the first book. The free sex theme continues, but it is not as frequent or explicit. Thank you! The theme of slavery, and this story as a metaphoric commentary on slavery, is also stronger in this book. It continues to give me a lot to think about. To see my thoughts on the whole series, please read my review of Book #3, "The Stone Sky."...more
It's always interesting to read the classics and see what society has wrong or inaccurate about the story. I was surprised to learn that the main charIt's always interesting to read the classics and see what society has wrong or inaccurate about the story. I was surprised to learn that the main character is the lawyer friend of Dr. Jekyll, among other things. I was also surprised by how much suspense Stevenson creates in the last part of the book. Definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in learning the true story and philosophy behind Jekyll and Hyde....more
I have seen a lot of critiques of this book online, and I do not wish to join them. While this book is not perfect, I admire anyone willing to seriousI have seen a lot of critiques of this book online, and I do not wish to join them. While this book is not perfect, I admire anyone willing to seriously take on a classic and strive to add to it.Ìý
I read this book right after reading Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde, and I really enjoyed the callbacks, or "Easter eggs" that Anthony O'Neill included throughout the book. I did not agree with his characterization of Mr. Utterson until I reached the end. Then, I felt like O'Neill provided a solid reason why he characterized Utterson the way he did.Ìý
It's an interesting idea, and exploration into reality and fantasy and I thought O'Neill kept that line blurry enough to keep me guessing.Ìý
If you enjoyed the Stevenson novel, I would recommend this one too. Don't read it analytically, just read it for the enjoyment of being with these characters again. It's a fun extension of the world of Jekyll and Hyde.Ìý...more
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