[KIBS] Finished: THE STONE SKY by N. K. Jemisin
- From: Mike <mike@xxxxxxxx>
- To: KIBS Literary Treehouse <KIBS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2019 22:18:26 +0000
* Mike wrote on 2019-01-21 22:44 +0000:
Started reading THE STONE SKY by N. K. Jemisin today 2019-01-21. This
is the third and final book in 'The Broken Earth' series.
Finished reading THE STONE SKY by N. K. Jemisin today 2019-01-27.
I finished the trilogy. I enjoyed it mostly. The first book, THE FIFTH
SEASON, is by far the strongest and best-written. THE OBELISK GATE gets
bogged down in place-setting for THE STONE SKY, and the STONE SKY sort
of sticks the landing.
Despite being relatively short, it takes a long time to get to its
conclusion. It spends a long time filling in the backstory of one of
the more mysterious characters, and doesn't do a great job of it. He
became less interesting as I learned more about him.
The ending was telegraphed quite early on in the previous book, and I
got impatient waiting for all the characters to get there. When we get
to the climax, it doesn't really work.
Essun is accompanied by the typical eclectic group of friends and
followers after an entirely unconvincing feint where she worries none of
them will come with her. I wasn't sold at all on their reasons for
following her; the relationships lacked development in this regard and
it felt like they followed her because She Is The Heroine.
Worse: when they *do* go with her on the Epic Final Journey to Save the
World, they basically do nothing once they get there except stand on a
rooftop and watch(!).
A real shame. The first book was so good, and all three instalments won
Hugo Awards, but I really don't feel two and three lived up to the
opener.
--
MIKE, KIBS Member #2
"Since my house burned down
I now have a better view
of the rising moon."
-- Mizuta Masahide
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