Spoiler-Free Review
If you’re looking for a magic system based on a sophisticated form of Earth bending, a rich and intricately built world that suffers constant climate crisis, and well-developed themes of oppression and freedom – you have to read this trilogy.
Click here for content warnings.
What’s The Broken Earth about?
When a cataclysmic Earthquake strikes, Essun’s entire life flips. Her son is murdered, her daughter is kidnapped, and civilization falls. It’s war for survival, and Essun has to navigate this new reality to find her daughter.
Book 1: The Fifth Season
“When we say ‘the world has ended,’ it’s usually a lie, because the planet is just fine. But this is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. For the last time.”
This book blew me away with it’s worldbuilding and characters. From chapter to chapter, Jemisin expertly wove in new details about the world, never info dumping, and allowing the reader to intuit from context the exact meaning of most things. Which I love.
This book also kept me on my toes. Every single chapter surprised me. And every time I started getting comfortable, I was swiftly reminded not to be.
There was also some great representation in this book, which was welcome. Overall, it was a brilliant mix of grief, wonder, action, and loss, with a unique narrative voice.
Book 2: The Obelisk Gate
Like book 1, the narrative voice was strong here and the worldbuilding expanded. This installment answered many of the lingering questions about the magic system and the world, and the why for much of it.
We also got a couple new POVs added into the mix from characters that I desperately wanted to know more about from book 1. My curiosity on many fronts was satisfied, even while some of the situations were heartbreaking or disturbing. We expanded on some themes, including identity, growth, and complicated relationships.
In the process of having some questions answered, the pace would slow down a bit. There were some chapters in the middle that, while interesting, I had to really focus on to get through. But I’m glad I did.
Book 3: The Stone Sky
This finale felt very akin to book 2 in that we had a combination of continued lore-expansion, a fight for survival, and a new POV in addition to two we already know. We really dialed in on the themes in this one, reaching a climax that satisfies and devastates at the same time.
It was a great conclusion, though it went pretty much how I expected it to. That’s not a bad thing (my friends know how few things surprise me in plots). Though I do think it had a similar pacing issue as book 2, in that it would lose some momentum as things were explained. However, I was eager for the explanations we got, and wanted to understand. So I didn’t begrudge it for that.
Final Thoughts
When I reflect back on my reading experience for this trilogy, I mostly just think, “Wow.” It really took me on a journey. Book 1 established our characters and world, book 2 expanded our understanding, and book 3 showed us the how and why.
Many have described it as a “non-beginner-friendly” fantasy, and I can totally see why. It expects you to jump through some hoops, which I can appreciate because I love when authors respect my intelligence and ability to keep up. It felt like a mix of fantasy and sci-fi.
I also loved the 2nd-person POV for the main character’s chapters (ie, using the “you” pronoun). I love second person POV, and every time I come across it in a book, I’m instantly intrigued because I want to know two things: who is “you,” and who’s narrating? That’s something I loved about The Six Deaths of the Saint and A Dowry of Blood. This trilogy does a great job giving that POV choice narrative purpose.
Should you read The Broken Earth?
If you enjoy reading about oppressed magical humans who must fight for their freedom and even their right to live, The Broken Earth is the trilogy for you. If you would find meaning in a main character who’s a mother, and whose motherhood is central to the story, definitely read this. Doubly so if you also like multi-POV fantasy, climate crisis apocalypses, and subplots from the perspective of children navigating an unkind world.
Going into The Broken Earth trilogy, be prepared for it to drop you right in. The story starts, and you have to keep up as you go, and be okay with not having all your questions answered right away. If you feel confident in your ability to take in information about fantasy worlds and characters with little-to-no direct explanation, or if you might like the challenge, then have at it.
Some of the themes are intense – definitely read the content warnings if you feel you should. I thought these themes were explored well and did justice to them, but they can be heavy all the same. In these books, no one is ever truly safe from harm. It’s the end of the world, after all.
I also recommend reading this trilogy back-to-back. There are so many details, and they could be easy to forget if you separate each read by too much time.
If you’ve read this trilogy, I’m curious to know what you thought!
I would love to have you around! Subscribe below.
