Book Review: The Fifth Season

Here’s my book review for The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve read it too. And check out today’s writing prompt at the bottom of this post.

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin was an intensely interesting book written by an intensely interesting mind that was likely influenced by Octavia E. Butler and Toni Morrison, two of my favorite authors (although I would still need to verify that, of course). This novel is one of the more interesting fantasy novels I’ve read, that’s for sure. And it will take you on an interesting and intense journey, so be prepared for that before you read it. 

First, I should say that it’s important to read this novel well past the first 250 pages (about half of the book) if you want to see what it’s all about. It takes a while to get accustomed to all the different names and places and narratives. Unfortunately, for me, this wasn’t necessarily a good thing. But then again, fantasy is not my go-to genre, and I am not always particularly fond of intricate world-building because I believe it limits my own imagination as a reader. I would rather paint my own picture while reading than have a picture both outlined and painted fully for me, in other words. That being said, however, if you enjoy books by authors who build intricate worlds and offer vivid descriptions of them, you will likely LOVE this novel. I, on the other hand, liked the novel and appreciated the novel, but didn’t necessarily love it. 

Jemisin did a phenomenal job detailing and mapping out the Stillness and its inhabitants’ traits and living situations, as well as their collective fears and anxieties. There is no doubt that you are in a dystopic world with distinct castes and victims of oppression who have a rich lore. It was interesting learning about all the different towns and peoples once you realize how they all puzzle into the main narrative of the novel. And learning snippets about the lore was interesting, too. 

Overall, I did enjoy the journey this novel took me on, as I was always anticipating the next catastrophe and discovery. I appreciated the surprises the narrator reveals about Essun in the last third of the novel, which allowed the novel to come together more cohesively. I also found the chapters written in the second person (as if the reader is Essun) to be unique, as you don’t see many novels written in the second person.  

Yet despite all the tragedy and heartache that happens throughout the novel, I did not ultimately feel connected to the characters in the novel. Oftentimes, it felt like the narrator was offering facts and judgments rather than one or more of the characters’ personal perspectives and insights. Perhaps the world-building and details about the world distracted me from getting to know, and feel for, the characters more intimately? Again, this is coming from someone like me who tends to gravitate toward character-driven novels rather than novels with significant world-building. There were many times while I was reading this novel that I felt I was being told a story, seeing it from a distance, rather than experiencing it firsthand, which left me feeling detached from it. But if you enjoy world-building and novels that paint a picture for you, you will definitely enjoy this novel. 

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Today’s Writing Prompt