The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-Read 1/20/24:

I may not say this is one of the best stories I've ever read, any more, BUT I do say that there are few far future Hard-SF/Fantasy books that do as good a job as this when it comes to multiple layers of pain, betrayal, attempted renewal, and redemption.

This is true for the personal level, for almost every character, AND the geological level. Just who is broken in this Broken Earth? I'd say we all are.

But, as we learned in the first book -- This is the End.

I still love it.



Original Review:

There's really no easy way to put this, so I'll come right out and say it.

This is one of the very best stories I've ever read.

All together now, all three books in this trilogy, together, make up one hell of a great story.

I am amazed. I cried. I was blown away by the sheer immensity of what was going on, of the implications and the revelations and the final action.

Sure, we knew that one of two things must happen by the end of the second book, but I hadn't quite realized just how invested I'd have gotten by that point. I didn't know how it would happen or what kinds of complications might arise or just how much enemies had turned into allies or who was good or bad... because that was never the point of these books.

We are all people. Every single one of us... whether stone eater, rogga, or still. The fact that the point is far from belabored, rather gorgeous in exploration and execution, makes it more than icing on this cake. I'm simply shaken to my core.

This is one of the best stories I've ever read.

It's more than sheer imagination, storytelling skill, world-building, or fantastically complicated characters or world-shattering events. It's ART.

I am 100% squealing fanboy here.

I actually whooped aloud as I was reading and startled my daughter. :)

THIS is why I read. This is the sheer fascination I always try to hold onto. :)

THANK YOU!

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