4 Stars for The Fifth Season

"This is the way the world ends.... for the last time"

I was immediately drawn into the mythology and Jemisin's writing. It took a few chapters to really get into the story but I think that had a bit to do with navigating through the vocabulary. Once I understood it enough not to be distracted by having to stop and think about what was what and who was who in relation to this "new to me" world, I couldn't put the book down.

As you continue to read, your initial patience pays off and things begin to make sense. The puzzle pieces easily shift into place and connections are made. Ultimately, you are rewarded for your initial confusion - for it seems it was all part of the author's unique storytelling.

The Fifth Season follows three women - Essun, Syenite and Damaya. The women are oregenes - humans with the ability to manipulate the earth. They each have an important story to tell for life has been hard in the Stillness and they have weathered many trials (violence, death, cruelty, racism & more).

The characters in this story, even the secondary ones, were engrossing and all add to the overall plot and pace of the story. The setting, the Stillness, is truly a fascinating world. In my mind it became almost like a character completely unto itself. It's such an unforgiving, harsh environment. Seismic activity is a constant threat to humankind and it truly brings meaning to the saying "survival of the fittest" with its end-of-the world effects.

Humankind survives these devastating "seasons" with the help of the oregenes like Essun, Syenite and Damaya, yet they are despised, feared and are actually slaves. This oppression is a big part of the story and was woven masterfully into the 3 stories. We begin to unknowingly, learn along with 1 of the characters and experience its wake in yet another.

Be forewarned: The story ends on a cliffhanger type revelation that leaves you maddeningly ready to jump into the next novel. This is a world I look forward to entering into again with Book 2.