I don't typically read adult fiction, much less high fantasy, but wow. I am still reeling from this book. I listened on audio off and on over a period of around seven months, so after finishing I had to go back to the beginning and reread. And then I just started rereading everything. This book is /so/ well structured, and the way everything comes together is mind-blowing. I am in awe of Jemisin's skill. And despite listening to it over such a long period, I didn't forget where I was, or lose interest in the story.

If you're up for a mind-blowing read, this book is for you. If you're up for a heavy story that faces the cruelty people are capable of, and the love that rises to that challenge, and the humanity of mistakes and regret, this book is for you.

Enjoy the ride.

"I wanted
to be able to love. And we all
know
how that one goes,
don't we?"

"How does any of us live in this
world?
One thing compensates for
another, I suppose.
Sometimes what's wrong does
not hurt at all, but rather
shines like a new moon."

"I wanted to live
my life
but I didn't want to do what I
had to do
to go on, which was: to go back."

"and there was a new voice,
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and
deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save."

"The sea
isn't a place
but a fact, and
a mystery."

"speech, that gives us all there
may be of the future--
speech, that makes all the
difference, we like to say.
And I say: in the wilderness of
our wit
we will all cry out last words--
heave and spit them
into the shattering universe
someday, to someone."

"I knew the wound was
made
for a way to stay alive."

"If you notice anything,
it leads you to notice
more
and more."

"If I stopped and thought,
maybe
the world
can't be saved,
the pain
was unbearable."

"there are clouds
in the sky wherever
that is"

"The way I'd like to go on living
in this world
wouldn't hurt anything, I'd
just go on
walking uphill and downhill,
looking around,
and so what if half the time I
don't know
what for?"

"while birds exploded into
heavenly
hymns of rough song and the
vultures
drifted like black angels and
clearly nothing
needed to be saved."

"the long work
of turning their lives
into a celebration
is not easy."

And if this doesn't say everything you need to get you to read this collection, I don't know what will.

3.5

I'm not a huge dog person (I prefer cats, really), but this was very cute. She went deep sometimes, and I kind of wish she had gone deeper at various points. But it was, ultimately, a dear little collection encapsulating her love for dogs, and it didn't really have claims to be more than that. The illustrations were beautiful too. Would be a good gift for the dog lover in your life!

Great concept, poorly executed. Didn't really like the art, and none of the relationships were developed at all; they just kind of happened. Read kinda like a first draft, tbh.

This one gets an extra star for stunning artwork! The watercolor was so beautiful and visually appealing. The story was good--a lot of exposition, and a little convenient at the end, but it was spooky and fun overall!