As a privileged, white female, one of my shortcomings is that while I am very aware of sexism, sometimes a lack of racial diversity is lost on me. It absolutely isn't because I don't care or don't fully acknowledge that change needs to happen but when you see your own race represented all over the place, it isn't always automatic to think about all those people who aren't being adequately represented. It's an ongoing re-learning process. The same way I have to scold myself when my mind forms judgements of other women that I absolutely don't believe but that are so deeply ingrained that my mind jumps there anyway.

There is a point to this introductory rant, I promise. What I am leading up to is that I don't think it had fully registered with me, prior to reading Jemisin's work, the extent to which PoC are under represented in fantasy writing. I am always quick to disown authors that I feel do a poor job of representing women (*cough* Robert Jordan *cough*) but as I've read first her Inheritance Trilogy and now The Fifth Season and the thing that has perhaps struck me most about her work is just how inclusive it is. What's more, the way she handles that inclusivity. She's created an entire fantasy world, of course there is going to be a multitude of different races. It would hardly make sense if there weren't, right? On top of that she's constantly handling themes of racial and cultural repression and it's hard not to, as you're witnessing characters you've grown attached to be subject to awful behaviour and find yourself getting worked up by it, step back and have a look at the world we actually live in.

It isn't just race that Jemisin tackles seamlessly. Hers are the first fantasy novels I can remember reading that handle topics of sexuality and gender with such... fluidity. In one, almost throwaway line we find out that the protagonists female travelling companion has a penis. We have a beautifully functioning poly-amorous relationship. A gay, primary character. Really, really strong but perfectly flawed female protagonists.

She is without a doubt one of the most progressive fantasy or science fiction authors I have ever come across and the books themselves are amazing. Absolutely recommend x 10000.