The further I get into a series, the harder it is for me to review each individual book because so much of my opinion relies on understanding everything that happened in the preceding books. More than usual, I find it so difficult to express what this series has made me feel.
Just saying "it was amazing" or "it was mind-blowing" starts to feel repetitive & those common compliments don't really do the novel justice. That is 1000% the case with The Broken Earth trilogy.
This series is so complex, so full of raw emotion, & so beautifully distinct from other books of this genre.
The writing here is some of the most engrossing I've ever read in my life. Jemisin is equal parts artist & scientist with her eloquent prose & meticulously organized plot points.
I always say that I struggle to stay engaged with Hard Sci-Fi. I don't know if these books should be classified as Hard Sci-Fi, as they don't drone on & on in bouts of irrelevant tech speak, but they're similar in that there are so many facets to the science.
But where Hard Sci-Fi often strikes me as boring, this series had me solidly engaged. It seems almost as though it's morphed together a handful sub-genres under the SFF banner & created an umbrella all its own.
The scope of this story makes me feel so small; it is so full of detail & history that I feel as though I'm reading about events that have actually played out in some far away universe.
Something I really appreciate in a series is reread value. I have no doubt The Broken Earth is a series that will have more to reveal upon each read through.
The wrap of to this series is devastating but also wonderfully appropriate & well-crafted. I believe with this concluding novel Jemisin has truly set herself apart, not just as an author, but also as a vital contributor to the direction in which Fantasy will evolve as time goes on.
I can say no more than to read this series & take the journey for yourself, but I will caution you that you must have patience. Nothing is immediately clear, and this story takes its time revealing itself to you, but I promise it is more than worth it.
