![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin
(If you're on my flist, you probably already know, but hey, I got this book yesterday, and read it all by today, so that says something...)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has two fascinating premises: Enslaved gods being used as the foundation for an empire, and a young woman, Yeine, thrust into a battle for the throne in a nest of hateful political intrigue.
Instead of the typical "Fantasy quest" format, 100K Kingdoms chooses to follow more along the lines of brutal detective fiction - it's all about secrets, betrayals, forbidden affairs and revenge, revenge, revenge. And this is what makes it work - the story stays strong in the characters and the situation, not falling into fantasy element fanboyism. The characters are all multilayered, with interesting motivations, even the secondary characters.
As I read this book, I could only think more and more to the detective genre, especially as Yeine just finds each answer providing more questions, and the pressure being turned up, each step of the way. Yeine's portrayal skillfully manages to stay in the space of an intelligent and determined protagonist, yet inexperienced and under extreme pressure - her mistakes are understandable and human.
Bonus: People of color! Gay characters! In fantasy! And it doesn't have to be "special interest"!
Quibbles: I feel like the Yeine is the only female character who gets fully rounded out. The Goddesses, Scimina, Yeine's mother, all felt like folks I wanted some more scenes or motivations from. (Relad, too, as a male character I wanted another scene or two with).
Overall: I highly recommend it! It's a fun read, has fantastic characters, scary magic, and shady, shady drama.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has two fascinating premises: Enslaved gods being used as the foundation for an empire, and a young woman, Yeine, thrust into a battle for the throne in a nest of hateful political intrigue.
Instead of the typical "Fantasy quest" format, 100K Kingdoms chooses to follow more along the lines of brutal detective fiction - it's all about secrets, betrayals, forbidden affairs and revenge, revenge, revenge. And this is what makes it work - the story stays strong in the characters and the situation, not falling into fantasy element fanboyism. The characters are all multilayered, with interesting motivations, even the secondary characters.
As I read this book, I could only think more and more to the detective genre, especially as Yeine just finds each answer providing more questions, and the pressure being turned up, each step of the way. Yeine's portrayal skillfully manages to stay in the space of an intelligent and determined protagonist, yet inexperienced and under extreme pressure - her mistakes are understandable and human.
Bonus: People of color! Gay characters! In fantasy! And it doesn't have to be "special interest"!
Quibbles: I feel like the Yeine is the only female character who gets fully rounded out. The Goddesses, Scimina, Yeine's mother, all felt like folks I wanted some more scenes or motivations from. (Relad, too, as a male character I wanted another scene or two with).
Overall: I highly recommend it! It's a fun read, has fantastic characters, scary magic, and shady, shady drama.