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Book Review
Feb. 6th, 2018 10:40 pmThe Shadowed Sun
by N.K. Jemisin
This is the brilliant sequel to The Killing Moon. After the events of that book, Gujaareh is struggling under a foreign occupation. In the midst of this, Hanani works to find her place as the first woman among the Sharers, the healer-priests of Hananja. At the same time, Wanahomen, son and heir of the previous Prince of Gujaareh, lives among a desert tribe, preparing to take back his city. As a strange and deadly plague of nightmares grips the city, Hanani and her mentor are sent to the desert tribe as an act of surety for the priesthood's alliance with Wanahomen.
I think this one is even better than its predecessor. There's so much here, but the narrative never feels rushed or overstuffed. Nothing feels glossed over. All of the main characters are complicated and interesting, and Hanani and Wanahomen have great developmental arcs. They also have a really terrific love story that is not about sweeping romance but about two people falling in love and figuring out what they really want and how to make it all work. The plot centers around both the battle for Gujaareh and the struggle to find one's place, and while neither of these are revolutionary storylines, Jemisin fills those old bottles with the best wine. She has a keen eye for exploring what these things really cost and how traumatic experiences can affect someone, which gives the story a lot of depth and makes it extremely compelling.
by N.K. Jemisin
This is the brilliant sequel to The Killing Moon. After the events of that book, Gujaareh is struggling under a foreign occupation. In the midst of this, Hanani works to find her place as the first woman among the Sharers, the healer-priests of Hananja. At the same time, Wanahomen, son and heir of the previous Prince of Gujaareh, lives among a desert tribe, preparing to take back his city. As a strange and deadly plague of nightmares grips the city, Hanani and her mentor are sent to the desert tribe as an act of surety for the priesthood's alliance with Wanahomen.
I think this one is even better than its predecessor. There's so much here, but the narrative never feels rushed or overstuffed. Nothing feels glossed over. All of the main characters are complicated and interesting, and Hanani and Wanahomen have great developmental arcs. They also have a really terrific love story that is not about sweeping romance but about two people falling in love and figuring out what they really want and how to make it all work. The plot centers around both the battle for Gujaareh and the struggle to find one's place, and while neither of these are revolutionary storylines, Jemisin fills those old bottles with the best wine. She has a keen eye for exploring what these things really cost and how traumatic experiences can affect someone, which gives the story a lot of depth and makes it extremely compelling.
