Jemisin concludes her Broken Earth trilogy about a vengeful Earth whose tectonic instability can be controlled by the despised and feared orogenes. One of these orogenes, a woman named Essun, is determined to end the tectonic instability once and for all, appeasing the Earth, and possibly reconciling with her daughter in the process. Can it be achieved - especially now she's taking control of the Obelisk Gate and is turning to stone? The powerful and painful collide in The Stone Sky.

Essun has learned to take control of the Obelisk Gate, but she’s now suffering the same side effects as Alabaster. Every time she uses her powers, part of her turns to stone. Still, now she’s powerful enough that she might be able to use the Obelisk Gate to bring back the moon, appeasing a planet dead set on killing all of humanity. But which is more important: saving the world or saving her daughter, Nassun? Nassun doesn’t want to save the world. After everything she’s been through, she’s decided it’s better to burn it all down. And her power is growing to rival her mother’s. What happens when Essun and Nassun meet again? Can the earth be appeased? Read to find out.

As mentioned, The Stone Sky concludes N.K. Jemisin's The Broken Earth trilogy, a post-apocalyptic fantasy series. This entry is perhaps the most intense in the entire series, as Essun is forced to make some truly devastating choices (no spoilers). The Stone Sky is also a very brilliant and unusual entry into the world of fantasy. The Stone Sky centers around abuse and exploitation, and in many ways, is using fantasy to address real-world exploitations and trauma. This isn't meant to be escape fare. Jemisin writes a number of gruesome scenes with a steel-eyed resolve. And perhaps the most unusual element of this series is it's focus: It also centers on age and dying. Not death. Dying. Characters limbs are literally falling off because they use magic. Where most fantasy stories - even dark ones - focus on the redemption of our heroes, this one isn't about some happy-ever-after. There is some redemption here - kind of - but it's messy. And another the Earth may be appeased in the end, healing takes time, and as Jemisin reminds us: there is much work to do if we wish to make a better society.

Ms. Jemisin set up the cataclysmic finale of the reunion of mother and daughter, on different sides of whether or not to destroy the world and in The Stone Sky, she sticks the landing. It is truly exhilarating, powerful and painful to witness such reunion. The characters are what make THE STONE SKY and the entire Broken Earth trilogy exemplary reads, but I would be remiss if I didn't give credit to the amazing world that Jemisin has created within these books. It’s the world and the author that shaped these characters. There are a lot of parallels with this fictional Earth and our Earth: the prejudice for those who are different; judging others by their skin tone, their hair, their talents, and their downfalls. Not to mention the cataclysmic world of The Stillness mirrors our own current climate crisis.

The Broken Earth series is a heartbreaking, epic,, powerful, and fresh fantasy series that deserves to be sat right next to Tolkien on the shelf due to it's rich characterizations, worldbuilding, and influence on the genre in the years to come.

I look forward to revisiting this challenging series again and again to work through all it's nuances. Good job Jemisin.



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This is one series I should have read back to back to back. It s a dense book and cleverly written. It took me a few pages to remember the players and what they were all working towards. This series was brilliant though. Like nothing I have read before. ( )

I blew through this book in a matter of days and now I'm sad because there is and won't be any more. This series was a fantastic read, Jemisin has a unique style and she does spoon-feed you the answer to every question. The characters were complex and there was no obvious good-guy / bad-guy situation. The underlying message of a people attacking it's planet for its resources and killing their environment in the process (without criticism or activism) was a nice touch. Also, the whole series had a quality which made me like it in a way that I don't even understand myself. I'm very curious where Jemisin will go next! ( )

If you haven't started reading N.K. Jemisin yet, you really should. This is brilliant stuff. Fantasy, post-apocalyptic and complex. As with the best of genre fiction, it speaks to the here-and-now as well as the fantastic universe she has built. Her characters are true-to-life and complicated. Her world is believable and thrilling. I cannot wait to read her other works. ( )

I can't believe the series is over. It blew through me so quickly. One of the best trilogies I've had the pleasure to read in my life. Older now, I have a deep appreciation for a novel that does something different than its genre suggests. This trilogy, and this book, has done that in spades. Beautiful imagery, imaginative world-building and characters that will leave a lasting impression.

Read it. ( )