▐ WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARDS 2017 for best novel▐

4.5 stars. I see you. "I can't stand Fantasy novels! They're all the same! There are too many characters! It's predictable! Unrealistic! Not diverse!" ← Trust me, I hear you. The Obelisk Gate is different, though, and here's why you should give it a chance :

① You're very tired of reading the same uninspired writing over and over again? Fear no more! N.K. Jemisin's writing is nothing short of fantastic, with perhaps the best second Person POV I've ever read. Indeed she manages to master it so well that we almost forget how rare that is. Sure, I've been a little worried after the ending of The Fifth Season, given that the narrator's identity was spoiled at this time. Yet it made the experience even better for me in the sequel, especially because we got snippets of what this character was feeling, and well...

Spoiler

I love his stone ass, okay?

② You can't stand the sight of these same white, cis, abled, male main characters that Fantasy books force down our throat 99% of the time. Fear no more! I've already praised it in The Fifth Season, but it's rare enough to repeat it endlessly : N.K. Jemisin's world is SO diverse, I love it. Several characters are POC (including the female lead), there is a polyamorous relationship in book 1, a disabled main character, an F/F romance... I'm sure I forget some, but what you need to know is this : the world created by N.K. Jemisin is diverse, and hence realistic. Way to prove how ridiculous it is to think that a full white/cis/straight/etc cast is possible. That's called laziness.

③ You've not been awed by a magic system since forever, mostly because they all sound the same, one way or another (they really are). Fear no more! I've read two books in this series now, and I still want to learn more about orogeny, because I find the concept fascinating. Not to mention that the winks to the real world - and environment issues - make it even better.

④ You've read 30% of The Fantasy Book and again, you already know how the fucking book will end because hey! You've read it before! Fear no more! The Obelisk Gate offers such an intricate and captivating plot that you won't be bored one second. Trust me. PAGE TURNER ALERT.

⑤ If you hate Fantasy casts more often than not, complaining that there are way too many characters to remember, chance are... you're just not reading great Fantasy novels. Indeed what make them insufferable is not the number of characters in my opinion, but the thing that we can't separate them because they all sound the same and don't bring anything more to the story. If every fucking one is flat and unable to interest you, I feel your pain, truly. Fear no more! The Obelisk Gate brings well-rounded secondary characters to life and pictures multi-layered MC I LOVED. Not to mention the amazing characters dynamics that feel so real and moved me something fierce.

⑥ HOA. I WILL PROTECT HIM WITH MY LIFE OKAY. Sure, I already liked him in The Fifth Season, but he hit me right in the feels in this one and honestly I'm so emotional just rereading quotes, it's not even funny.

Now the real question is : what are you waiting for? Start this series already.

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