NK Jemisin completes the 'Broken Earth' trilogy in very fine style, giving the story of Essun, Nessun and the Stillness to a fitting and satisfying conclusion.
The story is told in three strands. That of Essun, and the remnants of the comm of Castrima as they make a difficult forced march across the wracked continent of The Stillness to find refuge of a sort in the abandoned city of Renmanis. Concurrently, the flight of Nessun and the Guardian Schaffa from Jekitty comm, where Nessun has killed her father Jija in self defence, to Corepoint reveals the bones of the the Earth, in all its majesty and magic. These contemporary accounts are interwoven with the story of the origins of the Stillness, many thousands of years past. The reasons for the Seasons, the arrogance and hubris of the civilization of Syl Anagist is laid bare. We learn how the Guardians were made, and how the Stone Eaters came to be.
In the final confrontation, Essun and Nesun face a terrible choice. Must the Earth be ended to end the suffering, or might great sacrifice be able to mend the world.
The story is told in three strands. That of Essun, and the remnants of the comm of Castrima as they make a difficult forced march across the wracked continent of The Stillness to find refuge of a sort in the abandoned city of Renmanis. Concurrently, the flight of Nessun and the Guardian Schaffa from Jekitty comm, where Nessun has killed her father Jija in self defence, to Corepoint reveals the bones of the the Earth, in all its majesty and magic. These contemporary accounts are interwoven with the story of the origins of the Stillness, many thousands of years past. The reasons for the Seasons, the arrogance and hubris of the civilization of Syl Anagist is laid bare. We learn how the Guardians were made, and how the Stone Eaters came to be.
In the final confrontation, Essun and Nesun face a terrible choice. Must the Earth be ended to end the suffering, or might great sacrifice be able to mend the world.