I have a book hangover after finishing N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season and I don't know what to do with it/what to read next

(well, The Obelisk Gate, eventually, but I need a break before diving back in)

what a good book

(even if it is called The Fifth Season, which will never not be somewhat hilarious because in German (or certain parts of Germany at least), that's a synonym for "carnival")

I was not sure I'd make it through the book at first, not because it's bad (it isn't) but because so much of the first half is so relentlessly bleak

i have heard it's pretty dark, yeah

a bit of an understatement, that.

but still very worth it (for me). There were moments of happiness later on that were so incredibly precious

/nodnod

(also, good job having queer & genderqueer characters exist as a matter of course amidst all the world-ending grittiness!)

(... come on you can't expect me not to make at least one bad rock pun in a plurk about this book)

I also really liked the twist that was going on with the narration (keeping this vague here because spoilers) and either missed or misinterpreted clues earlier on and only figured out what was going on like three pages before the reveal happened, heh.

also also, I'd heard a lot of complaining from people who didn't like that one of the characters has her part of the story told in 2nd person singular but I thought it was really well done? It didn't call attention to it unless it clearly meant to and was easy to read.

ahhh I need to finish this one

I'm glad you enjoyed it and that it had such good, strong moments for you!

I love these moments so much. Like, I knew from the way the book starts that they wouldn't last but... happiness!

(I read mostly ebooks these days but bought this one as a paperback on a whim and was glad I did, too - a 450+ pages book is more hug-able than my phone, haha)

how far in did you get, do you remember?

Only the first handful of chapters... I'm planning to read it around the end of April when I'll have some time.