Title: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Series: Inheritance #1
Genres: High Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Hachette Book Group Orbit
Source: Physical book
Pages: 427
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Series: Inheritance #1
Genres: High Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Hachette Book Group Orbit
Source: Physical book
Pages: 427
// Add to GoodReads // BookDepository // Amazon //
BLURB:
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle.
This book was a favorite of one of the booktubers I used to watch regularly and so I ended up buying it at the time when I had not much idea about high fantasy.
THE WORLD: We are in the high fantasy world and so we follow usual rules aka there are no rules. To be honest, the world I found really fascinating in this book. When you think about the Europe history is actually feels like a critic even. Basically, the once upon the time the main kingdom overtook other smaller areas by reasoning that they are bringing the right religion. Sounds familiar? O.o
The city that we focus on the most is called Sky and I am still not sure as to how it really looks. It is supposedly rally grand but in my mind it is like one big castle really with its little rooms, elevators/teleports, roof winter gardens and many more. Jemisin described the world a lot but there was just so much to take it in that I never ended up having a solid picture. Nevertheless, it is definitely beautiful. Jemisin has a very grand imagination. Additionally to the kingdom there are these tribes and wow just wow. The one that our main character comes from, you just have to read this book to understand it. Basically it is ruled by women, they are the warriors and leaders and men are left at home. To have a man fighting is a last resort. The whole politics...the way one becomes a leader...mind blowing. I have no idea how Jemisin came up with all this but it is so intense.
And lastly but not least we have Gods in this world. However, not the kind you and I are used to. There Gods are enslaved in a way by the ruler of the kingdom. Again, I do not want to tell too much because descriptions and world building is part of the fun in this book so you just going to have to take my world that I have not seen a world like this before. It was just mesmerizing.
The city that we focus on the most is called Sky and I am still not sure as to how it really looks. It is supposedly rally grand but in my mind it is like one big castle really with its little rooms, elevators/teleports, roof winter gardens and many more. Jemisin described the world a lot but there was just so much to take it in that I never ended up having a solid picture. Nevertheless, it is definitely beautiful. Jemisin has a very grand imagination. Additionally to the kingdom there are these tribes and wow just wow. The one that our main character comes from, you just have to read this book to understand it. Basically it is ruled by women, they are the warriors and leaders and men are left at home. To have a man fighting is a last resort. The whole politics...the way one becomes a leader...mind blowing. I have no idea how Jemisin came up with all this but it is so intense.
And lastly but not least we have Gods in this world. However, not the kind you and I are used to. There Gods are enslaved in a way by the ruler of the kingdom. Again, I do not want to tell too much because descriptions and world building is part of the fun in this book so you just going to have to take my world that I have not seen a world like this before. It was just mesmerizing.
CHARACTERS: Now this was were my problem came. The main character Yeine is a bastard, a granddaughter of the ruler of the kingdom. She is suddenly invited to Sky and named a successor. But there is a catch. She is not the only one successor, there are two more. And the game is...only one succeeds. Well it is not really a game, the characters are actually really mature, there is no YA in here at all. But yeah, the main idea is still the same. I really liked it. But what I did not like was the fact that I felt no connection whatsoever to the characters. They were written so well, their stories so rich and still...zero care for any of them. I do not know the reason for this really, I tried to pin point it but I think it is the characters in whole as well as the fact that there is just so much information in this book. It is not your typical high fantasy where you are drowned in information in the beginning and then you surface after a bit. In this book you are drowning all the way to the end. It was a lot, just a lot.
LOVE: This was another weird thing I was not sure how should I feel about. There is romance but not the kind we are used to it. It is also not just sexual lust....once again I am lost and out of words.
PLUS: The imagination of author, the ability to construct such detailed and complicated world...Wow.
PLUS: The imagination of author, the ability to construct such detailed and complicated world...Wow.
MINUS: It was too much. I loved the book and at the same time I felt like my brain was working overtime.
OVERALL: I am very very intrigued to read other books of Jemisin, I was especially told to read The Fifth Season and that is what I will do. But I will not continue with Inheritance series, it was amazing but it was also too much.
OVERALL: I am very very intrigued to read other books of Jemisin, I was especially told to read The Fifth Season and that is what I will do. But I will not continue with Inheritance series, it was amazing but it was also too much.
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