Tag Archives: The Broken Kingdoms

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #4

Book review, World of Books January 28, 2014 Comments: 7

This is our final week and this week’s questions were created by Grace of Books Without Any Pictures.

 

1.  We finally meet T’vril in his new role as Lord Arameri.  Is he what you expected?
Actually yes. He didn’t get too Arameri but he’s ruthless when he needs to be (seems not as much as his Arameri kin would like).
The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
2.  Oree is given a choice, to live as the Arameri’s weapon, or to die.  What would you do in that position?
I always like to think I would choose the higher path. But I love living. That said, I’m not sure if I could live with other peoples/godlings lives on my hands.
3.  Do you think that Oree made the right decision by sending Shiny away?  How do you feel about Yeine’s role here?

Yes, but it seems Shiny was expecting it. I think Yeine made the best out of the situation, salvaging what she could without breaking anyone’s tenuous connection to sanity.
4.  What did you think of the ending of the book?  Were you satisfied?
Well, at several points I was worried it was going to go into direction I wasn’t going to enjoy but it all ended up rather well. I knew there was no chance of a happy ending for Shiny and Oree, he has much more to learn and live through before he can start being whole.

 

5.  How did The Broken Kingdoms compare to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms?  Which did you like better?

I actually like The Broken Kingdoms better. I had a hard time consoling Yeine and Enefa and kept thinking Yeine got smothered a bit by goddess’ entity. It seems Yeine is upset a bit in this book that people find them interchangeable. 😉

This one seems more like a book about life. You have some pleasure and love, you suffer, you get better, you get some pleasure and love, disappointment follows but then there are the most amazing consequences to follow. 🙂

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #3

Book review, World of Books January 21, 2014 Comments: 6

This week our host is Lauren from Violin in a Void.

Let’s get to it then. 🙂

1. Oree chooses not to reveal Shiny’s identity to Dateh. Did you agree with her decision? What might have happened if she’d chosen otherwise? 

Yes, I agree. It’s never wise to share information with the bad guys. 🙂The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin

I can’t even begin to guess what would have happened if she chose to disclose that information. I’m not sure how much the human Itempass could help them…

 

2. Madding’s dead 😦 How do you feel about his death? What do you make of his last words to Oree?

Didn’t see that coming. Well, not before Oree actually called him through. Then it was obvious as the arrow was just lying there. I must say I couldn’t understand how come Oree didn’t think about that?!

Anyway, what I got out of Madding’s last words is that he truly loved Oree.

 

3. Itempas has seen what terrible things people do in his name. What do you make of Dateh’s interpretation of Itempan faith? Could this help rehabilitate Itempas or will he simply see the New Lights as a delusional sect?

I’m certainly hoping it will put Shiny on the path of spiritual healing. It becomes obvious later on that he was hurt badly and in view of his unbending character, he snapped and then all hell broke lose for the next 2000 years. Talk about being in better control of one’s character…

New Lights are definitely delusional, no doubt about it.

 

4. After Madding’s death, Oree loses the will to live, except to stop the New Lights. Shiny wants to kill her because she’s a demon. Do you think she’ll survive the events of the novel? Is it safer to wipe out the demons?

Safer, probably. Better, no. There should be checks and balances. And demons fit nicely into that. I think she’ll survive, I just wonder at what cost (something is probably going to happen to her – well, more than it already has).

 

5. Itempas shares his feelings about his actions in the God’s War. Have your feelings about him changed at all?

Slightly, yes. Still, he behaved like a spoiled child. And I would expect more from a god with his background. Well, it’s never too late to learn (and learn about yourself, because that is what he seems to be doing now…)

 

6. There’s something odd about Hado. Shiny says to him “You are not quite yourself. […] Something of him lingers.” Oree notes that Hado’s shadow is darker than the non-magical things around him. Could he be more than just a spy, and if so, what?

Ha, ha, it was obvious here who he was and I wondered if the name is the same from book 1 because I just don’t remember. We learn later that he is the human version of Nahadoth from book one but for me it was obvious once I read this paragraph.

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #2

Book review, World of Books January 13, 2014 Comments: 4

This week our host is S Voss from Dab of Darkness.

1) We learned some tidbits about Oree’s father in this section. Who, or what, do you think he was and what do you think of the suspicions about mob madness that Lady Serymn brought up?
I think he is one of the demon children’s children. Everything points in that direction anyway. That also makes Oree one as well.The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
As for mob madness, I think it’s just Lady Serymn’s excuse and another way of pointing the finger of blame at Nahadoth.

2) Shiny has some stern views about the relationship between Oree and Madding. What do you think of him testing her love for Madding? Do you think she said yes to Madding for the right reasons?

I think Shiny has absolutely no idea what love is and how to feel it and show it. If I start writing what I think of him, it won’t end well, but I’ll just say he’s still an ego maniac.
I do think Oree said yes to Madding for the right reasons, love is compromising. She reminds me a bit of Yeine in that regard, her skirting of danger when having sex with Madding.

3) The House of the Risen Sun has some followers with skills. What do you think of the holes, The Empty, and what has happened to Oree’s friends, both mortal and immortal? Shiny?

Can someone just push the whole order into the holes, please? As soon as possible? I think that the Arameri are proving to be just as awful (if not more) as the first book portrayed them and I really hate them. Empty is awful and I sincerely hope everyone survives it.
I’m not worried about Shiny. At all. I somehow think nothing bad will be able to happen to him.

4) Are the ambitious plans of the House of the Risen Sun justified? Noble? Or is there a particular follower you already want to seen tossed into The Empty for a spell?

Ha, ha, ha, noble? No way. There is nothing noble about them and I did notice how Lady Serynm is very adept of twisting facts to fit what she wants to say and do.
As in my previous answer, just toss the whole order in. I have no patience for stupid people (the followers who are so blind to truth and eager to follow all orders).

5) Lord Dateh, the Nypri, requested a bit of Oree’s blood for study. What do think he will do with it and what part do you think the House of the Risen Sun hopes Oree to play in their plans?

I think they will check for remnants of magical bloodline? I sincerely hope there won’t be something voodoo-ish to it, making Oree their slave.

It seems Oree is supposed to be in this book what Yeine was in the last.
Does that mean she’ll gain some kind of godhood so she can enjoy her eternity with Madding? 😉

And for my thoughts on this week’s chapters, is it just me, or does anyone else think that trying to kill Nahadoth, or believing the Gray Lady will deter him from destroying the world is the thinking of a madman? Or  thinking that Gray Lady is Arameri? That way lies destruction for those thinking it…

Checkout what my companions in the Broken Kingdoms thought this week:

Dab of Darkness

Violin in a Void

Tethyan Books

Books Without Any Pictures

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #1

Book review, World of Books January 6, 2014 Comments: 9

And we’re back to the world where gods and godlings live alongside humans in the world shaped somewhat anew after what Yeine the Goddess did at the end of Thousand Kingdoms.

This week’s questions were brought to us by Grace of Books Without Any Pictures.

1.  What do you think so far of Oree Shoth?  Do you like her as much as Yeine?

Yes, I like her as much as Yeine. Possibly even more as she seems free, both to do as she pleases and like she has no burdensome limits left from her childhood.The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin

 

2.  Sky is now referred to by its inhabitants as Shadow, and we get to see the city from the perspective of the commoners rather than the ruling Arameri.  What do you think of the book’s setting?
Love it. Especially imagining all the descriptions and the size of that tree. I keep needing to re-adjust my idea of how big it is. Well, no longer now but since the last book and at the beginning of this one, it didn’t seem that big in my mind.
3.  The gods play a much different role in this book than in “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms,” and spend their time interacting with the people of Sky/Shadow.  What do you think of the gods and godlings that we’ve met thus far?  Who are your favorites?
I’m not naming favorites, I expect more will appear as we get further into the book. I think it’s easy to forget they aren’t human when they move so much among people and I believe that would be a serious mistake to make.

4.  Any predictions on who or what could be killing the godlings?

Some unknown witch-magic godling? 😉 Basically, no idea.
I can’t tell where the vengeance is coming from (and it feels like vengeance) so I can’t guess who could be doing it.

5.  For everyone who read the last book, Shiny’s identity should be relatively easy to guess, even though it hasn’t been explicitly stated yet.  Do you think his punishment is suiting, or is it too much?  Is there any chance he’ll come out of this as a normal person?  How do you think Oree will react when she finds out?

Hell no, it’s not too much. And I can see Oree is not eager to make that particular assumption (whether the punishment is too much).

If this doesn’t make him become a normal person/god, nothing will.

How will Oree react? Probably with cool aplomb. 😉 I think she’s no longer too surprised by godling world. I think her drawing might be more of a shock to her than Shiny’s identity.

 

Check out my fellow readers’ thoughts:

Violin in a Void

Tethyan Books

Books Without Any Pictures

Dab of  Darkness

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