I don't know that this was wholly for me, but NK Jemisin is a great enough writer (and I've enjoyed many of her other books) that I may still read the next book in the series at some point.

4 ⭐ CW: violence, death, suicide, incest, child sexual abuse mention, torture, enslavement, sexual content 

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin is book one in the Inheritance trilogy. This book is hard to describe. It's a secondary world adult fantasy that is very complicated. As with all Jemisin's works, I'm left feeling like I'm not smart enough to read it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 

We follow Yeine, who is telling the story by recalling it as if in a memory, but it doesn't become clear to whom until much later. She has been summoned to Sky (the palace) by her grandfather to become one of the heirs alongside her twin cousins Scimina and Relad. Sky is a dangerous place for someone unused to the ways of the Arameri, between treacherous relatives and the enslaved gods who live there. Yeine is pulled into a political and godly battle where she is a pawn for both. 

This book was so involved. Jemisin does an excellent job of building cultures. I loved the creation story she weaves with the Three: Itempas (day), Enefa (dawn and dusk), and Nahadoth (night). I don't know how else to describe what is happening in this story than to just say it is complex. Similar to her Broken Earth Trilogy, you don't really know what is going on until you're most of the way through the book, but I couldn't put it down. Her writing is so beautiful that you are transported 

This is a story about free will, freedom, forgiveness, and agency. It also sets up a redemption arc for one of the characters. I really liked Yeine as a character. I loved that she isn't just one thing (iykyk). She is angry and fearful, loving and ruthless. Her relationship with Nahadoth is also complex and compelling. Sieh definitely stole the show for me though. A god who embodies childhood, and he's just so sweet. Like Yeine, I couldn't help but love him. 

If this review confuses you, you'll just have to read the book and be even more confused 😂. I'm looking forward to book two l, since it will have a lot more world-building and focus on different characters. 

I found the plot confusing, and did not easily follow the flow of the writing style.  Because of the way the book is written, I found it taxing to muddle through at times. 

I’m not entirely sure what I think about this book. I’m not entirely sure what happened or what it means, but just like NK Jemison’s other stories, it is unbelievably unique. It was fairly slow for a while(more human drama than I’m used to) but then it picked up and I couldn’t put it down.  Also: very graphically violent.