An Aspiring Author’s Thoughts on The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
N. K. Jemisin is an intricately talented writer. After reading this book for the second time, I believe that The Fifth Season is a book about humanity, disguised as a book about the end of the world, disguised as an epic tragedy, disguised as an epic fantasy.
The book’s chapters are divided between three points of view (POVs). One is the POV of a child, taken from her home because of her powers, and trained to be used as a weapon. The other, a young woman who hates the world because of the role she must play in it to survive. The third, a mother whose children have been taken away from her at the beginning of the end of the world. Each POV is of the same person at different times in her life. Using this narration tool, Jemisin shows us readers the complexities of this world’s society throughout the lifetime of a person living in it. How do systems of oppression impact a person’s perception of themselves? Jemisin shares her answer to this question in Damaya’s journey to becoming Syenite, and Syenite’s journey to becoming Essun, and Essun’s journey to saving the world, finding her daughter, and avenging the death of her son. As our protagonist changes, so does her perception of herself and the world she lives in.
Each time Damaya, Syenite and Essun are forced to choose a new name, find a new home, and start a new life, it is because of tragedy. Her rebirths are mirrored in the fifth seasons of this story’s world. Each time the world ends, humanity must start over. Each time the world ends, each time our protagonist is forced to start over, people die, fight, and form new communities. In an attempt to learn from it all before it happens again (because it will happen again, and then again), – the end of the world, tragedy, change – humanity, Damaya, Syenite, Essun become more fearful. Which, of course, begets more fear and then violence. This is the cycle our protagonist is challenged to break. At the Nth end of the world, at the 3rd or 4th or 5th great tragedy of her life, will she overcome her fear of even more loss to find her daughter and vindicate the death of her son? Will she go so far as to save the world that enslaved her?
If these questions intrigue you, I implore you to not only read The Fifth Season, but to read the entire Broken Earth trilogy! Jemisin is one of my favorite authors because she is capable of creating characters and building worlds that feel cinematic in their detail. As a writer and aspiring author, reading Jemisin’s stories provokes self reflection and creativity.
