The Stone Sky

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin, 416 pages

As with most concluding entries in trilogies, it's difficult to talk about The Stone Sky without giving away all the twists and turns of The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate. What I can say is that 1. You REALLY NEED TO READ THOSE BOOKS and 2. this one finds Essun and her daughter Nassun using their orogenic powers to achieve their goals — which are, of course, in direct opposition to one another. In this (literally) groundbreaking series, Jemisin weaves together a story that resonates on multiple levels, from the complexity of the relationship between a mother and a daughter, to the functioning of communities in the face of disaster, to the systematic oppression and dehumanization of those who are different. That, along with the fact that the world and the characters are so well constructed, makes it abundantly clear why Jemisin became the first author to win three consecutive Hugo Awards for Best Novel for this series. Well deserved, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.