The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
I just finished reading this book for the second time. I didn't mean to read it again--it had been a few months and I was finally going to get around to writing a post about it, and I started flipping through the book and reading random pages, and before I knew it I had been completely sucked in again. I gave in and started it over from the beginning, because the world and the characters are so fascinating.
I've put off writing about this book because it is one of my favorites I've read this year, and it's not even out yet. It is so good I'm intimidated just writing about it, in case I don't do it justice. It has many of my favorite tropes: country girl in the city, lost heirs, intricate politics, queer epic love, a past and future that stretch beyond the timeline of the book but influence its events. A really awesome set of gods and goddesses who are uncanny--that is, not simply humans with extra powers, but actually fundamentally alien, though they seem all too human at times. Difficult metaphysics, high stakes, (almost) nobody is purely good or purely evil. Stunning visual descriptions. Plot twists so intense and so frequent it's like riding a giddy whirlwind to read. One of the best parts is that Yeine is a protagonist whose voice isn't just that of an American transplanted to a fantasy land, but whose thought patterns and metaphors unapologetically reflect her heritage, a culture which we only see a few glimpses of outright but which is rich and layers and affects her decisions and perspectives throughout the book. It's got sharp, often violent action that lends urgency to every moment we see.
The writing is tight and often luminescent--there are a few phrases and passages that made me gasp in appreciation of the craft. It's difficult to pull this kind of book off well--to leave enough hints about the many mysteries that are unfolding without revealing the twists too soon. Conversely, you don't want to give too little information, or the reader will check out. I felt like each twist was doled out at just the right time, and I continued to be surprised and delighted as each new piece of the story revealed hidden emotional or political depths. The plot is beautifully constructed through taut, lean prose. The first person narration is engaging and the character's voice is capable of sustaining it throughout, with tension between the story-as-told and the speaker's moments of mad self-doubt. It's riveting storytelling.
It's a truly remarkable book, and I eagerly await the sequel. We get a couple of pages of it as a teaser at the end of the ARC, and just from that it's obvious that the series will address the few issues I had with this first installment--namely, that it focuses primarily on the concerns of the rich and powerful, despite its protagonist of 'barbaric' roots.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys original, character-driven fantasy that doesn't pull its punches. It comes out in February--you can pre-order yours through your local independent bookstore! If you're not sure where yours is, have a look on Indiebound.