Will I love The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms?

This book blew me away when I first read it.

Jemisin has created a world of complex politics and religion that’s as original as it is epic. In this world, the move from polytheism to monotheism has been shrouded in lies and half-truths, where the vanquished gods are now enslaved and play a pivotal role in politics.

The slow-burn romance involves Yeine, an unwitting heir to the throne, being put into the path of the brooding Nightlord, one of the enslaved gods. The instability, volatility, and omnipresent danger of their unorthodox relationship are riveting, and the writing is sublime.

The world-building in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms explores how the powering of societies can come at a human cost—though in this case, the humans have outsourced that cost to the gods. Enslaved by the Arameri aristocratic family that rules over the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, gods and godlings power the Arameri’s control of the city of Sky, allowing the city to flourish but at the expense of the common people’s or the gods’ agency. Compared to the other books listed here, this tale is more concerned with the structures of class and authority (and less so utility) that help turn the… show more.

Jemisin has *absolutely deservedly* gotten a lot of attention in recent years for her Broken Earth Trilogy, even being called “the most celebrated science fiction and fantasy writer of her generation” by the New York Times, but my favorite book of hers is still her debut.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms tells the story of Yeine, a young woman trying to make her way in the confusing political landscape of Sky, who stumbles upon the plots of both gods and man.

Throughout the story, Yeine comes into her own and, in doing so, finds the sharp-edged brutality that she… show more.