The Broken Kingdoms (Inheritance, Book Two)

The Broken Kingdoms (Inheritance, Book Two)
N. K. Jemisin, 2010

Premise: Ten years after The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Oree Shoth lives in the city of Sky, now called Shadow. The world is full of power, and a blind woman who can see magic would be useful to those who would harm godlings.

While I can't say that this was as perfect and intriguing a book as its predecessor, it is a worthy sequel. With a mostly new cast of characters, Oree's story provides a different perspective (both literal and figurative) on the world than Yeine did. Oree's people's history with the ruling Arameri and the gods means that her alliances are different.

This book has a smaller scope, in some ways; it focuses on Oree's conflict with a reactionary cult that sprang up in the wake of the events of the first book. I would have been happy were the stakes only her life and freedom, but of course, more weighty matters are drawn in by the end.

Oree's ability to see magic means that she is drawn to godlings (the immortal children of the three gods) and others who glow of power. This extends to having an extended liaison with one and sheltering another in her home when he seems to have no friends or purpose.

I loved the cosmic-scale characters in the first book, but I really enjoyed that in this one we got better acquainted with lots of minor godlings and got a better idea of how their magic and lives work.

The narration isn't as fraught with double-meaning as the first, and the "reveal" at the end is meant to be less of a surprise. But something only slightly less amazing than an unbelievably outstanding book is still great.

5 Stars - An Awesome Book