This book made me rethink my reading habits and expectations about a what a fantasy book should be like.
I feel we are so used to reading fantasy novels, that start of with very detailed world building and descriptions of the magic system, that when I started reading this and that was just not the case, I got a little lost. This made me think I didn't like it and even got a little upset, because... why was everybody so in love with this book?

I expected the author to paint me a very clear picture, I expected to be able to close my eyes and see the world and its inhabitants before me, without any problem. But why would I expect that? Why would an author not make we work with them a little, keep the suspense going and make me discover information along the way?

As soon as I relaxed, let it go and let the book and N.K. Jemisins beautiful writing take me on a journey, I was hooked! This book was a journey that raised a lot of questions, but as I found out, gave a lot of answers too. I realized I didn't need very detailed descriptions, I actually enjoyed the slow building of this beautiful and complex world, created in this novel.

The fact that you learn more about the world and magic system as you explore the story was exactly why I loved The Fifth Season so much.
I found out that I don't need all the answers up front, I don't need to know everything, I can just relax and enjoy the ride!

We follow 3 people in this story.
- Essun, who is you. You live with your husband and 2 children in Tririmo. When you come home one day, you find your youngest child, a son, dead. He was killed by his father because he is an orogene, just like you. You're oldest daughter has been taken by her father and you fear he will or already has killed her too, because she too is like you. You set out on a journey to find them both.
- Seyenite, who is an adult, ringed orogene, trained in the Fulcrum to be used as they see fit.
- Damaya, who is a child, reported to the Fulcrum for being an orogene. She is picked up by a Gardian and taken to be trained at the Fulcrum.

I don't want to give away more about this book, because this story is better if you go in blind to be honest, just know that the writing was absolutely beautiful, the characters really fleshed out and I loved the fact that there was so much diversity in this book.