It's always nice reading a trilogy which progressively gets better, despite initial problems. I think Jemisin has achieved that with "The Kingdom of Gods". The plot is more deftly worked, and the mysteries that are set-up are better executed than previously, but there are still a number of issues I have with the writing. These issues mainly revolve around the execution of ideas, events, and story progression, rather than the content of those elements.
The story is written very well. The premise is interesting, but that isn't the real point or focus of the story, even though it acts as the centrepiece around which everything else moves. Events flow together quite well until the last 150 pages, and the last 100 pages in particular suffer. It's there that things begin to unravel a bit; until this point, we get a steady stream of information and story development, and the introduction and resolution of small mysteries. I think the pacing in the last section is too quick. Furthermore, it highlights a number of weaker elements in the rest of the story which I don't think have been fully developed, or which could have been more deeply foreshadowed. Everything makes sense, but it feels threadbare, and gets a bit lost in the rest of the story.
Also, if it weren't obvious by this point that this trilogy is focused mainly on the pantheon of gods here rather than the cultures, this book puts that notion to rest. I found this disappointing, but this all really comes down to personal taste. We don't get any more of the cultures than is necessary, and this is fine, but I thought it sometimes lead to unexplained societal phenomena which hurt the authenticity of the story.
I found Sieh's characterisation interesting, but not without flaws. After previously writing from the perspective of two female characters, writing a male godling is understandably difficult. Jemisin mostly does this well, but I still find the writing style too similar to the other books. It's distinctively Jemisin, but it doesn't feel neutral enough for her to get away with it, and it times I felt like it came too close to the characters from the other books. But if you're not as pedantic as me, this probably won't be an issue. On a positive note, the character is much more clearly differentiated from the previous two protagonists.
Oh, and the retrospective interjections are finally gone, apart from one part at the start of chapter one which specifically tells you that they're gone.
The other characters are fairly well drawn. The antagonist needed alot more work. There were alot of new characters who put in brief appearances, mostly to better characterise Sieh. The main cast of characters are well drawn, and those who had already been introduced in the previous two books got more depth. The characters are, by and large, simply written well enough so as not to be intrusive. Alot of the secondary characters are really compelling, and I felt they often outperformed the main cast. I think there are still some issues with flat characters, either falling squarely in the camp of good vs bad. Despite some problems early on, though, I felt this was much improved.
My biggest gripe here, though, is with the romance and relationships. I found some of the changes in temperament unbelievable; particularly how quickly a certain female character changes in chapter three. In other cases, events move too quickly, and while Jemisin does a good job at slowing them down it's still too rushed (I found this particularly problematic in the last two chapters of Part One). Similarly, I didn't find the romantic relationships, and how deeply they're supposed to run, believable, given how quickly they come about. There's an explanation given, but I found this unconvincing.
I also have some minor gripes with the writing. E.g., multiple emotions surfacing on characters faces in a span of moments, the descriptions aren't always clear, etc. They're present in the first two books, so if you didn't find them problematic there you probably won't here.
And I really disliked the Coda. Again, though, this is an individual thing. I can think of arguments for and against it. Personally, I think it's too sentimental, although the first half is fine and could have had a place elsewhere, and I feel that it cheapens the rest of the story. I think the end of the last chapter was a fitting end, however; it's very powerful, and is also conclusive. But again, personal preference will play a large part here.
Despite these issues I think this was the best book in the series. Still brought down a bit by the last hundred or so pages, as well as some other blemishes, but I think this is also in part because of the quality of the middle sections (Parts Two & Three) and the rest of the other writing. And it's a testament to the story that I feel so strongly about the things which disappointed me. This is certainly a recommended series and author.
4.5/5
