CBR11 Bingo – Travel
The conclusion of The Broken Earth trilogy sees mother and daughter, Essun and Nassun, both setting out on their own journeys to change the course of history. (as this is the end of the series, this is super heavy with spoilers; be ye warned)
At the end of book 2, both Essun and Nassun are coming into their full powers and know that to affect the world in the way they see best they need to gain control of the Obelisk Gate. Essun recognizes that the planet’s troubles have been caused by humans long ago who caused the moon to spin out of orbit. The Earth, mourning the loss of its child has been seeking revenge, causing Seasons, and yearning for the destruction of the human race. If she can use the Obelisk Gate to pull earth back into position, she can make peace with Earth, and harmony can be achieved – for humans and orogenes alike. Nassun has already seen too much death and destruction to buy into her mother’s optimism. She seeks the Obelisk Gate to destroy all life on earth and end suffering forever.
The underground community that Essun took refuge in was destroyed in a battle, and she was injured. The community sets out on foot, with their goal being an abandoned community to the north. As she heals, she is thankful for the community’s support, but knows that this search for shelter is taking her further away from the daughter she has been seeking for years. The journey is difficult, reuniting her with a friend from the past, and forging deep bonds with some of her fellow travellers.
Once she has helped the band of travellers reach safety, she knows that she cannot linger. She (and a few travelling companions) must travel through the earth, with the help of her stone-eater Hoa, to reach Corepoint – the only city on the other side of the planet. It is home to stone-eaters, and has access to the earth’s core – a powerful place to open the gate.
Nassun is setting out for Corepoint as well, accompanied by her own stone-eater, and the Guardian Schaffa, whom she has come to love as a father.
Mother and daughter each put their plans into motion, finally meeting face-to-face for the first time in years. It is a series that sees its journey end in a dramatic confrontation.
Interspersed with their stories, Hoa tells his own story of how he became a stone-eater, and his part in the moon’s incorrect trajectory. It adds an added historical layer to the universe, and gives a different vantage point to the journeys that Essun and Nassun are on.
I really enjoyed this series – one of the highlights being the strong female characters that didn’t fit into over-played archetypes, layered character development, and complex relationships – all in a unique and original fantasy universe.