In the fifth chapter of The Kingdom of Gods, Sieh finds out SO MANY THINGS and then PILES OF HUMAN REMAINS. Oh my god, if this intrigues you, then it’s time for Mark to read The Kingdom of Gods.
Chapter Five
SERIOUSLY, SO MUCH JUST HAPPENED. HOLY SHIT.
- Oh, I’m so happy for the explanation of the different “levels” of gods. SO MUCH DELICIOUS WORLDBUILDING, MY FRIENDS.
- “Gender has nothing to do with this difficulty, mind you; that is only a game for us, an affectation, like names and flesh. We employ such things because you need them, not because we do.” THE GODS HAVE NO TIME FOR YOUR ESSENTIALIST NARRATIVES. Oh my god.
- You know, I don’t think I ever expected to re-live that scene at the end of chapter two, but it’s neat that Sieh gets to see exactly what happened at the foot of the nowhere stair. Of course, it doesn’t really answer anything, but the visual helped me to understand the scope of what had happened eight years earlier. Plus, we at least know for certain that it was the blood oath that set this moment in motion. Why that happened, though, is still a goddamn mystery, and I DON’T GET IT.
- We’re introduced to a new character in this chapter, too: Shevir Arameri, the First Scrivener. Who is, in rough terms, the first “atheist” in the series! Well, “atheist” doesn’t work in terms of this world because how can you not believe in gods when you’re talking to one? Shevir perfers to be referred to as a “primortalist,” one who puts human concerns and possibilities first. He purposely waits to catch Sieh at the Nowhere Stair to ask him for help in determining what happened to him, which is compounded by the revelation that the scriveners literally don’t know what kind of magic was released that day. HOW COULD IT BE MAGIC THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE? I don’t understand!
- Oh my god, I had already felt sad about what had happened to Deka, but the shit that Shevir tells Sieh about what he’s been like since the explosion of magic is HEARTBREAKING. I can’t believe that I didn’t consider the fact that he would blame himself for what happened. How’s he going to react when he finds out Sieh is back???
- Oh god, I was actually totally right about Sieh “maturing” in age in the eight years he was gone, which explains his sudden attraction to Shahar, but I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT HE HAD QUITE LITERALLY AGED TO BE THE SAME AGE AS SHAHAR AND DEKA. I don’t understand this at all. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
- I feel like that’s the continuing theme of chapter five: nothing makes sense, and I don’t know how any of it is possible. This is also the case when two Arameri fullbloods – second cousins of Remath – are discovered to be killed by masks poisoned with magic, which TURNED THEIR BODIES INTO GELATINOUS, ROTTING HEAPS. !!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS THIS BOOK DOING. So, yeah, this is stating the obvious, but someone is targeting the Arameri, as they’re not the first killed via those deadly masks. Masks??? WHY MASKS?
- Wrath Arameri. IT’S TOO MUCH.
- As if all this wasn’t enough to deal with, we meet Ramina Arameri, who confounds me because I can’t figure him out at all. He’s Arameri, he’s crude to Sieh about his former life as a mortal slave of his family, but it’s done in a way that’s sort of poking fun at the whole thing??? Shahar enjoys him quite a bit, but that doesn’t exactly mean that much in this context.
- I was thankful that Sieh didn’t feel all that sympathetic about what’s happening, and I think it’s another demonstration of how Jemisin never forgets about the history of her own characters. After spending ages trapped by the Arameri, he’s not going to feel terrible about the family finally facing the horrors they’ve inflicted on the rest of the world. I loved the whole part where he snapped at Shahar and said I BUILT THE ROOF. I admit that I’m fascinated by Sieh as a narrator because he’s the least relatable when compared to Yeine or Oree, and he’s often either unsympathetic, creepy, or rude. I LOVE IT. This book feels so different than the others, and I think it was a huge risk to make Sieh the center of this. I did like him as a character before, though, so I’m slightly biased.
- I also think it’s important that Sieh acknowledges that he has a debt to Shahar, that while he’s apathetic to the general plight of the Arameri, he understands that his actions changed the course of her life and Dekarta’s as well.
- It’s not lost on me that there are now two forms of magic in this book that no one has seen nor heard of before: the magic that took Sieh’s mortality away and the magic in the masks that have killed the Arameri. Same source? Maybe? I DON’T KNOW.
- WHOA, HOLY INCEST, RAMINA IS DEKARTA AND SHAHAR’S FATHER. I was a little confused about Sieh’s shock over Ramina being Shahar’s father because… aren’t they twins? Meaning they have to have the same father? Regardless, this just keeps getting better and better.
- And I still have no idea where this book is going. EXCITING.
The original text/videos contain uses of the words “idiot,” “crazy,” “insane,” and “mad.”
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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