The final book in the Broken Earth Trilogy sees Nassun squaring off against her daughter Essun. It has been a few weeks since I completed listening to Stone Sky, and it's finally time to write down what stood out to me from the book.
Origin of the Seasons
The origins of the Seasons are finally revealed.
A futuristic society is on the verge of exploiting a limitless energy source and has no qualms about the human cost of producing this energy. Nature, or rather Father Earth, fights back.
During the fight, the Moon is flung out of orbit, thus creating the Seasons.
This narrative on the creation of the seasons reminded me of how our society has heavily depended on fossil fuels. Peoples and Nations have historically sought to protect their oil interests and the accompanying wealth and comfort, often without regard for human rights concerns.
But for a society built on exploitation, there is no greater threat than having no one left to oppress.
Side Note - The effect of an orbital body on a planet's seasons is very similar to the seasons faced by the Tisolarans in "The Three-Body Problem."
Origin of the Obelisks
In the society that created the Seasons, there existed a race of people capable of wielding magic. This magic came from the life force of the Earth. Over time, an opposing race came into power and saw the benefit of using this magic as an energy source. They subdued the magic-wielding race and used them as a conduit for charging massive batteries - The Obelisks.
This narrative could be likened to the effects of imperialism, colonization, and slavery.
perhaps these builders of the great obelisk network were not used to respecting lives different from their own. Not so very different, really, from the people who run the Fulcrums, or raiders, or her father. So where they should have seen a living being, they saw only another thing to exploit. Where they should have asked, or left alone, they raped.
Origin of the Stone Eaters
The Obelisks could only be reliably controlled by clones of the magic-wielding race. These clones were transformed into Stone Eaters when the final phase to draw limitless energy from the Earth backfired.
The conversion to Stone Eaters is part deliverance and part punishment. These conflicting viewpoints form the basis of the struggle between the two stone eater factions.
One faction wants to destroy the Earth by causing it to collide with the Moon. The destruction of the Earth will guarantee their death and end their misery of living forever.
The Ending...
.. was definitely sad. Nassun's decision to sacrifice herself to cause Essun's mind shift was the right move. Nassun's trauma finally unravels, and she uses the Obelisk Gate to restore the Moon's orbit.
