How Long 'til Black Future Month?

Jemisin's first short story anthology provides an interesting insight into her development as a writer. There is definitely an empowerment theme running through a lot of the stories - I imagine it is a topic close to her heart. More interestingly, several of the stories provide first glimpses of ideas that were later developed into full novel series - you can see early elements of the Fifth Season and The City That We Became in two of the stories.

I am a big fan of Jemisin's writing style. It is personal and engaging whilst at the same time evoking a wonderful epicness. Her ideas are varied and unique. The amount of creativity on display here is impressive. This also track how her style has evolved in an interesting way.

I am a fan of short stories. They are a good way of getting a taste of a story in a short sitting. Good short stories are well worth reading, and the overall quality of this collection is high.