The Broken Kingdoms
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fantasy literature |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | N. K. Jemisin |
| Products | Fantasy novel |
| Website | nkjemisin |
The Broken Kingdoms is a fantasy novel authored by American writer N. K. Jemisin, serving as the second book in her The Inheritance Trilogy. Taking place ten years subsequent to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the story centers on Oree Shoth, a blind street artist endowed with magical vision, residing in Shadow, a city enveloped by the immense World Tree.
Plot
Set a decade after the events of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Oree Shoth dwells in Sky—now known as "Shadow" due to the surrounding colossal World Tree. Although blind, Oree possesses the rare ability to sense magic, a gift passed down from her father, which she keeps hidden to evade persecution from the Order of Itempas.
Shadow is home to numerous "godlings"—immortal demigod offspring concealed among humans. One day, Oree finds a luminous figure lying unconscious in an alley, whom she calls "Shiny." While unaware of his true identity, she suspects he is a godling; readers understand him to be Itempas, the god of light and order, who has been disgraced and condemned to mortality following the prior novel’s events.
After a local godling is murdered, Oree is implicated as a suspect when the Itempan Order searches for someone to blame. Shiny intensifies conflict by launching violent attacks against Orderkeepers. Madding, another godling and Oree’s former lover, attempts to assist her, but both are captured by the rebellious faction known as the Order of the New Light. This group, led by renegade Arameri Serymn and her scrivener spouse Dateh, opposes the official Itempan Order and exposes Oree’s true identity: she is a demon—a part-divine mortal whose blood is poisonous to gods—a rare heritage hunted by deities for centuries.
Oree must carefully maneuver between alliances with gods and Arameri factions alike—each viewing her either as a danger or an asset—in order to prevent the New Lights from threatening the mortal world.
Oree Shoth
A blind street artist living in Shadow, Oree supports herself through selling artwork and trinkets. She belongs to the Maroneh people, descendants of a civilization whose continent was destroyed centuries ago by the Nightlord.
Itempas/"Shiny"
Imprisoned in human form, Itempas wandered aimlessly until Oree offered him refuge. His contempt for mortals causes him initially to reject communication; Oree dubs him "Shiny" because of his magical radiance.
Yeine
In the aftermath of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Yeine assumes Enefa’s role among The Three as goddess of life and death. To mask Enefa’s reincarnation, the Order of Itempas brands Yeine as "the Gray Lady," encouraging worship under this new guise.
Nahadoth
Referred to as the Nightlord, Nahadoth is the god of darkness and transformation, feared across the world. Having escaped prolonged captivity by the Arameri, the Order rebrands him as "the Lord of Shadows" to establish a fresh framework for worship.
Madding
The god representing obligation and Oree’s ex-lover, Madding operates within Shadow leading a group composed of disenfranchised mortals and godlings who traffic illegal magic and godsblood—a potent narcotic.
Lil
A goddess associated with hunger who resides in Shadow and forms part of the godling community.
Sieh
Known as the Trickster and god of childhood, Sieh was formerly enslaved by the Arameri but now enjoys freedom. He frequently visits the mortal realm primarily to vex Itempas.
Dateh/Nypri
Dateh, a licensed magic practitioner and scrivener, parted ways with the Order of Itempas. He is married to Serymn.
Serymn Arameri
Serymn, a pure-blood member of the Arameri family, renounced her allegiance after challenging her family's distortion of Itempas' doctrines.
Reception
The novel was honored with the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy in 2010.
Fantasy Book Review's Joshua S. Hill gave it a 9 out of 10, commending its combination of expansive high fantasy elements with an intimate and emotionally nuanced story that explores fear, happiness, and complexity.