This post will have tons of spoilers for The Fifth Season. If you want to read this book (and again, I suggest you do!), it's a good idea to skip this post for now, and maybe come back when you're done. OK, let's continue. There are a number of moments that really stick to me. When young Damaya is told the foundational myth of their culture, and is swelling with pride and excitement about how she's going to be just like the hero, and then is told in no uncertain terms "You are the villain. You are the monster we are defending ourselves from. You are Other." The punch of being forced into the role of the hated enemy is visceral. And it allows us to feel empathy for this culture, and the things it must do to survive. That will be handy, since our protagonists are the villains of this world, and we will have this touchstone of learning to fear and hate the villains to come back to, established from very early on in the story.
More on 5th Season
More on 5th Season
More on 5th Season
This post will have tons of spoilers for The Fifth Season. If you want to read this book (and again, I suggest you do!), it's a good idea to skip this post for now, and maybe come back when you're done. OK, let's continue. There are a number of moments that really stick to me. When young Damaya is told the foundational myth of their culture, and is swelling with pride and excitement about how she's going to be just like the hero, and then is told in no uncertain terms "You are the villain. You are the monster we are defending ourselves from. You are Other." The punch of being forced into the role of the hated enemy is visceral. And it allows us to feel empathy for this culture, and the things it must do to survive. That will be handy, since our protagonists are the villains of this world, and we will have this touchstone of learning to fear and hate the villains to come back to, established from very early on in the story.