Honestly? I very nearly hated this. In fact, I'm a little confused that I was able to finish this at all. It was good, I guess, but until the end I didn't really care as much as I should've. Mainly b/c okay, I like Yeine, but she didn't DO anything. 
 She learns she's being used as a pawn and (view spoiler)[sacrifice being used as a goddess-soul storage unit and what does she do? "Aw, that sucks!" and then...nothing. Just, makes peace w/ it. (hide spoiler)] All she does is go on and on about how horrible it must be for these immortal gods to be enslaved for what must be a small fraction of their lives. Yeah, it sucks, but it really looks like nothing next to the plight of humans. (view spoiler)[Remember that poor fucker in that pit? They mutilated (and mutilation is a tame term for what happened to him) for entertainment and there's no magical god healing for him. (hide spoiler)] Yeine's family (on her ma's side) is ridiculously evil. 
 Wait, but back to my point: Yeine is frighteningly passive. Especially since she's this Amazon warrior princess. As campy as Xena was, I'm pretty sure there was no storyline where she responded to her impending doom by making out with Aries and...complaining sometimes? Nope! She fought, even if the odds were against her and sure, of course she took the time to look lovingly into Gabrielle's eyes but you know, while they were on the way to kicking ass. 
 Yeine did nothing. Nothing. In fact, the one time she does something to try to help Darre, it comes to--wait, can you guess?--nada. Zip. Scimina completely outclasses her. Usually when the villain says, "Haha, I thought you'd be more of a challenge!" the hero has something. Maybe they don't win, but it's better than Yeine's "Yep." Although, to be fair, (view spoiler)[she does punch her. (hide spoiler)] But that was so short and unsatisfying, it mostly just bitterly reminded me of what could've been. Here are a couple more "barbarian" kickass princesses that might've been good inspiration: Princess Ugg, Red Sonja. In fact, she's not a barbarian, but while we're looking at badass comic princesses: Princeless. And like, a ridiculous list of fictional heroines. 
 And who else was waiting for her to try to win at becoming the heir? Did anyone see her do shit to win, cause I know I didn't. Even though she wants it, even though she doesn't want to be a pawn, she does nothing past wanting. She does nothing. Nothing happens. No one is surprised she loses. Not even me (and I'm sure most readers), who loves an underdog. 
 I didn't like Yeine's dad for one reason: calling Kinneth better than the Darre was bad form, especially given the historical context of what the Amn do, of what a full-blood Amn does. Especially since it's made clear throughout the book that she never gave any indication she was better than anyone in that hive of sadistic monsters. Honestly, bone-white bitch is an unreasonably kind insult. (I hate those guys so much. Why couldn't this book be set in Darre? Oh my god black Amazons, all I ever wanted. Fate is cruel.) 
 I found the ending corny. (view spoiler)[ Why not kill Itempas? Or at least, like, lock him up in a pit of suffering underneath the ocean. Gods do that all the time. But nooooo they need to be lenient b/c gross sibling sex menagerie. And am I the only one who thought Enefa!Yeine was a bit awkward? (hide spoiler)] And not only was the ending corny, it was rushed. Just a bunch of discoveries that could've been dropped or at least hinted at earlier (and god, this would've made the drudgery go by quicker) but nope. 
 Ok, ok, there was some good stuff. Jemisin has a pleasant writing style. And Yeine is likable, to the point where I was often offended on her behalf. (view spoiler)[ I hate Naha for putting his hand in her heart, for nearly killing her like that. Oh she asks for too much? She asks for too much???? You assholes want her life! You put a soul in her w/o her permission!! All she wanted was to win a contest, to die with some dignity, you know, to not be the only one who didn't benefit from her death. And he never apologized. Of course he didn't. Gods are assholes. Let 'em all die (except maybe Sieh, though I could've gone w/o the makeout session. He was the only cool one.) 
 While I'm in spoiler: the little convos between Enefa and Yeine were confusing b/c in the beginning, I had no idea what was going on. I just thought she'd gone insane. (hide spoiler)] 
 Oh wait, right, stuff I like. 
 Sieh, T'vril, Beba, and Yeine are all likable characters. No one is annoying, mostly. I did care about them. 
 I'm 99% sure Jemisin is an only child now. None of the siblings felt like or interacted w/ each other as siblings would imho. I found the incestuous parts gross and unnecessary. It seemed dropped in just to make them strange. Or liberated (grimace, if so)? Fucking their siblings and children didn't make me think they transcend sexual conventions, though I know that was the goal (since Yeine said that at least once.) I think it made them depraved degenerates, no better than amoral, mindless animals. 
 Yeine may be too hot for Naha to admit that, but I'm sure not. 
 So yeah, I liked it. Would never read again. Will probably not read the sequel. I will, however, read The Fifth Season and hope the incest fixation was a phase and that her heroines have gotten proactive. She is a talented writer and a lot of ideas in this book had promise, even though I felt too many had fallen flat. After all, she was nominated for a Hugo for this. So yeah, I'm keeping the faith.