Essun is the protagonist of the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. When the series begins, she is a middle-aged woman living under a false identity in a small community, hiding her true nature as an orogene, someone who can sense and control seismic forces.
Her life is shattered when her husband discovers that their children have inherited her abilities. In a society that fears and hates orogenes, he kills their young son and takes their daughter. At the same time, a massive earthquake splits the continent and begins a new Fifth Season, a period of catastrophic climate disruption that will last for years.
Background
The trilogy reveals Essun’s past through multiple timelines. She was born Damaya, taken from her family as a child when her abilities manifested, and trained at the Fulcrum, the institution that controls orogenes. There she became Syenite, a skilled orogene who discovered truths about her world that changed everything. Finally, after escaping, she became Essun and tried to build a normal life.
Powers and Abilities
As a powerful orogene, Essun can manipulate kinetic and thermal energy connected to seismic forces. She can cause earthquakes, prevent them, draw heat from her environment, and sense movement through the earth. At her full power, she is capable of continent-shaking destruction.
The cost of these abilities is both physical and social. Using orogeny too intensely can kill, and society views orogenes as less than human, to be controlled or destroyed.
Themes
Essun’s story explores motherhood, trauma, and survival. Her driving motivation throughout the trilogy is finding her daughter, but the journey forces her to confront her past, the nature of her world, and what future might be possible for people like her.
Reading Order
See the complete Broken Earth reading order for all books in the series.