The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Fifth Season takes place on a planet called the Stillness. Not our earth exactly, but a place with recognizable features like oceans and mountains, roads and cities. Many of the inhabitants have human-like traits and features, but some races possess supernatural powers.
Stillness is not a happy place. Both the planet and society are unstable leaving the populace in a constant state of disaster preparedness. Tensions exist between the various races, and an elaborate caste system controls every aspect of life.
The story follows three female characters, members of a minority group, as they travel across different time periods in search of family, fame, and a fresh start.
Despite the obvious weirdness of the Stillness, it is hard not to pick up on the parallels to our own society’s ills—environmental irresponsibility, oppression of minority groups, uneven distribution of resources. But the issues are a subtle backdrop to a robust storyline and creditable characters.
The Fifth Season is the first in a trilogy, and includes such an intriguing cliffhanger ending that I might have to read the other two as well!