Three-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts her most incredible novel yet, a “glorious” story of culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary New York City. In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn’‘t remember who he is, where he’’s from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, … But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power.
In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it’’s as if the paint is literally calling to her.
In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels.
And they’‘re not the only ones.
Every great city has a soul. Some are ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York? She’’s got six.
For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)
The Broken Earth
The Fifth Season
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky
How Long ‘’til Black Future Month? (short story collection)
“A glorious fantasy.” –Neil Gaiman
ldren. New York? She’’s got six.
For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)
The Broken Earth
The Fifth Season
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky
How Long ‘’til Black Future Month? (short story collection)
“A glorious fantasy.” –Neil Gaimanldren. New York? She’’s got six.
For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)
The Broken Earth
The Fifth Season
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky
How Long ‘’til Black Future Month? (short story collection)
“A glorious fantasy.” –Neil Gaimanldren. New York? She’’s got six.
For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)
The Broken Earth
The Fifth Season
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky
How Long ‘’til Black Future Month? (short story collection)
“A glorious fantasy.” –Neil Gaimant:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)
The Broken Earth
The Fifth Season
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky
How Long ‘’til Black Future Month? (short story collection)
“A glorious fantasy.” –Neil Gaimanmore
The story is incredibly slow to start. Halfway in, things still felt like they were in the set-up stage. The last quarter of the book is excellent, but it’s hard to overlook the exhausting amount of exposition and character introductions that make up a large chunk of the novel. Once Jemisin establishes everything, the book absolutely sings with her unique voice, but it was disappointing to see the “20 minutes remaining in book” marker on my Kindle because I felt like I wasn’t given enough time to enjoy the book when it was at its strongest.
That first half was also where most of the critiques I had were concentrated. The characters’ voices were a bit rigid and unnatural in the beginning—a lot of exposition and dated Tumblr-esque rhetoric (IYKYK). It made the characters seem disingenuous or caricaturesque, and it was otherwise a fantastic and diverse cast. In the last quarter of the book, the characters really radiate with such strength in their interactions with each other, and I just wish that had been the dynamic for the majority of the book and not just towards the end.
With that being said, this book is still one of the most unique fantasies I have read in a long time. Despite my gripes, I was more than happy to suspend my disbelief for almost the entirety of the novel, and I have to image future installments will only get better. The way Jemisin explores the current state of American society through such strong metaphors and allegory is not something you see everyday, and I have to give credit where credit is due for how she created such a bizarre and intriguing world.
This is one of those books I really wanted to like more than I did.
Jemisin has some beautiful world-building here. The imagery, so well crafted, induces fear and awe in the characters and the Reader. I wanted to go there and see it first hand!
The dialog is great. Just people talkin’, which I love. That’s no simple task.
However, the plot is a bit of a slog. I found myself wanting the story to move forward long before it actually did. Part of the was because of the very, very, very long conversations that weigh this book down.
The concept of cities “becoming” avatars, real people, was intriguing and exciting. The explanation of why that was… left you a little wanting but I feel most Readers will go, “Okay, sure that’s a thing then” and not get too caught up in it.
Trouble is, since the motivations of the characters somewhat hinge on this, some of the jeopardy in the story was lost. Found myself less invested whether they lived or died.
That said, the character I liked the most, the original iteration of “New York,” is absent from much of the novel.
One final niggle: This book is far more than a “love letter to the city of New York,” as it’s been described. This is a full-on Penthouse Letter to New York WITH a glossy, finger-smudged centerfold!
Obviously, Jemisin loves the town. I’ve been and like it just fine. But after what felt like the hundredth “This is New York, baby,” “We are NEW YORK,” or the endless low-throated uttering of the city’s name, as if NYC were the lover we all, naturally, lusted after… it made me, briefly hate the city!
Still, it’s a fun trip and worth a read. The first in the series, I’ll check out the next one.
Oh, I had to listen to much of this on audiobook while riding the motorcycle and, hats of to narrator Robin Miles. She was EXCELLENT. Wow, wow, wow what a narrator!
I’d listen to Robin read the panels of cereal box.
What in the world did I just read?? This book is immense, a world unto itself, or at least a city until itself. The characters (boroughs) are deep and thoughtful and unique and I really felt like I knew NYC a little bit better after reading this book. Phenomenal.
Ok so, I’m new to N.K Jemisin, I have heard of her sci fantasy for a while but some sci-fi I am intimidated by so I bypass it even though I desperately want to read it. But I threw myself into the audiobook Of The city We became.
Imagining cities with as beings with their own personalities and quirks to match the people and cultures that live within them is a very creative take on sci fantasy genre ( I’ve never come across much like that anyway) and Jemisin brought the five boroughs (and Jersey City) to life with their avatars matching exactly not only the cultural aspects but also social and the over all sense of place they represented
The writing was superb, the story world while NYC was still very well done and imagined, the sci-fi wasn’t to over my head and very well thought out, and the characters were all great.
The narrator for the audiobook was awesome. I definitely recommend this humorous and satirical approach to sci fantasy.
N. K. Jemisin has captured the living, breathing soul of New York City in a way that only a writer of her skill can. The City We Became is a masterpiece that plays by no rules — beautiful, musical, joyfully weird, and as impossibly fantastical as it is deeply true.
The City We Became is a raucous delight, a joyride, a call-to-arms, a revolution with plenty of dancing. Eat your heart out, Lovecraft.
The greatest fantasy novelist currently writing turns her magnificent eye and ear and heart on New York City, and the result is every bit as full of love and rage and crazy compelling characters as my beloved city deserves.