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5aru's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It always takes me a few chapters to get settled in for a Jemisin book. She just drops you into the fantasy world completely from the very first sentence you read, and good luck figuring it out; which you always do, because she’s just that good at worldbuilding. But it takes a while to *get* it, which is why I often have to go back and re-read the beginning of the book knowing what I know after having interiorized it. The City We Became was no different in that regard, but ho boy wasn’t it a ride. And I loved it.
I mean, a proud Black female writer, with her unapologetically queer protagonists of colour, doing the things that this book does with Lovecraftian motifs and horror — all the while referencing Lovecraft as the ridiculous bigot he was? You just know Lovecraft would’ve hated it, and that just makes it so much better. The hard truths about living as a queer person of colour in America are never concealed, and in fact quite openly protested; the fact that bigotry and hatred are tendrils of the Enemy won’t be lost on anyone. And the intricate lore built around the cities is simply a treat to read. I really wish I could understand all the references to New York history and culture better, since I’ve never been and truthfully know rather little — but that’s not even a problem. I enjoyed myself deeply regardless.
I was actually hoping for a standalone this time, but it’s a trilogy again — and hey, you won’t catch me complaining.
I mean, a proud Black female writer, with her unapologetically queer protagonists of colour, doing the things that this book does with Lovecraftian motifs and horror — all the while referencing Lovecraft as the ridiculous bigot he was? You just know Lovecraft would’ve hated it, and that just makes it so much better. The hard truths about living as a queer person of colour in America are never concealed, and in fact quite openly protested; the fact that bigotry and hatred are tendrils of the Enemy won’t be lost on anyone. And the intricate lore built around the cities is simply a treat to read. I really wish I could understand all the references to New York history and culture better, since I’ve never been and truthfully know rather little — but that’s not even a problem. I enjoyed myself deeply regardless.
I was actually hoping for a standalone this time, but it’s a trilogy again — and hey, you won’t catch me complaining.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape and Abortion
One of the main protagonists is trapped in a situation of domestic violence on her father’s part; it is mostly psychological and emotional, not physical, and she has alienated herself from the sitaution enough that it is not described in any painful detail, but some scenes may be potentially triggering for survivors.azrah786's review against another edition
4.0
**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
CW: racism, racial slurs, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexual assault, rape threats, violence, body horror, gore, police brutality, religious bigotry, emotional abuse, doxxing, hate crime, abortion, addiction/alcoholism, attempted drowning
My first N. K. Jemisin book and I can only really describe it as wonderfully whacky.
The City We Became is more or less a story about the 5 boroughs of New York being personified to fight off an eldritch being that is hellbent on destroying the city. How cool of a concept is that?!
It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea as it is a little strange and slow going and took me a lot longer to get through that I expected but I did enjoy it.
Jemisin’s writing is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere created immerses you right in, from the creeping elements of Eldritch/Lovecraftian horror to the rich descriptions of the life, diverse cultures and stereotypes of New York that meticulously shape both the setting and the characters that embody it. One downside though is that as someone who has never seen or experienced the city in person, I did feel like I couldn’t fully appreciate every aspect of the book.
The storyline gave me major comic book vibes – The Wicked and the Divine or Watchmen were some that came to my mind - with how it focuses on a bunch of individuals being reluctantly bestowed powers and coming together to save a city. So although the written novel form worked well to vividly portray all of this in lieu of a comic strip, I can’t help but think it could have worked even better in graphic novel form – it would have particularly helped with the pacing.
The ending was also quite abrupt and hence gave the overall feeling of a prequel novel setting up a bigger story. All that aside however, it was still an impressive work of fiction as well as an immense homage to the city of New York and I can definitely see why Jemisin is such a big name in modern sci-fi and fantasy. I look forward to the sequel and picking up her other work.
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
CW: racism, racial slurs, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexual assault, rape threats, violence, body horror, gore, police brutality, religious bigotry, emotional abuse, doxxing, hate crime, abortion, addiction/alcoholism, attempted drowning
My first N. K. Jemisin book and I can only really describe it as wonderfully whacky.
The City We Became is more or less a story about the 5 boroughs of New York being personified to fight off an eldritch being that is hellbent on destroying the city. How cool of a concept is that?!
It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea as it is a little strange and slow going and took me a lot longer to get through that I expected but I did enjoy it.
Jemisin’s writing is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere created immerses you right in, from the creeping elements of Eldritch/Lovecraftian horror to the rich descriptions of the life, diverse cultures and stereotypes of New York that meticulously shape both the setting and the characters that embody it. One downside though is that as someone who has never seen or experienced the city in person, I did feel like I couldn’t fully appreciate every aspect of the book.
The storyline gave me major comic book vibes – The Wicked and the Divine or Watchmen were some that came to my mind - with how it focuses on a bunch of individuals being reluctantly bestowed powers and coming together to save a city. So although the written novel form worked well to vividly portray all of this in lieu of a comic strip, I can’t help but think it could have worked even better in graphic novel form – it would have particularly helped with the pacing.
The ending was also quite abrupt and hence gave the overall feeling of a prequel novel setting up a bigger story. All that aside however, it was still an impressive work of fiction as well as an immense homage to the city of New York and I can definitely see why Jemisin is such a big name in modern sci-fi and fantasy. I look forward to the sequel and picking up her other work.
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion
akblair's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
There are aspects of this I really love but overall I feel like it tries to do too much- worth a read if you love NYC, though. Loses some points from me for sound effects and music in the audiobook- but if you’re in to that I suppose it’s well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Genocide, Antisemitism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
This is essentially a study of all the different cultures that make up NYC- for better or worse- and it doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts.zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was really inventive and interesting. I read the short story that formed the base of this novel, and I like the way it was expanded. I have never read a book with a Lenape character, and it is so important that one was included. This was beautifully diverse and funny overall.
It was also super intense. The white supremacist groups and individuals mobilized by the enemy hit very close to home. I also observe that the book was clearly in conversation with Lovecraft. The ending wasdefinitely a deus ex machina, but I still liked it. I just hope there isn’t a contingent trying to have a redemption arc for Aislyn but I mean cmon there probably is one isn’t there.
It was also super intense. The white supremacist groups and individuals mobilized by the enemy hit very close to home. I also observe that the book was clearly in conversation with Lovecraft. The ending was
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Abortion
lisacanteven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a couple of things that I have had trouble finding in a book: unique and abstract. I loved the plot of this book and the use of personification. As unique as it was, I never had trouble understanding. Jeminison writes so beautifully and clearly. I have lined up some of her other books to read this year.
The only reason I took off a star is because the pacing seemed a bit off. For 3/4 of the book they are going in circles and having the same conversations over and over for pages and pages at a time. It felt very slow and very redundant. The last 1/4 of the book was a punch in the gut and a great setup for sequels.
I finished the last 50 pages on audio because I was just struggling to keep going. It was very enjoyable on audio, and if I ever reread for the sequels I will do so on audio. The audiobook is a production and more than a reading. I definitely recommend the audio.
The only reason I took off a star is because the pacing seemed a bit off. For 3/4 of the book they are going in circles and having the same conversations over and over for pages and pages at a time. It felt very slow and very redundant. The last 1/4 of the book was a punch in the gut and a great setup for sequels.
I finished the last 50 pages on audio because I was just struggling to keep going. It was very enjoyable on audio, and if I ever reread for the sequels I will do so on audio. The audiobook is a production and more than a reading. I definitely recommend the audio.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicide, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
dulcinea's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
snslayer's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Huge fan of Jemisin's other work but this one took me a really long time to get into. If you don't have any prior knowledge of or interest in New York City, you have to wait through half a book of conceptual introduction to get to any amount of characterization. I enjoyed it by the end but if I didn't already love and trust Jemisin there is no way I would have finished this. I prefer more character-driven to plot-driven stories and this was not that. Would recommend to people who love NYC and/or plot-driven modern fantasy. It's well-written but not my thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry