gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think that this was wildly original and engaging! Loved the sci-for love craft Ian weirdness and the concept of people as cities’ avatars.
Some of the characters fell play like Padmini, Manny and Aislyn. I felt that they don’t really have clear motivations or distinct traits beyond their characterization as the borough they represent.
I also felt like while the hook talks about a lot of important concepts with racism, gentrification, xenophobia, etc, the villains are fine being over the top but the normal New Yorkers that they encounter could have had some variety.
Some of the characters fell play like Padmini, Manny and Aislyn. I felt that they don’t really have clear motivations or distinct traits beyond their characterization as the borough they represent.
I also felt like while the hook talks about a lot of important concepts with racism, gentrification, xenophobia, etc, the villains are fine being over the top but the normal New Yorkers that they encounter could have had some variety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Police brutality
purechaos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexism, Xenophobia, Racism, Stalking, Violence, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
How much do I love this book? I love it so much that when I finished it, I set it down and stared into nothing for a few minutes, just to feel all the weird feels I was feeling. I love it so much that I didn't write down a single content warning while I was reading, because I didn't want to stop long enough to make a note of it. I just... love it, OK?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, Classism, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Body horror, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Abortion, and Fatphobia
jackolanterns_in_august's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Hate crime, Violence, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual assault
bethmalena's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
Engaging read, fun characters. Felt a bit “on the nose” as an allegory (?) and political commentary (even though I share most of her politics it felt heavy-handed). I think I may have enjoyed it more if I’d spent more time in New York. Still love her sci/fi worldbuilding more, but I was entertained by this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
ktame001's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism
northernbiblio's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
Absolutely loved this! It was like Sense8 meets American Gods, Lovecraftian horror minus the prejudice. I’ve already ordered the next book in the series and can’t wait to see where the story goes.queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: violence, substance use, homelessness, xenophobia, racism, homophobia, sexual assault
"Don't sleep on the city that never sleeps, son, and don't f*cking bring your squamous eldritch bullshit here."
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin is book one in the Great Cities series. As with everything I've read by Jemisin, this blew me away. Jemisin is an expert worldbuilder, and the fact that she worldbuilt on top of our existing world only serves as another added layer to the story, and there are many layers to this book.
Jemisin imagines a world where cities that are large enough and old enough eventually become sentient and are "born" into the world through the use of human avatars that are literally the embodiment of that city. We focus on the birth of New York City, but something goes wrong with the birth, and the avatar is badly weakened against an interdimemsional eldritch horror of a parasite.
New York is different from other cities. Instead of just one avatar, New York has five, one for each borough: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Jemisin has used stereotypes as foundations for each borough's personality, but she reminds us "Lesson one of New York: what people think about us isn't what we really are," and in that way also subverts the stereotypes.
Remember that Eldritch Horror? Or as one of the characters says, squigglebitch. The parasite is also sentient and has taken human form in order to better infect the city to prevent a successful birth. Squigglebitch could be seen as an allegory for gentrification or white feminism.
I honestly could go on about every aspect and detail of this book, it was so incredible. Layers Upon layers of meaning and themes. We also have great diversity among the representatives of the boroughs, including Staten Island being a racist, xenophobic white girl too afraid to get on the ferry. Perhaps people actually from New York might take offense to the way they are portrayed or maybe connect with it?
I will for sure be reading the next book when I can get it in paperback.
"Don't sleep on the city that never sleeps, son, and don't f*cking bring your squamous eldritch bullshit here."
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin is book one in the Great Cities series. As with everything I've read by Jemisin, this blew me away. Jemisin is an expert worldbuilder, and the fact that she worldbuilt on top of our existing world only serves as another added layer to the story, and there are many layers to this book.
Jemisin imagines a world where cities that are large enough and old enough eventually become sentient and are "born" into the world through the use of human avatars that are literally the embodiment of that city. We focus on the birth of New York City, but something goes wrong with the birth, and the avatar is badly weakened against an interdimemsional eldritch horror of a parasite.
New York is different from other cities. Instead of just one avatar, New York has five, one for each borough: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Jemisin has used stereotypes as foundations for each borough's personality, but she reminds us "Lesson one of New York: what people think about us isn't what we really are," and in that way also subverts the stereotypes.
Remember that Eldritch Horror? Or as one of the characters says, squigglebitch. The parasite is also sentient and has taken human form in order to better infect the city to prevent a successful birth. Squigglebitch could be seen as an allegory for gentrification or white feminism.
I honestly could go on about every aspect and detail of this book, it was so incredible. Layers Upon layers of meaning and themes. We also have great diversity among the representatives of the boroughs, including Staten Island being a racist, xenophobic white girl too afraid to get on the ferry. Perhaps people actually from New York might take offense to the way they are portrayed or maybe connect with it?
I will for sure be reading the next book when I can get it in paperback.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Drug use, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Racism, and Homophobia
mosshaunt's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
4/16/2023: i'm not involved with most book-related circles on social media and was not aware of the isabel fall incident. i will leave my original rating up for this book but after hearing the author was involved in harassing a trans woman, i have no intent to read any more of n.k. jemisen's works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, and Transphobia
eschorrlesnick's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia