kshertz's review against another edition
challenging
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Definitely take this review and rating with a grain of salt. I have heard so much about this author and this book so I definitely wanted to read it. The concept is brilliant and there are so many brilliant lines in this book. I really feel like a lot of it probably went over my head but I did enjoy the parts of it that I understood and caught. It was a little bit too slow of a read for me and very long but overall definitely glad I got to experience this writer and their writing style.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Abandonment, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Classism, Colonisation, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
harpoonholly's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Audiobook review. First thing, Robin Miles is an amazing actor who puts so much passion in the words written, even the post-credits and IP legalese. She is a full cast in a single person, her characterizations are so good. I'll be getting the sequel to this book, "The World We Make" to hear her act again.
I'll also get the sequel because NK Jemisin is an amazing writer. I'm fascinated in the personification of concepts and to personify cities is to maximize adds greater complexity because of course it has to. I also like how she goes about acknowledging Lovecraft's literary contributions (northeastern U.S. sublime, dread, and monsters) and shining a scalding light over his overt bigotry that was startling even for his time.
10/10, would recommend, especially the audiobook.
I'll also get the sequel because NK Jemisin is an amazing writer. I'm fascinated in the personification of concepts and to personify cities is to maximize adds greater complexity because of course it has to. I also like how she goes about acknowledging Lovecraft's literary contributions (northeastern U.S. sublime, dread, and monsters) and shining a scalding light over his overt bigotry that was startling even for his time.
10/10, would recommend, especially the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Homophobia, Racism, and Body horror
Moderate: Misogyny, Police brutality, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Addiction, and Alcoholism
stormeno's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Classism, and Cursing
Minor: Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Cancer, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Abortion, Sexism, and Sexual content
dannythestreet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Homophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Cancer, Car accident, and Kidnapping
samthereader's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Racism, Homophobia, and Sexual harassment
keegan_leech's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.75
A stunning book. Jemisin's writing is always and her characters feel alive. The story is a clever take on community, humanity, and HP Lovecraft's racism. Best of all, it feels honest and grounded. I really felt for the characters and there were moments when I wished everything would just work out already so I'd get to see them safe and happy. But the novel avoids trite, easy solutions. Every moment of danger or despair feels real, and the moments of lightness and hope feel all the more satisfying because of it.
That said, I was a little disappointed by the novel. It felt a little unfinished. I understand that this is the first in a series, but it felt like to many plot threads were left hanging. And rather than feeling drawn into the sequel, I just felt unsatisfied. The novel also doesn't manage to overcome the feeling that it is a novel for New Yorkers, and not really anyone else. Which isn't a bad thing, I certainly learned a lot about New York, but I don't think it resonated as strongly as it would have if I actually knew the city.
That said, I was a little disappointed by the novel. It felt a little unfinished. I understand that this is the first in a series, but it felt like to many plot threads were left hanging. And rather than feeling drawn into the sequel, I just felt unsatisfied. The novel also doesn't manage to overcome the feeling that it is a novel for New Yorkers, and not really anyone else. Which isn't a bad thing, I certainly learned a lot about New York, but I don't think it resonated as strongly as it would have if I actually knew the city.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Panic attacks/disorders
franklola's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Violence, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment
laurenkimoto's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
As per usual some disjointed thoughts about this book
- Amazing cover: the matte city scape with the shiny tentacles and colour detailing ties in so nicely to the story *chef kiss* The person who designed the cover deserves an award
- Chapter titles really should make a comeback
- We love some reluctant heroes who really just want to say to hell with saving the world just let me live my life in peace
- I am a fool I did not realize this was part of a series and now I’m sitting here waiting for the next book :(
- The petty book hill I will die on is that short chapters are superior to long chapters
- This is different than other fantasy books partially because it’s urban fantasy but also because the first half of the book the characters don’t know what’s going on so you don’t know what’s going on. Jemisin doesn’t info dump or use a naive character at the start to explain this world but rather you learn as the characters learn which I find is a fresh take.
- This book has the most diverse set of characters I have ever come across and it does so without any “token” characters because their identity and diversity is tied in to who/what they are. With this comes addressing so many timely and everlasting issues and Jemisin does so without sacrificing plot, pacing or anything else.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Abortion, Body shaming, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Rape, Transphobia, Bullying, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Biphobia, Classism, and Violence
macknificent's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-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
It pains me to say it, but this was a 3 star read. There were issues with pacing and the author didn't trust the reader enough in some areas. I loved the concept, the characters, and what the story was speaking on; the execution was just a little off.
Still, Jemisin is like pizza, even when she's bad it's still pretty good.
Still, Jemisin is like pizza, even when she's bad it's still pretty good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
ellipalmer's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The City We Became exists on two levels for me - the conceptual level and the story level. The central concept is that cities become embodied in a person (or in the case of NYC many people) who captures the core of that place this process is a city being born, going from just a place in our world to something more, something alive and immortal that exists across universes. There is an "enemy" who up till this point has been a sort of broad malicious force which tries to thwart these births. The Enemy is getting more strategic in its efforts, and as NYC is birthed its new tactics are being revealed.
Conceptually, I thought it was doing really interesting things - playing with and flipping tropes of whiteness (the color and by extension the race) usually being equated with goodness. Using the effects of gentrification, whiteness, and colonization as the basis for the antagonist. TCWB is about what makes cities/NYC special and beautiful (diversity, originality, collaboration) and what threatens them (capitalism, gentrification, fear of "other"). I think that N.K. Jemison has a brilliant mind and an amazing ability to use science fiction and fantasy as a site for exploring the pertinent questions of our time.
Narratively, I was left a little wanting. A member of my book club described the beginning of TCWB as like a weird acid trip and I think in some ways the whole book has some trippy qualities. We're dropped into this world without much information, which perhaps mirrors the experiences of the people/newly birthed boroughs who suddenly find themselves with new powers and at the center of a trans universal conflict. The pacing felt inconsistent and the narrative felt contrived.
I'm torn between feeling like the amount we're told about this multi-universe world is exactly based on how much the main characters know, and hungry for more world-building. We get tiny glimpses of the world the Enemy comes from, but I wanted to know more. Without understanding the world she/it comes from the Enemy felt a little one-dimensional. She mentions reasons which she uses to justify her attempts to kill cities and I wanted to understand more about the worlds outside of "ours" where the book is set and more about her place in that world, not because I wanted to empathize with her, but because without that context I couldn't really connect to the stakes. Her power felt like something I was just supposed to believe was great and serious, but I didn't feel the threat, for all we know in the grand scheme of this multiverse she could just as likely be a tiny speck with a Napoleonic complex, or a massive and powerful interdimensional being. Without that context, it felt hard to take her seriously even though the stakes for NYC were high. I know this is the first book of a trilogy so perhaps we'll learn more in future books which will tie everything together.
All in all, I trust N.K. Jemison's skill as a writer though to believe that she has more up her sleeve and whatever questions I have will be answered. I think she's doing really interesting things in her writing and in this book specifically. Some parts didn't land for me here as much as they have in other series, but this is only the beginning so I'm excited to see what she has still to come.
Conceptually, I thought it was doing really interesting things - playing with and flipping tropes of whiteness (the color and by extension the race) usually being equated with goodness. Using the effects of gentrification, whiteness, and colonization as the basis for the antagonist. TCWB is about what makes cities/NYC special and beautiful (diversity, originality, collaboration) and what threatens them (capitalism, gentrification, fear of "other"). I think that N.K. Jemison has a brilliant mind and an amazing ability to use science fiction and fantasy as a site for exploring the pertinent questions of our time.
Narratively, I was left a little wanting. A member of my book club described the beginning of TCWB as like a weird acid trip and I think in some ways the whole book has some trippy qualities. We're dropped into this world without much information, which perhaps mirrors the experiences of the people/newly birthed boroughs who suddenly find themselves with new powers and at the center of a trans universal conflict. The pacing felt inconsistent and the narrative felt contrived.
I'm torn between feeling like the amount we're told about this multi-universe world is exactly based on how much the main characters know, and hungry for more world-building. We get tiny glimpses of the world the Enemy comes from, but I wanted to know more. Without understanding the world she/it comes from the Enemy felt a little one-dimensional. She mentions reasons which she uses to justify her attempts to kill cities and I wanted to understand more about the worlds outside of "ours" where the book is set and more about her place in that world, not because I wanted to empathize with her, but because without that context I couldn't really connect to the stakes. Her power felt like something I was just supposed to believe was great and serious, but I didn't feel the threat, for all we know in the grand scheme of this multiverse she could just as likely be a tiny speck with a Napoleonic complex, or a massive and powerful interdimensional being. Without that context, it felt hard to take her seriously even though the stakes for NYC were high. I know this is the first book of a trilogy so perhaps we'll learn more in future books which will tie everything together.
All in all, I trust N.K. Jemison's skill as a writer though to believe that she has more up her sleeve and whatever questions I have will be answered. I think she's doing really interesting things in her writing and in this book specifically. Some parts didn't land for me here as much as they have in other series, but this is only the beginning so I'm excited to see what she has still to come.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, and Gaslighting