Title: The City We Became
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Synopsis: Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five.
But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.
Huge thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for this ARC!
Sam’s Review:
This is my first N.K Jemisin novel. I had read short stories by the author and a lot of her essay work, but this was the first book I physical grabbed and decided to take the plunge with. The City We Became is a fascinating, superhero-esque story, full of so many New Yorkers, some just trying to live their lives, and others who are fulfilling a larger purpose.
This book is brilliant, smart, disturbing, crazy, and might be one of the best love letter’s to NYC imaginable. So much of this story asks the reader to use their imagination, to suspend as much disbelief as possible, and focus on a large scale battle between the major neighborhoods, each with their own desire for power. The city’s five protectors can’t agree with one another, and there’s a big bad coming to destroy New York and swallow it whole.
I LOVED this book. It was so weird and intense throughout, and I loved how every NYC neighborhood had a distinctive personality and character that I am sure feels true to life. The way in which characters come together to fight this apocalyptic event has note of humour, and a great amount of terror. The City We Became has such a great premise, a fantastic ensemble cast, and will keep you turning pages long into the night.