The City We Became

Anyone else reading a ton but finding it hard to write a reflection? My brain feels like soup. It’s like I can feel things starting to form but I can’t quite grab the words I want to say. I’m probably overthinking it, but no matter! Alas. A reflection!

The City We Became is NK Jemisin’s love letter to New York. And it shines through. Although this book didn’t quite grab me, I still think NK Jemisin’s creativity in speculative fiction is unmatched and she is one of the very best out there right now. I’ve read a lot of her work and nothing is the same and they are all so good. You get lost in her worlds. I did appreciate this story very much because it was just straight up entertaining. I found myself chuckling at NK Jemisin’s sharp commentary on the ills of white supremacy and gentrification. I also loved reading a science fiction, fantasy book about a city. Reading it really felt like being in the city too, it was loud, messy, beautiful, and weird. But there were times I felt like the story got bogged down, as @becksisreading said sometimes it felt like there was too much telling. But then I read @librosconleet and @ellehaunter thoughts and they said the audiobook was absolutely fantastic, making me think that perhaps that is the superior format to engage with this story. I’ll probably give it a listen at some point to compare.

Although this isn’t my favorite NK Jemisin I still think this was a fun ride, especially if you live or have lived in New York. It definitely made me want to visit and discover more about each of the boroughs. In our buddy read we also discussed which city book 2 could be about or if she will continue with New York. With Jemisin who knows? I just know I’ll read it no matter what.

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