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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Such an interesting concept. In anyone else's hands, it would have been bad. Jemisin is one of my favorites for a reason. 5 stars.
After years and years of building a diverse and unique culture, New York City is ready to be born. However, an entity lurks that wants to keep that from happening. Five people embody the spirit of the boroughs: Queens, a spare daughter sent to America for her education; Brooklyn, formerly MC Free turned politician; The Bronx, director of an art museum; Manhattan (Manny for short), a newcomer with a past; and Staten Island, ...where do I even begin with her.
This is a diverse cast of characters that is really refreshing to see. I've seen so many depictions of New York where that is never the case, POC are in the background or nowhere to be found. Sao Paulo and Hong Kong even come along for the ride.
The Woman in White is a great villain. She reminds me of Christina Braithwaite in Lovecraft. They're very much similar character, doing whatever needs to be done in order to get what she wants. Even working with her enemy. For White, that's teaming up with Staten Island. Aislyn (Staten Island) is the xenophobic daughter of a racist, abusive cop that has lived her entire life on Staten Island afraid to go to the city. I can empathize with what she's going through, but my god...
It reminds me so much of how the suburbanites in metro Detroit warned their children about Detroit being such a dangerous place and snatched their children from the city in a panic when black people moved in. They even snatched their kids from the suburban schools (e.g. Oak Park) once the black kids starting going there for better education. I've spent a year in school with kids like Aislyn...I'm not at all surprised by how that all ended. I wish her luck...
I'm ready for the second and third book. N.K. can do no wrong in my eyes.
After years and years of building a diverse and unique culture, New York City is ready to be born. However, an entity lurks that wants to keep that from happening. Five people embody the spirit of the boroughs: Queens, a spare daughter sent to America for her education; Brooklyn, formerly MC Free turned politician; The Bronx, director of an art museum; Manhattan (Manny for short), a newcomer with a past; and Staten Island, ...where do I even begin with her.
This is a diverse cast of characters that is really refreshing to see. I've seen so many depictions of New York where that is never the case, POC are in the background or nowhere to be found. Sao Paulo and Hong Kong even come along for the ride.
The Woman in White is a great villain. She reminds me of Christina Braithwaite in Lovecraft. They're very much similar character, doing whatever needs to be done in order to get what she wants. Even working with her enemy. For White, that's teaming up with Staten Island. Aislyn (Staten Island) is the xenophobic daughter of a racist, abusive cop that has lived her entire life on Staten Island afraid to go to the city. I can empathize with what she's going through, but my god...
It reminds me so much of how the suburbanites in metro Detroit warned their children about Detroit being such a dangerous place and snatched their children from the city in a panic when black people moved in. They even snatched their kids from the suburban schools (e.g. Oak Park) once the black kids starting going there for better education. I've spent a year in school with kids like Aislyn...I'm not at all surprised by how that all ended. I wish her luck...
I'm ready for the second and third book. N.K. can do no wrong in my eyes.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Antisemitism, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Police brutality
I’ve never read a book where the city is such an integral character before, and I fell in love with New York through this book. I always joke that America has no culture, but I feel like I’ve been proven wrong. So much of this book clicked with me, and I loved every second of it.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
This was a very unique story. Honestly I might be too dumb to get it, interdimensional, multiverse concepts are hard for my brain to wrap itself around. But I loved the characters, the commentary on racism and xenophobia felt very relevant today, 5 years after the book was released, and it was a fun adventure overall. I don't really know New York well, but this made me feel like I did. Beautifully written, very visual.
funny
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
I didn't like how a lot of the concepts explored in this book worked and the prose didn't feel like anything special. Also I kinda felt like the writer has never spoken to a Brit, and the whole thing feels like revelry in New York that not even New Yorkers would enjoy. A couple of times the messaging felt unclear and at others I actively cringed, which isn't a bad thing really but it very much did not work for me.
adventurous
funny
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