Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Just what I needed right now - a fun, science fictiony adventure story but with an in your face message. I thoroughly enjoyed it
This book was bonkers. So cool, so weird. You can feel Jemisin's love for New York on every page.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A city novel a la Perdido Street Station, The Yiddish Policeman's Union, and Record of a Spaceborn Few. More Urbanist Fantasy than Urban Fantasy. Starts like a Walter Mosley sci-fi story where the everyman protagonist has to deal with suddenly being imbued with powers and arcane knowledge. Becomes more like a Stephen King book as the team of super avatars find each other and join together. The parts getting into the head of a pathetic secondary antagonist especially remind me of Stephen King. The whole premise of a city manifesting human avatars kind of reminds me of China Mieville. Perdido Street Station is kind of similar in that it's about how a motley crew come together to save a big (highly characterized) city from some kind of insidious city-killing magic. The scenes with the evil art kind of reminds me of the Hitler art that appeared in Mieville's Last Days of New Paris. Also has some Lovecraftian horror and criticism thrown in. Good writing and believable characters win me over to even the most far-out premises. I'm pleased that I knew where New York was sleeping as soon as they described his environment, despite my never having been to New York. I like how the book says that New Jersey is more New York than Staten Island.
I have a guess about why Manny can’t remember what happened before he became the borough of Manhattan. He experienced trauma and the process of becoming an avatar kept him from it. Even though I am mad as hell at Staten Island for the choice she made, I can’t fault her for it. Pain, isolation and loneliness combined can play a big part in what and who you choose. I loved the magic involved throughout and all the surprises along the way. I am so happy to have a favorite sci-fi author that looks like me and is a whole mood for all things otherworldly!
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a really terrific read. It was recommended to me by the goodreads algorithm as a similar title to Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower and, initially, I was put off by the ugly cover. BUT in the spirit of not judging a book etc. I gave it a go.
I've never read any Jemisin before and it took me a bit of time to get used to her writing style. It's brash and kind-of unsubtle, but I came to enjoy it and it made me critically reflect on my own prejudices and internalised cultural norms when it comes to literature. There is a tone of voice here that is really forceful and in-your-face and I reckon white, middle-class cultural norms have led me to dismiss this as somehow cheesy and lacking substance. In fact, it is quite the opposite: Jemisin has woven a really emotional, multifaceted and multilayered depiction of NYC here and I'm really happy to have had my prejudices challenged.
The story itself is a lot of fun with some real cliffhangers and epic battle-scenes. The characters are likeable - especially Bronca, who I see as something of a protagonist. The intensely site-specific nature of the novel might be boring to some, but as a geographer I tend to really value that in a book - and ultimately, it just made me really want to go back to NYC. It also made me want to read Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy which I duly went out and bought.
I've never read any Jemisin before and it took me a bit of time to get used to her writing style. It's brash and kind-of unsubtle, but I came to enjoy it and it made me critically reflect on my own prejudices and internalised cultural norms when it comes to literature. There is a tone of voice here that is really forceful and in-your-face and I reckon white, middle-class cultural norms have led me to dismiss this as somehow cheesy and lacking substance. In fact, it is quite the opposite: Jemisin has woven a really emotional, multifaceted and multilayered depiction of NYC here and I'm really happy to have had my prejudices challenged.
The story itself is a lot of fun with some real cliffhangers and epic battle-scenes. The characters are likeable - especially Bronca, who I see as something of a protagonist. The intensely site-specific nature of the novel might be boring to some, but as a geographer I tend to really value that in a book - and ultimately, it just made me really want to go back to NYC. It also made me want to read Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy which I duly went out and bought.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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.