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avrielturner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
jenhurst's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this idea. It’s about the city of New York having different people represent the city. Bronca is the Bronx, Brooklyn is Brooklyn obviously, queens and Manny. I think this was a very unique concept and explored New York as a city really well. Cities have so much personality and life, which makes them very interesting settings. This brought it to life even more.
sanjubee's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book! It was so inventive and brilliantly observant. The writing, the humor, the descriptions, the characters - they're all fantastic.
The only reason this isn't a full five stars for me is because the book took a very long time to pick up its pace, and some of the chapters felt repetitive. The social commentary was also extremely heavy-handed (ESPECIALLY with some of the villain's dialogue). This is probably purposeful, but parts of the book hammered in the message where a light tap would have done the trick. The final chapter was also super underwhelming for me, especially after a lot of build-up.
Still, those are minor grievances. This book is an incredible page-turner and clearly a love letter to the soul of New York City. I eagerly await the sequel!
The only reason this isn't a full five stars for me is because the book took a very long time to pick up its pace, and some of the chapters felt repetitive. The social commentary was also extremely heavy-handed (ESPECIALLY with some of the villain's dialogue). This is probably purposeful, but parts of the book hammered in the message where a light tap would have done the trick. The final chapter was also super underwhelming for me, especially after a lot of build-up.
Still, those are minor grievances. This book is an incredible page-turner and clearly a love letter to the soul of New York City. I eagerly await the sequel!
lil1inblue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aceinit's review against another edition
5.0
This is the type of urban fantasy that I live for. I want a whole genre full of books like this and Kate Griffin Matthew Swift series. The fact that this novel is listed as the first in a series makes me incredibly giddy, and I need the next installment now.
honnari_hannya's review against another edition
3.0
I'm sorry N.K. Jemisin, it's not you, it's me. Or maybe I'm just not that New York.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with some really interesting ideas. But I found parts of it incredibly repetitive, and I just could not bring myself to care one way or another about what happens to these characters.
The book pivots between 6 POVs, one for each of New York's different boroughs and the whole of New York itself. The readers get to see how each of them awakens in the face of a threat from the Enemy – a being from another world determined to keep the city from being born, no matter the cost.
Pros: Jemisin has a great gift for voice, and it shows in the uniqueness of each of her characters as the chapters switch between these 6 POVs. Even if you are dropped in the middle of a story, you can always tell that one narrator is different from the last. She also is very good at incorporating real-world issues into her fantasy, especially in a more familiar setting that forces readers to confront familiar modes of discrimination.
Cons: Unfortunately, the 6 POVs (no matter how unique) lost me early. Our introductions to pretty much all of the characters follow a very similar formula, with very similar pacing. Character is introduced, they are forced to confront some sort of danger, they are intimated but then they realize that New Yorkers are ballsy and don't let anyone push them around, they awaken some sort of power and defeat the Enemy in battle (with one notable exception). And this happens 4-5 times in the book. I got tired after the second one.
I also thought that Jemisin continuously used very similar tropes in all of these confrontations with the Enemy. Most of them focused on very explicit forms of discrimination, which powered the Enemy's tactic of gentrifying (and thus destroying the integrity) of New York City. I love the idea there, and would have loved to see insidious instances, rather than the cut-and-dry white ladies screaming and white supremacists yelling and etc.
I also thought that the way she handled the Enemy was not as thoughtful as it could have been, considering the "twist" at the end when her motives are revealed. The narrative itself seems to justify colonialism and genocide with Bronca's, "It's the way of life, my father taught me to know where my food came from and to use every part of it," speech in a way that made it clear that this is the end of discussion on that.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with some really interesting ideas. But I found parts of it incredibly repetitive, and I just could not bring myself to care one way or another about what happens to these characters.
The book pivots between 6 POVs, one for each of New York's different boroughs and the whole of New York itself. The readers get to see how each of them awakens in the face of a threat from the Enemy – a being from another world determined to keep the city from being born, no matter the cost.
Pros: Jemisin has a great gift for voice, and it shows in the uniqueness of each of her characters as the chapters switch between these 6 POVs. Even if you are dropped in the middle of a story, you can always tell that one narrator is different from the last. She also is very good at incorporating real-world issues into her fantasy, especially in a more familiar setting that forces readers to confront familiar modes of discrimination.
Cons: Unfortunately, the 6 POVs (no matter how unique) lost me early. Our introductions to pretty much all of the characters follow a very similar formula, with very similar pacing. Character is introduced, they are forced to confront some sort of danger, they are intimated but then they realize that New Yorkers are ballsy and don't let anyone push them around, they awaken some sort of power and defeat the Enemy in battle (with one notable exception). And this happens 4-5 times in the book. I got tired after the second one.
I also thought that Jemisin continuously used very similar tropes in all of these confrontations with the Enemy. Most of them focused on very explicit forms of discrimination, which powered the Enemy's tactic of gentrifying (and thus destroying the integrity) of New York City. I love the idea there, and would have loved to see insidious instances, rather than the cut-and-dry white ladies screaming and white supremacists yelling and etc.
I also thought that the way she handled the Enemy was not as thoughtful as it could have been, considering the "twist" at the end when her motives are revealed. The narrative itself seems to justify colonialism and genocide with Bronca's, "It's the way of life, my father taught me to know where my food came from and to use every part of it," speech in a way that made it clear that this is the end of discussion on that.
bookily's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
tle_1994's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readcharlotte's review against another edition
4.0
Wow this was something. Multiple dimensions, Lovecraftian horrors, and NYC through and through. Jemisin always manages unique worlds (even within one we know!) and well thought out magic systems. Incredibly diverse cast, and has relevant social commentary. There were some weak points, as it started off slow and the evil felt so... one dimensional (but I get WHY, as it's typical for "bad guys" to be represented as only stereotyped and one dimensional, it was just an unfamiliar flip of the script), but once it got rolling it was incredibly interesting.
reinedumonde's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.0