Book No. 9 of 2021
I gobbled up this book, which among many other things is a heartfelt love letter to cities—which in this fantasy-but-also-real-world are living entities. There is something truly, utterly delightful about Jemisin’s personification of New York and its boroughs, as well as the other cities of the world; while this is very much a fantasy/sci-fi novel, the real-life details are familiar and very grounding. (I kind of want to say more specific things about the book’s premise, but I went in knowing nothing and thought that made for a more enjoyable experience.)
I especially appreciated all the unapologetic commentary on racism, exploitation/colonialism, gentrification, etc. and appreciate how Jemisin shows that you can acknowledge that the things we love about cities are rooted in injustice, and that we can love them all the same. I also really got a kick out of the fact that in this world, 911-dialing Karens and alt-right “reverse racism” troll bros are presented as literal representatives of evil. (There are moments where things seem almost too on the nose, but it’s also a relief to see bigotry portrayed without the usual dollop of sympathy we’re asked to extend to people who would absolutely never extend that same courtesy to understanding us.)
Finally, it’s always fun to wrap your mind around multiverse/multidimensional stories, and I thought the premise of what role cities play in the multiverse was really beautiful. (If you couldn’t tell, I love cities.)
Similar Reads
I got big Wrinkle in Time vibes from the story, particularly with the way certain figures find and guide each other.
The theme of the indigenous history hidden in a city’s journey reminded me of Tommy Orange’s There There.
New Orleans is referenced in a way I would not have understood if I hadn’t read Rebecca Solnit’s A Paradise Built in Hell.
There were several similarities to Scott Hawkins’ The Library at Mount Char.