The City We Became

By: N. K. Jemisin

Narrated by: Robin Miles

Three-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author N.K. Jemisin crafts her most incredible novel yet, a "glorious" story of culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary New York City.

In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power.

In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it's as if the paint is literally calling to her.

In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels.

And they're not the only ones.

Every great city has a soul. Some are ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York? She's got six.

For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:

The Inheritance Trilogy

• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
• The Broken Kingdoms
• The Kingdom of God
• The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)

"Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych" (e-only short fiction)

The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)

Dreamblood Duology

• The Killing Moon
• The Shadowed Sun
• The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)

The Broken Earth

The Fifth Season

The Obelisk Gate

The Stone Sky

How Long 'til Black Future Month? (short story collection)

"A glorious fantasy." (Neil Gaiman)

©2020 N. K. Jemisin (P)2020 Orbit

Critic reviews

"A love/hate song to and rallying cry for the author's home of New York... Fierce, poetic, uncompromising." (Kirkus, starred review)

"The City We Became is a wonderfully inventive love letter to New York City that spans the multiverse. A big middle finger to Lovecraft with a lot of heart, creativity, smarts and humor. A timely and audacious allegorical tale for our times. This book is all these things and more." (Rebecca Roanhorse, author of Trail of Lightning)

"It's a glorious fantasy, set in that most imaginary of cities, New York. It's inclusive in all the best ways, and manages to contain both Borges and Lovecraft in its fabric, but the unique voice and viewpoint are Jemisin's alone." (Neil Gaiman)

"Some of the most exciting and powerful fantasy writing of today... Jemisin's latest will attract...even those who don't typically read genre fiction." (Booklist, starred review)

Heavy handed

Mild spoilers ahead.

Admittedly the main idea of this book is wonderful. N.K Jemisin suggests in this novel that cities are multidimensional ententies. Cities like New York have so much history, so much vibrancy so much metaphorical life flowing through their streets that they litterally come to life and manifest an avatar, a personification of what the city is as a whole.
Doing so, however, wipes out and destroys alternate universes where the city presumably doesn't exist or something else exists in its place. This means cities being "born" are vunerable to attack from extra-dimensioanal ententies.

In short, N.K. Jemisin is mixing H.P. Lovecraft with every novel/play/song where the location plays a big role. In theory its a wonderful idea. In practice its very heavy handed as to what constitutes a healthy city and what doesn't. In short, gentrification universally bad, "real" New York good.

Tearing down the old to make way for the new is seen as suspicious at least, dangerous at worst. Never mind the fact that in New York what constitutes as old or new is up for considerable debate. The author picked a date and decided anything more recent wasn't the real New York. Every child does this with the place that they grow up in, hating the changes, good or bad, that inevitably come to a place they love with nostalgic intensity. I suppose New Yorkers are no exception.

Much of what Jemisin says makes sense. For example unique, "family owned" coffee shops making way for corporate soulless Starbucks is literally the sign of the apocalypse. Similarly anything xenophobic, racist or hateful in any way is posionious to the city as a whole. This last statement is one no sane person would disagree with, but the way this idea is shoved into our faces without subltly leaves something to be desired.

Finally, is it just me or is anyone else slightly insulted that New York is the first city in America to come to life? What about Salem, Massachusetts? Or Jamestown, Virginia? Or hell why not the capital of the freaking country, Washington D.C? Aren't there cities in America older than New York with equally diverse cultures and rich histories? New York may be important but it ain't the only game in town.

Wonderful story, amazing production

Incredibly creative, characters you have to love and admire, perfectly paced. And, I think this is the best-narrated and best-produced audiobook I listened to since I joined Audible in 10-15 years ago. Brava, all!!!

Amazing performance !

Very fun listen and an outstanding performance by Robin Miles (the narrator). She deserves the Oscar equivalent of performances for audible. Her Brazilian accent could have been a little better but that was the only slight knock on her. This is the perfect example of when the audible is better than actually reading the book. N. K. Jemisin turns NYC into a whirlwind of out of this world visuals for the listeners/readers. Perfect homage to NYC. However, I don’t think I would have liked this as much as I did if I didn’t grow up in NJ right outside the city my whole life. Glad I gave this a listen!

Wow and Wow! Thank you For Another Special Series

I am a big fan of N.K. Jemisin and this book is at the top of my list of favorites!
Robin Miles' Narration was top notch and her ability to inhabit each character so fully was astounding!
The whole premise of the book is very timely in every way and I cannot wait for the next in the series!
I bought this as an Audiobook to listen to when I was driving and after having to pull over to shout at my car speakers I decided I might want to listen to it in a safer space!
I actually need to read this in print or on my Kindle, but Robin Miles voices will inhabit my head when I do!

N.K Jemisin is the fantasy reader you have to read

This unique and interesting book brings to life NYC like you've never imagined it. NK Jemisin is a master at building a world. Even a world you think you already know. She rhythmically weaves a spectacle you can easily get lost reading. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. She is a true master of her trade. Robin Miles brings books to life with an outstanding read. Music to your ears in book form. When these two combine its worth every second.

So good

Loved everything about this book. The characters are interesting. The story is vivid. and the narrator is spectacular.

Exceptional

This book did something I thought was impossible. It made me want to move back to New York

Loved It!

The narration for this book was amazing. each character had a distinct voice which played perfectly into his/her personality!

Jemisin gets New York

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, being a New Yorker the language and references were so spot on. Robin Miles captured the heart of this book with the accents and inflections. Fantastically fun and a great adventure. This is going into my bank of greats.

incredible performance

awesome book. the performance by the narrator was nuanced and inspored and simply beautiful. brought so much to the story

I believe n.k. jemisin is one of the greatest sci fi authors of the times. I look forward to many more words from her prolific genius