The City We Became

Average Bufph Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

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The City We Became

A Novel

N. K. Jemisin

2020-03-24

Three-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling 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 Gods

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

Reviews by public Bufph profiles
  • alex-jimenez profile picture
    alex-jimenez
    April 29, 2026

    An urban fantasy that turns the city of New York into a living, sentient being. Jemisin masterfully blends magic with gritty realism, offering a novel that feels as vast and complex as the metropolis it portrays. The diverse cast of characters, each embodying different boroughs, brings a fresh perspective to the 'city as character' trope. A must-have for any speculative fiction enthusiast's library.

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