.Virtual Book Club

The City We Became

by N.K. Jemisin

 

From the publisher's website: 

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.

*** WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! ***

Each week, VBC discusses sections of the book together. Below is a collection of weekly discussion questions posed by VBC leadership and members. Be aware that these likely include spoilers, so please do not scroll further if you have not read the book.

 

Week 1: Orientation meeting

1) The City We Became has been called "a love song to cities". What is your favorite (or least favorite) city? What would their avatars be like?

2) The City We Became is classified as "urban fantasy". Do you have any experience with this genre? What feelings or expectations does that knowledge evoke?

 

Week 2: Chapters 1-3

1) Wildly speculate about the Woman in White! What is her goal? What do you think she represents so far?
2) Some of the avatars seem to have a better understanding of who they are than others. Why do you think that is the case? How do belonging and identity form each avatar?
3) So far, which scene has stuck with you the most? What about that scene made an impression?

 

Week 3: Chapters 4-7

1) Brooklyn tells Manny “What people think about [New Yorkers] isn’t what we really are.” What do you think this means?

2) As Padmini watches the young boys in Mrs. Yu’s pool almost get overwhelmed by the Enemy, she notes: “The thing in the pool will do worse than kill the boys; it will take them away. To where and for what? Who knows, but it can’t happen.”

What do you make of this looming threat? How does this feeling relate to the mentions of ICE?

3) Buildings take on the powers of their avatars to become “more” Queens, or Brooklyn, or Manhattan. What does it mean and how does this relate to questions of authenticity?

4) Over the course of these chapters, we gather insight into why the avatars feel they have been chosen. How did the images of the boroughs in your mind align with how they were presented by the characters?

 

Week 4: Chapters 8-11

1) We've now seen all of the boroughs demonstrate their powers. Whose powers are the most impressive to you? What is unique about them all? What is similar?

2) Each avatar has encountered seriously racist and xenophobic behavior thus far in the story. What do you think that has to do with the Enemy? Is this all related?

3) Sao Paulo and Hong Kong are now here, and in conflict with Staten Island. Why is Aislyn so resistant to join the rest of the boroughs? Do you think Aislyn knows something the others don't?

 

Week 5: Chapters 12-16

1) Do you think it was a good idea for the avatars to split up at the beginning of this section? How might the outcome have been different if they stuck together?

2) Does the revelation that cities destroy entire universes change the way you read this book? How do you feel about the way the avatars make peace with that fact?

3) How does the ending leave you feeling? What do you think will happen in the next book in this series?