A “Book of the Month” find in my subscriber days! N.K. Jemisin never fails to deliver a masterclass in fantastical worldbuilding (see the Broken Earth Trilogy), and she brings that energy to the book’s gritty urban fantasy rendering of New York City – both as a place and as a sentient being with an identity of its own. Simply put, The City We Became is a love letter to New York — from the dynamic cast of New York residents who were chosen to become the magic incarnates of New York’s five boroughs to the details of the city’s fast-paced life, locales and back streets that only a long-lived local would know, and the city’s long-standing struggles with gentrification and displacement taken to otherworldly extremes. For readers (and writers!) who are invested in seeing a creative take on how the political and the environmental seeps into the lives of residents (that are not just middle-class/affluent people in their 20s) who have vastly different connections to this city, this is the book for you. The book has a sequel, but it’s a strong standalone book if you choose to not read on. A possible small gripe with this book for readers who are expecting more fast-paced action: Because the book balances multiple rich perspectives and plotlines that weave or run parallel, the pacing could be a problem. The book has a fair-share of action-packed moments, especially towards the climax of the conflict, but the momentum can feel disrupted at times with long character conversations and commentary about humanity and culture.