Nerdette Book Club: ‘The City We Became’

By Greta Johnsen
N.K. Jemisin’s ‘The City We Became’ cover art.
Along with WBEZ’s Jenn White and Hugo award-winner Michi Trota, we break down N.K. Jemisin’s new urban fantasy. Greta Johnsen / WBEZ
N.K. Jemisin’s ‘The City We Became’ cover art.
Along with WBEZ’s Jenn White and Hugo award-winner Michi Trota, we break down N.K. Jemisin’s new urban fantasy. Greta Johnsen / WBEZ

Nerdette Book Club: ‘The City We Became’

By Greta Johnsen
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Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. This month’s pick is N.K. Jemisin’s new urban fantasy novel, The City We Became.

What if cities were embodied in human beings? If The Bronx were a human, what would she be like? (Of course, she’d be a lady.) And why is xenophobia so toxic? These are some of the questions Jemisin tackles in her new book.

Like Jemisin’s other novels, The City We Became serves as an allegory about racism and misogyny. But this time, Jemisin places us in our universe, on our planet, and in New York City.

Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with WBEZ host Jenn White and Michi Trota, editor for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

And then get ready for next month’s pick: The Vanishing Half, a new novel by Brit Bennett.

We want you to join the conversation! Read the book and send us your thoughts by recording your voice with your smartphone, then email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com. And tune in for the next conversation on Friday, June 26!