2022/131: The World We Make — N K Jemisin

City magic is liminal. It likes the hidden stories, the perceptual/conceptual shifts, the space between metaphor and reality. [loc. 3218]

Sequel to The City We Became, concluding what is now a duology instead of a trilogy: Jemisin, in her Acknowledgements, notes that 'reality moves faster than fiction', that her creative energy 'was fading under the onslaught of reality', and that 'the New York I wrote about in the first book of this series no longer exists'. Covid, Trump, Deep Fascism: nevertheless, she persisted...

The avatars of the five allied boroughs of Greater New York, excluding Staten Island but including Jersey City, are dealing with an incursion from Ur-space: the white city of R'yleh hangs over Staten Island, visible to only a few, inimical to human civilisation. The Enemy's weapons are elegant and subtle: Brooklyn's house is being sold without her permission, due to misfiled taxes; Padmini loses her job and therefore her visa; and Manny starts to remember his past life -- which seems to preclude his present occupation as avatar of Manhattan. In this volume, we encounter other city avatars and other spaces. I was especially taken with Istanbul (who loves his cats) and London (slightly batshit but utterly charming, which feels about right). There's more of Sao Paulo and Hong Kong, and a scene in the ruins of Atlantis. And the finale is elegant, too, relying on Padmini's understanding of quantum states and Bronca's experience of the relationship between fear and hatred. It's a triumph for inclusivity, diversity and tolerance -- themes that are threaded through the novel -- and an uplifting, joyful conclusion.

Which is not to say that The World We Make (hmmm, I wonder which world is being made, and by whom?) is flawless. There are a few plot threads that don't seem to lead anywhere (Brooklyn's favour from 'Bey'), some elements that felt jarring (Manny's backstory), character development that could have done with a little more detail (Neek): I found the pacing quite uneven, especially in the last few chapters. None of that stops it being joyful, inclusive, expansive and very entertaining -- at least for me -- but I do mourn the trilogy we might have had.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK Publication date is 01 November 2022.