These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
While the catastrophes in N.K. Jemisin’s famed Broken Earth trilogy—each of which won a Hugo Award for best novel—threatened those living in a far-off future, in The City We Became she imbues modern New York City with vivid fantasy. It is under attack from the Enemy, a representation of white supremacy. (The novel alludes to famed early 20th-century science fiction author H. P. Lovecraft’s racism and hate for the city.) The avatars that, to their surprise, represent and must protect the five boroughs thus bond together to try to fight off the Enemy—making their diversity their strength in the face of dark forces that sometimes feel less fantastical than familiar.
Buy Now: The City We Became on Bookshop | Amazon
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision