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The City We Became

Author: N.K. Jemisin

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  • Chrysler Building

    Standing beneath the Chrysler Building, a visitor who has read The City We Became might feel a heightened sense of both awe and unease. Its art deco splendor, the gleaming sunburst crown and soaring eagles, embodies the strength and aspirational energy that the newly-awakened city avatar, Manny, struggles to harness for good. But knowing the malevolent forces that seek to corrupt and unravel the city, one might also perceive a subtle vulnerability in its grandeur. The building's sharp, metallic edges could feel like defensive points, a silent sentinel against the encroaching darkness, reflecting the constant vigilance required to protect the city’s unique and vibrant spirit.

  • Washington Square Park

    Washington Square Park, with its iconic arch and bustling energy, embodies the heart and lifeblood of New York City that Jemisin so vividly portrays. Visiting the park after reading "The City We Became," you’ll feel the weight of its symbolic significance, recognizing it not just as a meeting place, but as a nexus of the city's spirit. The constant flux of people – students, artists, tourists, locals – mirrors the ever-changing, often chaotic, yet ultimately resilient nature of New York as it battles the Enemy. Observing the buskers, the protesters, the lovers, you'll sense the vibrant, multifaceted soul of the city that must be protected, understanding how each individual thread contributes to the powerful, collective identity that the avatars fight to defend. The park’s beauty, juxtaposed with the grit and the constant struggle for space, becomes a tangible representation of the city's tenacious hold on its own existence.

  • Central Park

    Walking through Central Park after reading The City We Became, you can’t help but feel the pulse beneath the curated tranquility. The park, designed to be a calming green heart, takes on a new significance as the avatar of a living city facing existential threats. The deliberate order of the landscape – the winding paths, the carefully placed boulders, the seemingly natural water features – echoes the delicate balance between chaos and control that the characters fight to maintain within the city itself. Seeing families picnicking on the Great Lawn or lovers strolling hand-in-hand, you might recognize in their joy and connection the very life force that the city's defenders are sworn to protect, understanding that the park is not merely a refuge from the urban sprawl, but a concentrated expression of the city's vibrant, vulnerable soul.

  • Empire State Building

    Standing at the base of the Empire State Building, or gazing out from its observation deck, a visitor might feel the sheer, overwhelming weight of history and ambition that pulses through New York City, a feeling that resonates deeply with the novel's themes. The building, a symbol of the city's resilience and towering aspirations, mirrors the immense pressure felt by the newly awakened avatars tasked with defending it. Knowing the story, one might look at the building not just as a landmark, but as a conduit for the city's very life force, a silent sentinel whose strength is intrinsically linked to the well-being of the five boroughs and a focal point for both creation and destruction. The building's imposing presence serves as a constant reminder of the immense power, and the equally immense responsibility, that comes with embodying a city as complex and vibrant as New York.

  • The Statue of Liberty

    Seeing the Statue of Liberty after reading The City We Became is to see her not just as a symbol of freedom, but as a powerful, potentially vulnerable, living entity. Knowing the story, a visitor might find themselves studying her face, wondering at the resolve and strength it would take to physically embody and defend a city. The weight of history and the hopes of generations seem to press down on Liberty Island, amplified by the knowledge of the unseen, existential battles fought in her name. The harbor view, typically a panorama of promise, might now feel like a strategic vantage point, a place of watchfulness against threats both seen and unseen, reflecting the constant vigilance the city avatar must maintain.

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