New York City is on the verge of awakening. In Jemisin’s vision, great cities are not just places—they are living, breathing entities that are born into existence when they reach a critical mass of culture, population, and identity. When a city is born, it manifests through an avatar—an individual who embodies its essence and protects it from external threats. But something goes wrong with New York’s birth. Instead of a single avatar, the city fragments into five avatars, each representing a different borough, and they must unite before an eldritch, parasitic force known as the Enemy destroys them all.

The story begins with the awakening of the primary avatar of New York, a nameless homeless man, who experiences the birth of the city but is immediately attacked by the Enemy. He disappears, leaving the fate of New York in the hands of five newly awakened avatars: Manhattan (Manny), a college student with no memory of his past but an instinctive knowledge of violence and survival; Brooklyn (Brooklyn Thomason), a former rapper turned city councilwoman; The Bronx (Bronca), an indigenous artist and the head of a struggling art center; Queens (Padmini), a brilliant mathematician and immigrant balancing tradition with her own ambitions; and Staten Island (Aislyn), a sheltered and fearful young woman who resists her role in the city’s awakening.

As the boroughs struggle to come to terms with their new powers, they are hunted by the Woman in White, an agent of the Enemy, who uses gentrification, systemic oppression, and fear to weaken the city from within. Each avatar must grapple with their personal struggles while learning to wield the immense magic of their boroughs. Meanwhile, the missing primary avatar—New York itself—remains lost, and without him, the city remains vulnerable.

The conflict escalates as the Enemy exploits Aislyn’s fears and isolation, turning her against the other avatars. She becomes an unwitting ally to the Woman in White, setting the stage for a climactic confrontation. In the final battle, the avatars of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens join forces, using the unique strengths of their boroughs to push back against the invasion. Though they succeed in repelling the immediate threat, the battle is far from over. The primary avatar is still missing, and the Enemy has not been defeated—only delayed.

The City We Became is a celebration of New York’s resilience, diversity, and defiant spirit. Through its vivid characters and sharp social commentary, Jemisin weaves a powerful tale that reflects the struggles of real-world communities resisting erasure and oppression. The novel ends with a sense of unfinished business, setting the stage for the next book in the duology, where the fight for the soul of the city will continue.