I loved this review! You can really tell how much you loved this book - and there is certainly things to love about this book. I think what I love most about this book is that you can read it on multiple levels. You can try to read it without digging too deep into the metaphors and double-meanings Jemisin put into the book and just take this book at face value as an urban fantasy (although I don't know why you would). Or you can go deeper and see every tidbit Jemisin put in the book like you were talking about in the second half of the video. Jemisin has made a book for everyone here, and it's SO enjoyable to read no matter what. However, I truly love what she did by having all these elements in her book and truly making it about who "belongs" and where people find their sense of belonging and who gets to decide it is beautiful. I cannot wait to see where she takes it in the sequel!

This book has been on my radar for a while. You make it sound fascinating.

Nice work on the non-spoiler portion of your review (I bailed before the spoiler section). I find the idea of cities having avatars fascinating and I plan on reading this sometime in the future. My two cents on spoiler-free reviews. When I watch one, the question I want answered is "Should I read this book?". I'm looking to see what the reviewer liked and didn't like about it, without spoiling the details. When I do a video with spoilers, I call it a "discussion" video, the term I most often saw used on Booktube. Before I started making videos, I didn't like review/discussion combo videos. Now I've made several. I have found that a lot of people don't watch reviews of books until they have read it. Once I intend to read a book, I've found myself not watching reviews anymore. At the end of the day, I advise you to make the videos that best fit your schedule and what you want to do with your channel. I've enjoyed what I've seen from you thus far and I wish you the best.

I haven't read this book, but it makes sense that she describes cities as having souls. I've read The Broken Earth trilogy and enjoyed the first book especially. I don't read a lot of fantasy but I'll consider reading this one. Jemisin's world-building is so unique and distinctive and I really enjoy that!