The City by Stella Gemmell

For a novel titled The City (2013), we see surprisingly little of the Stella Gemmell’s eponymous setting itself, save for its labyrinthine underground tunnels and sewers. But there’s no doubt the city sits at the center of this patiently-developed, detailed work thanks to its ongoing and seemingly endless war against the enemies that ring its lands and its internal dissensions as some of its most powerful citizens begin to chafe under the leadership of the Immortal.

The City begins from the point of view of a young brother (Elija) and sister (Emly) who live in one of the many communities in the sewers of the city. It’s a purposefully gritty and grim opening, as it sets the reader up with a particular view of the City — this is not a place that takes care of its most vulnerable and seeing it through these young children’s eyes we’re predisposed to root against maintenance of t... Read More