Into the Forest discussion

Here is the place to discuss retellings, traditional tales, or books set in the city.

Books I recommend
Certain Dark Things: I read this for the "blood drinkers" challenge this year. It's set in an alternate Mexico City and has both European and indigenous Central American vampires.
The Black God's Drums: Alternate New Orleans, West African mythology

On my TBR:
War for the Oaks
Vassa in the Night

Kelsey wrote: "Books I recommend
Certain Dark Things: I read this for the "blood drinkers" challenge this year. It's set in an alternate Mexico City and has both European and indigenous Central Am..."

Great picks! I thought I had read The Black God's Drums, but I have not!

I second the rec. for War for the Oaks. Not my sort of thing, but I enjoyed it for the wonderful writing and creativity anyway.

Cheryl wrote: "I second the rec. for War for the Oaks. Not my sort of thing, but I enjoyed it for the wonderful writing and creativity anyway."

I agree with War for the Oaks is a good example of fantasy taking place in an urban setting. As it’s supposed to be one of the first of the genre that became known as Urban Fantasy, it’s interesting to read for historical context

Also in that group of early Urban fantasy authors is Charles de Lint, whose writing I like a lot more.
I recommend starting with Memory and Dream. Ignore that it’s listed as #2 in the Newford series, as it’s a series that takes place in the same world but the books don’t have to be read in order.

Some books that I’ve read and really enjoyed in recent years that take place in urban cities are:

Wicked Fox and the sequel Vicious Spirits (Seoul)
Lagoon ( Lagos)
The Fox Wife ( Mukden, Dalian and a city in Japan, I forget where)
Siren Queen ( Los Angeles)
VenCo ( Toronto, New Orleans)
Silver Nitrate ( Mexico City) ( I agree Certain Dark Things by the same author is great too!
River Mumma ( Toronto)
The Angel's Game and The Shadow of the Wind ( Barcelona)
Night Watch ( Moscow )
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store( Tokyo)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold ( Tokyo)
Except the Queen (New York City)

I don’t know what I’ll read myself yet

I'll get started adding ideas when my winter break starts. :)

Thank you for listing what city(s) the books you mention are set in. That will help me choose!

War for the Oaks, btw, is Minneapolis.

I am thinking about using this book

The City We Became (NYC)

Michele wrote: "I am thinking about using this book

The City We Became (NYC)"

That's a great book!

Cheryl wrote: "Thank you for listing what city(s) the books you mention are set in. That will help me choose!

War for the Oaks, btw, is Minneapolis."

Thanks, it’s been so long I couldn’t remember where it took place!

My suggestions for this prompt:

The Goblin Emperor - this is now one of my favourite books!
Strange the Dreamer
City of Nightmares

A few ideas for UK and Europe cities that have folkloric elements

Edith Holler Edward Carey (Norwich, UK)

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell Susanna Clarke [London, York, and Venice)

[book:Invisible Cities|9809] Italo Calvino (Venice)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Laini Taylor (Prague)

The Other City Michal Ajvaz (Prague)

The City & The City China Mieville (imaginary with Eastern european/Balkan influences)

The Historian Elizabeth Kostova (Llubjana, Budapest, Bucharest, Istanbul)

A few are a bit of a stretch - the Calvino, Ajvaz and Mieville being more magic realism - but I would count them 🙂

Rose wrote: "A few ideas for UK and Europe cities that have folkloric elements

Edith Holler Edward Carey (Norwich, UK)

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell Susanna Clarke [London, Yor..."

Great picks! Mieville's Bas Lag series would also count here.

Some more city recs I enjoyed:

-The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (New York City)

-Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel: I can't remember what city in India, but the city is an integral theme to Kaikeyi's development as a character and leader.

-The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry: London

-The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia (Moscow)

-The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine: New York City

-The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero: Krakow

-The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin: NYC

-The Changeling by Victor LaValle: NYC

-Witchmark by C.L. Polk: London esque

-The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad: fictional silk road city

Okay, I have many more, but not enough time! Quick list:

-The Diviners: NYC
-The Ghosts of Rose Hill: Prague
-A Master of Djinn: Cairo
-The Making of Yolanda la Bruja: Bronx
-When Among Crows: Chicago

So I was totally thinking real-world cities and contemporary urban fantasy for this, but I just finished reading The City in Glass, and it's kinda the perfect mythic city book (for me at least, loved it).

Another 5-star recommendation I forgot about in my first post:
The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar by Indra Das (Kolkata).

Kelsey wrote: "So I was totally thinking real-world cities and contemporary urban fantasy for this, but I just finished reading The City in Glass, and it's kinda the perfect mythic city book (for..."

I think either way could work! I have The City in Glass so I will definitely read it for this challenge!

Finally I read The Great Night for this prompt. I don’t know if I’d recommend it. The premise is very interesting but I found parts very tedious. I was planning on reading 2 books for each prompt. I might read The City & the City. I’ve never read anything by China Miéville before.

Jalilah wrote: "Finally I read The Great Night for this prompt. I don’t know if I’d recommend it. The premise is very interesting but I found parts very tedious. I was planning on reading 2 books fo..."

I read The City & the City many years ago and enjoyed it. I don't remember it much anymore, ha!

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Finally I read The Great Night for this prompt. I don’t know if I’d recommend it. The premise is very interesting but I found parts very tedious. I was planning on re..."


I’m not sure if I’ll like it. Another possibility would be The Changeling. I’ve been wanting to read it for a while now. At first I was concerned it might be too much horror, but I think I remember you’re saying it not

Yes and no? There are some really horrific moments, but it's never scary, and those moments come fairly late into the book. You might like it!

I really enjoyed The Golem and the Jinni! I'd definitely recommend it for this one.

I will count Mother of Rome for this as it all about the founding of Rome centered on Romulus and Remus' mother.

Jo Walton's The Just City is another I would suggest. The city itself plays a central role in the story.

I just really enjoyed Beth Cartwright's Feathertide about a girl born with feathers who goes looking for her bird-father. It takes a bit to get there, but she does arrive at a fantastical city of canals on the sea.