There wasn’t a plot point of the story that I enjoyed more than others. The flatness of the characters was a big part of what kept me from engaging with them. Charlotte was probably the most dynamic person but her change was more about coming to terms with doing something she didn’t want to than it was about changing her mindset or actions. They were pretty flat characters, not changing much during the course of the book and not showing a lot of depth. None of the characters really drew me in. He was a reliable person and, uniquely, likeable. He had a clear goal of doing his job well and he cared for people more than others seemed to. He felt like a real person and someone that I could meet today or in 100 years and understand why he did what he did. Vlade might have been my favorite character. Really, they were pretty realistic, but not likeable. I didn’t like the tone of the ‘narrator’ that appeared from time to time and I found Franklin frustrating. Charlotte was too perfect for words and Amelia was purposefully aloof in a way that was annoying. They seemed a bit too contrived a lot of the time. It’s hard to really comment on these characters. There’s no reason it was a 22 hour audiobook. I would have slashed more than half of this book if I was editing it. Despite an easy sell, there was very little warning about climate change outright (besides Amelia). It became clear that the city was the main character, but we spent so much time with the actors that that was murky until I was nearly finished with the book. I was lost about the main plot of the book the entire time I was reading it and having finished, I’m still not sure I understand. There were way too many characters and they didn’t interact in ways I felt were meaningful and added to the story.

I’ve tried to think of a better word for it, but that seems to capture how I feel best. Lastly there are the coders, temporary residents on the roof, whose disappearance triggers a sequence of events that threatens the existence of all - and even the long-hidden foundations on which the city rests. Then there are two boys who don’t live there, but have no other home - and who are more important to its future than anyone might imagine.

There is the internet star, beloved by millions for her airship adventures, and the building’s manager, quietly respected for his attention to detail.

There is the detective, whose work will never disappear - along with the lawyers, of course.

There is the market trader, who finds opportunities where others find trouble. For the residents of one apartment building in Madison Square, however, New York in the year 2140 is far from a drowned city. As the sea levels rose, every street became a canal.

New york 2140 by kim stanley robinson