N.K. Jemisin’s The City We Became was announced as the best novel at the British Science Fiction Awards 2020 on April 4, 2021.
The British Science Fiction Awards, a production of the British Science Fiction Association, have been presented annually since 1970. The awards are voted on by members of the British Science Fiction Association and by the members of Eastercon, the national science fiction convention, held since 1955.
The longlists in the categories of Award for Best Novel, Award for Best Short Fiction, Award for Best Non-Fiction, and Award for Best Artwork for 2020 were announced on January 16 before the shortlist was revealed on February 18. There were several writers of African descent in then longlists and shortlists.
The winners were announced at the Eastercon, ConFusion which ran from April 2-5, 2021. From the many categories, Jemisin was announced as the winner in the Best Novel category. Her response was; “ICYMI, over the weekend THE CITY WE BECAME won Best Novel in the BSFAs!”
It has been a good last year for the US American novelist who has also won the MacArthur Foundation “genius grants” in October and Best Novelette at the Hugo and Astounding Awards in August.
