Miejsce akcji czy bohater? Miasto w powieściach urban fantasy

Setting or protagonist? The city in urban fantasy novels

A city is the default setting for urban fantasy novels. The genre is based in its definition on the clash of the fantastic world with the real world (embodied by the city), which renders both realities more distinct and interesting. Thus, in this type of fantasy, the urban landscape is a background for magical or supernatural events, contrasting with them with its modernity, mundaneness and recognizability in the eyes of the reader. Since urban fantasy is characterized by its “world-centeredness”, researchers often point out that the importance of this space for the development of the plot goes beyond the usual role of the setting – one of the basic literary elements. Urban fantasy draws attention to various aspects of real everyday life and the space in which it takes place, picturing them in a distorted way and questioning their legitimacy or sense. According to some researchers, the city in this type of narrative can even be treated as an independent character, having personality, preferences, agency, and influence over the events. Others argue that the key to this genre is not the city itself nor its dynamics, but the experience of this city by individual characters, interest groups, or entire communities. Katarzyna Szyszka in the chapter „Setting or character? The city in urban fantasy novels” proposes an analysis of the way of presenting the urban landscape in urban fantasy, its role in the plot as a whole, its function in its formal construction and its significance for its genre features, using the example of the American book series about Kate Daniels, set in post-apocalyptic Atlanta, written by Ilona Andrews. Fragments from the novels, where the city is presented in the most interesting and representative way for the genre, will be analyzed in terms of their content and language. Based on the analysis, an attempt will be made to define the factors influencing whether the city is perceived more as a novel’s setting or a character.