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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
dark
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Extraordinarily imaginative. Slow to start but builds to an epic crescendo. Amazing world building. Violent. Very interesting ethical dilemmas. Excellent character development and masterful unfolding of plot.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Great atmosphere and vibe throughout. But it never dived deep enough into any one theme, character arc, or plotline for me to really become invested. I enjoyed the ride but after closing the book, it left me with no thoughts whatsoever.
The world he creates is imaginative. The story is engaging. For me the book is a bit too dark overall.
Oh my, there was no rushing this one. The rich, exotic world of New Crobuzon. This was dense and detailed and brilliantly original. If you rush only for the plot (and you can, in the last half of the book the plot races), you will miss what makes this such a rewarding read. The plot is difficult to describe; it is complex and multi-faceted, and I guarantee you will never know just where it is going. The writing reminds me of Mervyn Peake and the Gormenghast novels - so very much world-building and both Peake and Mieville are not afraid of using their big words (keep a dictionary handy). Mieville is so creative, you can't always be sure which is a "real" word and which a creation, as well as his world's own scientific precepts. Highly recommended for those willing to take the time it deserves.
Place is such an important facet of literature. It provides context and setting and atmosphere. Perdido Street Station is a living embodiment of a piece of fiction with a strong sense of place. The bustling industry and oozing filth of New Crobuzon, the sprawling city featured in Perdido Street Station, is as much a character as any of the actual living beings that inhabit the story. Every new district and winding side street introduced has an accumulation of history and lived-in filth to it. China Miéville uses dense, overburdening prose that envelops and transports, at times it threatens to collapse in on itself but it never does. The towers loom over the reader, the narrow streets hem the reader in, and the smell and taste of the air overwhelms.
Beyond the prose itself, Miéville shines in creating an inspired world of fantasy and science fiction, introducing unique and compelling new sentient races and fantastical creatures whilst mixing in steampunk-esque technology and magic. The moniker of "Weird Fiction" is certainly apt. It is a genre that is hard to pin down as it is an amalgamation of many; I think the designation spawns from a general vibe of the dingy, urban fantasy that is presented. There are often elements of the macabre or passages that straight up evoke horror as events and processes are typed out in grisly detail. The ideas within are as vibrant and memorable as New Crobuzon itself.
A slight knock against the book comes in with rather cookie-cutter characterization and plotting. Underneath the layers of prose, the main crew of characters prove to be merely serviceable. It felt like there was quite a bit of side development that was left on the cutting block or just wasn't properly explored, maybe this is just a side-effect of having such a fleshed-out city with oodles of characters popping in and out. The most interesting characters are played as bits, often having a section in their POV before never showing up again e.g. Mayor Rudgutter or MontJohn Rescue. The book runs long, so not exploring or closing out these narrative avenues is understandable if not frustrating. The overall effect of the book is still mesmerizing and an impressive feat of literary prowess. The world of Bas-Lag and the city of New Crobuzon are fully realized locales in a way that I have rarely seen and I greatly look forward to exploring Miéville's other work within them to bask in his prose and experience even more fantastical constructs.
Beyond the prose itself, Miéville shines in creating an inspired world of fantasy and science fiction, introducing unique and compelling new sentient races and fantastical creatures whilst mixing in steampunk-esque technology and magic. The moniker of "Weird Fiction" is certainly apt. It is a genre that is hard to pin down as it is an amalgamation of many; I think the designation spawns from a general vibe of the dingy, urban fantasy that is presented. There are often elements of the macabre or passages that straight up evoke horror as events and processes are typed out in grisly detail. The ideas within are as vibrant and memorable as New Crobuzon itself.
A slight knock against the book comes in with rather cookie-cutter characterization and plotting. Underneath the layers of prose, the main crew of characters prove to be merely serviceable. It felt like there was quite a bit of side development that was left on the cutting block or just wasn't properly explored, maybe this is just a side-effect of having such a fleshed-out city with oodles of characters popping in and out. The most interesting characters are played as bits, often having a section in their POV before never showing up again e.g. Mayor Rudgutter or MontJohn Rescue. The book runs long, so not exploring or closing out these narrative avenues is understandable if not frustrating. The overall effect of the book is still mesmerizing and an impressive feat of literary prowess. The world of Bas-Lag and the city of New Crobuzon are fully realized locales in a way that I have rarely seen and I greatly look forward to exploring Miéville's other work within them to bask in his prose and experience even more fantastical constructs.
The setting is fantastically original and the plot is compelling. One of the best books I’ve read in recent memory, HIGHLY recommend.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated