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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Part of my program of close readings of exemplar fiction to learn techniques for my current project (and for general leveling up).
Second or third time read, though it's been at least 8-9 years since my last time. Still feels original and groundbreaking, especially from a worldbuilding perspective--fantasy for people bored with Tolkien-derived tropes. Reading Mieville inspires me to try harder and reach beyond my comfort zones in my world creation and description.
That said, I didn't connect deeply with the characters, which is important to me in most reads (and especially in informing my current project). Also, the male characters were more nuanced and complex than the women, and spoiler alert and sexual assault trigger warning:
.
.
.
a rape that took place prior to the novel's events, and the subsequent punishment, is foundational backstory for one of the main characters (the rapist), and while the author attempts to center the victim towards the end, the portrayal was still focused on the costs to the abuser, not to the victim. And because this is all revealed right at the end, it reframes much of this story as a redemption arc of sorts for the perp, which was deeply unsatisfying. At the end, for all the focus on "choice-theft", Grimnebulin has an inkling of the cost to Kar'uchai, while Yagharek demonstrates none.
Second or third time read, though it's been at least 8-9 years since my last time. Still feels original and groundbreaking, especially from a worldbuilding perspective--fantasy for people bored with Tolkien-derived tropes. Reading Mieville inspires me to try harder and reach beyond my comfort zones in my world creation and description.
That said, I didn't connect deeply with the characters, which is important to me in most reads (and especially in informing my current project). Also, the male characters were more nuanced and complex than the women, and spoiler alert and sexual assault trigger warning:
.
.
.
a rape that took place prior to the novel's events, and the subsequent punishment, is foundational backstory for one of the main characters (the rapist), and while the author attempts to center the victim towards the end, the portrayal was still focused on the costs to the abuser, not to the victim. And because this is all revealed right at the end, it reframes much of this story as a redemption arc of sorts for the perp, which was deeply unsatisfying. At the end, for all the focus on "choice-theft", Grimnebulin has an inkling of the cost to Kar'uchai, while Yagharek demonstrates none.
This is 4-star book that flirted dangerously with a 3-star review with every passing extraneous page. Though the characters and dramas were fresh and strange, I got quite tired of the lengthy descriptions of architecture and mandibles. At some point, the world had already been built and Mieville was just playing too much with his own creativity. There's a deus ex machina bit to the climax of the story that I didn't like so much and this book still earned about a 4-star review but it was at least 250 pages too long and I found it difficult to finish.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
En la traducción al español reutilizan excesivamente tres o cuatro palabras (ej. discurrir, inexorable) que, en algunas partes, hacen muy tediosa la narración del audiolibro.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Rape
This was my Speculative Book Club’s June pick! Perdido Street Station is truly unlike any other book I’ve read. The scope of the book is unfathomable- any chapter feels like it could be the basis for another entire book. This had to have been intentional on Mieville’s part, I’m assuming that he has a massive world built in his head of which he provides slivers to readers. It’s a very well planned book: the pacing is excellent, the world is huge, any character could be made into the protagonist. I really enjoyed the journey of reading it and will probably reread it at some point because I definitely missed a lot on my first try. That being said, it’s weird on the women front and it’s difficult to start because of the unfortunate opening bug person sex situation… I don’t think I’d pick it up myself but I’m glad that this book club gives me the push to kind of diversify the types of books I read while staying within my favourite genre.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
It introduced me to the world of weird fantasy. A book with a very rich story and world-building. I loved the questions it raised, and the story was very interesting.
adventurous
dark
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Drug abuse, Sexual violence