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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A book I’ve been meaning to read for a long time, and it lived up to all my expectations. It’s an exploration of what a city is and can be, probing the limits of our perception and what we can be trained to see/unsee. I found it to be thoroughly thought-provoking: as another reviewer said, a realistic depiction of a surrealist setting. I liked how the places were grounded in real-life traditions and cultures, with a sprinkling of geopolitics. I usually dislike when authors coin neologisms, but it was tastefully done here. References to “grosstopic closeness,” “topolgangers,” and “insiles” make etymological sense and convey real meaning in the context of the two cities.
If you’re looking for an emotional story with a cast of fleshed-out characters with layered motivations and backstory, look elsewhere. The real stars of the book are the City and the City, not the individuals living within them.
Would recommend reading in multiple sittings. Not a breezy read, in the best way.
If you’re looking for an emotional story with a cast of fleshed-out characters with layered motivations and backstory, look elsewhere. The real stars of the book are the City and the City, not the individuals living within them.
Would recommend reading in multiple sittings. Not a breezy read, in the best way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Best read for it's fascinating study of the two overlaid cities at the core of its concept. The dective procedural icing on top just adds some fun
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I struggled with how to rate this one. The idea behind it is fascinating and there is a lot to mull over in thinking about it as a commentary on our real lives, but ultimately, I found it very slow and the writing style bogged me down. I did get a brief push of intensity in the last 1/4 of the book, but the ultimate ending of the mystery was less interesting than I expected. Still, it was a good story overall, and I can see why many people loved it (and why it won awards). This was my first book by Mieville, and I’m not sure his writing is for me.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No