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allisong82's review against another edition
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
3.0
pc953's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to adore this book. I have been curious by Mieville for years now and thought this would be a good entry point into his works. From what I gather about the interviews at the end of the book The City & the City has a very different writing style and voice then his other works, that's promising for the rest of his catalogue.
This is a hardboiled detective story like the classics of chandler. It's main premise of taking place in two overlapping cities is fascinating. The concept of Breach and Oriciny is mysterious, riveting, and very cool. But it all kind of falls flat. The conclusion is a drawn out exposition, tidied up by narrative and not action. The main antongists have there reasons sure, but they don't seem to bear out in the fiction of the story only in the explanation of our main detective.
And despite my issues with the narrative I just found the voice and writing style really difficult to get through. Short statements and yet convoluted. I had to navigate the language used to navigate the story. And neither was really worth the effort.
That all being said it was a fascinating world and I really want to dive into more of his works, but sadly now with a little bit less excitement.
This is a hardboiled detective story like the classics of chandler. It's main premise of taking place in two overlapping cities is fascinating. The concept of Breach and Oriciny is mysterious, riveting, and very cool. But it all kind of falls flat. The conclusion is a drawn out exposition, tidied up by narrative and not action. The main antongists have there reasons sure, but they don't seem to bear out in the fiction of the story only in the explanation of our main detective.
And despite my issues with the narrative I just found the voice and writing style really difficult to get through. Short statements and yet convoluted. I had to navigate the language used to navigate the story. And neither was really worth the effort.
That all being said it was a fascinating world and I really want to dive into more of his works, but sadly now with a little bit less excitement.
__guychapman's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
cjamargo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.25
some interesting ideas of border politics and cyberpunk-like notions of split-cities but neither the setting nor characters are developing nearly enough to make this as solid as its potential would promise
jennybrennan's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lucywynhoven's review against another edition
Crime is not my favourite genre. Could not summon the will to read it.
sylvivresavie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-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
2.75
Perdido Street Station was such a momentous reading experience when I was younger. It was flawed, with its occasionally unconvincing characterization, the pacing, the occasional clunkiness of the dialogue, but the way the city lived, the atmosphere, elevated it above itself. The City & The City has a hell of a premise. It has the occasional sentence that makes me envious. Occasionally I feel for the characters. But on the whole, it is unconvincing. I don't buy it. I read a line and I think, you know, that feels forced, that feels written, something someone put in this character's mouth more than what the character would say. I don't buy it. I buy his architecture and his conceits, some of his turns of phrase, but not his characters or his plots.
I've seen interviews with China and he's such an insightful, articulate speaker who clearly has a tremendous amount to offer. I have Kraken on my shelf. It might be a bit before I get to it, but I will, and I'm going to be in it with the hope of being enraptured, because China so clearly has the capacity, somewhere, to be properly enrapturing.
I've seen interviews with China and he's such an insightful, articulate speaker who clearly has a tremendous amount to offer. I have Kraken on my shelf. It might be a bit before I get to it, but I will, and I'm going to be in it with the hope of being enraptured, because China so clearly has the capacity, somewhere, to be properly enrapturing.
dmfw's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bolzano_ed's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0