Reviews

City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer

kaypers's review against another edition

5.0

Wonderfully absurd. If you're looking for a traditional book with standard storytelling, this is not it. If you're truly open minded and looking for extensive and perhaps disturbing world building (city building?) rather than a laid out plot, this is it. I would note it has numerous lengthy, and to me enjoyable, footnotes, and a 37 page annotated bibliography as part of the text. 

ghosttears's review

adventurous challenging funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

aderinola's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

5.0

connorrooke's review

5.0

It's strange - none of the individual parts of this book rise above 4 stars, but the book as whole I find worth 5 stars because of the marvelous weirdness of it being so many different kinds of writing in one - there's a 37 page stretch of one story that is the extensive bibliography of pamphlet written by zealous squid fancier. This is an odd piece that justifies its existence by virtue of its oddity.

patkohn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

citrusseasalt's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

3.0

jkarasinski's review against another edition

3.0

Dradin, In Love 2/5
The Hoegbotton Guide to the Early History of Ambergris 5/5
The Cage 3/5
The Transformation of Martin Lake 4/5
The Strange Case of X 3/5

neo_barista's review

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

luetob's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

abbeysykes's review

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75