Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
challenging
medium-paced
This one wasn't for me. It was a bit of a slog to get through.
There are elements here that are interesting, but the way it's put together / comes across really didn't click with me at all.
First Mieville book I've read and I can't say I'm in a rush to read any more. Disappointed.
There are elements here that are interesting, but the way it's put together / comes across really didn't click with me at all.
First Mieville book I've read and I can't say I'm in a rush to read any more. Disappointed.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book but it was a slog to get through and I'm a little bit gutted I didn't enjoy it. Some of the language style was off putting and made following the story tricky. Not actually sure what I've read.
Would recommend reading in a few big chunks rather than little sections.
Would recommend reading in a few big chunks rather than little sections.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Intriguing but Uneven"
The Book of Elsewhere is a bold and genre-blurring collaboration between Keanu Reeves and China Miéville that plays with big ideas and vivid visuals. The concept is fascinating, with hints of dark fantasy, philosophical depth, and a strong undercurrent of mythic storytelling.
There are moments of brilliance—Miéville’s signature imagination is present, and you can feel Keanu’s cinematic instincts shaping the tone—but the story doesn’t always stick the landing. The pacing wobbles, and some sections feel more style than substance. Characters occasionally feel underdeveloped, despite the rich world they inhabit.
That said, it’s a compelling curiosity. Fans of experimental fiction or visually driven storytelling may find it worthwhile, even if it doesn’t quite live up to its ambitious potential.
#TheBookOfElsewhere #KeanuReeves #ChinaMiéville #SpeculativeFiction #FantasyReview #GraphicNovelVibes #3StarRead #DarkFantasy #LiteraryExperiment #BookReview
The Book of Elsewhere is a bold and genre-blurring collaboration between Keanu Reeves and China Miéville that plays with big ideas and vivid visuals. The concept is fascinating, with hints of dark fantasy, philosophical depth, and a strong undercurrent of mythic storytelling.
There are moments of brilliance—Miéville’s signature imagination is present, and you can feel Keanu’s cinematic instincts shaping the tone—but the story doesn’t always stick the landing. The pacing wobbles, and some sections feel more style than substance. Characters occasionally feel underdeveloped, despite the rich world they inhabit.
That said, it’s a compelling curiosity. Fans of experimental fiction or visually driven storytelling may find it worthwhile, even if it doesn’t quite live up to its ambitious potential.
#TheBookOfElsewhere #KeanuReeves #ChinaMiéville #SpeculativeFiction #FantasyReview #GraphicNovelVibes #3StarRead #DarkFantasy #LiteraryExperiment #BookReview
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A weird, brilliant, batshit insane ride through the minds of Reeves and Mieville. This is off-the-wall, next-level, mythic science fiction, and packs an endless series of punches. It's John Wick hyper-violence meets cerebral meditations on death and impermanence. Definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea...
If you like your books thick on plot and attitude, and don't really give a damn about nuance or characterization, this one's for you. What more would you want? An antihero who can't die! An immortal babirusa! High-level government conspiracy! A secretive department with an eye-boggling casualty rate! Betrayals and counter-betrayals! Some vague pseudo-philosophy!
I enjoyed this a lot, once I just let its madness roll over me. There are some wonderful sections inside the book (notably, the historical chapters, where Mieville's myth-making prowess shines). There's a lot that you pick apart on a more critical level (it reads like a movie script, the dialogues are stilted and hammy, many things are overwritten, and someone should please take away their thesaurus...), but ultimately, The Book of Elsewhere is attitude-driven guns, guts, and glee.
Buckle up.
If you like your books thick on plot and attitude, and don't really give a damn about nuance or characterization, this one's for you. What more would you want? An antihero who can't die! An immortal babirusa! High-level government conspiracy! A secretive department with an eye-boggling casualty rate! Betrayals and counter-betrayals! Some vague pseudo-philosophy!
I enjoyed this a lot, once I just let its madness roll over me. There are some wonderful sections inside the book (notably, the historical chapters, where Mieville's myth-making prowess shines). There's a lot that you pick apart on a more critical level (it reads like a movie script, the dialogues are stilted and hammy, many things are overwritten, and someone should please take away their thesaurus...), but ultimately, The Book of Elsewhere is attitude-driven guns, guts, and glee.
Buckle up.
So I learned about this books existence literally two weeks ago and I HAD to get it - one of my favourite author with THE Keanu reeves ?? Universes collided - and what universes.
I don’t think I got everything - I’m still quite confused about a few things, but then that’s what Mieville tends to do. I found the fact that I could detect both styles very endearing, the general idea was original and well executed. The metaphors im still working on, but I think this is the type of book you have to go back to to really get.
A lovely discovery, and I really want to get the comics now !
I don’t think I got everything - I’m still quite confused about a few things, but then that’s what Mieville tends to do. I found the fact that I could detect both styles very endearing, the general idea was original and well executed. The metaphors im still working on, but I think this is the type of book you have to go back to to really get.
A lovely discovery, and I really want to get the comics now !