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A review by lowlevel
The City & the City by China Miéville
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I picked up The City and The City because I was intrigued by the idea of two different cities occupying the same physical space. I didn't really understand what it meant or what it suggested, so I started reading with a good dose of curiosity.
The story is about a detective who has to solve a murder but the investigation is made very difficult and dangerous by the social environment. In these twin cities, which share the same streets and buildings, citizens are taught by their respective governments to only see the places and people that belong to their own city. This training affects how they see, hear, and even how they think. Any transgression is dealt with harshly by a mysterious force known as Breach.
It's not a dark, oppressive dystopia like in "1984", but it is a world where politics greatly affects some of the most basic human functions. The absurdist concept feels like an allegory for those moments in urban life when people pretend not to see something they consider inconvenient or unpleasant.
The story was exciting and full of mystery, and I couldn't put it down. This was the first time I read the author's work, and his writing style is very different from anything else I've read. At first, I had a hard time connecting with it, but I came to like its rough tone, which fits perfectly with the story.
Reading The City and The City was a rewarding and thought-provoking experience. I recommend it to anyone looking for a mystery that challenges perception and offers something genuinely different from the norm.
The story is about a detective who has to solve a murder but the investigation is made very difficult and dangerous by the social environment. In these twin cities, which share the same streets and buildings, citizens are taught by their respective governments to only see the places and people that belong to their own city. This training affects how they see, hear, and even how they think. Any transgression is dealt with harshly by a mysterious force known as Breach.
It's not a dark, oppressive dystopia like in "1984", but it is a world where politics greatly affects some of the most basic human functions. The absurdist concept feels like an allegory for those moments in urban life when people pretend not to see something they consider inconvenient or unpleasant.
The story was exciting and full of mystery, and I couldn't put it down. This was the first time I read the author's work, and his writing style is very different from anything else I've read. At first, I had a hard time connecting with it, but I came to like its rough tone, which fits perfectly with the story.
Reading The City and The City was a rewarding and thought-provoking experience. I recommend it to anyone looking for a mystery that challenges perception and offers something genuinely different from the norm.