Thursday, July 29, 2004
Book Review: Perdido Street Station
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
I cannot be accused of being drawn to easy books and my trend continues with Perdido Street Station. This is a work of amazing imagination - indeed there is enough going on here for multiple books. The characters range from humans to frog-like people, to cactus-like people, and to bug-headed people. The technology is a combination of steam-punk and magic, poverty and wealth, good people and great evil. If it's sounding Dickensian it's intentional as the real star of the novel is the city of New Crobuzon with it's "A Tale of Two Cities" feel. There are so many neighborhoods with interesting characteristics and characters that it's difficult to keep it all straight (there is a handy map in the front of the book). The heroes have difficult and harrowing tasks against antagonists that are unique and frightening.
I enjoyed Perdido Steet Station and I'll seek out more of his work - but a nice little page-turner might be OK every once in a while.
I cannot be accused of being drawn to easy books and my trend continues with Perdido Street Station. This is a work of amazing imagination - indeed there is enough going on here for multiple books. The characters range from humans to frog-like people, to cactus-like people, and to bug-headed people. The technology is a combination of steam-punk and magic, poverty and wealth, good people and great evil. If it's sounding Dickensian it's intentional as the real star of the novel is the city of New Crobuzon with it's "A Tale of Two Cities" feel. There are so many neighborhoods with interesting characteristics and characters that it's difficult to keep it all straight (there is a handy map in the front of the book). The heroes have difficult and harrowing tasks against antagonists that are unique and frightening.
I enjoyed Perdido Steet Station and I'll seek out more of his work - but a nice little page-turner might be OK every once in a while.
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