Just didn’t really do it for me – can’t work out what was the problem but there was some element missing so I never fully engaged with it. China Mieville’s a great writer, but there was something missing here so I think this was, relative to his other novels, a bit of a disappointment – of course I still enjoyed it which tells you something… The whole concept of the split city and Breach itself wasn’t explained in any satisfactory way, which is fair enough if the author at least makes it clear there is a satisfactory explanation and he’s just not telling you, but I never felt that was true either.
However, am about 200 pages into Declare and the spy novel freak in me is screaming ‘why have I never read any Tim Powers before?!’ even as the Lovecraftian freak in me is waving its tentacles in anticipation at what’s probably to come. Am HUGELY pleased that we’re publishing Tim at Atlantic so I can steal future books from the office, much more fun than paying for them ;0)
I recently picked up Perdito Street Station and I have to say I felt there was something missing from that too… I haven’t spent a great deal of time thinking about it; some time though because I almost feel like the book deserved more from me. Ultimatley I think it’s because I didn’t care about any of the characters.
Interesting, I’d say I didn’t completely connect with the characters in PSS, but the whole product was good enough that it didn’t matter as much as it might in another book.
City & the City might also frustrate you by the sounds of it!
I recently picked up Perdito Street Station and I have to say I felt there was something missing from that too… I haven’t spent a great deal of time thinking about it; some time though because I almost feel like the book deserved more from me. Ultimatley I think it’s because I didn’t care about any of the characters.
Interesting, I’d say I didn’t completely connect with the characters in PSS, but the whole product was good enough that it didn’t matter as much as it might in another book.
City & the City might also frustrate you by the sounds of it!