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Un Lun Dun

China Miéville

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What Members Thought

Apr 10, 2008 Mir rated it liked it

Shelves: parallel-dimensions, fantasy

Not bad as entertainment, but so far seems pretty much an inferior cross between Abarat and Neverwhere. Maybe it will grow more original if I continue reading...

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Aug 14, 2007 Peggy rated it really liked it

I know what you’re thinking: Mystical quest. Chosen One. Spunky sidekick. Crossing over to another world. A young girl on a mission to save that world, and maybe our world, too. Epic fantasy. Besides, it’s a kid’s book. Been there, done that. But don’t be too hasty, my friends, because China Mieville has something different in mind.

Imagine a fantasy quest whose Chosen One chooses not to participate. What then? If the person who is supposed to have all the answers lets you down, where do you go f ...more

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Apr 09, 2009 Thomas rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: quirky, fantasy, juvenile, 2008

If ever there were a book that screamed “No Brainer” at me, as far as whether or not I would read it, this is it. The blurb on the cover made reference to The Phantom Tollbooth. Another on the back made reference to both Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker, and one on the inside front cover of the book mentioned Lewis Carroll. I mean, that’s a list of my favorite book, one of my favorite writers, and a writer who has continually astounded me with his imagination. How could I pass this one up?

If I had t If ever there were a book that screamed “No Brainer” at me, as far as whether or not I would read it, this is it. The blurb on the cover made reference to The Phantom Tollbooth. Another on the back made reference to both Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker, and one on the inside front cover of the book mentioned Lewis Carroll. I mean, that’s a list of my favorite book, one of my favorite writers, and a writer who has continually astounded me with his imagination. How could I pass this one up?

If I had to pick just one of those comparisons, though, to best describe the book, it would have to be Clive Barker. Anyone who’s read his Arabat series is going to find some similarities here. There are some dark moments and some wild creations in Un Lundun, and I found myself thinking of Barker’s imagery during much of the book. I can see some of the comparison to The Phantom Tollbooth (there are some puns come to life throughout the book), but the one to Gaiman is a little less convincing. But regardless, this is still an enjoyable book.

The premise behind the book is that, behind London, there exists a world very much like London, but also very much different from it. There are different ways to pass between the worlds, but suffice it to say, the London side of things is the London that we know over here, while the Unlundun side is where you find the fantastic creatures and the wild magic. Deeba discovers Unlundun when her friend, Zanna, finds her way over there through the help of some strange happenings due to a prophecy that Zanna will be the one to free Unlundun from the tyranny of the Smog. And, just to be clear, the Smog isn’t just smog; it’s the Smog, sentient and powerful and all together nasty. If the Smog gets its way, then all of Unlundun will be under its power, and after then, it will move and try to do the same to regular London.

There is a lot of detail in this book. The author creates fantastic creature, only to have them serve as a counterpoint to other normality, or to only be in the book for a chapter or two. The ideas and imagination can be a little overwhelming, as the author strives to put as much as possible in his book. As a result, the story suffers slightly as he seems to pay more attention to the detail than he does to the characters. The characterization does suffer, but not only from his attention to the setting; the characters sometimes seem superficial and two-dimensional, even as they’re working toward the greater good to save Unlundun. It’s a strange dichotomy, and while it does detract from the overall feel of the story, it doesn’t slow down the process as you read it.

This is primarily a children’s/YA novel, and should be approached as one. Its heavy-handed message and dark overtones make it suitable for readers of any age, but ultimately, it should be viewed as a product of its audience. Nevertheless, readers who like imaginative fiction and creative ideas would not be displeased with the book. ...more

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Sep 06, 2007 Dracolibris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2007, ya-lit

This was a wonderful, whimsical, truly fantastic fantasy the likes of which I have not read in years, if ever. I never did fall in love with Dorothy and the OZ books- couldn't tell you why I missed that- but I imagine this is what it feels like to be introduced to such a crazy world and its lovable (and frightening!) denizens for the first time. I don't even want to try to explain what goes on in Un Lun Dun, you must find out for yourself. Belive me, you are in for one wild ride. :-)

I thoroughl ...more

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Aug 01, 2013 Maria Elmvang rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2013, 3-stars, childrens, owned-audiobook

A 3.5 star review.

My expectations were totally off with this one. I'd heard it compared to Neverwhere so I expected a novel for grown-ups - or YA at the very least. But it's a children's novel. Not that I have a problem reading books aimed at children, and it was really well written, so definitely appropriate for grown-ups as well. It just meant that I had to do some serious mental readjustment along the way to figure out that the book was not at all what I thought it was.

That said, I really lik ...more

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Apr 16, 2008 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: mt-bookpile-pre-2010, old-reads

I've not prior experience with Mielville's works, so didn't know what to expect. My sense about this was that it's an ok read, not a Must Read (if you seen the difference).

This feels definitely like a YA novel, and not just because of the age of the heroine. The themes seemed young (a mix of Neverwhere, Coraline, Abarat, The Phantom Tollbooth and a little Buffy thrown in for good measure), and while it was fun, it wasn't really a gripping read. It's probably a great way to get YA's into reading ...more

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Mar 23, 2022 Karen rated it it was amazing

This took me a little while to get into. It felt like a cross between Neverwhere and The Phantom Tollbooth, and it seemed more like an exercise in cleverness than a book with any ideas behind it. But it got going and was engrossing and well done, and it did have a bit of an idea to it in the end.

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Feb 05, 2023 Jennie marked it as abandoned · review of another edition

I didn’t realize this was YA when I bought it. There’s nothing wrong with YA per se (I loved Harry Potter and still re-read the Little House on the Prairie books, for example), but it’s just not my usual jam. Still, I gave this one a try anyway because I did buy it, but I just couldn’t get into it. I found it chaotic rather than succeeding in its obvious attempt to be whimsical and magical. And it tries Very Hard to be those things. I was exhausted after a hundred pages of sentient garbage, walk ...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Holly rated it liked it

Miéville has written a fast-paced, imaginative, and clever young adult novel set in UnLondon, the "other London" where items go when they're thrown out in our world. ...more

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Aug 16, 2007 RachelAnne rated it really liked it

Shelves: youngadult, fantasy, adventures

Sort of a modern Through The Looking Glass, but with more familiar fantasy tropes and wordplay. What makes it extraordinary is the way Mieville plays with fantasy conventions and metanarrative. This is a very playful book.

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Apr 27, 2008 Grillables rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, sf-fantasy

A bit like a _Neverwhere_ for older children/younger YA. The story suffered from too much predictability (for an adult), but it's certainly stocked with inventive and pun-nishing characters. ...more

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