Un Lun Dun [Oct 1, 2019]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Un Lun Dun - China Miéville

October 1, 2019.
Requested by Silvana.

[Silvana]

Thanks, Jenna.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Silvana wrote: "Thanks, Jenna."

You're welcome :)

[Anny]

My 2nd Mieville, hopefully better than the first.

[Silvana]

What was the first?

[Anny]

The horrible King Rat. Disgustingly bad.

[Silvana]

Up!

[Anny]

Still waiting for my copy

[Sha]

Joining in.

Two buddy reads this month. I'm overreaching.

[Silvana]

I plan to start this next week. The call of A Little Hatred is too powerful LOL

Sha wrote: "Joining in.

Two buddy reads this month. I'm overreaching."

:D

[Silvana]

Starting today!

[Silvana]

11% and definitely can see similarities with his other urban fantasy novels, got some flashbacks to The Last Days of New Paris and of course Kraken

The missing stuff is of course the new vocabularies, I barely pressed my Kindle to find definitions LOL

Anny, have you got your copy?

[Silvana]

Man, this novel takes really a while to get to the point. It is all worldbuilding and setups until 21%.

Portal fantasy is not really my fave subgenre so maybe that's why I am not feeling it.

[Anny]

Silvana wrote: "11% and definitely can see similarities with his other urban fantasy novels, got some flashbacks to The Last Days of New Paris and of course Kraken

The missing stuff..."

I just got the book today. 9% in. Yeah, I guess the description of "morbid Alice in Wonderland" is pretty accurate. Looking forward to this mad madworld :)

[Silvana]

Anny wrote: "Silvana wrote: "11% and definitely can see similarities with his other urban fantasy novels, got some flashbacks to The Last Days of New Paris and of course Kraken

T..."

There were indeed lots of wacky stuff in there!

Any favorite?

I liked the buses.

[Anny]

Haven't seen much yet. I think the bear in suit is cute :P

[Silvana]

30% and now that I know the main plot I am enjoying the play on words. (view spoiler)[Grossbottles, smogglers, bookaneer...I am going to use that last one as my mod title hoho (hide spoiler)]

[Anny]

Silvana wrote: "30% and now that I know the main plot I am enjoying the play on words. [spoilers removed]"

Hehe, it was quite funny. UnLunDun, unbrellas, binja, but other than that the switch in POV is quite interesting too. (view spoiler)[Sidekick rarely get the chance to shine usually, maybe she is the real hero? (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Anny wrote: "Silvana wrote: "30% and now that I know the main plot I am enjoying the play on words. [spoilers removed]"

Hehe, it was quite funny. UnLunDun, unbrellas, binja, but other than that the switch in P..."

Hmmm
You will love what happenned midway :D

(view spoiler)[the 'sidekick' discussion. Mieville is subverting tropes! (hide spoiler)]

Also I love Klinneract.

(view spoiler)[Clean Air Act! That's a good one (hide spoiler)]

[Sha]

Well, a few chapters in and so far this has been strange. I mean, not a bad kind of strange but I genuinely have no idea what to expect fromt he story at this point

[Anny]

Silvana wrote: "Anny wrote: "Silvana wrote: "30% and now that I know the main plot I am enjoying the play on words. [spoilers removed]"

Hehe, it was quite funny. UnLunDun, unbrellas, binja, but other than that th..."

End of Part IV

Deeba (view spoiler)[totally love the sidekick subverting tropes! For once, it's the sidekick that actually realize what's going on and actually taking some action. I do think in the end it will still the Schwazzy who will defeat the big boss, but at least she is not hogging all the limelight. (hide spoiler)]

Klinneract (view spoiler)[haha. Super weapon to defeat the smog. yeah right. lol (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

At chapter 75

I feel a bit sad (view spoiler)[with the loss of Diss (hide spoiler)]

Indeed I liked that Deeba is (view spoiler)[being assertive! And she kicked that useless book's behind.

I hope she stays the main hero though. (hide spoiler)]

This book's illustrations will give me nightmares.
Mieville really LOVE (view spoiler)[mashing things/beings up into a variety of chimeric monsters. This book, New Paris and the bas lag books are full of them. (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Sha wrote: "Well, a few chapters in and so far this has been strange. I mean, not a bad kind of strange but I genuinely have no idea what to expect fromt he story at this point"

As I mentioned above, I got my groove around 20% of the book so hang in there!

[Silvana]

Finished. Overall I liked it, weird and all, buttttt I still think it could shed around 200 pages or so. I was getting impatient for some parts and just want to see the finale.

And yay (view spoiler)[Deeba's still the hero! (hide spoiler)]

[Anny]

Sha wrote: "Well, a few chapters in and so far this has been strange. I mean, not a bad kind of strange but I genuinely have no idea what to expect fromt he story at this point"

I actually love reading a story that I have no idea what to expect from and where it's heading. It's no fun when you can sort of guess the plot already.

[Sha]

Not knowing what's coming next not necessarily a bad thing- I have liked most of the surreal books I've read. So far, this one's not bad.

I can't say that plot surprises are what I look for in stories though. I'm usually more concerned with the character-relationships and the writing.

[Anny]

Silvana wrote: "At chapter 75

I feel a bit sad [spoilers removed]

I was also sad that (view spoiler)[Rosa is gone just like that. Black Window is definitely scary! (hide spoiler)]

Deeba (view spoiler)[is awesome! I love how this book didn't go the usual follow-the-prophecies-route and instead Deeba decided to take a short cut and go for the final weapon. (hide spoiler)]


@Sha I'd like to have both if possible :P

[Silvana]

Anny wrote: "

Deeba [spoilers removed]

"

Yes, I love that we did not have to go through all of those.

I did, however, feel the novel dragged a bit near the end.

[Anny]

Silvana wrote: "Anny wrote: "

Deeba [spoilers removed]

"

Yes, I love that we did not have to go through all of those.

I did, however, feel the novel dragged a bit near the end."

I'm glad that we stick with the (view spoiler)[unChosen (hide spoiler)] all the way to the end. It definitely is fitting for an unLondon story :)

[Silvana]

So, Anny, I guess your second Mieville experience does not disappoint, eh? :D

Do you plan to read the Bas Lag novels?

[Anny]

It's definitely better compared to the previous one, but not exactly wow either.

What Bas Lag novels?

[Silvana]

Anny wrote: "It's definitely better compared to the previous one, but not exactly wow either.

What Bas Lag novels?"

Perdido Street Station
The Scar
Iron Council

but he also has other great standalones like Embassytown

[Anny]

I might give it a try. Not in a hurry though.