I was torn between the matching paperback set and this copy to replace my old mass market and came onto youtube to try and find someone simply holding or displaying this edition of the book and you were the first video! Thank you!
Perdido Street Station has crept up to being one of my favorite fantasy novels, and easily one of the best fantasy novels of the 21st century alongside such works as American Gods, Black Leopard Red Wolf, and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I think your thoughts were succinct without giving anything away. I would also recommend checking out The Scar, I don't know if I love it quite as much as Perdido, but I also think it's a very strong work. Another contender for one of the best fantasy novels of our century.
I've read most of Mieville's novels and some were better than others (all the novels set in London like Un Lun Un or King Rat were meh to me), but the Bas Lag series (the world Perdido Street Station is set in) were one of my favourites. For anyone interested in reading Mieville, 'The City & The City' is a great entry point (its a lot shorter) But I agree, it is difficult to recommend Perdido Street Station to people, but Mieville is regarded to part of the genre of "new weird", so if one likes this genre, Perdido Street Station THE book for you
Great to see you Liene🤩 Thanks for your thoughts and video on this 📚 in book. Your initial reaction was exactly how I felt when I read Finnegan's Wake! What is this!?!? LoL
I've been really interested in reading this for a long time, but my interest was mainly due to the cover lol! So this is super helpful 🤗 Edit: After watching that, props for making this great review/recommendation that ACTUALLY has zero spoilers!! Thanks :)
Yes! Amazing book. Tough to get into for sure. But phenomenal world building. Incredibly rich. Totally worth the work of getting into Mieville's way of storytelling.
I love Mieville books since like 2007 and I love people on Booktube are discovering this years later! Sequel to this is one of my favorite novels ever!
Very nice summary of an experience that is difficult to describe but was also a memorable one for me when I first read Perdido Street Station. I completely agree with your assessment. China Miéville has since become one of my favourite writers, although I understand why not everyone is going to feel the same way. Then again, I like Donna Tart and Gene Wolfe (and Mervyn Peake, who I also think very much explores the same kinds of grotesque worlds) so that does put me squarely in the target audience I guess! I believe Perdido Street Station was Miéville's first novel and it seems to want to cram in something of everything which I'm sure is intentionally overwhelming, but it's one of those books where I ended up feeling more is more. Such a rich world with so many flavours to savour and even if it might give you indigestion it's worth it. The Scar, set in the same universe is also a good read but I think I prefer the more controlled and really intriguing world building of "The City and the City" about which I can say nothing other than to strongly recommend it. I consider that one to be arguably his best and should be ideally read, knowing nothing about it, if you can.
My fave Mieville is "The Scar", the floating city and the charachters were just wonderful IMO even if the plot went a little off the rails for my taste.But Mieville is...Mieville :). Heartily recommend to read his work, fascinating writer.
I read this many years ago and weirdly enough I couldn't tell you what it was about but I still vividly remember some of the bizarre characters, I think that says a lot.
I read Perdido Street Station and Kraken, along with his comic series Dial H. His writing is very inventive, but I couldn’t connect with it. And I really enjoyed The Little Friend, which is the only Donna Tartt book I’ve read, so I think it’s just specific to him.
I read this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I have the sequel and plan to get to it soon-ish (although if I understand correctly it's a series with an overarching story so much as a collection of standalone novels with a shared setting). I rated it 4/5 because I found it a little over-indulgent. If it had been two thirds or even three quarters the length it would have been perfect for me. I also didn't like the way it dropped a certain character's plotline/POV. Full spoilers below: . . . . . During the first act I had the impression that Lin was an equally important POV to Isaac and I enjoyed the arc that was being set up for her with Motley and the rival gang leader, who iirc was from her species. Then her POV was abruptly dropped and she got reduced to being a damsel in distress as a motivation for Isaac. I found that aspect particularly disappointing
My husband has a copy and liked it, so I will probably read it eventually. I liked The City and the City, and I also liked District 9, but I can be really squeamish, so that worries me more than anything.
Read this several years ago due to a recommendation from a friend who rated it very highly. As we have similar tastes in fiction I as expecting something really good. Unfortunatly though I did stick with it to the end. I really did not enjoy it much at all. It seemed to be more about throwing together a hit and miss mash up of ideas, imagery and situations rather than telling an actual coherent story. Maybe I missed something or just didn't get it. An overated book imo.
I hated this book, though not because of the reasons you've described. I just consider the worldbuilding for it to be very poor (given the the amount of details included in the book). How the khepries come to be? How them moths haven't destroyed the whole world long ago if they are so powerful? Then well the Weaver - a multi-dimensional creature - and of course it looks like a spider. Then the demons appear ex machina as a one-time plot device. Then mexi... sorry, cacti people. And also the "grossness" of this book doesn't feel genuine to me. It's feels like this world is so dark because the author forcefully made it dark with no meaningful in-world reason for why it's so grim.
I wanted to love this book because I appreciate the things the China stands for as a person, but it ended up being one of the worst books I've ever read through to completion. I'm glad you enjoyed it though!
Sounds like it's not about death at all, and that's really not for me. Ambiguity is not a viable option to wisdom. So to me this book might be an annoying pointless edgy word salad.
I've read a few of Mieville's books (including Perdido) and the main feeling I came away with is these are the drug/drink fuelled ramblings of a mediocre writer who thinks they are clever and edgy and challenging. In reality the books are turgid, dreary, undergraduate level twaddle which are a chore to complete. Each to their own I guess.
I enjoyed this book, and his follow-up, The Scar, even more. But I found his following books to be less enjoyable. China Mieville is a proud communist (he just published a new book extolling its virtues.) I lost interest in his writing after reading the third book, The Iron Council - politics and identity politics in your face.
I was torn between the matching paperback set and this copy to replace my old mass market and came onto youtube to try and find someone simply holding or displaying this edition of the book and you were the first video! Thank you!
Perdido Street Station has crept up to being one of my favorite fantasy novels, and easily one of the best fantasy novels of the 21st century alongside such works as American Gods, Black Leopard Red Wolf, and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I think your thoughts were succinct without giving anything away.
I would also recommend checking out The Scar, I don't know if I love it quite as much as Perdido, but I also think it's a very strong work. Another contender for one of the best fantasy novels of our century.
I've read most of Mieville's novels and some were better than others (all the novels set in London like Un Lun Un or King Rat were meh to me), but the Bas Lag series (the world Perdido Street Station is set in) were one of my favourites. For anyone interested in reading Mieville, 'The City & The City' is a great entry point (its a lot shorter)
But I agree, it is difficult to recommend Perdido Street Station to people, but Mieville is regarded to part of the genre of "new weird", so if one likes this genre, Perdido Street Station THE book for you
seen so many recs for The City on the City so I'll probably read that next after The Scar
If you agree with the quote “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” you will probably like this book.
love that
Hadn’t heard about this book at all but as soon as you mentioned how morally grey and challenging it was, I was sold. Definitely going on my TBR
Great to see you Liene🤩
Thanks for your thoughts and video on this 📚 in book.
Your initial reaction was exactly how I felt when I read Finnegan's Wake!
What is this!?!? LoL
I liked it
I've been really interested in reading this for a long time, but my interest was mainly due to the cover lol! So this is super helpful 🤗
Edit: After watching that, props for making this great review/recommendation that ACTUALLY has zero spoilers!! Thanks :)
hope it was helpful despite the vagueness haha
Yes!
Amazing book. Tough to get into for sure. But phenomenal world building. Incredibly rich. Totally worth the work of getting into Mieville's way of storytelling.
This is the first review of this book I've heard that makes me want to pick it up. 😃
uh oh, hope it doesn't disappoint lol
I love Mieville books since like 2007 and I love people on Booktube are discovering this years later! Sequel to this is one of my favorite novels ever!
Very nice summary of an experience that is difficult to describe but was also a memorable one for me when I first read Perdido Street Station. I completely agree with your assessment. China Miéville has since become one of my favourite writers, although I understand why not everyone is going to feel the same way. Then again, I like Donna Tart and Gene Wolfe (and Mervyn Peake, who I also think very much explores the same kinds of grotesque worlds) so that does put me squarely in the target audience I guess! I believe Perdido Street Station was Miéville's first novel and it seems to want to cram in something of everything which I'm sure is intentionally overwhelming, but it's one of those books where I ended up feeling more is more. Such a rich world with so many flavours to savour and even if it might give you indigestion it's worth it. The Scar, set in the same universe is also a good read but I think I prefer the more controlled and really intriguing world building of "The City and the City" about which I can say nothing other than to strongly recommend it. I consider that one to be arguably his best and should be ideally read, knowing nothing about it, if you can.
I'm very much looking forward to reading more Mieville, probably The Scar next...
The City and the City is a personal favorite and very relevant to the Israel/Palestine situation.
My fave Mieville is "The Scar", the floating city and the charachters were just wonderful IMO even if the plot went a little off the rails for my taste.But Mieville is...Mieville :).
Heartily recommend to read his work, fascinating writer.
I read this many years ago and weirdly enough I couldn't tell you what it was about but I still vividly remember some of the bizarre characters, I think that says a lot.
I agree with your review completely. More questions than answers, yes, exactly!
yes!
I read Perdido Street Station and Kraken, along with his comic series Dial H. His writing is very inventive, but I couldn’t connect with it. And I really enjoyed The Little Friend, which is the only Donna Tartt book I’ve read, so I think it’s just specific to him.
I haven't read Little Friend yet, been saving it for a "rainy day" haha
Definitely looks interesting plus I love the cover lol
have you seen the Broken Binding edition? I regret not getting it, but I hadn't read it when they released it :(
@@LienesLibrary I will check it out
I read this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I have the sequel and plan to get to it soon-ish (although if I understand correctly it's a series with an overarching story so much as a collection of standalone novels with a shared setting). I rated it 4/5 because I found it a little over-indulgent. If it had been two thirds or even three quarters the length it would have been perfect for me. I also didn't like the way it dropped a certain character's plotline/POV. Full spoilers below:
.
.
.
.
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During the first act I had the impression that Lin was an equally important POV to Isaac and I enjoyed the arc that was being set up for her with Motley and the rival gang leader, who iirc was from her species. Then her POV was abruptly dropped and she got reduced to being a damsel in distress as a motivation for Isaac. I found that aspect particularly disappointing
My husband has a copy and liked it, so I will probably read it eventually. I liked The City and the City, and I also liked District 9, but I can be really squeamish, so that worries me more than anything.
I think District 9 is more harrowing to get through than PSS, but that's just me, you may find the opposite to be the case
I tried reading this years ago when I was about 18, 20, something like that. I want to say I got about halfway. Eventually, I will try again.
I don't think I could have read this at 18 haha
August, 29th is nigh !
*cries reader tears*
Read this several years ago due to a recommendation from a friend who rated it very highly. As we have similar tastes in fiction I as expecting something really good. Unfortunatly though I did stick with it to the end. I really did not enjoy it much at all. It seemed to be more about throwing together a hit and miss mash up of ideas, imagery and situations rather than telling an actual coherent story. Maybe I missed something or just didn't get it. An overated book imo.
I hated this book, though not because of the reasons you've described. I just consider the worldbuilding for it to be very poor (given the the amount of details included in the book). How the khepries come to be? How them moths haven't destroyed the whole world long ago if they are so powerful? Then well the Weaver - a multi-dimensional creature - and of course it looks like a spider. Then the demons appear ex machina as a one-time plot device. Then mexi... sorry, cacti people. And also the "grossness" of this book doesn't feel genuine to me. It's feels like this world is so dark because the author forcefully made it dark with no meaningful in-world reason for why it's so grim.
I wanted to love this book because I appreciate the things the China stands for as a person, but it ended up being one of the worst books I've ever read through to completion. I'm glad you enjoyed it though!
to each their own :)
I had to read the first few pages five times and then laughed
It’s so bizarre but definitely hilarious in its absurdity
it very much leans into strangeness haha
Sounds like it's not about death at all, and that's really not for me. Ambiguity is not a viable option to wisdom. So to me this book might be an annoying pointless edgy word salad.
I've read a few of Mieville's books (including Perdido) and the main feeling I came away with is these are the drug/drink fuelled ramblings of a mediocre writer who thinks they are clever and edgy and challenging. In reality the books are turgid, dreary, undergraduate level twaddle which are a chore to complete. Each to their own I guess.
there's a book for every reader, and a reader for every book...
Yes, he's overrated...Also, I hate how he dumped on HPL.
I enjoyed this book, and his follow-up, The Scar, even more. But I found his following books to be less enjoyable. China Mieville is a proud communist (he just published a new book extolling its virtues.) I lost interest in his writing after reading the third book, The Iron Council - politics and identity politics in your face.
looking forward to The Scar very much