12-21-2009, 08:37 AM
Wow a book review that doesn't involve moldering birds.
My big question about the book, besides WTF? is why.
Basically, there are two cities Beszel and Ul Quoman that both seem to occupy the same place somewhere in Eastern Europe. They live side by side or on top of each other or checkerboard somehow. The people in one city aren't allowed to pay attention to the people and things in the other city. There is a lot of unseeing. It's a crime to look and you'll be dragged away by the uber police force, Breach, if you do. My question was why? Why does this occur? Why isn't it just one city? If they are in different dimensions, how can they both talk to people in this world? They both have embassies to the United States and only one is talking formally with Canada. Why?
There is a murder in Ul Quoman and the body is dumped in Beszel. The police need to solve the murder. Mieville channels his inner Chandler to write the detective fiction and naturally the investigation butts up against the nature of the two cities but it never explains why they exist. Maybe I need somebody smarter to explain the book to me?
My big question about the book, besides WTF? is why.
Basically, there are two cities Beszel and Ul Quoman that both seem to occupy the same place somewhere in Eastern Europe. They live side by side or on top of each other or checkerboard somehow. The people in one city aren't allowed to pay attention to the people and things in the other city. There is a lot of unseeing. It's a crime to look and you'll be dragged away by the uber police force, Breach, if you do. My question was why? Why does this occur? Why isn't it just one city? If they are in different dimensions, how can they both talk to people in this world? They both have embassies to the United States and only one is talking formally with Canada. Why?
There is a murder in Ul Quoman and the body is dumped in Beszel. The police need to solve the murder. Mieville channels his inner Chandler to write the detective fiction and naturally the investigation butts up against the nature of the two cities but it never explains why they exist. Maybe I need somebody smarter to explain the book to me?
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
