[Giovanna Clairval]

Originally Posted by HiddenTiger

This book is the only China Mieville book I read and although I found it 'dark' I did find it compelling. My problem was that I found my self having to back track a few pages because I lost the plot speculating, I kept wondering where the bug people and Gaurudas came from (was it genetic experiments?), what creature did the giant Ribcage come from (a living space ship?) what was the source of the magic? All those side issues which the characters took for granted.

Hi, Crouching Dragon!
I feel the same. Although I'm enjoying this read a lot, and I love setting and writing, and see why this book wouldn't be what it is without the wealth of descriptions, and completely admire China's mastering of language... I also think the plot is too diluted. I keep going back to it because I am intrigued, but, at the same time, I just read ten pages a day, a chapter at most. There are F books like ASoIaF by GRR Martin that are absolute un-putdownable (albeit much less well written), but this one is not.

As much as I admire Miéville, I feel there's a bit of something at this novel---oh gosh, I wouldn't mean to say something too strong, so don't take it literally--- but... but... a feeling of it being a little "wanted", "searched for", a sort of exercise in style, as if the author wished to be considered a cultivated, playing-with-our-minds literary high-flying bestard (don't throw stones at me, I do admire him, I do).
When I say "high-playing", I'm not saying that his style is complicated or avanguardish in any way. It's rather simple writing, probably to let the setting stand out. It's the whole exercice that seems a little contrived.

And, btw, it's the only book by CM I've read, and --as someone in this thread put it--- it's probably not the best place to start with.

Oh, Perdido Street Station is still a great book, and maybe I'll revise my critique once I've finished it.