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A review by booksbythewindow
The City & the City by China Miéville
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
For full review: https://booksbythewindow.wordpress.com/2022/10/19/the-city-the-city/
Summary: The City & The City follows detective Inspector Borlú, an Extreme Crimes detective in the city of Besźel, as he tries to solve the murder of an unidentified girl. As information comes to light that she was a PhD student working in the city of Ul Qoma, Borlú’s investigation starts to get dangerous. Citizens of Besźel cannot see or acknowledge the citizens, buildings, or transport of Ul Qoma and vice versa, or they risk being in Breach. Nevertheless, Borlú’s investigation continues as it becomes clear that there is something much deeper going on across the divide of the cities.
Overall Thoughts: There is no doubt that The City & The City has one of the most unique premises and settings for a novel, and that premise is supported by an intriguing murder mystery narrative within the setting. Besźel and Ul Qoma both feel like distinct cities, with politics and customs that seem logical outworkings of the setting. The structure of the novel helped to reinforce the difference between the two cities for the reader, with the first part of the investigation and, therefore, the narrative, taking place in Besźel and the second part of the investigation and narrative taking place in Ul Qoma. I do not read crime fiction that often so I found this an enjoyable break from my recent reads and a really engaging narrative.
Summary: The City & The City follows detective Inspector Borlú, an Extreme Crimes detective in the city of Besźel, as he tries to solve the murder of an unidentified girl. As information comes to light that she was a PhD student working in the city of Ul Qoma, Borlú’s investigation starts to get dangerous. Citizens of Besźel cannot see or acknowledge the citizens, buildings, or transport of Ul Qoma and vice versa, or they risk being in Breach. Nevertheless, Borlú’s investigation continues as it becomes clear that there is something much deeper going on across the divide of the cities.
Overall Thoughts: There is no doubt that The City & The City has one of the most unique premises and settings for a novel, and that premise is supported by an intriguing murder mystery narrative within the setting. Besźel and Ul Qoma both feel like distinct cities, with politics and customs that seem logical outworkings of the setting. The structure of the novel helped to reinforce the difference between the two cities for the reader, with the first part of the investigation and, therefore, the narrative, taking place in Besźel and the second part of the investigation and narrative taking place in Ul Qoma. I do not read crime fiction that often so I found this an enjoyable break from my recent reads and a really engaging narrative.