The Hugo Awards Discussion Group discussion

I'm a bit past halfway through The City & The City and was wondering about other readers' opinion of the setting as it pertains to the real world. My initial reaction was that it makes me think of the Israeli/Palestine conflict in the real world. Not sure that was what Mieville was going for, but its what comes to mind. Any thoughts?

That makes a lot of sense. I can definitely see that. The book felt like it was set in Eastern Europe, so any combination of some of those countries (Bosnia/Herzegovina comes to mind) would work too.

I'm not overly familiar with Mieville-- does he often make political statements in his books or am I grasping at straws?

I wish I could tell you I was familiar with his books to that extent, but I did not finish any other book of his I tried.

I recently read the sample of 'Perdido Street Station' and thought it was a bit awkward. His prose in that is kind of hard to get behind.

Read this one last July so my memory of particulars may be a bit fuzzy. I thought it was definitely reminicent of the Israel/Palestine conflict; or if not there, something in Eastern Europe as another poster pointed out. Perhaps even a mishmash of places to leave us readers guessing.

The scifi in City/City is also a bit shaky (dare I say non-existant?). It's more of an alternate reality - like Yiddish Policeman's Union by Chabon.

I would like to think that Mieville is perhaps just trying to illustrate how easily we can talk ourselves into 'not' seeing things. Ignoring a problem right in front of our faces.

I recall the first third of the book is slow - almost a world and situation building senario. But if you can get past that, the book begins to pick up in interest.

Perdido St. Station was a slog. It was like he had so many ideas and concepts that they all got mangled together and he had trouble spitting the words out to make it work. Personally, I thought The Scar was much better prose and plot-wise. Both are rather gruesome, dark, and sometimes a bit disturbing.

I didn't really like The City & The City. It wasn't the worst book I ever read, but I thought the basic concept was a bit ridiculous. It was the first time in reading a novel I felt like inability to suspend my disbelief got in the way of enjoying the book.

Matt wrote: "I didn't really like The City & The City. It wasn't the worst book I ever read, but I thought the basic concept was a bit ridiculous. It was the first time in reading a novel I felt like inability ..."

I gave this one a try but gave up. Just couldn't get into it.