Reviews

Embassytown by China Miéville

paige_lehman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

grid's review against another edition

4.0

Essentially, I think China Mieville does a great job at making things seem alien. This novel, like many of his that I've read, mostly takes place in an environment (far future planet/universe) that you only gradually come to understand. The novel is told from the main character's perspective. One thing I really liked was that she (the main character) had a pretty laissez faire attitude. She even had a word for it, she called it floaking. Drifting through life and doing enough to be useful, but avoiding responsibility and hard work as much as possible.

I liked this book very much.

bf777's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

nglofile's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars. A complex, fantastical examination of culture, language, colonialism, and truth. I won't pretend that I've grasped all nuance, or even all plot points, as there were several times in which I was simply holding on and trusting it would come together. Character is my personal gateway, and there purposely wasn't a great deal offered in that respect. The world-building is meticulous yet subtle, and one can't help but mull over larger themes as illustrated. There were foundational elements included at the beginning that oddly seemed to evaporate without relevance, but I concede that a second read might illuminate why they may have been first emphasized and then dropped.

audiobook note: Susan Duerden is nothing short of a marvel. I adore her voice, her style, and her ability to bring the reader along no matter how inscrutable the text. Her smooth, smart, lush narration was both a comfort and a guidepost in this work. Moreover, the production benefits from careful attention to detail and a commitment to supporting unusual story elements. The Hosts speak by uttering two sounds simultaneously, and when those words are read the syllables are layered over each other so that the listener experiences the language the same way the characters do. Brilliant.

lanster's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

An innovative sci-fi story with a well fleshed out and unique world and aliens. The prose nicely suited the theme and the first 100 pages were a joy.

However, the pacing in the middle took a nose dive and I almost lost interest. The language concepts on their own weren't interesting enough to carry the momentum of the book.

lukija's review against another edition

4.0

China Miéville: Embassytown (2011 Pan Books) / Tieteellisempää hifistely-scifiä, josta ei ole ihan varma, että ymmärtääkö sitä vai ei. Tämä meni myös semiotiikan puolelle. Ja silti selkeä seikkailukertomus, jossa mutkat melko suoria. Jännittävä, erikoinen ja pysäytti ajoittain kelaamaan asioita ( ei tarinaa vaan elämää ja ratkaisuja ihmiset tekevät :). Antroposentrinen loppuratkaisu oli vähän blaah ja tarinaa olisi voinut himpun verran tiivistää. Kerronta paikoin liian toisteista myös. Mutta olen silti iloinen, että luin tämän. Jouduin miettimään useampia eettisiä kysymyksiä kuten kolonialismia ja sen perillisiä nykymaailmassa.

gettygirl's review against another edition

amazingly intricate narrative that rewards rereading

alcazarz's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars. Lots of interesting ideas swirling around, but I started to lose interest in the storyline and the main characters by the end, and struggled to finish. The city and the city was full of even crazier ideas, but the story kept me intrigued right to the end

theciz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

My second Miéville and just as good as "The City and the City". I’m coming to enjoy his distinctive brand of weird sci-fi - this time with an emphasis on linguistics and the philosophy of the mind. It’s hard to talk about, as I essentially got through this in two sittings as the way the world and the story builds is so compelling, but also hard to talk about without spoiling. You won’t get given all the answers here, but what you are given was plenty of food for thought, like in the best kind of speculative fiction.

georgina_bawden's review against another edition

4.0

I previously read Mieville's Kraken (the only other book I've read by him) and found it unsatisfying despite a really strong premise. I decided to give Embassytown a go after reading so many glowing reviews and I am really glad I did. Although Mieville's prose sometimes seems overburdened by his intellect (I have to keep a dictionary handy) it was an enjoyable and engaging read. Everything here came to life beautifully, from the central character of Avice, through the city-within-a-city of Embassytown, to the strange alien hosts whose language poses such interesting questions about the nature of communication and the role of symbolism. If you have even a passing interest in sci-fi writing and linguistics I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book.