juliule's review against another edition
3.5
I always love Mieville's concepts and worldbuilding but I wasn't fully convinced by the plot of this one, or that the crime thriller genre was the right medium for the concept
grafious's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ktxx22's review against another edition
DNF at 37% I’m just not interested in this story at all.
jamant91's review against another edition
4.0
My first China Miéville book after having Perdido Street Station on my list for a long time (this one somehow came to me first). A somewhat difficult read in terms of shifting dialogue (missed end quotes?), but a very effective world setup with a bit of noir and conspiracy thriller. The final act wasn't quite the payoff I was expecting it hoped for — it was pretty conventional — and maybe a bit rushed, but was still somewhat satisfying. Although not an extremely deep persona, the main character was enjoyable to read. Again, the best part of this story is world-building.
galexywitch's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
gustavogn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
samhart8's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
hooksforeverything's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Nobody else would dare!
alcazarz's review against another edition
4.0
tough going at the beginning (I started and stopped many times before I got going), but a holds the crazy world together really well while telling an intricate detective story