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Journal Entry 1 by  rockyhorror1978 from St. Catharines, Ontario Canada on Monday, November 16, 2009
 "When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything he could have imagined.
Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own. This is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a shift in perception, a seeing of the unseen. His destination is Beszel’s equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the rich and vibrant city of Ul Qoma. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, and struggling with his own transition, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of rabid nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them and those they care about more than their lives.
What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.
Casting shades of Kafka and Philip K. Dick, Raymond Chandler and 1984, The City & the City is a murder mystery taken to dazzling metaphysical and artistic heights."
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Journal Entry 2 by rockyhorror1978 from St. Catharines, Ontario Canada on Saturday, December 05, 2009
Although not my favorite Mieville novel, I still enjoyed this book immensely. Mieville creates an urban mythology based on the political atmosphere of the cities, the perfect metaphor of "them" and "us." At first it is difficult to determine where the plot is going and what exactly is going on, but once I realized, it was a fast-paced detective story.
It was also an interesting blend of genres: mystery and fantasy. Wrapped in the mystery, you can't help from being drawn into the cities and the urban culture within. Although a fantastical place, Mieville gave enough popular culture references to keep the city in our world. I also kept coming back to real political conflicts, such as Ireland, and making connections between the cities and the real world. Fantasy allowed Mieville to examine political conflicts in a way that is both interesting and thought-provoking. I would recommend this book to anyone, even if they are not fans of the fantasy genre. I would be willing to bet they wouldn't even realize that they are reading a fantasy novel.
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Journal Entry 3 by rockyhorror1978 at Marlborough, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, January 28, 2010
Released 2 yrs ago (1/29/2010 UTC) at Marlborough, Massachusetts USA CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Being sent to Rootmartin as part of the Bookobsessed Best of 2009 Swap. Enjoy!
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The City & The City
