The City & The City

Well, well, well - my first China Miéville novel and I'm smitten! This was some seriously good writing.

I started out with the Audible version and started it five or six times. Each time, at about 90 minutes, I realised that I didn't really get what was going on; my concentration had lapsed. This was going to be one of those books that I'd actually have to read, wasn't it?

Turns out yes, it was. Just that. The last time this happened was with Catch 22, and reading that with my eyes paid off big time.

Okay, used paperback bought from Amazon. There's something about used paperbacks that I really love: the smell of the aged paper, the creases, it all adds to the experience.

The premise of the novel I found super intriguing. I hadn't picked up on some of the literary cues about the second city when listening, but did so when reading. ‘Riiight, I see what's going on here'. And the whole Breach thing - so redolent of the KGB in Stalinist Russia.

It's a concept and a story that will stay in my mind for a while I'm quite sure. I gave it four stars rather than five because the the last 60 or so pages felt a little rushed and James Bondy, but only a little.