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laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
I was happy to finally read China Miéville's 1998 debut novel, having previously enjoyed many of his works -- at this point, I'm a fan, and I'll read anything he puts out (non-fiction included). Unsurprisingly, as his debut this is less well developed and polished than his later work; I found here certainly some of the aspects that distinguish his work, but it does not approach later works like The Scar or Iron Council in its execution.
One of the things I really love about Miéville's work is his ability to make a setting come alive and feel real, and this definitely is already apparent in this first book. The London of King Rat is something the reader can feel, hear, taste, and smell (though, in this instance, one... really wouldn't want to, given so much focus on the sewers and garbage). The character development is underwhelming here (with the exception of protagonist Saul), particularly compared to his later books.
All in all, of course Miéville fans will absolutely not want to miss this. I would not, however, recommend it as a place to start with his work, as his tremendous strengths as an author - which I cannot understate - really come through more in his later books.
One of the things I really love about Miéville's work is his ability to make a setting come alive and feel real, and this definitely is already apparent in this first book. The London of King Rat is something the reader can feel, hear, taste, and smell (though, in this instance, one... really wouldn't want to, given so much focus on the sewers and garbage). The character development is underwhelming here (with the exception of protagonist Saul), particularly compared to his later books.
All in all, of course Miéville fans will absolutely not want to miss this. I would not, however, recommend it as a place to start with his work, as his tremendous strengths as an author - which I cannot understate - really come through more in his later books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Torture, Violence, Death, Animal death, Death of parent, Murder, and Gore
Minor: Rape
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