I try not to do this, but this time, I'm using the Goodreads summary of this book: "Beneath the towering bleached ribs of a dead, ancient beast lies the city of New Crobuzon, where the unsavory deal is stranger to no one--not even to Isaac, a gifted and eccentric scientist who has spent a lifetime quietly carrying out his unique research. But when a half-bird, half-human creature known as the Garuda comes to him from afar, Isaac is faced with challenges he has never before encountered. Though the Garuda's request is scientifically daunting, Isaac is sparked by his own curiosity and an uncanny reverence for this curious stranger. Soon an eerie metamorphosis will occur that will permeate every fiber of New Crobuzon--and not even the Ambassador of Hell will challenge the malignant terror it evokes."
Honestly, I don't know if I could summarize what this book is about, because it's about so many things: love, and science, and horror and desperation, and (perhaps) hope. You can look at the summary above and think, "A Garuda? What's that?" The garuda isn't the only creature you're meet here. New Crobuzon is a city of many races and species, including Khepri, Cactacae, humans, and many, many others.
This is one of my favorite books, and one that I have re-read many times. I have found that when I talk to people about China Mieville's books, he seems to be a somewhat polarizing author; either people really like his work, or they don't. I haven't found many people who have a middle-of-the road opinion. With this book, the first in the "Bas-Lag" series, Mieville doesn't explain a lot. Instead, you just start with the viewpoint of Yagharek, a garuda who comes seeking the help of Isaac, a scientist who dabbles in all kinds of theories. And, the story progresses from there. You're plunged into a world you don't know anything about, full of characters and things that aren't explained. When I tell people about this book, I say, just sit back and relax into the story. Don't worry about what things are; just let the story wash over you and draw you in. You'll figure it out as you go along.
Or maybe not. Just because I love this book (and admittedly, have a huge author crush on China Mieville. The first time I met him at a signing, I thought I was going to pass out because my heart was beating so hard), I have met people who can't get through this book. And that's fine, of course.
I think one of the things I love most about this book is Mieville's writing style. He can combine the most interesting words into fluid phrases that shape a place, or a character, into being. I read one review on Goodreads where someone wrote,
"I was warned about the linguistic complexity of this story. It is true -Mieville's prose can be dense and complicated and at times deliciously pompously pretentious, studded with adverbs and adjectives. Usually I would contemptuously and exasperatedly shrug my shoulders and walk away from that.
However, Mieville does something amazing with his fascinating language and melodic flow of narration (especially Yagharek's interludes), making me love it in a perversely masochistic way while reaching for the dictionary." (reviewer Nataliya)
Definitely. I feel like every time I read this book, I see something new, or understand another part of the story that I hadn't quite grasped before. His books aren't easy reads, giving you smooth storylines and characters you love. Instead, I find that his books challenge me to stretch my brain around ideas, and imagine the worlds and people he creates, and then challenge myself, asking if I truly do understand just what he's writing about. He's a fantastically intelligent person and is actively involved in left-wing politics in the United Kingdom. He published his PhD thesis on Marxism and international law as a book. I find that his world view and political background do work their way into his stories, but I never feel like I'm being beaten over the head with his views. Instead, I find myself immersed in a world filled with fantastical, awful, amazing things and characters, where I just savor my reading. And if there are some politics mixed in there, fine with me.
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