Written and illustrated by China Mieville. Pages : 521
This is a Young Adult fantasty novel set in Un Lun Dun (UnLondon), an alternate world residing alongside London and one among many like Lost Angeles, Paris'nt, No York.
UnLondon is where London's trash and discard find their way into and take up new, transformed lives. There are houses made of MOIL (Mildly Obsolete in London) such as steroes, fridges, table draws, etc. The inhabitants are varied - some very differently dressed humans, some strange creatures that are partly human, living garbage, ghosts, half-ghosts, animals, and so on. Mieville creates a horde of unusual characters that occupy a very imaginative world - one where buses fly, garbage tins are guards, where a bridge is just that - a bridge from somewhere to somewhere.
It's this world that Zaana and Deeba, two young girls find themselves in after following some mysterious signs from their London residence much to their fear. UnLondon however has been hoping and expecting the arrival of the Shwazzy (French word choisir- chosen one) who according to the prophesies will destory the Smog. The enemy that started out as a trickle from London grew to ungainly proportions and now threatened to destory all of UnLondon and London.
From here it's one roller coaster ride with some witty unforgettable characters through bizareness. The plot itself stands out from the usual hero-saves-the-world, I wont reveal more here, like any fantasy it ought to read to really know. I enjoyed this book, a fast-paced and unusual read. One ought to keep in mind that the target audience is mainly children while reading through certain repetitive details, it's sort of Gaiman's Neverwhere for the young lot. The illustrations are neat too, this book would be best appreciated in a graphic novel or an animated series version.
Un Lun Dun!
This read counts towards the Orbis Terrarum Challenge for England.
This is a Young Adult fantasty novel set in Un Lun Dun (UnLondon), an alternate world residing alongside London and one among many like Lost Angeles, Paris'nt, No York.
UnLondon is where London's trash and discard find their way into and take up new, transformed lives. There are houses made of MOIL (Mildly Obsolete in London) such as steroes, fridges, table draws, etc. The inhabitants are varied - some very differently dressed humans, some strange creatures that are partly human, living garbage, ghosts, half-ghosts, animals, and so on. Mieville creates a horde of unusual characters that occupy a very imaginative world - one where buses fly, garbage tins are guards, where a bridge is just that - a bridge from somewhere to somewhere.
It's this world that Zaana and Deeba, two young girls find themselves in after following some mysterious signs from their London residence much to their fear. UnLondon however has been hoping and expecting the arrival of the Shwazzy (French word choisir- chosen one) who according to the prophesies will destory the Smog. The enemy that started out as a trickle from London grew to ungainly proportions and now threatened to destory all of UnLondon and London.
From here it's one roller coaster ride with some witty unforgettable characters through bizareness. The plot itself stands out from the usual hero-saves-the-world, I wont reveal more here, like any fantasy it ought to read to really know. I enjoyed this book, a fast-paced and unusual read. One ought to keep in mind that the target audience is mainly children while reading through certain repetitive details, it's sort of Gaiman's Neverwhere for the young lot. The illustrations are neat too, this book would be best appreciated in a graphic novel or an animated series version.
Un Lun Dun!
This read counts towards the Orbis Terrarum Challenge for England.
