I got both Perdido Street Station and The Scar for Christmas, and I’ve already devoured both of them. I liked the The Scar best, but both books were wonderful. Mieville creates an oddly familiar world and I love the characters he brings to life.
Has anyone else read these books and want to discuss? I have a few thoughts/questions about them both:
Perdido Street Station
Where did the slake-moths really come from? And what exactly is the Fractured Land? Is it somehow related to the Scar caused by the Ghosthead Empire?
What is/was Motley? Is he some unknown species, or is he the most remade Remade ever?
What do you think eventually happened to Isaac, Lin, and Derkhan? Did they successfully escape? Will Lin ever get better?
Who is Jack Half-A-Prayer?
We know Rudgutter has eye problems and needs new eyes constantly- is the militia getting him new eyes and pretending the crimes were committed by the Eyespy killer?
Is Isaac’s betrayal of Yagharek justified?
The Scar
What happened to the female Lover? Did she make it to the Scar, or perish in the attempt?
What was Uther Doul’s ultimate plan? If he didn’t want the Lovers to go to the Scar, why did he tell them about possibility mining in the first place?
Did Hadrigall really ‘return’? Or was the whole thing a set-up from the first? And if it was, who was behind it?
Who were the Ghosthead? What was the Malarial Queendom? What were the Pirate Wars?
Oh man, I love these books, and I don’t know anyone else who’s read them. I also liked The Scar a bit better, and I had many of the same questions you did.
I was desperate to know more about Uther’s birthplace, and I also wondered about the female Lover (I like to think she made it.)
I don’t think poor Lin recovered.
I just hope China Mieville has another book set in this world, along with some answers, although I’d settle for more questions.
You’ve read both of these since Christmas?!?! Did you get the “Harry Potter headache” from staying up too late?
I found Perdido Street Station interesting but his “throw in everything including the kitchen sink” technique finally did me in. The flaws outweighed the pluses in the end. That’s why when I started The Scar and it seemed to be more of the same I never finished it. Sorry I can’t be much help on the questions.
Both books made the shortlist for just about every major award in the field of science fiction so they certainly have lots of readers and lots of champions. If you do some searching on the fan sites I’m sure you’ll find discussion of the books and their mysteries.
I’m actually a really fast reader, which sucks because I go through books like water. (Yes, I’m familiar with the ‘Harry Potter Headache’)
Exapno, you could try The Scar again if you wanted to, it really is a much better book in terms of tighter plotline than Perdido Street Station. I agree with you on the kitchen sink effect. I think Mieville was just so concerned with bringing his fictional city of New Crobuzon to life that he ended up going way overboard with certain details. The entire plotline revolving around the Construct Council could have been edited and the book would only have been better for it.
kalex, thanks for your input. I’m hoping Mieville comes out with another book in this world, too. He’s got another book due out in 2005 called Iron Council, but I don’t know what it’s about. I’m trying to get my hands on a copy of The Tain, which is a limited edition novella of his, but it’s not in publication outside the UK.
