Perdido Street Station

Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read this book twice, several years apart, and both times I was completely absorbed by the world created by Miéville. It's a dark, twisted, and complex world, inhabited by a myriad of races, human and otherwise. The book is part steampunk, part horror, part science fiction, and part just plain weird - but it all works together to create a narrative that draws the reader on. The sheer creativity on display here is breathtaking. Nothing seems trite or overdone, everything feels original - from the creatures who make art by spitting, to the cactus race, to the absolutely horrific nightmare-inducing slake moths. This is not a light read, not a book to cheer you up. It's overarching effect is one of oppression, coupled with a visceral fear. I have been reading for 57 years, and reading SF/Fantasy for probably 50 years, and this is one of the most creative, inventive works I've ever read. I cannot recommend this highly enough! What are you waiting for - go read it!