Description
The City & the City by China Miéville is a crime mystery with a highly unusual speculative setting. Inspector Tyador Borlú investigates the murder of a young woman in the decaying city of Beszel, but the case soon leads him into a conspiracy involving its mysterious neighbouring city, Ul Qoma.
The two cities occupy the same physical space, yet their inhabitants are conditioned to “unsee” the other city and everything belonging to it. Borlú must cross this extraordinary boundary while investigating political extremists, nationalists, unificationists and the secrets surrounding the murdered woman.
The novel combines detective fiction, political intrigue and speculative fiction, creating a strange and unsettling world that explores borders, nationalism, perception and divided societies.
A good choice for readers who enjoy crime mysteries, speculative fiction, dystopian ideas, political intrigue and intellectually challenging detective stories.
