Question of the week: Tell us about one of your favourite London books. "We didn't plan it this way, but top blog Londonist has just announced the results of it's straw poll on their favourite London novels. Coincidentally, their number 2 was the book I was planning on recommending today - Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.
As such, I don't feel like I'm bending the rules too much to recommend a related second book - one that cites as influences both Neverwhere and Londonist's #1 pick, Michael de Larrabeiti's Borribles - Un Lun Dun by China Miéville.
Don't be put off by this being classified as a 'Young Adult' book - this is a fantastic adventure through an altered London - Un-London, one of the abcities: UnLondon, No York, Parisn't, Lost Angeles, Sans Francisco, Helsunki, Hong Gone, Romeless ... Cities made up of the lost, the forgotten, the discarded. Cities that form a twisted mirror-image of the 'real' world. The story subverts the classic fantasy quest, the well-worn trope of the fated saviour come to save the world, introduces handfuls of memorable and delightful characters, and Mieville's love of the real London's histories and byways shines through."
- Miss Alice
* Neverwhere inspired art by Susan Drackett, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment