Un Lun Dun in Beyond Reality

Aug 27, 2009 Stephen rated it did not like it

Shelves: multiple-award-nominee, ebooks, fantasy, award-winner-arthur-c-clarke, award-winner-locus, award-nominee-locus, award-nominee-arthur-c-clarke, weird-and-new-weird, multiple-award-winners, ya

Let me begin this sadly negative review by saying that I think China Mieville is one of the BEST writers working today. To put it simply…he is THE MAN!! Unfortunately, and it pains me to say, he is THE MAN in this case that wrote a really shitty book. It happens to the best of artists at some point in their career. Al Pacino did Author, Author, Steven Spielberg did Always and even Will Ferrell did Bewitched. Well, I must report that this is Mr. Mieville’s Ishtar, sans Dustin Hoffman and War ...more

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Aug 26, 2013 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-modern, inbetweenworld, rain-man-reviews

from English* to Tagalog to Hungarian to Esperanto to Chinese... and back to English again!

It is quite a challenge in front of me, I also played its ideas. Children's Literature in the tradition of Alice in Wonderland, but not for me. I do not usually a fan of fun and good times and random stupidity, I'm not really a fan of word games. I like the rules and logic of literature and children's literature is no exception. Almost stimulate me whiny, uninteresting characters. It really grated. But the ...more

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Jul 27, 2008 Sandi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, young-adult, 2010, fantasy

It's taken me a long time to get around to reviewing this book. It took me a long time to finish reading this book. I often see Un Lun Dun classified as a young adult novel. If you go by length, it is. However, the content seemed to me made it a children's book. Now, I missed reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a child and just read them recently, in my mid-forties. I didn't like either one. Un Lun Dun is very much like these t ...more

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Oct 02, 2007 Wealhtheow rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, ya, urban-fantasy

Reads like a modern The Phantom Tollbooth. Zanna and Deeba, two young friends, are abruptly transported from London to UNlondon, where the obsolete and unwanted bits of London go. There, they fight their way across the city, through menacing trash piles and piratical insects, to reach the Propheseers, who can tell them why they've been transported and why everyone calls Zanna "the Schwazzy". Zanna, it turns out, is spoken of in prophecies as the Chosen One who can defeat the Smog, sentient poll ...more

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Aug 04, 2013 Oni rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

One thing that marks a truly excellent children literature is that it should attract children and adult readers alike. And this is true for this book. I believe that any adult can enjoy reading this book as any children (I hate the label YA that is given for younger audience books. Why not just children book? I am not ashamed to read a good children book.)

It begins with a magical journey (that I always love in children literature) to the un-part of London, named Un-London, pronounced Un Lun Dun, One thing that marks a truly excellent children literature is that it should attract children and adult readers alike. And this is true for this book. I believe that any adult can enjoy reading this book as any children (I hate the label YA that is given for younger audience books. Why not just children book? I am not ashamed to read a good children book.)

It begins with a magical journey (that I always love in children literature) to the un-part of London, named Un-London, pronounced Un Lun Dun, hence the title. It is cute, magical and entertaining. At one point I think that it will be another Harry Potterish follower; well, you have a child Messiah, trying to save the world plot. But the author does not let me down. Just after several pages, I find out that it is a totally different story, which is refreshing.

There are lots of clever word play. Un Lun Dun is one of them, and I am not going to spoil the fun by mentioning them here, read it by yourself. The author surely has a rich imagination, and creativity to bend the meaning of the words to fit his plot and character. At one point, he even deal with a linguistic debate! What is the meaning of a word supposed to be? According to the speaker (illocution) or the meaning grasp by its listener (perlocution)? What about the word itself which is the dictionary meaning of the word (locution)? What a clever insert! I cannot believe he put it in a children book! Any linguist will love this book truly.

Tha character design is also marvelous. The one that I truly like is Curdle, an animate milk cartoon pet. It reminds me of the clip from Blur's "Coffee and TV". Search it on youtube. He must be a Blur's fan. Also Skool, which is an animate diving suit, filled with water, and served like an living moving aquarium. Love the pun, Skool, school of fish! And many others. Truly truly magical!

And finally the plot. Many twists and unpredictable. The hero is not what is supposed to be, the same thing with the villain. Fun fun fun reading. Mieville keeps it interesting without delving too deep into adult literature regime (dark, ambiguous, gritty), which is difficult. He seems to be able to keep the balance between simplicity and complexity.

Some reviewers accused Mieville to be too political, by putting in environmental issue in this book. Well, I am an environmentalist my self. I support Green Peace. I cannot see anything wrong in saving the environment. Unless it is hurting your income from your polluting factory!

Final verdict, a totally fun reading. 5 stars. (For adult I will have to reduce one star). ...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Libby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-contemporary-urban, read-in-2011, kindle

Extremely creative - moves a little slow at first and then turns a tad hectic but overall a very entertaining read. I especially enjoyed how Mieville played with the traditional fantasy-quest theme and had the "sidekick" step up as hero. ...more

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Jun 30, 2009 Jensownzoo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2009-reads, ya-sff, bookstore-physical

I kept thinking when I read this that it seemed like a combination between Neverwhere and Mirrormask...then I read the acknowledgements at the end and found out why! This book, while made of words, is simply visually stunning. I had no problem imagining this fantastical place and its inhabitants. Heartily recommended.

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