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A sort of kiddie Neverwhere (and Miéville does indeed credit Neil Gaiman in the intro), this is one of those books that’s packed with cleverness—and really, really aware of it. I like some of Miéville’s attempts to turn the typical quest-y fantasy on its ear—The Chosen One turns out to be fairly useless! The “tasks” one must complete to defeat the bad guy are highly skippable!—but UnLondon never felt like a real place to me, or its denizens real people. I’m still really not sure who Deeba was
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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
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This was a very clever book, and it was fascinating to see a new world very much like Wonderland or that of the Phantom Tollbooth, as other reviewers have compared it to. I loved the wordplay--that's one of my favorite parts of fantasy, and it's the part I am best at creating myself. The world of UN LUN DUN, a land of opposites, was filled with half-familiar, half completely unexpected new creatures and places. I loved the main character, especially her speech patterns, because she was very real
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This is an awesome book. There are some books that make me squee in girlish delight(Kiki Strike In the Shadow City), some that make me cackle with insurrection (Trickster's Queen), some that make my heart race with the adrenaline of music and new love (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist). Un Lun Dun makes me giggle with glee. A lot. Just seeing the book on the shelf can make me burst out again.
Some notes: The characters aren't flushed out so well. It starts a little slowly as it pulls you into ...more
Some notes: The characters aren't flushed out so well. It starts a little slowly as it pulls you into ...more
I adored this take on the traditional fantasy Chosen One Goes On A Quest tale. Mieville created a fantastic world, and I was a complete sucker for all of his word plays (it reminded me a bit of the fun Jasper Fforde has in his Thursday Next series).
I read it in one day, which I wouldn't recommend. I found myself skimming in a couple parts, but less because the story wasn't interesting, and more because there was just so much of it.
I'm really excited to see what Mieville comes up with next. ...more
I read it in one day, which I wouldn't recommend. I found myself skimming in a couple parts, but less because the story wasn't interesting, and more because there was just so much of it.
I'm really excited to see what Mieville comes up with next. ...more
i really enjoyed this. it's like a young adult version of neverwhere, but endlessly appealing to adult readers too. mieville's writing, as always, has an edge to it that sets him apart from other writers. all in all reading this book was like reading a young adult version of kraken, both being firmly in the realm of "london phantasmagoria". it was awesome that the hero of the story was a girl, too. deeba's resourcefulness and courage were great, she's definitely got the same relatability that ma
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another one i would have liked better as a kid. interesting and refreshing take on some common fantasy themes though. liked it.
great!
sort of anti-harry potter-ish--anti-prophecy, anti-chosen one, anti-magical things . . . while being completely magical. all trash, broken things from the real city end up in an alternate city--from london to unlundun, los angeles to lost angeles, new york to no york, etc. all doubling, everything/nothing. at one point in the first third, feels like an obvious, heavy-handed morality tale, but gets very good after that.
sort of anti-harry potter-ish--anti-prophecy, anti-chosen one, anti-magical things . . . while being completely magical. all trash, broken things from the real city end up in an alternate city--from london to unlundun, los angeles to lost angeles, new york to no york, etc. all doubling, everything/nothing. at one point in the first third, feels like an obvious, heavy-handed morality tale, but gets very good after that.
Sort of a modern Through The Looking Glass, but with more familiar fantasy tropes and wordplay. What makes it extraordinary is the way Mieville plays with fantasy conventions and metanarrative. This is a very playful book.
Jan 31, 2008
Amanda
rated it
liked it
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review of another edition
Shelves:
2008-a-to-z,
kids-or-young-adults
Lacks the sophistication of Neverwhere, but that is to be expected in a children's book. Overall, it was a fun read with entertaining imagery.
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Apr 15, 2009
Sophia
marked it as unfinished
Gaiman straddles the twee line in "Neverwhere" -- this fell right over. (2009)
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So apparently this is a children's book. Enough said...
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Feb 18, 2009
Jackie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy
Jan 09, 2010
Liz
marked it as to-read
May 07, 2011
Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides
marked it as maybe-read-sometime
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-ya,
fantasy-fiction
Apr 19, 2013
Paige
marked it as to-read
Jan 13, 2023
Heather
marked it as to-read
