This is a First…
I’ve heard City of Saints called many things, both good and bad, but “pungent, toilet imagery” has never, I think, ever been one of those things. (Amazon customer) LOL! Might just have to put that on the back of the next book.
It is hard to avoid acknowledging the intelligence behind this work but it is equally hard to understand the point. The author dislikes his characters and his city, focusing on ugliness, squalor, stench, and scat. There is a lot of shocking and unpleasant material often told in a highly imaginative and creative fashion. The writing is erudite, complex, and sophisticated but also full of hatred for the characters. I could not find any psychological realism or meaningful plots but did find vivid, pungent, toilet imagery.
March 17, 2008 at 12:28 pm
That’s a hilarious phrase… pungent toilet imagery.
March 17, 2008 at 12:55 pm
“Pungent toilet imagery” = “toilet plunger imagery”?
March 17, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Overall it seemed rather positive though…
March 17, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Well, I think not having psychological realism is a good thing. Because folks like Tolstoy and Dostoevski exploited this to a point that not only could no one following them do it better, but no one after could do it half as well.
Anyhow, you could always quote it as: “The writing is erudite, complex, and sophisticated. . . full of . . . characters . . . psychological realism . . . meaningful plots . . . vivid, pungent . . .”
March 17, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I think you’re both missing the point. LOL.
Jeff
March 17, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Or “There is shocking… and… highly imaginitive… writing”
March 17, 2008 at 3:37 pm
lol
March 17, 2008 at 4:05 pm
It wasn’t even the toilet part that got me, it was “The author dislikes his characters and his city…” Blasphemy!
Toilet imagery makes me think of toilet humor, and now I’m picturing a City of Saints as written/directed by the Farrelly brothers. I need brain bleach.
March 17, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Huh.
I mean really, what else can you say???
March 17, 2008 at 7:56 pm
City of Saints has been out so long, this doesn’t even make me twinge. I just thought it was an odd description!
March 17, 2008 at 8:29 pm
If I were you I’d just think it’s hillarious.
March 17, 2008 at 8:56 pm
lol the reviewer would be scandalized by China Mieville’s Bas Lag novels.
March 18, 2008 at 3:10 am
I’d do anything to hear his/her response to The Sea Came in at Midnight.
March 18, 2008 at 7:02 am
Wow, Glen–yeah, I can’t even imagine that.
jv