Perdido Street Station

 China Mieville drew much attention with Perdido Street Station, and it is a very visually imaginative novel-- if somewhat lackluster in plot and characterization.

 Mieville apparently should have been a 3D modeler, or painter, because he is very talented at imagining and describing creative monsters, and locations.  Here he constructs New Crobuzen, a filth ridden city, in a rotten world.

 We meet a bird man who wants to fly again,  an inventor who agrees to help him, and some girl with a scarab for a face.  Soon monsters are popping out, and the plot weaves through the city, from one monster to the next.

 I cannot say  I loved that book, as seems to be the case for some.  While the description of the monsters and whatnot was often clever and unique, this doesn't excuse the lack of characterization and the limp plot.

7.7/10