Review of 'Un Lun Dun'
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville
All lost things of London end up in UnLondon. It is a magical place where buses fly and broken umbrellas have lives of their own, where spirits live on and trash comes alive. It is also a place of great danger. Two young girls, Zanna and Deeba, stumble across UnLondon and find that they are propelled into an escalating conflict with the Smog – A gaseous entity threatening the lives of everyone in UnLondon. A book of prophesy tells Zanna (literally) that she is the Shwazzy – the one that will save the people from the Smog. Can Zanna and Deeba save everyone in UnLondon or is the Smog never going to clear? I particularly like the “binjas” (still makes me snicker).
This is Miéville's first foray into children's fantasy but it shows all the hallmarks of any of his other adult novels with his vivid imagination and compelling storylines. Though not as violent of his other work Un Lun Dun is certainly entertaining (if, perhaps, a bit long). I am not sure how children will react to it but likely the response will be as adults react to his other fiction – Very positively.
Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”
Review Date: 2007-05-18
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication Date: 2007