We are introduced to a rough, urban city-state in which the political system is mainly known to the citizens through the secretive power of the militia and the sick, disfiguring surgeries called Remaking that are doled out with astounding creativity as punishments to criminals. Different species that are somewhat “humanoid” all discriminate against each other. Life is rough in New Crobuzon, but work in the city draws people of all types.
Against this dark background, we meet Isaac Dan der Gimnebulin, a freelance scientist, with a particular interest in the theory of physics and everything. As his relationship with Lin, a Xenian, deepens, his failure to publicly acknowledge their romance is sad but understandable.
Or perhaps it’s just hidden in plain sight. There is so much treachery in New Crobuzon – someone is secretly slipped a powerful hallucinogen; a renowned scientist and academic fails to disclose his involvement in the Remaking of criminals; a clerk steals a caterpillar from government scientists and sells it in the underground; people are expelled from their species-specific communities for lack of space; and roommates make secret reports to the government. Against all this, Isaac’s inner debate about his inter-species romance seems mundane.
Like most people, Isaac is complex – mostly wanting to help people, but also self-absorbed. He agrees to help a garuda, Yagarek, who is disfigured in punishment for his crime of “choice theft” – his wings have been sawed off and he can no longer fly. He seeks the renegade scientist, Gimnebulin, to return him to the sky.
As the plot thickens, Isaac realizes his actions have endangered the city: the caterpillar stolen by the government clerk was sold to him. It grows to a humanoid moth and escapes, releasing its siblings as well. Together the slake moths terrorize the city of New Crobuzon. Isaac seeks to make amends, by hunting them.
In so doing, he encounters the Construct Council – a hive mind of mechanical intelligence. The Council uses Isaac as bait to draw down and kill the moth Isaac had raised.
When Isaac understands that the Council is a powerful ally, he enters a bargain to share knowledge and work together, but he does not keep his end of the deal with the machine conscience. Instead he holds back key parts of his crisis engine. He justifies betraying the Council by reasoning that it has no feelings and no morals; it’s just seeking knowledge and power.
Through the fight to rid the city of the slake moths, there is death, near-death, and ruined lives, but in the end, the most disturbing tragedy is Isaac’s betrayal of Yagarek.
Feminists, especially, could argue that Isaac is “doing the right thing” – what would you do if you found out that someone you had recently befriended is undeniably a rapist?
However, Isaac’s decision is still a betrayal of a friend and, make no mistake, this time it is a decision to betray.
The situation portrayed by Mieville raises serious questions: if a criminal endures a cruel and unusual punishment, does he not deserve pity? If you are interacting with a known criminal, are you no longer obligated to act with honor?
*****
I apologize that it took me so long to make this post. This
was a difficult book for me to process on many levels, and I have left much
out.
I am glad that the author tackled the difficult issues inherent in the mingling of many intelligent species. However, I noticed that cats were not included amongst the “people”.
How did you react to Perdido Street Station? Have you read other books by
Mieville, and are they all this difficult? Leave a comment – I’m interested in your thoughts.
-MB
Indicia
I am glad that the author tackled the difficult issues inherent in the mingling of many intelligent species. However, I noticed that cats were not included amongst the “people”.
How did you react to Perdido Street Station? Have you read other books by
Mieville, and are they all this difficult? Leave a comment – I’m interested in your thoughts.
-MB
Indicia
Title: Perdido Street Station
Author: China Miéville
Publisher: The Random House Publishing Group
Imprint: Ballantine Del Rey
Edition: Mass Market Paper Back
Copywright: 2000 by China Miéville
