"Nothing is still like the dead are still. The wind moves their
hair, as it moved hers, and they don't respond at all."

It begins with a murder. Or, more precisely, the discovery of a
murder. On the scene is Extreme Case Squad Inspector Tyador
Borlú. The woman who lays at his feet turns out to be the
product of much more than a typical murder, but rather one of a
bizarre and deadly conspiracy that threatens two cities.

The two cities in question, and referenced in the title, are
Beszel and Ul Qoma, located somewhere on the edge of Europe,
seemingly perfect as post-Soviet Balkan states, yet never
officially designated as such. Ul Qoma is rich and prosperous,
while Beszel is run down and poor. They are neighbors, grudgingly
so, and its citizens have undertaken to "unsee" each other: you
simply do not look upon or acknowledge the presence of the other.
To do so would result in severe repercussions and painful penalties
at the hands of the Breach, the supreme authority of this grim
world.

So it is a remarkable and uncomfortable journey for Inspector
Borlú when his investigation of this murder leads him to
travel to Ul Qoma and work alongside Detective Qussim Dhatt. As
they deal with their own differences and restrictions placed on
their investigations by the rules of the Breach, they begin to
uncover political machinations and a darker purpose. In the midst
of this case exist two factions: unificationists who believe that
the two cities are, in fact, one and should be rejoined, and
nationalists from each city bent on destroying the other.

Breach has a firm hold on what is permitted. And when
archaeologists think they have uncovered a third city, Orciny,
which exists between the other two, things begin to get troublesome
for everyone, especially for Borlú, who starts believing that
perhaps Orciny is real, a thought that would violate Breach and
make him a target for punishment.

THE CITY & THE CITY is a mysterious and provocative tour de
force from China Miéville and is without question his most
stunning book since 2002’s THE SCAR. With this work,
Miéville deftly plays with a plot that could’ve
collapsed under its own weight had someone of lesser writing talent
undertaken it. And Miéville is an incredible hidden
talent.

Not so much science fiction or fantasy, THE CITY & THE CITY
is more mystery and psychological/sociological study, taking a look
at how in our own world we tend to ignore that which does not
directly affect us. Those readers turned off by such tags as
"science fiction" and "fantasy" should ignore the urge to walk past
this book. Miéville's work is not so neatly pigeonholed and is
certainly not peopled with elves or aliens. Instead, it is
engrossing and thoughtful and occasionally twisted; in the case of
THE CITY & THE CITY, it is a stunning achievement worthy of
attention.