The City in These Pages reviewed . . .

[realthog]

. . . and very handsomely, too, by David Hebblethwaite (thisplacehere). He's treated it in a joint review with China Mieville's The City & The City; his longish essay on China's book comprises one of the best bits of book reviewing I've seen in quite a while -- first-rate stuff, so you should follow the link even if, incomprehensible though this might seem, you don't want to read Hebblethwaite saying nice things about moi.

Besides, you can read some of the nicest of them here! (How considerate of me, you may be thinking, to offer this handy service.)

There’s no need to be familiar with McBain’s work, though. For one thing, the style of prose Grant uses here is a joy to read; rapid-fire, with tongue nicely in cheek [. . .]

The City in These Pages swings from humorous police procedural to grand cosmic speculation — as I kind of expected it would. But, just when you think you’ve got it pinned down, it wriggles free of your grasp and does something else. Even now, having read it, I can’t decide on a definitive interpretation of what happens. The novella offers many ideas to fire the imagination, of which I’m prepared to reveal one: you know all those brief period of life that you can’t recall in detail — boring journeys to work, and so on? What if those periods of time ‘escaped’ and someone else could live in them? Grant’s skill in juggling ideas like this, and all the other elements of his story, makes for a remarkable novella.

Comments

[thisplacehere.livejournal.com]

...his longish essay on China's book comprises one of the best bits of book reviewing I've seen in quite a while -- first-rate stuff...

Oh, thank you. Coming from the person whose reviews got me interested in the idea of reviewing in the first place, that means an awful lot to me.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

What a remarkably kind thing to say! I had not realized I'd played any part in your evolution as a reviewer.

It's still a damn' fine piece, though!

[thisplacehere.livejournal.com]

I had not realized I'd played any part in your evolution as a reviewer.

Yes, your reviews on Infinity Plus were the biggest influence on my approach to reviewing.

It's still a damn' fine piece, though!

I was (quietly) pleased with it myself once I'd written it...

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Well, I had never known that. I feel humbled, and stuff.

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Nice!

"insufferability quotient now exponential"

It's alive! It's alive!

Watch out for lightning strikes.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

That's not lightning. That's just my ego exploding.

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

This is really great. No wonder you're chuffed. Well deserved too!

Love, c.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Many thanks, C!

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

That's a wonderful review. Congratulations. Now you'll need to have all your doorways widened.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"Now you'll need to have all your doorways widened."

If I widened them as often as you tell me to, the house would have collapsed long ago.

But you're right in guessing that I am, in my customarily humble fashion, quite pleased.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I thought as much. Now, might I interest you in some reinforcing rods?

[jmward14.livejournal.com]

Great review, but dang, pds_lit's going to have to enlarge the doors again, and the transoms are already butting the ceiling. Hugs and cheers, Jean Marie

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the congrats, {{JM}}! For the doors jokes, not so much . . .