Book Review: China Mieville’s Kraken

As we’re talking about the deities of London  it would be an outrage if we didn’t mention China Mieville’s Kraken. Having almost nothing in common with the Rivers of London in style, meaning or intent they do share a sumptuous love of London which, rightly, finds its expression in the mystical.

But the Kraken is a creature of the deep and we first find it in a glass case displayed in the Natural History Museum. From that moment on we feel its watery gaze menace us from the shadows as us poor Londoners go about our daily vacuous business.

Like many of Mieville’s books we find ourselves in confusion and chaos, a dark ballroom full of weird and wondrous shapes. Sometimes they makes sense, sometimes they pass through and at other times it’s just bonkers.

If you like the idea of thaumaturgy that relies upon the alleys and cables of the city as if they are lay lines or veins through which messages and vibrations can be felt, then this book is for you. However, if you’re easily confused you may want to brace yourself before you start to read. It’s a forgiving book, in that it has the complexity of watching a dance rather than a A Brief History Of Time so don’t let the madness of it put you off.

Ultimately this is a humane book full of life, twists and turns. It draws on both hope and darkness in an exacting mix of the ancient deeps and the modern world.

China Mieville’s Kraken certainly comes highly recommended from me.