WAR: Iron Council

Before I get into my book for WAR, I would like to give a shout-out to another book that fits this theme perfectly that I read before we started on this little journey.



Code Name Verity is an incredible story about two friends who are torn apart when their plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France n the middle of a spy mission for Britain during World War II. "Verity" is captured by the Gestapo and forced to reveal her mission to them. Weaved into her confession is a brilliant tale about the role of women in World War II (both main characters were part of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force), an amazing and heartbreaking friendship, and of courage and determination.

I really cannot say much about the plot, in fear of ruining it for anyone who might pick it up, because really.. reading it is an experience, and it's one of those books that part of reading it is taking the journey yourself without any preconceived notions. 

Rating: 5 stars

Recommendation: READ IT

And now on to my actual book for this month..

Iron Council is the third book in Miéville's Bas-Lag series set in the fantastic city of New Crobuzon, which is under siege from inside and out. The elusive threat of war from the region Tesh is always looming above the city, putting fear in every citizen. However, it quickly becomes clear the real threat is coming from within. There is unrest among the citizens of New Crobuzon, and there are rumors that the legendary Iron Council is returning.

Twenty years ago, New Crobuzon was building a rail system that would connect itself to many other regions. In it's greed and power, it mowed down many outlying settlements of defenseless creatures and attracted many prostitutes for the workers, and Remade (horrific bodily reconstructions from animal and machine parts that permanently brand criminals as outcasts and slaves). The prostitutes were not getting paid, and the Remade were being forced into labor. In the wilderness far away from the city, they revolted and took over the train, turning it into the Iron Council--the perpetual train, a symbol for freedom and equality.

The book follows a cast of characters that set this citizen's revolution into motion--Judah, the golemancy scholar who saw the birth of the Iron Council and has spread the legend of the Iron Council throughout New Crobuzon; Cutter who is fatally flawed in that he'll follow Judah to the death; Ann-Hari, the woman that led the revolt against the militia to claim the Iron Council; and Ori, who is a discontent revolutionist that is tired of the talk of revolution--he wants action.

WAR: At first, it seems like the war between New Crobuzon and Tesh should be at the forefront of everyone's mind, but never becomes more than a shadowy threat on the horizon. In fact, the war starts and ends on the sidelines, the reader only hears about it through whisperings and rumors via the secondary characters. The real war lies within the city of New Crobuzon and the inception and return of the Iron Council.

There are many lessons folded into the story of the Iron Council--those that support strength in rightfulness, but also a deep sense of history and timeliness. Although the Iron Council is built on the idea of free citizens, equality, and an Utopian society, when it returns to New Crobuzon it is not certain that the city is ready to accept it. There are also warnings against being so passionate about something you will do anything to make it happen even if it blinds you to the truth. Sometimes, that passion is good.. but more often than not your logic must be grounded. And running through all this is one of Miéville's central themes: life isn't fair and doesn't always work out the way you want it to--but hope can and will live on. 

Overall, I love Miéville in this book for everything I've always loved him for--his inventiveness, his social messages, his ability to weave incredible and intricate worlds that are beautiful and flawed. His characters fall a bit flat, but they are just vessels for the messages he's trying to convey. I can overlook that for the sheer genius that is his worldbuilding.

Rating: 4 stars

Recommendation: If you've never read Miéville, I would suggest starting out with something a bit less dense. The City & The City is BRILLIANT, and perhaps my favorite book of his. In terms of Bas-Lag, The Scar (Bas-Lag #2) still has my heart.