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I've just finished reading the book, and I was under the impression that Total is entirely in your current city, and Alter is entirely in the other city. The article describes Alter areas as having buildings "alternating" on a particular street, but from my reading that's not he case. Did a quick google of reviews and they don't seem to be clear on the subject either.Gymnophoria (talk)12:46, 22 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I just finished the book as well, and I agree with your interpretation. What is alter in one city would be considered total in the other. It is in the crosshatched areas where you could have alternating buildings.Thalidar (talk)04:42, 26 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ok - corrected and removed the dispute tag.Gymnophoria (talk)10:18, 3 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

[beware, spoilers] Even though Miéville plays upon a fantastic atmosphere, there is nothing surnatural or unearthly to this novel's universe set in Europe today. The apparent surnatural aspect totally and rationally explains itself after a while, and apart from the fact Beszel and Ul Qoma are invented and their citizens ignore Breach and the other city, this is a typically mimetic crime fiction/noir novel. I see no reason to ascribe it to the a fantasy category -- even though the tag "weird fiction" does apply.

=> I'd change the category to "noir crime fiction novel" and write "a noir / crime fiction novel with a weird fiction treatment" or something to that effect.

Agreed. Miéville is known primarily as a fantasy author, but this is clearly crime fiction. The category in the infobox should be Crime, Weird Fiction. I will change it.Yunshui (talk)08:15, 5 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps it would help to focus on what reliable independent sources say about it?Old Crobuzon (talk)21:31, 16 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm new to editing anything on Wikipedia, but I feel that this page gives too much about the book away, including much that should be mysterious for a first time reader.— Precedingunsigned comment added by74.104.146.202 (talk)17:04, 25 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Please seeWP:SPOILERS.Esowteric +Talk +Breadcrumbs17:29, 25 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

yes, spoilers are ALLOWED, but it is still a strange choice and not exactly common to describe a novel not by summarizing the plot but by including a "SETTING" section which immediately starts by giving away what is a big reveal in the novel, and not really bothering to actually explain that there even is an actual plot.2A02:2454:9976:7200:880D:4E87:735F:BEDF (talk)15:33, 4 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

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