Un Lun Dun
posted in fantasy, young adult, book review, children's literature |
“Destiny’s bunk,” at least in Mieville’s Un Lun Dun. UnLondon is a world of umbrellas, unbrellas, and rebrellas, of ghosts and half-ghosts, of Propheseers and of a talking book of prophecy, and of Chosen and Unchosen heroes. Zanna, the Chosen, and Deeba, the Unchosen, are two twelve-year-old Londoners who are drawn through the gap between worlds to save UnLondon from the Smog—the Smog is evil, sentient, and out to get them. When Zonna, the Chosen, inhales Smog and cannot remember anything, it is Deeba, the Unchosen sidekick who winds up on a quest to save UnLondon.
To save UnLondon, Deeba’s quest entails “a standard Chosen One deal” including seven tasks with each task involving collecting a treasure needed to defeat the Smog. Miéville eschews common fantasy quest conventions such as the prophesied savior saves the land and proper quest tasks order. Instead, Un Lun Dun seems to suggest heroism comes from the inside—from true heart, integrity, and perseverance. Deeba’s fellow city saviors are a motley crew—including (but certainly not limited to) a half-ghost boy, a talking book of prophecy, a living milk carton, a few utterlings. Along the way, she uncovers many traitors among UnLondon’s alleged defenders and allies.
Mieville illustrates his 400+ page book with pictures of his bizarre creations. His imagination is endless, and what librarian wouldn’t appreciate the inclusion in Chapter 39 “Due Diligence” of a bookaneer, a librarian who risks life and limb to scale the WordHoard Abyss and fetch volumes for patrons (it’s a dangerous job, but somebody’s got to do it). There’s some little pun or creation in there for everyone, and it’s little touches like this that saturate Un Lun Dun and make it a work of young adult fantasy that will fascinate many teens as well as adults.
