The last days of new Paris : a novella

a novella

205 pages

English language

Published 2016

ISBN:
978-0-345-54399-8
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3 stars (26 reviews)

"A thriller of war that never was--of survival in an impossible city--of surreal cataclysm. In The Last Days of New Paris, China Mieville entwines true historical events and people with his daring, uniquely imaginative brand of fiction, reconfiguring history and art into something new. "Beauty will be convulsive." 1941. In the chaos of wartime Marseille, American engineer--and occult disciple--Jack Parsons stumbles onto a clandestine anti-Nazi group, including Surrealist theorist Andre Breton. In the strange games of the dissident diplomats, exiled revolutionaries, and avant-garde artists, Parsons finds and channels hope. But what he unwittingly unleashes is the power of dreams and nightmares, changing the war and the world forever. 1950. A lone Surrealist fighter, Thibaut, walks a new, hallucinogenic Paris, where Nazis and the Resistance are trapped in unending conflict, and the streets are stalked by living images and texts--and by the forces of Hell. To escape the city, he must …

2 editions

Review of 'The last days of new Paris' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This was quite an interesting ride. I was not too familiar with Surrealist art, but gained a deeper appreciation of it thanks to this novella. I also appreciated its length since a much longer novel would have been exhausting with all the craziness that takes place. The characters were decent, but the main selling point was New Paris and the unique setting were art and devils roam the streets alongside Nazis and resistance fighters. While not my favorite Mieville story, this is in line with the weird fiction he is known for.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-review-last-days-of-new-paris-by.html

Review of 'The Last Days of New Paris' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

That was quite a hard read, and it didn't particularly resonate with me. I think that if I'd had a background in art history I'd appreciate it some more. As it was, I think that maybe the depth of the author's imagination of the view was too broad to be carried into his writing.

Note that the afterward isn't so much fourth wall breaking, as fourth wall rebuilding.