Post-apocalyptic novels are a dime a dozen these days, but the lyrically bizarre world created by Vandermeer makes this one worth reading. For my book club friends who liked "The Book of Strange New Things" by Michael Faber, which we read a few years ago, this is similar in tone. Vandermeer's beautifully-written prose and the focus on the relationship of the characters at the heart of the story elevates this above typical sci-fi, and the mystery of where the characters came from and what will happen to their ruined city makes it hard to put down.