Review Detail

Before I start singing praises, I should mention that The Drowned Cities is a companion novel to Ship Breaker. I read Ship Breaker two or three years ago, or hundreds of books earlier, so my memories of it are hazy at best. Because of this, I can’t comment on how faithful they are to each other, if one is better written than the other, or any other comparison between the two. What I am willing to say though, is that even without having previous knowledge of the world, I was able to follow along without struggle. With that out of the way, time to heap praises upon the shoulders of The Drowned Cities.

This book I think marked the beginning of a wonderful, joyous mental break. For most of my trip through, I couldn’t tell whether I was reading a book or watching a movie. I stopped realizing that I was turning pages; instead I became aware of bird song and bullets. It would be hours later before I resurfaced, greeted by stark reality, filled with a sense of melancholy and wonderment. My bare white walls were lackluster compared to the vivid greens of the Drowned Cities.

To anyone who doesn’t read, or to someone who hasn’t read a truly fantastic novel, this probably sounds incredibly nerdy. But I mean it when I say that this book has achieved the same visual feast that you expect with a movie. Or maybe I’m insane.

For the full review, please visit: http://nobsbooks.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-drowned-cities-by-paolo-bacigulupi_20.html