this is the best book i’ve read in months. 1600 pages of pure brutal dark creative weirdness. seriously, this book is sooooo dark and it has so many things: magic, machines, artificial intelligence, demons, beasts, political struggle, racism, extreme body modification, rebellion, interracial sex… the place: New Crobuzon, a fictional 19 century like city with many intelligent species and slums and poverty and serious xx century city like issues. the main character: a troubled renegade scientist that has a romantic relationship with an insect female and gets commissioned to help someone fly. things go from there and they get very intricate. highly recommended if you’d like something More out of your fantasy literature.