China Tom Miéville, Embassytown

Christopher Palmer (La Trobe University)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.09: English Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary Britain , 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Gina Lyle (University of Glasgow), Graham MacPhee (University of Manchester), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Jenni Ramone (The Nottingham Trent University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 2011

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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Embassytown

is a Science Fiction novel. It’s named for another of Miéville’s organic, in effect living cities. Embassytown is the place on the planet of the Ariekei where the latter meet and deal with humans, who have to work through cloned pairs (the ambassadors) who, being cloned, have the concordance of mind to communicate with the Ariekei. The Ariekei, joining the line of Miéville’s speculations with doubles, speak – literally - with two mouths simultaneously; they know no difference between word and thing, and cannot lie, or even comprehend the concept. As follows from this oneness with the world, their city is organically connected to their own organic life.

Humans on Ariekei depend on their hosts: no colonialism here. They also depend on the ambassadors; the Ariekei

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418 words

Citation: Palmer, Christopher. "Embassytown". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 02 February 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34375, accessed 24 April 2024.]

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