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Ruxandra Grrr 's Reviews > The Book of Elsewhere
The Book of Elsewhere
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My brain was maybe not having it in the moment, but now that I finished the book a few days ago I can say I was very much into it. And the book club discussion was illuminating and helped me process everything.
But first, I had to watch a million interviews with China and Keanu and coo over them basically, cause they have the sweetest dynamic. I just really love seeing two very hot men (we did discuss the hotness in book club and most people were into China, some were into their dynamic, I am into both of them *and* their dynamic, lol) in very different ways be mutually tender and admiring each other. It's not even about me shipping them or some such nonsense, they're just adorable and I am a firm believer in platonic tenderness and respect.
Keanu's involvement in this was on the worldbuilding / developmental level, giving China feedback over what he wrote. They actually met in Berlin for the first time, around the time I moved here, so this book is close to my heart. I am going to call this China's book, just fyi, because as he explains it, he played in Keanu Reeves' toybox.
Sooooooo, this is basically China's take on the immortal being trope and it's quite a tropey book, actually, but in China's style, subverting those tropes and expectations. It's a very dense novel that switches perspectives quite a lot (we got some first person accounts, which are like short stories of people who interacted with the MC, a second person that really worked for me and a third person for the present day) and is extremely wordy, but I really dig that, personally. I love learning new words and I love the specificity that some word choices bring to the table.
I remember complaining about character work in the previous novel I read from him, Embassytown and I have to say I really enjoyed myself here. B / Unute is an exploration of the whole 'an immortal being who lived a very long time (80,000 years) will get tired of living or see people as ants' thing, which I'm kind of bored of in general, but I enjoyed this particular take. There were quite a few emotional moments that worked for me and I did feel attached to some of the characters.
Also, somehow China got me to care about a story where the main character is used by a military operation as a weapon, which is usually not my shit at all and I find it boring, so way to go! Unute is kinda like a mercenary and there are plenty of annoying soldiers around him, but it still somehow felt fresh. There's also a scientist named Diana who, immediately when we meet her, we find out she doesn't like working for the military, cause she read Susan Sontag or something (haha), but that's where the resources are.
Ultimately, this is a book about change and dealing with all the lives you've lead and being absolutely exhausted (relatable), with very weird worldbuilding elements that I appreciated, plenty of casual queerness and non-monogamy (as China kinda always does and I appreciate him for that). There's also a lot here about mythmaking, the obsession with labeling and cataloguing things, when the world is much messier and so much more interesting.
It is a standalone story, but I feel like it left the door open for a sequel - not everything is tied together with a neat bow. And somehow now I want to read A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto, because for emotional comfort and because China speaks so beautifully, I watched way too many YouTube videos with him!
//
Now I know what the plot is, but I have no idea wtf did I just read. Gotta run and host book club for it, I guess?
//
I don't even know what the plot is, but I will be reading this ASAP.
But first, I had to watch a million interviews with China and Keanu and coo over them basically, cause they have the sweetest dynamic. I just really love seeing two very hot men (we did discuss the hotness in book club and most people were into China, some were into their dynamic, I am into both of them *and* their dynamic, lol) in very different ways be mutually tender and admiring each other. It's not even about me shipping them or some such nonsense, they're just adorable and I am a firm believer in platonic tenderness and respect.
Keanu's involvement in this was on the worldbuilding / developmental level, giving China feedback over what he wrote. They actually met in Berlin for the first time, around the time I moved here, so this book is close to my heart. I am going to call this China's book, just fyi, because as he explains it, he played in Keanu Reeves' toybox.
Sooooooo, this is basically China's take on the immortal being trope and it's quite a tropey book, actually, but in China's style, subverting those tropes and expectations. It's a very dense novel that switches perspectives quite a lot (we got some first person accounts, which are like short stories of people who interacted with the MC, a second person that really worked for me and a third person for the present day) and is extremely wordy, but I really dig that, personally. I love learning new words and I love the specificity that some word choices bring to the table.
I remember complaining about character work in the previous novel I read from him, Embassytown and I have to say I really enjoyed myself here. B / Unute is an exploration of the whole 'an immortal being who lived a very long time (80,000 years) will get tired of living or see people as ants' thing, which I'm kind of bored of in general, but I enjoyed this particular take. There were quite a few emotional moments that worked for me and I did feel attached to some of the characters.
Also, somehow China got me to care about a story where the main character is used by a military operation as a weapon, which is usually not my shit at all and I find it boring, so way to go! Unute is kinda like a mercenary and there are plenty of annoying soldiers around him, but it still somehow felt fresh. There's also a scientist named Diana who, immediately when we meet her, we find out she doesn't like working for the military, cause she read Susan Sontag or something (haha), but that's where the resources are.
Ultimately, this is a book about change and dealing with all the lives you've lead and being absolutely exhausted (relatable), with very weird worldbuilding elements that I appreciated, plenty of casual queerness and non-monogamy (as China kinda always does and I appreciate him for that). There's also a lot here about mythmaking, the obsession with labeling and cataloguing things, when the world is much messier and so much more interesting.
It is a standalone story, but I feel like it left the door open for a sequel - not everything is tied together with a neat bow. And somehow now I want to read A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto, because for emotional comfort and because China speaks so beautifully, I watched way too many YouTube videos with him!
//
Now I know what the plot is, but I have no idea wtf did I just read. Gotta run and host book club for it, I guess?
//
I don't even know what the plot is, but I will be reading this ASAP.
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The Book of Elsewhere.
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Reading Progress
January 11, 2024
– Shelved as:
to-read
January 11, 2024
– Shelved
October 15, 2024
–
Started Reading
October 15, 2024
– Shelved as:
otherland-book-club
October 15, 2024
–
4.0%
"A mention of the car of my people (or whatever :P):
"Here was a wheelless and dust-coated Dacia underfringed by weeds and, at the other end of the space, by a closed garage door, the remains of a second, burned-out car.""
"Here was a wheelless and dust-coated Dacia underfringed by weeds and, at the other end of the space, by a closed garage door, the remains of a second, burned-out car.""
October 16, 2024
–
7.0%
"Third Mieville book I read, third that has lowkey mentions of forms of non-monogamy - I see you and I appreciate you!"
October 17, 2024
–
18.0%
"Another nice intersection with The Dawn of Everything:
"“I’ve told you that the usual story is bullshit. That it goes: Paleolithic ignorance, then”—he clapped his hands—“Neolithic Revolution! Then you give it a few more thousands of years and—poof!—you’ve got writing. And now finally the party begins.” He shook his head. “I’ve told you. It went up and down a ton of times. ""
"“I’ve told you that the usual story is bullshit. That it goes: Paleolithic ignorance, then”—he clapped his hands—“Neolithic Revolution! Then you give it a few more thousands of years and—poof!—you’ve got writing. And now finally the party begins.” He shook his head. “I’ve told you. It went up and down a ton of times. ""
October 24, 2024
–
38.0%
"I am very much enjoying this, but not sure I have the mental capacity to 'get it' on a deeper level. But book club is tomorrow and there's no way out now 🥲😅"
October 25, 2024
–
52.0%
"Okay, slowly moving ahead (and book club is tonight oof), but I had to check in here and reveal that B / Unute is bisexual and oooh yeah. I like that."
October 25, 2024
–
77.0%
"I thought I knew a lot of words, but this book is teaching me that there are so many words I don't know yet!"
October 25, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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carol. wrote: ""II thought I knew a lot of words, but this book is teaching me that there are so many words I don't know yet!"my experience with China M. as well. Probably not Keanu's influence, though :D"
haha, yeah, but I'm into it, personally, though some people at book club weren't. thanks for reminding me to update my review though!
my experience with China M. as well. Probably not Keanu's influence, though :D