Strange things have been happening in London, and they all seem to revolve around Zanna. Her face appears in the clouds, foxes come to the edge of the playground and watch her. Strangers come up to her, using a nonsense word, Shwazzy, as if she should know what it means.When Zanna and her best friend Deeba find themselves in a strange version of their city, an unLondon, the signs start to make a small amount of sense. Zanna is the "Choisi" the Chosen, or so it has been prophesied in a talking book.But then, you shouldn't believe everything you read (or in this case, hear). Miéville expertly subverts both reader expectations and classic fiction tropes in this delightful play on London history and fantasy quests, slipping in pitch-perfect, kid-friendly messages on prejudice, the environment and politics.After reading Un Lun Dun, you'll find yourself listening much more carefully to words you hear. And you'll never see a discarded bit of trash blowing toward you in the wind without feeling just a wee bit nervous.This review also appears at Boxes of Paper.
