The City & the City
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Coda: Chapter 29
Themes
All Themes Borders and Doubles Seeing vs. Unseeing Crime vs. Punishment Urban Life and Alienation Paranoia, Conspiracy, and Illicit Knowledge
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Inspector Tyador Borlú Mahalia Geary (a.k.a. Fulana/Marya/Byela Mar) Lizybet Corwi Detective Qussim Dhatt Dr. David Bowden Yolanda Rodriguez Ashil
Terms
All Terms Besź Ul Qoman Illitan Crosshatched Total ECS Dissensi Policzai Militsya Unificationists Nationalists Dopplurbanology Grosstopically
Symbols
All Symbols Breach Copula Hall Between the City and the City
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The City & the City

by China Miéville
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
  • Chapter 11
  • Chapter 12
  • Chapter 13
  • Chapter 14
  • Chapter 15
  • Chapter 16
  • Chapter 17
  • Chapter 18
  • Chapter 19
  • Chapter 20
  • Chapter 21
  • Chapter 22
  • Chapter 23
  • Chapter 24
  • Chapter 25
  • Chapter 26
  • Chapter 27
  • Chapter 28
  • Coda: Chapter 29
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Borders and Doubles Theme Icon
    Borders and Doubles
  • Seeing vs. Unseeing Theme Icon
    Seeing vs. Unseeing
  • Crime vs. Punishment Theme Icon
    Crime vs. Punishment
  • Urban Life and Alienation Theme Icon
    Urban Life and Alienation
  • Paranoia, Conspiracy, and Illicit Knowledge Theme Icon
    Paranoia, Conspiracy, and Illicit Knowledge
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Inspector Tyador Borlú
  • Mahalia Geary (a.k.a. Fulana/Marya/Byela Mar)
  • Lizybet Corwi
  • Detective Qussim Dhatt
  • Dr. David Bowden
  • Yolanda Rodriguez
  • Ashil
Terms
  • All Terms
  • Besź
  • Ul Qoman
  • Illitan
  • Crosshatched
  • Total
  • ECS
  • Dissensi
  • Policzai
  • Militsya
  • Unificationists
  • Nationalists
  • Dopplurbanology
  • Grosstopically
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Breach Symbol Icon
    Breach
  • Copula Hall Symbol Icon
    Copula Hall
  • Between the City and the City Symbol Icon
    Between the City and the City
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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The City & the City Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.


MLA

Seresin, Indiana. "The City & the City." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 15 Nov 2019. Web. 6 Apr 2026.


Chicago

Seresin, Indiana. "The City & the City." LitCharts LLC, November 15, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-city-the-city.

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