New Crobuzon - Inspiration and Creation

Inspiration and Creation

Miéville has discussed the inspiration behind New Crobuzon:

I still find myself riffing off books from my past constantly, sometimes without remembering what I’m basing my writing on. New Crobuzon is highly influenced by Brian Aldiss's The Malacia Tapestry and Tim Powers's The Anubis Gates, but they’d permeated me so deeply I was initially less conscious of them than of other influences.

Several commentators have noted that New Crobuzon is reminiscent of Victorian London, but sometimes note other possible influences such as modern Cairo and the Vieux Carre of New Orleans.