Research Article

The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat

Volume: 9 Number: 2 November 30, 2023
EN TR

The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat

Abstract

This study examines how the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin is re-told in China Miéville’s novel King Rat in London by combining elements of urban fantasy and arguing that the boundaries between the real and the fantasy world are blurred in the city of London. China Miéville is regarded as one of the most remarkable contemporary British Fantasy literature writers. In King Rat, blending the familiar cityscape with elements of myth, magic and horror creates a rich environment where ordinary lives intersect with extraordinary forces. By analysing the thematic and stylistic features of the novel, this study will reveal how King Rat exemplifies the basic elements of urban fantasy, focusing on the setting, characters, and fantastic elements and how it makes an important contribution to the genre. This analysis will provide readers with a detailed panorama of the interplay between urban settings, fantastic elements, and dark themes in contemporary literature.

Keywords

References

  1. Andrews, S., & Rennison N. (2009). 100 must-read fantasy novels. A&C Black Publishers.
  2. Attebery, B. (1992). Strategies of fantasy. Indiana University Press.
  3. Bannister, J., & Fyfe, N. (2001). Introduction: Fear and the city. Urban Studies, 38(5), 807–813. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.2
  4. Bould, M. (2009). Mind the gap: The impertinent predicates (and subjects) of King Rat and Looking for Jake and Other Stories. Extrapolation, 50(2), 307-325. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.10
  5. Butcher, J. (2000). Storm front: The Dresden files. Roc.
  6. Clute, J., & Grant, J. (1996). The encyclopaedia of fantasy. Orbit.
  7. Duncan, C. (2010). Unravelling the real: The fantastic in Spanish-American ficciones. Temple University Press.
  8. Ekman, S. (2016). Urban fantasy: A literature of the unseen. Journal of Fantastic in the Arts, 27(3), 452-469.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

November 30, 2023

Publication Date

November 30, 2023

Submission Date

August 23, 2023

Acceptance Date

November 23, 2023

Published in Issue

Year 2023 Volume: 9 Number: 2

APA
Özbay, E. (2023). The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Current Research in Social Sciences, 9(2), 150-163. https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759
AMA
1.Özbay E. The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Curr Res Soc Sci. 2023;9(2):150-163. doi:10.30613/curesosc.1348759
Chicago
Özbay, Emrah. 2023. “The Pied Piper As a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat”. Current Research in Social Sciences 9 (2): 150-63. https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759.
EndNote
Özbay E (November 1, 2023) The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Current Research in Social Sciences 9 2 150–163.
IEEE
[1]E. Özbay, “The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat”, Curr Res Soc Sci, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 150–163, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.30613/curesosc.1348759.
ISNAD
Özbay, Emrah. “The Pied Piper As a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat”. Current Research in Social Sciences 9/2 (November 1, 2023): 150-163. https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759.
JAMA
1.Özbay E. The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Curr Res Soc Sci. 2023;9:150–163.
MLA
Özbay, Emrah. “The Pied Piper As a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat”. Current Research in Social Sciences, vol. 9, no. 2, Nov. 2023, pp. 150-63, doi:10.30613/curesosc.1348759.
Vancouver
1.Emrah Özbay. The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Curr Res Soc Sci. 2023 Nov. 1;9(2):150-63. doi:10.30613/curesosc.1348759