Rating: 
Summary: a sad, sparely told story of love, freedom and free will
Review: "Nekropolis" is a short but moving book set in a future Morrocco governed by a repressive neo-Islamic order. However, the exotic location is almost (but not quite) beside the point, since the true focus of the book is on questions of love, choice, and the divergent natures and needs of the lovers. The two main protagonists, Hariba and Akhmim, are unlikely pair, since neither one is truly free to love without compulsion. Hariba is a "jessed" servant in a rich man's house. The "jessing" is a psychosurgical procedure that fixes her loyalty on her master. If she leaves, she will sicken and die. Akhmim is a genetically engineered being, a "harni," designed to be the ultimate lover, but unable to be truly happy separated from his own kind. His nature dictates that he will bond irrevocably to a single person and will, if neccesary, sacrifice his own needs and desires for that person's happiness. Hariba's naive love for Akhmim prompts her to leave her master when they are separated, and, because he has bonded to her, Akhmim's love compells him to follow when she runs away. But their new-found freedom cannot give them happiness, and therein lies the sadness of the book. Much of the action takes place in the characters' psyches, and the narrative focus switches from chapter to chapter between Hariba, Akhmim, and other important figures in Hariba's life. The alternating perpsecives can be disconcerting at first, but they widen the angle of the lens focused on the lovers. This is not the book to read if you're in the mood for space opera or other plot-driven genres of SF. But if you're interested in a more philosophic look at the nature of love then McHugh's novel is a rewarding read.
Rating: 
Summary: graphic sex nearly ruins entire novel
Review: I began the book with high hopes, as I had read quite a few positive reviews. Like other reviewers here I do agree that while initially there seemed to be something happening, the science of the book seemed to disappear and then I felt like it was simply an atmosphere piece. I sensed someone trying to be a little like Philip K. Dick but not nearly strong enough (are mad enough, perhaps) to pull it off. The story disappears after the first shift in who is telling the story, I thought perhaps it would alternate between Hariba and her harni, however, then her mother got thrown in, her friend - all but Hariba's original employer's wife, a crudely drawn depiction of an overindulged woman. I was utterly lost. Where was the story? And where was the love? I felt I was told more about the love of Hariba and the harni Ahkmim than shown, but it seemed to disintegrate. Especially after he became a male prostitute. This part of the book TOTALLY seemed out of place with very graphic sexual descriptions that caught me completely off-guard. It was integral I suppose to the plot development (what plot there was), but tainted the story for me, made it seem dirty. I can understand the authors reasons for having the character be somewhat sexually ambiguous in his orientation, he was not entirely human after all, however, it made it difficult for me to consider his love for Hariba while he was very graphically describing the act of man on man sex. Not that there's anything wrong with that - but wow I did not see it coming from a longshot and it just sullied the entire experience. I never got back into it and then the rest of the book fell apart. Hariba never seemed enough of a heroine either. I didn't really like her and I only felt pity for the harni. It's not even 300 pages though so it's no great loss. This book could have (and should have) been so much better!
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Recipe Only Half-Baked
Review: I don't know if it's fair to review a book that one has not read completely, but I had to put down Nekropolis despite all the good things I have read about it... The author introduces us to an artificially constructed man, and can't seem to make up her mind whether he has no human emotions, some of them, or all of them. McHugh also confuses us with the idea of jessing, where one is biochemically and emotionally linked to another, then treats such a supposedly strong bond as if it were weak and easily breakable. Also, the romantic story here is forced for the sake of the plot. I put it down before too long, unwilling to suspend my disbelief. Sadly, this story needed another revision before publication.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: I think this austere and beautiful story will someday be recognized as a classic. It is incredibly moving. Buy it.
Rating:
Summary: The book I've been waiting for
Review: I've been a fan of McHugh's since her first novel, "China Mountain Zhang," but have felt as though she hadn't written the book I've been wanting her to write. Well, with "Nekropolis" she has delivered that book. This is an engaging, extremely well-written view of the future, from a perspective that most science fiction writers simply don't give us -- the perspective from the 'have-nots' in a more technologically sophisticated time. She explores issues of class, gender, sexuality and power in an emotionally accessible, even compelling, fashion. There is not a trace of didacticism in this book, yet it is an extremely serious look at important sociological issues. For fans of LeGuin, Russ, Tepper, I would immediately and highly recommend this novel.
Rating:
Summary: A geat work of science fiction
Review: In a future Morocco, slavery is legal, an institution deeply ingrained into the fiber of society. Slaves are jessed, given mind-altering drugs that make them loyal and eager to please their master. Hariba, born into poverty in the NEKROPOLIS, actually lived with her family in adjoining crypts until her brother was caught in the sin of adultery. He was flogged and sentenced to thirteen years in prison. Hariba fearing any deep emotion sold herself into slavery and was jessed to her new master Mbarek. She becomes a housekeeper in his home where she meets the biological construct Akhmim. Despite herself, and knowing any relationship between them is illegal, she falls for him. When she is resold, she runs away from her new masters, taking Akhmim with her. Unless they can find a way to be smuggled into a country where slavery is illegal, even for Chimeras like Akhmim, the two risk capture and death at the hands of the authorities. Maureen F. McHugh has written a literary science fiction novel that will be enjoyed by fans of Ursula LeGuin. The story line is riveting, but what makes this work so very special is the way slavery is accepted by both slave and master alike. The subcultures of the biological constructs raise interesting social and ethical issues, especially what constitutes humanity. This is a novel that makes readers think and ponder their own values system. Ms. McHugh is going to be a giant in the science fiction genre. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: emotionally lush novel of love and betrayal
Review: MdHugh's NEKROPOLIS combines the dark sensuality and leashed passion of Ha Jin's WAITING with precision of expression worthy of Chekhov. The structure of the novel is brilliant, circling from the innocent cynicism of a young woman whose chances in life are ruined by her brother's indiscretions and her country's puritanical attitudes to her eventual acceptance that what seemed her sin alone, the embrace of a created being without conscience, dooms her best friend and her family to punishment she herself should bear. Is she indeed guilty? And is her guilt that she loves, or that she sets her sights far too low and accepts slavery for herself when she might fight against the tide and find love that is more than an illusion. You'll love her beloved "chimera," and when the time comes, you'll hate the forces that created him.
Rating: 
Summary: One Word of Warning
Review: Most if not all of what has already been written about this book is true, so I will not even attempt to reiterate all of it. I will simply add one commentary for those not familiar with Maureen McHugh's work. While Ms. McHugh is an excellent writer with distinctive and elegant prose, and while exciting things do happen to characters in her books, her books are virtually entirely character centered rather than plot centered. Frequently the "action" part of the plot will be ignored in favor of following what is more personally important to the character being followed. This is particularly evident in her endings, which can be confusing to those of us used to plot-driven novels. Her novels end (and Nekropolis is no exception) at the point where the character makes a fundamental change, rather than at any given point of plot. In China Mountain Zhang, the book ends just when the most interesting plot parts would be starting. Here, the book goes on for a while after a plot driven book would have stopped, and then ends when the main character gets a hair cut - an insignificant point of plot, but a very significant step of assimilation for our protagonist. This isn't a fault in the books particularly, just something to be aware of if you haven't read her stuff before.
Rating: 
Summary: BETRAYAL!! Literary Emotional Terrrorism.
Review: My God. My God! I'm going to ignore my dismay at the structure of the book in which the middle half of the book is written by secondary characters, essentially freezing the protags relationship for 60%+ of the book. I'll do that as I found the relationship touching and intriguing...until the last half chapter. Now, 30 minutes after finishing I am feeling betrayed, heartbroken, and furious (I obviously get into my books). I expect, even in the darkest books to find some redeeming message, and sometimes I've even read books that I'd consider light (as opposed to dark)
Maybe I'm missing something, some kind of repressed maternal/sexual anger that is relieved by destroying what little is left of the heroine in the final pages. The only redeeming value I can see is as some kind of harsh social commentary; but since the society in question is 20nth (23rd?) century Morrocco, the relevance is kind of lost on me (or at least severely diluted).
Besides, what message is it to crush poor Hariba, and leave her a sexually crippled emotional void, just because, ultimately, she is or feels she is ugly. Aren't heroes supposed to triumph over these vicisitudes? If not them..?
Rating:
Summary: BETRAYAL!! Literary Emotional Terrrorism.
Review: My God. My God! I'm going to ignore my dismay at the structure of the book in which the middle half of the book is written by secondary characters, essentially freezing the protags relationship for 60%+ of the book. I'll do that as I found the relationship touching and intriguing...until the last half chapter. Now, 30 minutes after finishing I am feeling betrayed, heartbroken, and furious (I obviously get into my books). I expect, even in the darkest books to find some redeeming message, and sometimes I've even read books that I'd consider light (as opposed to dark)
Maybe I'm missing something, some kind of repressed maternal/sexual anger that is relieved by destroying what little is left of the heroine in the final pages. The only redeeming value I can see is as some kind of harsh social commentary; but since the society in question is 20nth (23rd?) century Morrocco, the relevance is kind of lost on me (or at least severely diluted).
Besides, what message is it to crush poor Hariba, and leave her a sexually crippled emotional void, just because, ultimately, she is or feels she is ugly. Aren't heroes supposed to triumph over these vicisitudes? If not them..?
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