Commissions, Part I Summary

Chapters 1-5

Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, maverick scientist, awakens in bed one morning beside Lin, his insect/woman lover. Below them, the street is flooded with creatures of all sorts buzzing about the open-air market in the oozing, suppurarting chaos and stench of Shadrach Street in New Crobuzon. Isaac notices a a parasitic grub in the bed, and a big fuss is made about getting a bath. Lin tells Isaac she must travel to the Old CIty to buy colorberries produced by Khepri women and sold in a spittle shop, so she can eat them to produce a colored substance secreted behind her head that she uses to paint pictures. But they start another playful bout of lovemaking and do not arise until 11 a.m. Isaac stops for a beer on his way to his tenuous job at the...