Calvino books are Calvino books. They’re rewarding if approached in the right mindset. What distinguishes them is simply their framing, and this wasn’t my favorite. Drained of verbs, these descriptions of cities reflect thinking that is often profound, though also sometimes banal (yes, suburbs often seem alike). There’s a few too many setups involving superficial duality and an ensuing revelation of redemptive humanist imperfection.
So: pretty good. Cosmicomics and Mr. Palomar remain my favorites, though.