9/16/08 Book Entry

"...it was early morning in Ankh-Morpork, oldest and greatest and grubbiest of citties. A thin drizzle dripped from the gray sky and punctured the river mist that coiled among the streets. Rats of various species went about their nocturnal occasions. Under night's damp cloak assassins assassinated, thieves thieved, hussies hustled. And so on."

This passage, quite obviously, helps to paint a picture in the reader's mind of the city of Ankh-Morpork, which is the setting where the story starts. We learn that the city (at least at night) is filled with all sorts of shady characters, such as assassins and thieves. It also makes very strong use of imagery, with words such as "coiled" and adjectives such as "nocturnal" and "grubby." However, even though this image isn't a positive one, it pulls the reader into the city and make them feel like they're standing in a dark, wet, and empty street of Ankh-Morpork.
This passage also raises the question: How did the city end up like this? It was described as old and great, which would imply that at one point the city had been majestic and beautiful. What turn of events could make a place such as this a center of terrible crimes and deeds? It's a bit confusing to here what the city was and what it is now, but I imagine it will be explained (at least somewhat) later in the story.
I think one question that may help guide me is "How is this city going to transform over the course of the story?" I'll have to keep it in mind as I read.