Perdido Street Station is not set on earth, but it feels like a very lifelike depiction of a modern multi-species society. The different species are not simply recolors of humans, and include insectoids that can't speak so they write or use sign language with outsiders and have extreme sexual dimorphism. despite the magical elements, it's descriptions of the repressive political system, racism, Suffrage lotteries, socialist movements, mutilation as punishment, prostitution and burgeoning bohemian artistic movement are pretty realistic.