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csevet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual content and Body horror
Minor: Torture
teaxmillions's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
booksthatburn's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THE WONDER ENGINE is a perfect sequel to THE CLOCKWORK BOYS, full of wit and care between a small group of people expecting to spend the rest of their extremely brief lives in one another's company against long odds and in great danger.
Grimehug plays more more central role here, but specifically not as one of the heroes. He's accompanying the humans so that some gnole is keeping track of them, much as other gnoles accompany the clocktaurs. Learned Edmund's change of character is gradual enough to feel reasonable, but is a complete transformation from his first appearance in THE CLOCKWORK BOYS. I love Slate and Caliban, and I like finding out a bit more of Slate's former life in Anuket City. Brenner continues to be a lurky assassin and an excellent character.
This does a tremendous amount of worldbuilding related to gnoles as their society intersects with humans in Anuket City. It also shows much of Anuket City's underworld, which is highly involved in most other parts of the city's functioning.
As the second book in a duology, this shows the crew’s whole stay in Anuket City and briefly addresses the aftermath. It addresses Slate and Caliban’s feelings for each other, the mystery of the Clocktaurs, Gnole society, and Learned Edmund’s personal growth. It doesn’t leave anything for later, while other books are set in this same world, these particular characters’ story seems wrapped up for now. Slate and Caliban are the main point-of-view characters, just like in the first book, with a brief section or two from other characters. I don’t think anything is both introduced and resolved here, but this is literally part two of two books and it has its own storyline by being specific to a place while the first book was the journey there.
If someone read just this book without the first one it might make enough sense to be interesting, but several parts of the finale and a lot of the character growth depends on seeing how they started out, which is contained in CLOCKWORK BOYS. While it might still be enjoyable on its own, I definitely recommend reading both books as they are much better together.
If you enjoyed THE CLOCKWORK BOYS then don't skip THE WONDER ENGINE!
Grimehug plays more more central role here, but specifically not as one of the heroes. He's accompanying the humans so that some gnole is keeping track of them, much as other gnoles accompany the clocktaurs. Learned Edmund's change of character is gradual enough to feel reasonable, but is a complete transformation from his first appearance in THE CLOCKWORK BOYS. I love Slate and Caliban, and I like finding out a bit more of Slate's former life in Anuket City. Brenner continues to be a lurky assassin and an excellent character.
This does a tremendous amount of worldbuilding related to gnoles as their society intersects with humans in Anuket City. It also shows much of Anuket City's underworld, which is highly involved in most other parts of the city's functioning.
As the second book in a duology, this shows the crew’s whole stay in Anuket City and briefly addresses the aftermath. It addresses Slate and Caliban’s feelings for each other, the mystery of the Clocktaurs, Gnole society, and Learned Edmund’s personal growth. It doesn’t leave anything for later, while other books are set in this same world, these particular characters’ story seems wrapped up for now. Slate and Caliban are the main point-of-view characters, just like in the first book, with a brief section or two from other characters. I don’t think anything is both introduced and resolved here, but this is literally part two of two books and it has its own storyline by being specific to a place while the first book was the journey there.
If someone read just this book without the first one it might make enough sense to be interesting, but several parts of the finale and a lot of the character growth depends on seeing how they started out, which is contained in CLOCKWORK BOYS. While it might still be enjoyable on its own, I definitely recommend reading both books as they are much better together.
If you enjoyed THE CLOCKWORK BOYS then don't skip THE WONDER ENGINE!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Confinement, Cursing, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Torture
Minor: Mental illness, Drug use, Suicide, Terminal illness, Slavery, Trafficking, War, Murder, Death of parent, Alcohol, Excrement, and Panic attacks/disorders
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Well, as expected being the continuation of the first half of the story, almost all my questions were answered.
I do think that the split between books one and two should have been at a different point (if not non-existent) since it was very abrupt but not in a way that built tension or really ended on a cliffhanger which would have been remedied by moving that cut off point by a few chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. It was definitely the most adult-ish book I've read from Kingfisher thus far and I still think it was easy to read and tame enough that I would give it to a young teenager with zero qualms.
I wouldn't consider this series to be in the "heist" genre since the main goal wasn't to necessarily steal anything but a quest to end a war (by whatever means). There was no real master plan to do it either beyond to get into the city and find out what was going on. Lately it seems like if there exists a motley crew/rag-tag bunch etc. of unlikely people come together with a common cause that somehow equates a heist.
Either way, I liked it. The banter was fun, Grimehug was a gem, and an implied happily ever after which is all anyone can ask for.
I do think that the split between books one and two should have been at a different point (if not non-existent) since it was very abrupt but not in a way that built tension or really ended on a cliffhanger which would have been remedied by moving that cut off point by a few chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. It was definitely the most adult-ish book I've read from Kingfisher thus far and I still think it was easy to read and tame enough that I would give it to a young teenager with zero qualms.
I wouldn't consider this series to be in the "heist" genre since the main goal wasn't to necessarily steal anything but a quest to end a war (by whatever means). There was no real master plan to do it either beyond to get into the city and find out what was going on. Lately it seems like if there exists a motley crew/rag-tag bunch etc. of unlikely people come together with a common cause that somehow equates a heist.
Either way, I liked it. The banter was fun, Grimehug was a gem, and an implied happily ever after which is all anyone can ask for.
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Gore, Grief, Death, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, and Murder
lotten4's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It had more romance than clockwork boys. It was almost as funny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Torture, and Sexual content
zazreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to like this one, largely disappointed. Brilliant ideas, decent writing, failed execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Sexism
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Really good conclusion to the Clocktaur War duology. I really enjoyed this fantasy / romance story about a band of criminals who set off to save their city. There are some mildly gory moments, and some quietly sexy ones, but in all this is a very solid fantasy romp of a novel. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Death
Minor: Torture
kamreadsandrecs's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CO39hvvBjcT/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Racism, and Death
asnecessaryasbread's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love Slate and Brenner and Magnus and the rest of my children
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Torture
Minor: Blood and Violence