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jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
This is on the Mock Printz list for this (next weekend!) and I'm always impressed by how individual each of Reeve's books are. I haven't read the series to which this is a prequel, but it stands on its own and is some kind of fascinating. Absorbing world and characters, although the plot has faded in my memory.
teenytinylibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Fever Crumb, child apprentice to Dr. Crumb of the Order of Engineers, begins her journey in a giant metal head that serves as a home. She is asked to help on an archaeological dig during which she discovers the outside world and a whole inner world she had no idea she possessed.
I really really really really like Philip Reeve's stuff. It's steam punk and sci fi and always has the most interesting characters - a bar owner/gladiator/mayor of London, a former punk rock head of a riot group, and a whole group of Engineers who have decided that both hair and emotions are irrational and must be removed from their lives. Philip Reeve reads this audiobook himself and his voice is soft, English and totally delightful. Two thumbs WAY up.
I really really really really like Philip Reeve's stuff. It's steam punk and sci fi and always has the most interesting characters - a bar owner/gladiator/mayor of London, a former punk rock head of a riot group, and a whole group of Engineers who have decided that both hair and emotions are irrational and must be removed from their lives. Philip Reeve reads this audiobook himself and his voice is soft, English and totally delightful. Two thumbs WAY up.
abbas07's review against another edition
2.0
It's a good book, but it fails to live up to an expectation reeve created in mortal engines
katmarhan's review against another edition
4.0
I won a copy of [b:Fever Crumb|6839020|Fever Crumb|Philip Reeve|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266781157s/6839020.jpg|6508348] here at GoodReads through the First Reads giveaway. I've not read anything by [a:Philip Reeve|27379|Philip Reeve|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1215570769p2/27379.jpg] before, but I've put [b:Here Lies Arthur|586409|Here Lies Arthur|Philip Reeve|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176047009s/586409.jpg|573249] on my list of books to look for.
This is an odd little book. First, not at all what I expected, given its Young Adult label. I would recommend it to OLDER young adults, I guess, because Reeve's dystopian London is quite complex and there is a fair amount of violence and death in the book.
Reeve plops the reader down in this dystopian London without a lot of explanation as to when the story takes place (far future) or how the world got to be the way it is. It's an intriguing setting and, in some ways, London itself is one of the characters in the story.
At the center of the story is the conflict between ordinary humans and the Scriveners (a "superior" type of human). The Scriveners had ruled London but had been defeated in riots, yet a few remained, as did their hunters (the Skinners Guild). Fever Crumb, the young engineer, is caught up in the middle of both this past conflict and the impending conflict with the Movement (nomad humans).
Fever is an unlikely heroine, and that is part of the appeal of the story. Although traditional "good guy/bad guy" lines are initially drawn, they quickly become blurred as the story unfolds and we realize that all the characters have mixed motives and are just trying to survive.
At its heart, this is a story of survival and the search for one's identity, not just for Fever, but for several of the other characters around her.
I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. For me, as an adult reader, more backstory would have boosted the rating.
This is an odd little book. First, not at all what I expected, given its Young Adult label. I would recommend it to OLDER young adults, I guess, because Reeve's dystopian London is quite complex and there is a fair amount of violence and death in the book.
Reeve plops the reader down in this dystopian London without a lot of explanation as to when the story takes place (far future) or how the world got to be the way it is. It's an intriguing setting and, in some ways, London itself is one of the characters in the story.
At the center of the story is the conflict between ordinary humans and the Scriveners (a "superior" type of human). The Scriveners had ruled London but had been defeated in riots, yet a few remained, as did their hunters (the Skinners Guild). Fever Crumb, the young engineer, is caught up in the middle of both this past conflict and the impending conflict with the Movement (nomad humans).
Fever is an unlikely heroine, and that is part of the appeal of the story. Although traditional "good guy/bad guy" lines are initially drawn, they quickly become blurred as the story unfolds and we realize that all the characters have mixed motives and are just trying to survive.
At its heart, this is a story of survival and the search for one's identity, not just for Fever, but for several of the other characters around her.
I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. For me, as an adult reader, more backstory would have boosted the rating.
bit3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
kittarlin's review against another edition
2.0
Caitlyn's school librarian insisted I borrow this... I found it rather slow and not terribly engaging. Might work better if you are already familiar with the setting/world.
capriqueen's review against another edition
4.0
I recently watched a video by Tim Hickson on “Why Prequels Fail.” He delves into the various reasons why most (but not all!) prequels don’t satisfy as much as originals or sequels, and why this is. Fever Crumb, however, is a prequel done right.
It shows us the history of the world we’ve come to know in Mortal Engines while giving us new characters to love but not explaining anything that was explicitly referenced in the original books, just giving a deeper lore and understanding of the world building.
It shows us the history of the world we’ve come to know in Mortal Engines while giving us new characters to love but not explaining anything that was explicitly referenced in the original books, just giving a deeper lore and understanding of the world building.