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sparkatito's review against another edition
4.0
Really interesting little story about little magic-made people and the humans they ally with in this world of magi and thief's. Reader was really good.
verkisto's review
3.0
As expected, Tchaikovsky's world-building and characterization skills are on point, but this novella lacked the punch that his other works have had. That's a shame, because any book about marionettes and magic should be awesome by default.
par3's review
3.0
3 Stars. It was a really interesting story and cool world the author created. Much to like. But also the writing was confusing at times which made it hard to follow everything precisely. And there were too many characters in such a short book which made it hard to keep track of who was who. I really wanted to love it more cause it really was pretty cool. I will check out the prequel on Tor.com.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
4.0
Made Things is the latest novel from the mind of Adrian Tchaikovsky. It’s a dark yet whimsical world, full of magic, half-mages, and animated puppets. Yes, you read that last part correctly. And it makes for a delightful read.
Coppelia, aka Moppet, is a girl with many talents. She’s an okay thief, a decent liar, a solid con-artist, and an even better puppet maker. Orphaned at a young age, this half-mage has learned what she needed to in order to keep herself free and safe. Well, mostly safe.
Then there was one day where she found herself facing a new crew of allies, and potential friends. They’re not what she was expecting, nor was she what they were expecting. But together they’re about to change the city.
“They were very beautiful, to her eyes. They were horrible, too, but only in a way that uncanny things often are, and in Loretz, the magicians’ city, one got used to uncanny things.”
Made Things was a seriously fun and fascinating read. I was so sad to see it end, but all good things must come to an end, right? I loved everything about this story, from Coppelia’s character, to the way her magic worked, and everything in between.
The magical system in this world felt so complex and alive. There was so much going on, and while some of it was gritty, the rest of it was intriguing. For example, the anima are fascinating people (creatures? Whichever feels more appropriate here). I would have happily read another few hundred pages about them and their society.
I think what I loved the most about this novel is that actions carried weight. Everything a character did had a reason or a consequence. It made the world feel more real, even though it was one of pure fantasy and fiction.
This was so much fun to read. And I’ll be honest with you here; I’ve never actually read any of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s other works. But clearly that is something I’m going to have to remedy, if Made Things is a solid example of the rest of his works.
I honestly would love to see an entire series based around this corner of the world, and the intricate politics that have already begun to form. And really, can you blame me?
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Coppelia, aka Moppet, is a girl with many talents. She’s an okay thief, a decent liar, a solid con-artist, and an even better puppet maker. Orphaned at a young age, this half-mage has learned what she needed to in order to keep herself free and safe. Well, mostly safe.
Then there was one day where she found herself facing a new crew of allies, and potential friends. They’re not what she was expecting, nor was she what they were expecting. But together they’re about to change the city.
“They were very beautiful, to her eyes. They were horrible, too, but only in a way that uncanny things often are, and in Loretz, the magicians’ city, one got used to uncanny things.”
Made Things was a seriously fun and fascinating read. I was so sad to see it end, but all good things must come to an end, right? I loved everything about this story, from Coppelia’s character, to the way her magic worked, and everything in between.
The magical system in this world felt so complex and alive. There was so much going on, and while some of it was gritty, the rest of it was intriguing. For example, the anima are fascinating people (creatures? Whichever feels more appropriate here). I would have happily read another few hundred pages about them and their society.
I think what I loved the most about this novel is that actions carried weight. Everything a character did had a reason or a consequence. It made the world feel more real, even though it was one of pure fantasy and fiction.
This was so much fun to read. And I’ll be honest with you here; I’ve never actually read any of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s other works. But clearly that is something I’m going to have to remedy, if Made Things is a solid example of the rest of his works.
I honestly would love to see an entire series based around this corner of the world, and the intricate politics that have already begun to form. And really, can you blame me?
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
blackmetalblackheart's review against another edition
4.0
I will keep pushing Tor.com novellas, as long as they keep releasing a wide range of stories with cool concepts, worlds, and characters. Made Things features a thief and her magic puppet friends trying to survive in a city ruled by powerful mages. The world is fleshed out. There is a sense of deep history in the city and the people that inhabit it. The story has stakes and the characters make sense. I had a slight issue with the tense and sentence structure at points, but nothing that was detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story. This is another worthwhile read.
ryan_dm's review
4.0
A simple story in an interesting magical world with living puppets. I hope the author returns to this.
stacyaj's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
gio_shelves's review
3.0
I think I just expected this to be...more. It’s a nice novella, (as all of the tor novella I have read are, the quality is truly amazing) but it didn’t give me much of what I had hoped.