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zoekatereads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Well this was delightful. <i>Made Things</i> is a short and sweet gaslamp fantasy novella following Coppelia, an orphan, thief and con-artist with some tiny puppet-like friends.
If you've read anything from Tchaikovsky before, this is definitely on the lighter side! A heist, world-changing discoveries, threats to the city, and of course, little puppets. This was whimsical and entertaining, but still had an engaging plot with some great twists. I also really enjoyed how witty and charming some of the characters were.
There was something kind of nostalgic about this book - it possibly unlocked some sort of childhood yearning for my toys/plushies to come to life and cause mischief with me 😅
I may go onto read the suuuper short and sweet prequel Precious Little Things!
If you've read anything from Tchaikovsky before, this is definitely on the lighter side! A heist, world-changing discoveries, threats to the city, and of course, little puppets. This was whimsical and entertaining, but still had an engaging plot with some great twists. I also really enjoyed how witty and charming some of the characters were.
There was something kind of nostalgic about this book - it possibly unlocked some sort of childhood yearning for my toys/plushies to come to life and cause mischief with me 😅
I may go onto read the suuuper short and sweet prequel Precious Little Things!
benj_78's review
3.0
2.5 stars
For a novella, this story felt like it progressed too slowly. I was able to put it down at any time and never really had a burning desire to pick it back up. It also felt like we were tossed in the middle of a story where the characters were known and the magic system was already explained. However, the author never took the time to circle back and fill us in. There was once a magic tower that churned out living manikins of all shapes and sizes. Then it ceased to be and they all escaped to make lives of their own. I just didn't know enough to be invested in the characters or their world. That being said, it wasn't an awful book. Just a forgettable one.
I loved Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" and liked "Children of Ruin" quite a bit (even if it was a bit unnecessary). But I'm starting to wonder if I should just stick with his sci-fi stories? I have "Redemption's Blade" already, though. Hopefully it being a full novel will change my assessment.
For a novella, this story felt like it progressed too slowly. I was able to put it down at any time and never really had a burning desire to pick it back up. It also felt like we were tossed in the middle of a story where the characters were known and the magic system was already explained. However, the author never took the time to circle back and fill us in. There was once a magic tower that churned out living manikins of all shapes and sizes. Then it ceased to be and they all escaped to make lives of their own. I just didn't know enough to be invested in the characters or their world. That being said, it wasn't an awful book. Just a forgettable one.
I loved Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" and liked "Children of Ruin" quite a bit (even if it was a bit unnecessary). But I'm starting to wonder if I should just stick with his sci-fi stories? I have "Redemption's Blade" already, though. Hopefully it being a full novel will change my assessment.
devannm's review
2.0
actual rating: 2.5
This should have been right up my alley but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. I might have just not been in the right mood, but I felt like none of the characters really stood out and it made the book fall a little bit flat to me. Definitely a good concept but I wish the character had been as original as the setting.
This should have been right up my alley but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. I might have just not been in the right mood, but I felt like none of the characters really stood out and it made the book fall a little bit flat to me. Definitely a good concept but I wish the character had been as original as the setting.
sealreads's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.75
isr'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? No
3.25
fantaseareader's review
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
android's review
3.0
This suffered from the same fate that "And put away childish things" did - namely, it's too short and the story too inconsequential. Again, I didn't feel much for characters that were only mentioned briefly, nor did the world excite as much.
Overall, it was witty though and I think it would've been much better had it been longer and better developed. It had this kind of Prathettesque humor that I really love and that occasionally comes through in all of Tchaikovsky's work, I just want more of it.
*
"He was religious in that particular way that meant he took a sanctimonious pride in the whippings he doled out for petty offences, such as being poor and not running away fast enough."
Overall, it was witty though and I think it would've been much better had it been longer and better developed. It had this kind of Prathettesque humor that I really love and that occasionally comes through in all of Tchaikovsky's work, I just want more of it.
*
"He was religious in that particular way that meant he took a sanctimonious pride in the whippings he doled out for petty offences, such as being poor and not running away fast enough."
altabookslinger's review
4.0
Fun, fun, fun, and more fun. Lots of clever lines, adventures, and characters to love. The story feels almost episodic and i really can’t wait to visit this world again.
thecaptainsquarters's review
4.0
Ahoy there mateys! This author's work is fairly new to me but I am really enjoying it so far. It seems that the author writes in a variety of styles with a variety of subjects. The first sci-fi novella was walking to aldebaran which was definitely unusual but made me laugh. The second, a novel called dogs of war, took some time to track down but I ended up finding that one interesting too. Strange sci-fi about bioforms but good. So I was looking forward to reading this fantasy that involves puppets.
This world building was freaking awesome. The story follows Coppelia who is a thief and pickpocket with an unusual ability - to make intricate puppets. But not just any puppets. These six inch tall puppets are alive. Made out of wood, metal, and other materials, the tiny magical beings have recently moved to the city of Loretz. Coppelia and the homunculi strike a mutually beneficial deal for survival. Until the local crime boss gives them no choice but to help with a heist.
Seriously the homunculi were just awesome. I loved how the different materials influenced how they functioned. I loved that how they dealt with gender. I loved the back story of their origins. I loved their plans for the future. And I loved their friendship with Coppelia. I could have read about them for a lot longer.
Besides the amazing world, the plot was also unpredictable in the best way possible. The story felt light at times and very dark at others. Coppelia was fun to follow and I did actually get anxious for her chances. The book did not end up where I thought it would. Cool.
The only negatives were I got a lot of the criminals mixed up and also the plot details are fading already. That said, I would certainly reread this one and enjoy refreshing me memory. Arrr!
This world building was freaking awesome. The story follows Coppelia who is a thief and pickpocket with an unusual ability - to make intricate puppets. But not just any puppets. These six inch tall puppets are alive. Made out of wood, metal, and other materials, the tiny magical beings have recently moved to the city of Loretz. Coppelia and the homunculi strike a mutually beneficial deal for survival. Until the local crime boss gives them no choice but to help with a heist.
Seriously the homunculi were just awesome. I loved how the different materials influenced how they functioned. I loved that how they dealt with gender. I loved the back story of their origins. I loved their plans for the future. And I loved their friendship with Coppelia. I could have read about them for a lot longer.
Besides the amazing world, the plot was also unpredictable in the best way possible. The story felt light at times and very dark at others. Coppelia was fun to follow and I did actually get anxious for her chances. The book did not end up where I thought it would. Cool.
The only negatives were I got a lot of the criminals mixed up and also the plot details are fading already. That said, I would certainly reread this one and enjoy refreshing me memory. Arrr!
simonbauer's review
5.0
Reading some other people's reviews makes me think maybe I'm just too taken with the poppets to consider the book as a whole, but I don't care. Everything about these homunculi is incredibly endearing. From their overplayed expressionism and dramatic poses to their hoarding of magical trinkets which forms the substrate for new colony members to the diverse materials they're made from and how that affects their personalities and lived experience... Coppelia's protective urges to coddle them like pets, mirrored by The Folded One's mocking accusation that Tef & Arc would risk too much for the sake of their pet.. It's excellent.
(also I think I read somewhere that Tchaikovsky plays rpgs so this pf2 meme might be more than just tangentially related)
(also I think I read somewhere that Tchaikovsky plays rpgs so this pf2 meme might be more than just tangentially related)