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gmamartha's review against another edition
3.0
Prequel to The Boneshaker. Once I realized that, I finally got through the first 100 pages. When the action and friendships started, it was much better reading for me. I kept at it because a couple of "my kids" really like this one. Is there such thing as dystopian in the past instead of future?
cimorene1558's review against another edition
5.0
Soooo brilliant! Disturbing, frightening, exciting and fantastic, and soooo good!
brandypainter's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
[b:The Boneshaker|6909642|The Boneshaker|Kate Milford|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258612594s/6909642.jpg|7134937] has been on my TBR for a while now. I have been eager to read her writing, having heard so many good things about it. When her newest book, The Broken Lands, which is a prequel to Boneshaker, became available on NetGalley I requested it immediately. It's no secret I love historical fantasy and this is historical fantasy set in Industrial New York, just as the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge is coming to an end.
There are a lot of characters introduced in the first few chapters, but Sam and Jin are by far the most important, and the ones I became the most attached to over the course of the story. Sam is a card sharp and trickster who makes his living fleecing others. He is not terribly proud of this, and has a definite desire to do more with his life. Jin is a Chinese girl and a master pyrotechnic. She can create marvels with fireworks. Her past is a nightmare that she is still trying to overcome. She was brought to San Fransisco as a toddler, her feet were bound, and she was raised for one purpose only. Milford did an excellent job of conveying the exact nature of Jin's terrible past without describing it at all. Those who know of what she is talking about will understand what happened to her. For those who are maybe younger and without as much knowledge, it will go right over their heads. I appreciate this ability to convey what needs to be conveyed without the lurid details. My heart ached for both Sam and Jin as their relationship unfolded amidst the awful situation they were facing. There were some truly beautiful scenes with these two depicting their evolving relationship that stood in stark contrast to the horror of their circumstances. Through both Sam and Jin and their newfound compatriots we are given a glimpse of what people can do when they band together to stand for something greater than themselves.
Milford brings 19th century Coney Island to life perfectly. The story has a definite sense of place. Her prose is vivid and descriptive and she glosses over nothing. Through the characters and plot of the story she shows both the humanity at its finest and inhumanity at its foulest. The plot is fast paced and gets off to a quick start. The bodies start piling up soon and characters find themselves in peril within the first few pages. It is exciting reading for sure, and near impossible to put down. In fact, I didn't put it down until I had finished it. The fantastical elements of the story have a Gothic creepiness to them that works perfectly with the setting. Eastern mysticism is mixed with Faustian legend and the old Jack Tales (one in particular) to make for a unique story. I love that Milford took such rich source material and truly made it her own.
This is a book that straddles the MG/YA genres. I can see older more savvy Middle Grade readers liking and understanding it. It is complex, creepy, and Jin's back story is one that requires some understanding of the world to access fully. I would recommend this to anyone in their early teens or older who enjoys thrilling creepy stories with a lot of adventure. After reading this I'm definitely interested in reading more by Kate Milford.
Note on Content (For my fellow Christian parents.): There is quite a bit of eastern mysticism used in the story. This is definitely a story of good vs evil where the good triumphs, yet while there are definite supernatural forces of evil the supernatural forces for good are not as easily distinguishable. It should make an excellent opportunity for a discussion comparing belief systems and worldviews if your kids want to read it.
I read a galley of this made available via NetGalley. The Broken Lands is on sale September 4.
[b:The Boneshaker|6909642|The Boneshaker|Kate Milford|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258612594s/6909642.jpg|7134937] has been on my TBR for a while now. I have been eager to read her writing, having heard so many good things about it. When her newest book, The Broken Lands, which is a prequel to Boneshaker, became available on NetGalley I requested it immediately. It's no secret I love historical fantasy and this is historical fantasy set in Industrial New York, just as the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge is coming to an end.
There are a lot of characters introduced in the first few chapters, but Sam and Jin are by far the most important, and the ones I became the most attached to over the course of the story. Sam is a card sharp and trickster who makes his living fleecing others. He is not terribly proud of this, and has a definite desire to do more with his life. Jin is a Chinese girl and a master pyrotechnic. She can create marvels with fireworks. Her past is a nightmare that she is still trying to overcome. She was brought to San Fransisco as a toddler, her feet were bound, and she was raised for one purpose only. Milford did an excellent job of conveying the exact nature of Jin's terrible past without describing it at all. Those who know of what she is talking about will understand what happened to her. For those who are maybe younger and without as much knowledge, it will go right over their heads. I appreciate this ability to convey what needs to be conveyed without the lurid details. My heart ached for both Sam and Jin as their relationship unfolded amidst the awful situation they were facing. There were some truly beautiful scenes with these two depicting their evolving relationship that stood in stark contrast to the horror of their circumstances. Through both Sam and Jin and their newfound compatriots we are given a glimpse of what people can do when they band together to stand for something greater than themselves.
Milford brings 19th century Coney Island to life perfectly. The story has a definite sense of place. Her prose is vivid and descriptive and she glosses over nothing. Through the characters and plot of the story she shows both the humanity at its finest and inhumanity at its foulest. The plot is fast paced and gets off to a quick start. The bodies start piling up soon and characters find themselves in peril within the first few pages. It is exciting reading for sure, and near impossible to put down. In fact, I didn't put it down until I had finished it. The fantastical elements of the story have a Gothic creepiness to them that works perfectly with the setting. Eastern mysticism is mixed with Faustian legend and the old Jack Tales (one in particular) to make for a unique story. I love that Milford took such rich source material and truly made it her own.
This is a book that straddles the MG/YA genres. I can see older more savvy Middle Grade readers liking and understanding it. It is complex, creepy, and Jin's back story is one that requires some understanding of the world to access fully. I would recommend this to anyone in their early teens or older who enjoys thrilling creepy stories with a lot of adventure. After reading this I'm definitely interested in reading more by Kate Milford.
Note on Content (For my fellow Christian parents.): There is quite a bit of eastern mysticism used in the story. This is definitely a story of good vs evil where the good triumphs, yet while there are definite supernatural forces of evil the supernatural forces for good are not as easily distinguishable. It should make an excellent opportunity for a discussion comparing belief systems and worldviews if your kids want to read it.
I read a galley of this made available via NetGalley. The Broken Lands is on sale September 4.
samchaffin's review against another edition
5.0
I bought THE BROKEN LANDS on a gut feeling. I found it alone on a shelf in my indie bookstore, saw the cover, and knew that I would like it. Bridges and card sharps and Coney Island and magic? Sold.
I couldn't have imagined that this book would remind me what it feels like to fall in love with a story. I mean, the way I used to when I was a kid reading every library book she could get her hands on. That's what this felt like. Remembering.
Milford's writing is magic. It's luxurious and rich, and she writes about Brooklyn the way I would write about Los Angeles - like she's in love with the city. The world-building is just gorgeous. Honestly, every time I picked this book up, I felt like I was dreaming. It was that vivid. I loved the characters, too (and can I just say THANK YOU to Milford for writing a Chinese American girl in historical fiction without making her a damsel. Actually, just thank you for writing ethnic diversity without making it all about how ETHNICALLY DIVERSE !!!! they are).
This book is one of the best purchases I've made this year. I will say that it's not one to speed read, but... who the hell cares. I didn't. You won't.
I couldn't have imagined that this book would remind me what it feels like to fall in love with a story. I mean, the way I used to when I was a kid reading every library book she could get her hands on. That's what this felt like. Remembering.
Milford's writing is magic. It's luxurious and rich, and she writes about Brooklyn the way I would write about Los Angeles - like she's in love with the city. The world-building is just gorgeous. Honestly, every time I picked this book up, I felt like I was dreaming. It was that vivid. I loved the characters, too (and can I just say THANK YOU to Milford for writing a Chinese American girl in historical fiction without making her a damsel. Actually, just thank you for writing ethnic diversity without making it all about how ETHNICALLY DIVERSE !!!! they are).
This book is one of the best purchases I've made this year. I will say that it's not one to speed read, but... who the hell cares. I didn't. You won't.
bookishnicole's review against another edition
I could not get into this which was super unfortunate.
impreader's review against another edition
4.0
"Best not to go looking for yourself on the roads. The view changes, but there's no guarantee you will." So says a roamer of a character in Milford's The Broken Lands, and it's a theme that she set bloody well throughout. On top of madcap chases, peril, firecrackers and intrigue -- not to mention the textured taupe of State-side post-Civil War rot and unrest -- Milford neatly wove the self-discovery thread. It climbed through each character, uniquely, and came out to the aforementioned quote for each: none grew or changed, or attained their goal, without planting their feet and facing THEMSELVES -- because it was their fear, their unwillingness, their pasts, that ultimately posed a harsher challenge than the blood and danger and supernatural tricks outside.
I'd go more in depth, but to be precise and summarise, I'd end up giving away all the twists. And that's the end of the world on a good read, da?
I'd go more in depth, but to be precise and summarise, I'd end up giving away all the twists. And that's the end of the world on a good read, da?
ravenclawkate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
everencore42's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
I loved this one a lot. The self-discovery arc for multiple characters in the book, the found family aspect, the mystery -- it's all gold. Kate Milford also repeatedly does a great job of giving children adults who help them deal with big scary things, while still giving the kids space to be the heroes and protagonists of the story. It's not an easy tightrope to walk, and she walks it with aplomb.
tyrshand's review against another edition
5.0
This book was even better than the first. It truly gave me everything I wanted -- so much more insight and back stories into the hints from the first book. Of course, it seeded even more questions and wonders... But that's I want. I want to keep exploring this alternate America with the roaming tall tales and to learn more about the past that created these wonderful characters.
bethanymiller415's review against another edition
3.0
The Broken Lands is set in an alternate version of New York in 1877; the Civil War is over and slavery has been abolished, but the country is still in a state of unrest. Walking amongst the humans are human-like roamers, one of whom is looking to claim New York City for his own. Sam is an orphan who earns his living as a card sharp on Coney Island. Jin is a young Chinese girl who creates beautiful fireworks displays with her uncle Liao. The two meet by chance at The Broken Lands Hotel where Fata Morgana Fireworks Company is putting on a display. When Jin stumbles upon the victim of a gruesome murder, the two are drawn into a world they didn’t know existed, and the become instrumental in saving New York and Brooklyn from roamer Jack Hellcoal, who is determined to take it for his own.
The Broken Lands is an interesting mix of supernatural and historical fiction. The sights, sounds and smells of late 19th century New York really leap off the page and draw the reader into the setting. The yet-to-be-completed Brooklyn Bridge figures prominently into the novel’s setting and plot; it also functions as a symbol of a time when New York and Brooklyn were on the cusp of coming together to form the New York City that we know today. The characters are realistic and well developed. Both Sam and Jin have had difficult lives, but neither succumbs to self-pity, and it’s hard not to admire their spirit. Some of the minor characters are based on real people which gave the story a feeling of authenticity; for example, Ambrose Bierce, writer of horror stories and stories about the Civil War, plays a significant role in the plot. The plot starts out a bit slowly, and there are some head scratching supernatural elements that didn’t really work for me, but overall this was a unique and enjoyable read.
The Broken Lands is an interesting mix of supernatural and historical fiction. The sights, sounds and smells of late 19th century New York really leap off the page and draw the reader into the setting. The yet-to-be-completed Brooklyn Bridge figures prominently into the novel’s setting and plot; it also functions as a symbol of a time when New York and Brooklyn were on the cusp of coming together to form the New York City that we know today. The characters are realistic and well developed. Both Sam and Jin have had difficult lives, but neither succumbs to self-pity, and it’s hard not to admire their spirit. Some of the minor characters are based on real people which gave the story a feeling of authenticity; for example, Ambrose Bierce, writer of horror stories and stories about the Civil War, plays a significant role in the plot. The plot starts out a bit slowly, and there are some head scratching supernatural elements that didn’t really work for me, but overall this was a unique and enjoyable read.