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ghostmuppet's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book more I think I should have. The basic story has been done before, so there were no surprises about where it was going. I really liked all the showmanship talk throughout the book. The misdirection, the sleight of hand etc.
Another plus point is the world. The UK is split up, with republicans and royalists. It is also set I the 19th century- with the gas lights the new wonder - hence the series name. The two halves of the country are very different. the north drab and primary and proper, with the south being more liberal and colourful.
The next book is on my watch list to get.
The audible narration was excellent as well.
Another plus point is the world. The UK is split up, with republicans and royalists. It is also set I the 19th century- with the gas lights the new wonder - hence the series name. The two halves of the country are very different. the north drab and primary and proper, with the south being more liberal and colourful.
The next book is on my watch list to get.
The audible narration was excellent as well.
mimosaeyes's review against another edition
3.0
Oh yes, alright. A fair start to a trilogy. The narrative trots along nicely and all the characters had their allegiances and motivations. I wanted to read this book for the steampunk, and while I'm not disappointed in the worldbuilding, I think I'd want to see a live-action movie adaptation or something, just for that visual richness.
If John Farthing from the Patent Office is being set up as a love interest, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Actually, for a moment there I thought. I think I'll keep reading. I'd like to see how Elizabeth's adventures continue. It looks like there are several plot-lines being set up.
If John Farthing from the Patent Office is being set up as a love interest, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Actually, for a moment there I thought
Spoiler
Julia was going to be a love interest for Elizabeth's "brother"...annmarie_in_november's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars. Audio book read by Gemma Whelan.
Outstanding - and a surprise. I'd almost given up on steampunk - too many run-ins with infuriating alpha males and female protagonists being managed/coerced/sexually manipulated by them. Despite the 1,000+ reviews for this on Audible I avoided it for months. So glad I gave it a try. I loved it from the first scene, where we meet our protagonist Elizabeth Barnabus disguised as her alter ego - her 'brother' - a deception which allows her to live alone as an unmarried woman on a house boat (otherwise frowned upon) and earn a living as a private detective (otherwise impossible).
Great Britain is split into the Kingdom of Southern England and Wales, multicultural, colourful and socially free but ruled by the whims of aristocrats, and the Anglo-Scottish Republic, more staid and rigid, harsher on women's rights, but ruled by democracy. Elizabeth, born into a circus in the Kingdom, fled to the Republic when her father's debts were sold to a duke who claimed Elizabeth as his rightful payment.
The novel shows us all the small details that comprise her dual existence, cleverly arranged so that she can flip between her male and female personas without discovery (my favourite aspect), while also mapping out the expansive history of this alternate universe where celebration of the Regency-era Luddites has replaced Christmas, and a distinct anti-technology movement is managed by the global Patent Office, which monitors unseemly advances in the sciences.
To earn the money to save her boat, which is her home, her office and the base of her entire double life, Elizabeth chases a mysterious device across the border between Kingdom and Republic, travels with a circus, faces agents of the Patent Office and confronts the long-standing warrant for her arrest. I'm amazed at the amount of information, action and changes of scenery the novel packed in, while still, in every chapter, holding true to Elizabeth's character, to her core intelligence and well-reasoned planning, her understandable fear and the admirable self-restraint she shows under pressure.
Will definitely be listening to book 2!
Outstanding - and a surprise. I'd almost given up on steampunk - too many run-ins with infuriating alpha males and female protagonists being managed/coerced/sexually manipulated by them. Despite the 1,000+ reviews for this on Audible I avoided it for months. So glad I gave it a try. I loved it from the first scene, where we meet our protagonist Elizabeth Barnabus disguised as her alter ego - her 'brother' - a deception which allows her to live alone as an unmarried woman on a house boat (otherwise frowned upon) and earn a living as a private detective (otherwise impossible).
Great Britain is split into the Kingdom of Southern England and Wales, multicultural, colourful and socially free but ruled by the whims of aristocrats, and the Anglo-Scottish Republic, more staid and rigid, harsher on women's rights, but ruled by democracy. Elizabeth, born into a circus in the Kingdom, fled to the Republic when her father's debts were sold to a duke who claimed Elizabeth as his rightful payment.
The novel shows us all the small details that comprise her dual existence, cleverly arranged so that she can flip between her male and female personas without discovery (my favourite aspect), while also mapping out the expansive history of this alternate universe where celebration of the Regency-era Luddites has replaced Christmas, and a distinct anti-technology movement is managed by the global Patent Office, which monitors unseemly advances in the sciences.
To earn the money to save her boat, which is her home, her office and the base of her entire double life, Elizabeth chases a mysterious device across the border between Kingdom and Republic, travels with a circus, faces agents of the Patent Office and confronts the long-standing warrant for her arrest. I'm amazed at the amount of information, action and changes of scenery the novel packed in, while still, in every chapter, holding true to Elizabeth's character, to her core intelligence and well-reasoned planning, her understandable fear and the admirable self-restraint she shows under pressure.
Will definitely be listening to book 2!
lizshine74's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a book group read. It was my first steampunk novel and more of what I'll call plot-driven (for lack of a better term) than most of what I read. So take that into account when reading this review. The first eighty or so pages were awfully slow for me. I struggled to hear the voice of the first person narrator, some sense of what she wanted, a glimpse into her interior. I worried I'd struggle to care the whole book and not finish it in time for our discussion. But when the action and suspense picked up, that carried me along and the setting got intriguing too. There's some mystery and a main character who is fiercely independent and circus savvy. It did not go the ways I predicted, which was satisfying.
amy_haynes's review against another edition
4.0
Great characters and world with some interesting plot points. Slow at times and a bit lacking on humour but I'm looking forward to the next book. It particularly hit a chord as I too live on a boat and can't remember reading a book featuring boat life before.
catericchant's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I was not expecting that ending! I really enjoyed this. It was a really fun read, there was such an interesting history, and nothing was EXCEEDINGLY problematic. The characters were very three dimensional and the story was exciting. Definitely would recommend!
lorus's review against another edition
3.0
The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter is set in a steampunk world where the United Kingdom has been divided in two and an organization called the International Patent Office has great influence throughout the world. The protagonist is Elizabeth Barnabus, a woman who cross-dresses as her brother in order to get around the Victorian morals of her society to lead a life as a private-detective. The story is about a case of hers where she has been commissioned by a noblewoman to find her brother who has crossed the border with a traveling circus.
What I found most appealing about the book is the setting. It is rather unique and it is interesting to read about how the historical events that lead to the world of the book becoming so different from our own world.
The main problem that hampered my enjoyment of the book by quite a bit was how flat and underdeveloped the characters were. The characters were given far too little description to be compelling. Even the protagonist, Elizabeth, is given no personality whatsoever. I did enjoy how clever Elizabeth was, but that is a skill, not a personality trait. In the end, I had no more of an idea of what Elizabeth was like than I did in the beginning. It made it feel like Elizabeth was little more than a plot point, meant to unravel the clues. This was a huge drawback for me.
The ending I also found a bit disappointing:
Overall, while it was an alright book, I didn’t find it really captivating or impressive. It was a rather enjoyable read, though, so I am glad that I did give it a shot, especially since I don’t normally read steampunk. I’m not sure if I’d be interested in reading the sequel or not when it comes out. That will probably depend on the reviews and if it seems to have improved or not.
What I found most appealing about the book is the setting. It is rather unique and it is interesting to read about how the historical events that lead to the world of the book becoming so different from our own world.
The main problem that hampered my enjoyment of the book by quite a bit was how flat and underdeveloped the characters were. The characters were given far too little description to be compelling. Even the protagonist, Elizabeth, is given no personality whatsoever. I did enjoy how clever Elizabeth was, but that is a skill, not a personality trait. In the end, I had no more of an idea of what Elizabeth was like than I did in the beginning. It made it feel like Elizabeth was little more than a plot point, meant to unravel the clues. This was a huge drawback for me.
The ending I also found a bit disappointing:
Spoiler
I found the ending rather spoiled the impression the Elizabeth was so smart and clever. As a detective, she should have been way more suspicious about the reward that was being offered her and questioned whether the payment could or would be made. It was the kind of offer that even to me sounded “too good to be true.” Why didn’t she tell Tinker that it was his sister that was looking for his master? I found it odd when I first read it, that she described the person who is looking for Tinker’s master only as “someone who loves him” because no one would ever phrase it like that. Once I read the ending it was clear it was written that way because otherwise Tinker would have given the ending away by saying his master’s sister doesn’t love him. Elizabeth doesn’t even listen to the man himself when she meets him and he says his sister hates him. I can maybe excuse one of these things, but combine it was too much for my suspension of belief to accept that a detective supposedly so clever as Elizabeth wouldn’t have figured it out sooner.Overall, while it was an alright book, I didn’t find it really captivating or impressive. It was a rather enjoyable read, though, so I am glad that I did give it a shot, especially since I don’t normally read steampunk. I’m not sure if I’d be interested in reading the sequel or not when it comes out. That will probably depend on the reviews and if it seems to have improved or not.
fishrgreat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.0
illiterateliz's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
I don't think there is a single thing I disliked about this book.
Its steampunk. There an amazing strong female lead who doesn't fall into any cliche (or so I thought.) All the characters felt unique and despite having not much said about them I loved them. The ending had me so excited and frankly I admire Elizabeth.
Its steampunk. There an amazing strong female lead who doesn't fall into any cliche (or so I thought.) All the characters felt unique and despite having not much said about them I loved them. The ending had me so excited and frankly I admire Elizabeth.