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maidmarianlib's review against another edition
4.0
Very intriguing book, I could hardly put it down. A great combination of alternative history, fantasy, "steampunk", and historical fiction. The characters are great and the action is fast paced. Sometimes its hard to keep up with the politics and "history." Really looking forward to the sequel.
smlunden's review against another edition
2.0
I got about half way through and never really engaged. The fake history was confusing because my actual history is weak, so I could never really tell where they were diverging. Also, with the cover and name, I really wanted a wwii spy novel and that was so far from what it was. So I just gave up.
honyombooks's review against another edition
4.0
It captured my attention right away. Now it leaves me wondering what will help to Sophie and Mikael. The mystery was kind of fun to watch unfold as the story progress. It made you wish that it wasn't the Veteran but when you found out it was him you wanted to fin out who was the mastermind behind it. Even though you wouldn't think it was Nicko Mood that had put this whole plot together in the beginning you begin to see at the end that there was a way and that he was the right person to have done the murdering and bombing just to rise in power.
rosebo's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
wealhtheow's review
3.0
Sophie is an intelligent and well-brought-up girl on the verge of taking her final exams in Edinburgh, 1938. In a world in which Wellington lost to Napoleon at Waterloo, there are many subtle differences from our world. In fact, it took me a few chapters of minor details that struck me as odd to be sure this was an alternate history. Sophie's Scotland hears rumors of the terrors enacted in Europe (which engulfed England long before), but they have thus far stayed resolutely politically neutral, while providing weaponry to the various warlike nations. Then Sophie stumbles across a plot to pull Scotland into the war, and not only does she have to uncover it, but deal with her increasing suspicions that her Great-Aunt's pet governmental project doesn't educate young women so much as brainwash them...
I really like Sophie, who has a distinct personality and is delightfully competent, while remaining totally believable as a 15 year old who's been somewhat sheltered. She figures out the main mystery not that long after I did (which was a relief--I hate stories where the solution is obvious but no one picks up on it). And I appreciated how many interesting adult characters there were with their own priorities and stories. (Personal favorite of course was her poised and mysteriously knowledgeable history professor, Miss Chatterjee.) I particularly loved discovering the differences between Sophie's society and my expectations. For instance, thanks to their isolation from trade and independence from England, Scotland developed rather different technologies, with greater emphasis on electrically-based tech than in reality. But there are still enough similarities (there's a running thread about the terrible food her boarding school and aunt's cook serve Sophie that I loved encountering--I'll never get tired of hearing about gooseberry fool and "shapes") and references to known historical personages (sometimes serving rather different roles than expected) that it still feels recognizable.
My only quibble with this book is that it's developed quite well and written at a good pace until the last few chapters, which both resolve too many things too swiftly, and set up a huge cliffhanger. I did not expect this to end in a cliffhanger, let alone such a huge one! I suppose I'll have to read the next book. I would have read it anyway, and now I'm a bit sulky that the author felt I needed to be coerced into doing so in such a hamfisted way.
I really like Sophie, who has a distinct personality and is delightfully competent, while remaining totally believable as a 15 year old who's been somewhat sheltered. She figures out the main mystery not that long after I did (which was a relief--I hate stories where the solution is obvious but no one picks up on it). And I appreciated how many interesting adult characters there were with their own priorities and stories. (Personal favorite of course was her poised and mysteriously knowledgeable history professor, Miss Chatterjee.) I particularly loved discovering the differences between Sophie's society and my expectations. For instance, thanks to their isolation from trade and independence from England, Scotland developed rather different technologies, with greater emphasis on electrically-based tech than in reality. But there are still enough similarities (there's a running thread about the terrible food her boarding school and aunt's cook serve Sophie that I loved encountering--I'll never get tired of hearing about gooseberry fool and "shapes") and references to known historical personages (sometimes serving rather different roles than expected) that it still feels recognizable.
My only quibble with this book is that it's developed quite well and written at a good pace until the last few chapters, which both resolve too many things too swiftly, and set up a huge cliffhanger. I did not expect this to end in a cliffhanger, let alone such a huge one! I suppose I'll have to read the next book. I would have read it anyway, and now I'm a bit sulky that the author felt I needed to be coerced into doing so in such a hamfisted way.
danibene's review
5.0
I knew The Explosionist would be good after reading the first chapter that was all about dynamite and explosions. Stupid reason, I know, but what can I say? Dynamite is exciting.
But the dynamite wasn't the only good thing about the book. Sophie, the main character, dealt with the many, many, events in a good way. I've read some books where the main character doesn't want help solving his/her problems or doesn't want to do any work at all or stand up for themselves so he/she just goes along with everyone else says, but such was not the case with Sophie. She actually had people help her but still managed do some work and have input too.
I think what really made the book work was the setting. I loved the setting. How could one not love a book set in alternate universe 1930s Scotland where the country is on the brink of war all because of politics and a single day's events? And where technology and psychics are put into play? (Not like computers technology and telling the future psychic, but electric cookers technology and talking to spirits psychics.) I don't think the book would have been as great if it was set in another place or time, or even in the real universe. Jenny Davidson really did a good job making the alternate universe and incorporating it in the story.
But I have a couple complaints. One being that it seemed as though there was too much going on. There was the talking to spirits stuff, Sophie's crush on her teacher, the explosions, the murder of a medium (the murder was one of the high points of the book. Adds a whole lot of mystery to the overall story), the "school" place that turns girls into zombies, the country being near war, and so much more. It was all exciting and interesting, but there was just a little too much of it. It hurt my brain slightly.
The other the complaint would be: WHERE IS THE SEQUEL? Seriously. One of the characters dropped a bomb (no pun intended) 30-40 pages before the end, and then the book stopped a really really good part. I want a sequel. Now.
But the dynamite wasn't the only good thing about the book. Sophie, the main character, dealt with the many, many, events in a good way. I've read some books where the main character doesn't want help solving his/her problems or doesn't want to do any work at all or stand up for themselves so he/she just goes along with everyone else says, but such was not the case with Sophie. She actually had people help her but still managed do some work and have input too.
I think what really made the book work was the setting. I loved the setting. How could one not love a book set in alternate universe 1930s Scotland where the country is on the brink of war all because of politics and a single day's events? And where technology and psychics are put into play? (Not like computers technology and telling the future psychic, but electric cookers technology and talking to spirits psychics.) I don't think the book would have been as great if it was set in another place or time, or even in the real universe. Jenny Davidson really did a good job making the alternate universe and incorporating it in the story.
But I have a couple complaints. One being that it seemed as though there was too much going on. There was the talking to spirits stuff, Sophie's crush on her teacher, the explosions, the murder of a medium (the murder was one of the high points of the book. Adds a whole lot of mystery to the overall story), the "school" place that turns girls into zombies, the country being near war, and so much more. It was all exciting and interesting, but there was just a little too much of it. It hurt my brain slightly.
The other the complaint would be: WHERE IS THE SEQUEL? Seriously. One of the characters dropped a bomb (no pun intended) 30-40 pages before the end, and then the book stopped a really really good part. I want a sequel. Now.
larabobara's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but it probably isn't going to be ranked as a favorite. For one thing, it took me a good 75 pages to find myself invested in the story. On top of that, the book made me feel like a bit of an idiot. Admittedly, I wasn't the most stellar history student in the world and haven't had a history lesson since my senior year of high school (I took a college-level course that year through the local community college, and the credits for it later fulfilled my undergraduate history requirement). Still, I kept thinking Scotland was a much wackier place than I'd realized (Ministry of Psychic-whatever? People consider it normal to have seances and mediums there?) and wondering what this Hanseatic League thing was that Scotland was part of, until I realized more aspects of the book were fictionalized than I initially thought. There was an explanation at the back of the book that explained it all, and I quite wished I had read that bit before embarking on the book, because it would have made it all more fun.
HOWEVER. If I take a step away from my own idiocy for a minute, I think this book was extremely creative - and, in some ways, it even felt a little bit like a YA version of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. (Not precisely....but there are still some definite similarities there.) And who doesn't love a spunky, intelligent, inquisitive, brave female protagonist? The story took a lot of interesting turns, and as I mentioned before, if the explanation of the alternate history the author was using had appeared at the beginning of the book, I probably would have given it four stars on goodreads instead of just three. Still, it's a fun read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
HOWEVER. If I take a step away from my own idiocy for a minute, I think this book was extremely creative - and, in some ways, it even felt a little bit like a YA version of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. (Not precisely....but there are still some definite similarities there.) And who doesn't love a spunky, intelligent, inquisitive, brave female protagonist? The story took a lot of interesting turns, and as I mentioned before, if the explanation of the alternate history the author was using had appeared at the beginning of the book, I probably would have given it four stars on goodreads instead of just three. Still, it's a fun read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
lorny's review
4.0
Yay, historical fiction! Were you paying attention in World History class? Because if you weren’t, you might actually find yourself believing Jenny Davidson’s alternate history—it’s that well-written.
I think the best part of The Explosionist is the world it’s set in. The government is completely out of control, spirituality is more of an accepted science, and bombs go off almost every other minute.
To go along with that world (and out-of-control government), Jenny Davidson crafted some really creative technology—suicide machines located conveniently in your local library, preservative technology for one’s brain to continue on after death, and some strangely emotionless girls who work for the government. I really enjoyed making sense out of every new invention.
Though I LOVED the setting and creative technology in The Explosionist, I found its pacing to be a tad slow. Getting through the first half of the book was almost excruciating. Sophie wasn’t a very interesting character at first; she struck me as a bit too naïve, considering she was in love with her teacher (student-teacher love always makes me put my head in my hands). But as the book went on, I grew to like Sophie—she developed more confidence, curiosity, and an ability that made me do a double-take.
I would recommend The Explosionist to fans of alternate histories—it’s very, very creative in that aspect. Though it’s a bit of a slow read, it does turn out to be enjoyable in the end. (And there’s a cliffhanger!)
(On a side note, I’d like to complain about the cover—it pictures a girl who is supposed to be Sophie, but looks nothing like her! The book describes Sophie as having gray eyes, pale skin and short black hair. I wish the publishers had chosen a more appropriate model!)
I think the best part of The Explosionist is the world it’s set in. The government is completely out of control, spirituality is more of an accepted science, and bombs go off almost every other minute.
To go along with that world (and out-of-control government), Jenny Davidson crafted some really creative technology—suicide machines located conveniently in your local library, preservative technology for one’s brain to continue on after death, and some strangely emotionless girls who work for the government. I really enjoyed making sense out of every new invention.
Though I LOVED the setting and creative technology in The Explosionist, I found its pacing to be a tad slow. Getting through the first half of the book was almost excruciating. Sophie wasn’t a very interesting character at first; she struck me as a bit too naïve, considering she was in love with her teacher (student-teacher love always makes me put my head in my hands). But as the book went on, I grew to like Sophie—she developed more confidence, curiosity, and an ability that made me do a double-take.
I would recommend The Explosionist to fans of alternate histories—it’s very, very creative in that aspect. Though it’s a bit of a slow read, it does turn out to be enjoyable in the end. (And there’s a cliffhanger!)
(On a side note, I’d like to complain about the cover—it pictures a girl who is supposed to be Sophie, but looks nothing like her! The book describes Sophie as having gray eyes, pale skin and short black hair. I wish the publishers had chosen a more appropriate model!)
tashrow's review
2.0
I had heard such great things about this one that perhaps my expectations were too high. For me, it felt like the author had too many ideas for a single book so it all fell apart. By the end, I was wondering why spiritualism was part of the story because it really didn't move the tale along any faster or better than another device might have.
The afterword by the author helped to explain a lot of the history I was not understanding from the book itself. Perhaps some of that should have been incorporated into the book. That said, there were strange moments where the book became lecturing about facts rather than telling the story. The scenes in the nitroglycerin factory were too much about the making of the chemical and not enough about the characters in the scene.
This one just didn't work for me.
The afterword by the author helped to explain a lot of the history I was not understanding from the book itself. Perhaps some of that should have been incorporated into the book. That said, there were strange moments where the book became lecturing about facts rather than telling the story. The scenes in the nitroglycerin factory were too much about the making of the chemical and not enough about the characters in the scene.
This one just didn't work for me.
acgood's review
3.0
The Explosionist suffers from what a lot of YA books do, in that there is an interesting concept but the world building is minimal. Though the original premise and some of the developments were intriguing, many of them made no sense or didn’t have any clarification that would have benefited it.
This book is an alternative history, the premise of which is “what would the world be like if Napoleon had won at Waterloo?” The novel takes place one hundred and twenty-three years after the event, in Scotland. Continental Europe is one united entity (called the European Federation) save the northern countries, who resurrect the Hanseatic League and are trying to keep their independence from the continent in the face of increasing terrorist attacks from the Brothers of the Northern Liberties. Along with that, explosives like dynamite are the weapon of choice, and Spiritualism not only exists well past the Edwardians, but is legitimately studied and practiced in this world. It’s an interesting take on alternate history, and it kept me interested.
The book did explain some elements, like why explosive manufacturing is so prevalent in Scotland (its lack of natural resources and the Hanseatic League’s laxness on explosives regulation makes it possible), but other things, like why Spiritualism is a common practice isn’t. Most glaring in this aspect is how Davidson would frequently name drop famous figures like Oscar Wilde and reveal that in this world their fame comes from a different idea or profession. (In Wilde’s case he becomes a famous obstetrician. I really need answers for that). This really distracted me, since I would usually try to figure out how the person could come to that alternate profession.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book. The premise was engaging, and it is very readable. I did find Sophie’s characterization to be a bit messy, going to extreme emotions at the drop of a hat. I understand she’s fifteen, but getting extremely embarrassed by proxy seems over the top. I have the sequel on hold at the library, and am interested in how Davidson is going to wrap this up. I recommend this book to fans of the Leviathan trilogy, the world building feels similar. Also I think reading the author’s notes at the end before reading the rest of the book would actually help with understanding the book. There aren't any spoilers revealed and it shows how Davidson made some of the choices she did in creating this world.
This book is an alternative history, the premise of which is “what would the world be like if Napoleon had won at Waterloo?” The novel takes place one hundred and twenty-three years after the event, in Scotland. Continental Europe is one united entity (called the European Federation) save the northern countries, who resurrect the Hanseatic League and are trying to keep their independence from the continent in the face of increasing terrorist attacks from the Brothers of the Northern Liberties. Along with that, explosives like dynamite are the weapon of choice, and Spiritualism not only exists well past the Edwardians, but is legitimately studied and practiced in this world. It’s an interesting take on alternate history, and it kept me interested.
The book did explain some elements, like why explosive manufacturing is so prevalent in Scotland (its lack of natural resources and the Hanseatic League’s laxness on explosives regulation makes it possible), but other things, like why Spiritualism is a common practice isn’t. Most glaring in this aspect is how Davidson would frequently name drop famous figures like Oscar Wilde and reveal that in this world their fame comes from a different idea or profession. (In Wilde’s case he becomes a famous obstetrician. I really need answers for that). This really distracted me, since I would usually try to figure out how the person could come to that alternate profession.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book. The premise was engaging, and it is very readable. I did find Sophie’s characterization to be a bit messy, going to extreme emotions at the drop of a hat. I understand she’s fifteen, but getting extremely embarrassed by proxy seems over the top. I have the sequel on hold at the library, and am interested in how Davidson is going to wrap this up. I recommend this book to fans of the Leviathan trilogy, the world building feels similar. Also I think reading the author’s notes at the end before reading the rest of the book would actually help with understanding the book. There aren't any spoilers revealed and it shows how Davidson made some of the choices she did in creating this world.