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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
This book presented a character with multiple dilemmas and managed to fit a complete story into a novella-length space and bring it to a somewhat satisfying conclusion - which is to say, the type of conclusion that leaves one wondering whether the protagonist made the correct decision and, above all, what's going to happen next. I also want to learn more about the magic system and its interactions with the technology of the historical period in which the story is set.
Nothing gets my readerly attention faster than a Victorian or steampunk-looking bit of art on a book cover, and this one drew me like a magnet. When I got close enough to see a blurb by favorite author Gail Carriger, I was absolutely sold.
Brother's Ruin did not disappoint. Charlotte Gunn is an engaging protagonist, a Victorian woman constrained by expectations of society and--this part made the set-up worthwhile and refreshingly original--utterly used to be underestimated and using that to her advantage. She's a marvelously complex character, talented and moderately ambitious, yet still not really wanting to draw attention to herself because to do so would mean being shunted away to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts and away from her loving fiance George, whom she would not be able to marry were she conscripted.
Add to this plenty of engaging suspense, both from the threat of the discovery of her magic and the threat to her father's well-being in the guise of a malicious debtor, and it's a page-turning romp. I devoured this in one sitting, enjoying both the resolution of the deftly-handled plot threads and the tantalizing promise of more to come in its sequel. I do worry that a love triangle is being set up between heroine Charlotte, her gentle fiance who has no idea of the talents of his beloved, and a character who sees Charlotte for exactly who she is and relishes her competence; that said, the character dynamics would make this a fascinating dilemma, so I'm willing to keep going and see how it plays out.
Newman's complex heroine and world of magic in a Dickensian London are exactly my catnip, and I can't wait to read more.
Brother's Ruin did not disappoint. Charlotte Gunn is an engaging protagonist, a Victorian woman constrained by expectations of society and--this part made the set-up worthwhile and refreshingly original--utterly used to be underestimated and using that to her advantage. She's a marvelously complex character, talented and moderately ambitious, yet still not really wanting to draw attention to herself because to do so would mean being shunted away to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts and away from her loving fiance George, whom she would not be able to marry were she conscripted.
Add to this plenty of engaging suspense, both from the threat of the discovery of her magic and the threat to her father's well-being in the guise of a malicious debtor, and it's a page-turning romp. I devoured this in one sitting, enjoying both the resolution of the deftly-handled plot threads and the tantalizing promise of more to come in its sequel. I do worry that a love triangle is being set up between heroine Charlotte, her gentle fiance who has no idea of the talents of his beloved, and a character who sees Charlotte for exactly who she is and relishes her competence; that said, the character dynamics would make this a fascinating dilemma, so I'm willing to keep going and see how it plays out.
Newman's complex heroine and world of magic in a Dickensian London are exactly my catnip, and I can't wait to read more.
Trigger warnings: nothing that I can recall?
3.5 stars.
Okay, here's the thing: I loved this world. I loved this magic system. I loved Charlie as a character. What I didn't love? Was the fact that this book is less than 200 pages long. It could easily have been twice as long and I still would have loved every second of it. Add in the fact that it just...ended? And I was about ready to scream.
(Also, for a book that's called Brother's Ruin, I don't feel like we actually saw Ben's ruin. It's very strongly implied as a result of Charlie's actions. But it doesn't explicitly happen in the course of the 192 pages.)
In short: I have high hopes for the second book when it comes out later this year. I'm just hoping it's a little longer and doesn't have such an abrupt ending...
3.5 stars.
Okay, here's the thing: I loved this world. I loved this magic system. I loved Charlie as a character. What I didn't love? Was the fact that this book is less than 200 pages long. It could easily have been twice as long and I still would have loved every second of it. Add in the fact that it just...ended? And I was about ready to scream.
(Also, for a book that's called Brother's Ruin, I don't feel like we actually saw Ben's ruin. It's very strongly implied as a result of Charlie's actions. But it doesn't explicitly happen in the course of the 192 pages.)
In short: I have high hopes for the second book when it comes out later this year. I'm just hoping it's a little longer and doesn't have such an abrupt ending...
For Those Who Enjoyed: A Hazard of Good Fortunes, H.G. Wells, Dracula, Sweeney Todd, Mirabelle Mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, The Dark Days Club, Northanger Abbey, Jane Eyre, From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Parasol Protectorate
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
This was a nice, pleasant read. If you’re looking for a quick, simple vacation read where you don’t have to think too hard about the plot, this one’s for you. Brother’s Ruin has that very quaint quality to it that many cosy historical crime novels in women’s literature would have. It’s not a gripping thriller mystery beachside read. But a gentle mystery you save for a rainy day at your lake cabin with a cup of tea.
Because it’s so short, I don’t have too much to say about it. If you’re stuck inside on a snow day or something, it’d definitely take you one sitting to read it in its entirety. What grabbed me about it was the fact that it’s set in the 19th century. Victorian history and literature is my jam (my undergrad was focused on it). The cover design has a steampunk vibe to it, which is always appealing. And I was personally hoping the title would hint at some tragic demise.
That’s not necessarily what happened… but it was charming nonetheless.
Newman has an extraordinary talent of making the grim underbelly of Victorian London oddly warm and inviting. Not to say that she strips away the grungy aspect of the poor and terrible living conditions, like many people who glamourise the 18th and 19th centuries do, but that she incorporates it in a very quiet, gentle way. The plot focuses on Charlotte Gunn, who is engaged to a lovely, if boring, straight laced man, and earns her own living as an illustrator on the sly. Her family is in dire straights
Spoiler
because her father owes money to a seedy lending businessBrother’s Ruin is the first book in a series Newman’s titled Industrial Magic, which isn’t the most original title in existence when it comes to steampunk magic plots. But I do like that it hints at the type of rules for her magical world building she’s created for herself. Newman’s magical focus is on this new age of industry, where factories have come into prominence and trains and clocks have become the latest thing. Applying things like pyromania or telekinesis to engineering is a stroke of genius I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of, and I like that little twist.
As such a lover of Victorian crime, I would’ve liked to see Newman go darker with it.
Spoiler
The big twist is that there’s a death trap that causes heart failure, andOne of the last things I wanted to address was the fact that the cockney dialect almost crosses the line into Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins territory, but it toes that line well. As a result, because it’s so concise and the dialogue is, for the most part, true to the era (which is also more than can be said for many modern writers of Victorian history), it feels like a genuine Victorian novel. It doesn’t quite have the crazy insanity of a penny dreadful, but it would undoubtedly belong in a women’s weekly.
It’s just very pleasant and safe, and a nice book to pick up if you just want to shut off for a little while.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved everything about this story, the characters the setting, the plot I mean everything. I wish it was a longer read but still great.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm on a bit of a roll lately with liking the latest offerings from authors I've read before.
It's 1850 and England's industrial revolution owes everything to the Royal Society of Esoteric Studies. The mages are powerful and wealthy, but they have little freedom and are forbidden to marry or pursue anything other than magic. So Charlotte Gunn is absolutely determined that no-one will find out that she's both a mage and a powerful one. But when her father runs into financial trouble and her brother faces testing as a mage, she comes into far more proximity to mages than she would like.
This was fun and a lot lighter than the other stuff of Newman's that I've read. Charlie is a great heroine and I really look forward to seeing what she gets up to next.
It's 1850 and England's industrial revolution owes everything to the Royal Society of Esoteric Studies. The mages are powerful and wealthy, but they have little freedom and are forbidden to marry or pursue anything other than magic. So Charlotte Gunn is absolutely determined that no-one will find out that she's both a mage and a powerful one. But when her father runs into financial trouble and her brother faces testing as a mage, she comes into far more proximity to mages than she would like.
This was fun and a lot lighter than the other stuff of Newman's that I've read. Charlie is a great heroine and I really look forward to seeing what she gets up to next.
In this gaslamp fantasy, Charlotte is a powerful mage who has hidden her abilities for years to avoid being taken by the Royal Society of Esoteric Arts. Her brother, Benjamin, who has much weaker magical abilities, turns himself in to the Royal Society in the hope that the monetary compensation that his family would receive could save them from destitution. But without the help of Charlotte, he's in danger of being worth very little money or worse, punished for lying to the Royal Society.
This is an incredibly quick read, but you will get to know Charlotte, her struggles and her world well enough to look forward to the next book in the series. It's refreshing to see a magical society that is not only out in the open, but strongly controlled by a (probably corrupt) government. Charlotte is plucky and adventurous, but incredibly caring to her family, which makes her a fun and compelling character to follow.
The book is about unraveling the mysteries of The Royal Society and its members as much as it is about Charlotte and her brother, so there is a good amount of complexity here that keeps the story moving.
My only issue has to do with Charlotte's obvious interest in Magus Hopkins. This may be my own disinterest in reading romance stories (I know, I know, but it's just not my thing right now), but it seemed over-the-top to me. Hopkins is charming and exciting, though, so I mean, who could blame her? I am hoping there is more to develop their friendship (or whatever it becomes) in the future, because I can tell it's going to be a good one, despite my gripe.
I love Emma Newman's work, and this series promises to be just as unique and intriguing as the rest. I can't wait for more!
This is an incredibly quick read, but you will get to know Charlotte, her struggles and her world well enough to look forward to the next book in the series. It's refreshing to see a magical society that is not only out in the open, but strongly controlled by a (probably corrupt) government. Charlotte is plucky and adventurous, but incredibly caring to her family, which makes her a fun and compelling character to follow.
The book is about unraveling the mysteries of The Royal Society and its members as much as it is about Charlotte and her brother, so there is a good amount of complexity here that keeps the story moving.
My only issue has to do with Charlotte's obvious interest in Magus Hopkins. This may be my own disinterest in reading romance stories (I know, I know, but it's just not my thing right now), but it seemed over-the-top to me. Hopkins is charming and exciting, though, so I mean, who could blame her? I am hoping there is more to develop their friendship (or whatever it becomes) in the future, because I can tell it's going to be a good one, despite my gripe.
I love Emma Newman's work, and this series promises to be just as unique and intriguing as the rest. I can't wait for more!
3 out of 5 stars -- see this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Royal Society of Esoteric Arts provides stability and prosperity to Great Britain through the tireless work of their Magi. Latent magi are highly sought after, but, once discovered, must forgo their normal life for one solely in service to the Crown. With her autonomy threatened, Charlotte, a young mage, hides her abilities from the world. When her father foolishly offers Charlotte’s feeble brother up to the Royal Society in desperate hopes of landing the large windfall that comes with selection, Charlotte must use her abilities to save brother, her family, and her entire way of life.
This novella, very much a Part 1 to a larger story, did not hook me from the start. It seemed that Emma Newman’s flair for storytelling was not on full display at the outset and may have been hampered by the novella format. Slowly, but surely, as the narrative unfolded, I was more and more invested…until it all ends abruptly — just when I was ready for more!
With such an interesting gaslamp sandbox to play in, I had hoped for more worldbuilding and a wider scope. Hopefully that comes in future installments, as Brother’s Ruin feels like the appetizer to a (potentially delicious) five-course meal.
While I was reading this I was delighted to see the news that Emma Newman will pen two more Planetfall novels. I first discovered Newman through those novels, and I look forward to seeing where she goes next in that world.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Royal Society of Esoteric Arts provides stability and prosperity to Great Britain through the tireless work of their Magi. Latent magi are highly sought after, but, once discovered, must forgo their normal life for one solely in service to the Crown. With her autonomy threatened, Charlotte, a young mage, hides her abilities from the world. When her father foolishly offers Charlotte’s feeble brother up to the Royal Society in desperate hopes of landing the large windfall that comes with selection, Charlotte must use her abilities to save brother, her family, and her entire way of life.
This novella, very much a Part 1 to a larger story, did not hook me from the start. It seemed that Emma Newman’s flair for storytelling was not on full display at the outset and may have been hampered by the novella format. Slowly, but surely, as the narrative unfolded, I was more and more invested…until it all ends abruptly — just when I was ready for more!
With such an interesting gaslamp sandbox to play in, I had hoped for more worldbuilding and a wider scope. Hopefully that comes in future installments, as Brother’s Ruin feels like the appetizer to a (potentially delicious) five-course meal.
While I was reading this I was delighted to see the news that Emma Newman will pen two more Planetfall novels. I first discovered Newman through those novels, and I look forward to seeing where she goes next in that world.