Scan barcode
chaosrayne's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted so much more from this book. It started strong and some of the world building was pretty bold. Not necessarily innovative but at least old elements were pieced together in a fresh fashion.
It was good enough to finish but the characters lacked depth and the book wrapped up way too quickly and neatly. If there's a sequel I might give it a shot but only if I've got nothing more interesting to read first.
It was good enough to finish but the characters lacked depth and the book wrapped up way too quickly and neatly. If there's a sequel I might give it a shot but only if I've got nothing more interesting to read first.
gryffindork19's review against another edition
2.0
There were elements I really enjoyed, but it's another YA fantasy that struggled to find the balance between world building and plot/- and I. This case I felt like it sacrificed both to the benefit of neither.
philyra91's review against another edition
2.0
DNF - the story building took too long and I didn't feel connected to the characters at all. The steampunk element isn't very evident either, but am upgrading to two stars because of the pretty cover.
quietjenn's review against another edition
3.0
2 1/2, but I feel generous, so we bump up. That said, I feel really conflicted about this book. I wanted to like it so much more than I actually did. There's a lot that is theoretically very good here, but I feel like the execution is off. Someone else used the word "muddled" to describe it, and I think that's spot-on. I feel like Trent did a whole heck of a lot, in terms of coming up with the alternate world she gives us here, but sometimes forgot that we readers don't live in her head and as such, the rules and realities of that world aren't as clear to us as they are to her as their creator. Which is a very convoluted way of saying things, perhaps, but there you go. I just felt very thrown into things and it was difficult to make sense of them at times. I also had a bit of an issue with a certain plot revelations, in that they were really, really obvious and the fact that Vespa didn't realize them made her seem really stupid.
And yet, for all that I'm sort of hoping that there are other books set in this world, because now that I finally sort of get the hang of it, I wouldn't mind more.
And yet, for all that I'm sort of hoping that there are other books set in this world, because now that I finally sort of get the hang of it, I wouldn't mind more.
junkets's review against another edition
3.0
I'm very conflicted on this book, because it had such a great set up...and then really unraveled at the end into an absolute muddle of a denouement. The writing was generally good, unless it descended into purplish prose alternating with three word sentences. I think my greatest annoyance with the whole thing was the switching between chapters of third person past tense talking about Syrus' adventures and first person present tense for Vespa. Awkward and confusing when trying to figure out what was happening when. BUT a unique world with lots of unanswered questions in good ways.
angiediane's review against another edition
3.0
Almost equal parts good and bad. The bad: some really cheesy, awful writing (lots of bad similes and metaphors, ugh) at times. I would be sailing along through the story, and then the writing itself would jar me out of it. The romance part (if you can call it that) was also a little irritating because it was so random and a little cliched/ridiculous. The first ~30 pages were difficult for me to get through; I felt the beginning could have used some smoothing.
BUT. The good parts: once you get into the story, things really start cracking. Trent built an amazing alternate world. The little details and surprises pulled me in and kept me coming back for more. I did like the strong female lead attempt (although there was a bit of angst-y wallowing). I really liked Syrus as the secondary protagonist. Some of the magical elements leaned heavily on the influences the author mentioned at the end of the book (one scene is all but lifted straight from The Last Unicorn), but some of them were really original and refreshing. Even with the novel's shortcomings, I was still engrossed and managed to get through it fairly quickly. It was such a different and peculiar experience, and for me, that can make up for a lot of shortcomings. Overall, an enjoyment. Not sure who I could confidently recommend this book to, however; definitely a unique read.
BUT. The good parts: once you get into the story, things really start cracking. Trent built an amazing alternate world. The little details and surprises pulled me in and kept me coming back for more. I did like the strong female lead attempt (although there was a bit of angst-y wallowing). I really liked Syrus as the secondary protagonist. Some of the magical elements leaned heavily on the influences the author mentioned at the end of the book (one scene is all but lifted straight from The Last Unicorn), but some of them were really original and refreshing. Even with the novel's shortcomings, I was still engrossed and managed to get through it fairly quickly. It was such a different and peculiar experience, and for me, that can make up for a lot of shortcomings. Overall, an enjoyment. Not sure who I could confidently recommend this book to, however; definitely a unique read.
abetterjulie's review against another edition
3.0
First, the cover of this book does not do justice to the originality and fantasy present in this story. Having said that, the abrupt shifts in narrative and scene changes detracted from the overall flow. There were points were the dialogue was Saturday morning cartoon-ish, mostly when dealing with the villain, and a few areas that were too handily resolved. Overall, it was a fun and imaginative read. I look forward to the rest of the series.
pkadams's review against another edition
3.0
I love the cover of this book. The book is completely confusing as the author doesn't explain anything to you. Although set in Victorian England, it incorporates elements of steampunk and fantasy. It was bewildering and I spent much of the first third of the novel trying to figure out what was going on and as a result it was slow going. I think with some better editing this novel could be fantastic.