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clarabooksit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Confinement
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As a journey narrative, CLOCKWORK BOYS focuses on the dynamic between the members of the party, as well as the internal struggles of the two point-of-view characters. Slate is a forger, Brenner is an assassin, Caliban is a paladin who has a dead demon rotting in his skull, they're on this trip in hopes of a pardon if they survive. Learned Edmund is a formerly cloistered misogynist from an order who prizes learning and instills a fear of mere proximity to women. There's a mix of genuine character growth and learning each other's edges, the kind of forced intimacy which is fostered by a suicide mission with terrible travel conditions in the middle of a war. The worldbuilding is conveyed through a mix of exposition, character reactions, and things encountered as they travel. Slate and Caliban think about themselves and their companions, often thinking things they don't dare or don't know how to say out loud.
CLOCKWORK BOYS ends on a cliffhanger, as the characters joined together and undertook a journey to a particular city, and the narrative abruptly ends when they arrive at their destination. The story is continued in THE WONDER ENGINE. Since it's the first book in a duology, it doesn't completely tie off anything before it ends, except perhaps that stage one of the plan (the journey there) is done and what remains is entering the city and maybe surviving (maybe not). The characters have been changed by the journey, now it remains to be seen whether they'll survive their destination.
I loved this and am excited to read the sequel!
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Animal death, Murder, Misogyny, Cursing, Drug use, Vomit, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, War, Sexism, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, and Death
Minor: Terminal illness, Violence, Mental illness, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Child death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
wickedgrumpy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Also, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate "older" characters who actually act their age (or at least somewhat believably so). The main female is 30, one of the main male characters is 37.
The worldbuilding was interesting though somewhat sparse (what's the deal with the gods?, what's the reason for the war?, what's the deal with demons?), and the back and forth between the ragtag bunch on a suicide mission was hilarious. I do think that it didn't need to be split into two volumes since it ends pretty abruptly. I would have happily read more than a thousand pages in this series.
Minor: Animal death, Toxic friendship, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Torture, War, Alcohol, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Drug use, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Violence
vittorioseg's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Drug abuse, Body horror, and Child death
aerialcataloger's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism
pandin's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, and Sexism