Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher

16 reviews

bibble_kingly's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced
  • 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

4.75

This was a fun read and it had a lot of ups and downs. The ending really sets the reader up for the sequel! The main characters have a lot of depth and the stakes are high. 

The story is dual POV from our main 2 characters introduced in the first chapter. There are 3 other companions along this journey and Kingfisher does an excellent job with their descriptions and characterizations. The reader won't feel like they're missing vital information just because we aren't in character's heads. 

I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy a rag tag group of adventurers in a fully immersive world with high stakes and excellent character interactions! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tays_books's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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? Yes

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

dafyddclover's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It was a fairly fun read.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sonatica's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

laelolou's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

clarabooksit's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • 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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

misterwisp's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny 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? No

4.0

 I can't believe this isn't more popular. It's funny, fast paced, well written, easy to read, the characters are great, the writing is great, the word is interesting and well established without big info dumps, and it's just an awesome experience overall. The setting is recognizably a fantasy world but felt creative enough to be it's own thing and not just cliche or a rip off of something else. The humour is witty and clever, and reminiscent of Terry Pratchett at times. It made me laugh out loud throughout the book. The story is compelling and easy to get into. The characters follow some fantasy archetypes but are well written, have distinct personalities and motivations, are well rounded, and easy to root for especially given how the story sets them up with each other. You can see arcs starting to happen. It is a satisfying book and worth the time. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jwells's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced
I was grabbed by Slate's voice right away, and could hardly put this down. Great mix of humor and darkness.  Be sure to have the sequel ready to read next! This one does not stand alone. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

mmkn_99's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional medium-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

4.25

Another great book by T. Kingfisher. World building is immaculate, characters are awesome, looking forward to reading the next book in this pair. Truly one of my favorite worlds and the lore is amazing and I look forward to reading more.

Some weird scenes in the book made me pause for a while, but that’s more on me than on the actual story. Great storytelling, great writing, would’ve said this was fast-paced read but then I got to a scene that made me pause for almost a whole month. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

booksthatburn's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • 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

Bleak and humorous, CLOCKWORK BOYS follows three convicted criminals and a scholar sent to find out what they can about the terrifying and murderous "Clockwork Boys" who have been devastating their towns and villages.

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!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings