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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So, Grace was a bit of a dick.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
London mid 1880s, clockwork automata, possible clairvoyance and Japanese culture - what’s not to love? Pulley’s debut uses the typical elements of steampunk mixed with original aspects in an entertaining tale.
The narration although slow at the beginning grabbed me due to the characters, which the author made complex and intriguing. We’re at first introduced to Thaniel Steepleton, bored synesthete (sounds are colours to him) telegraphist at the Home Office, who one day finds an intricate clock deposited anonymously in his lodgings, then to Keita Mori, the mysterious, kind, and brilliant Japanese watchmaker extraordinaire whose creations defy nature and physics, and finally to Grace Carro, a physics student in Oxford fighting to be let free with her Ether experiments. Slowly, all these protagonists come together in the midst of events, each more perplexing. Who is responsible for the Fenian bombings? Can someone really tell the future, and how would this affect the present? How would clairvoyance really work?
The plot itself becomes something not unlike one of Mori’s inventions, spinning and rearranging itself into confusing and surprising patterns. Yet, it is not 'perfect' - some parts could have been more developed. Well, I wanted more. Ultimately this novel really deals with what makes people tick rather than action, while touching on some big questions/concepts/issues - freewill, fate, trust, gender roles, Japanese culture, and even some shades of LGBT.
The narration although slow at the beginning grabbed me due to the characters, which the author made complex and intriguing. We’re at first introduced to Thaniel Steepleton, bored synesthete (sounds are colours to him) telegraphist at the Home Office, who one day finds an intricate clock deposited anonymously in his lodgings, then to Keita Mori, the mysterious, kind, and brilliant Japanese watchmaker extraordinaire whose creations defy nature and physics, and finally to Grace Carro, a physics student in Oxford fighting to be let free with her Ether experiments. Slowly, all these protagonists come together in the midst of events, each more perplexing. Who is responsible for the Fenian bombings? Can someone really tell the future, and how would this affect the present? How would clairvoyance really work?
The plot itself becomes something not unlike one of Mori’s inventions, spinning and rearranging itself into confusing and surprising patterns. Yet, it is not 'perfect' - some parts could have been more developed. Well, I wanted more. Ultimately this novel really deals with what makes people tick rather than action, while touching on some big questions/concepts/issues - freewill, fate, trust, gender roles, Japanese culture, and even some shades of LGBT.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-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
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
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
adventurous
mysterious
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:
N/A
wow. i adored this. one of those rare books that i can see myself falling in love with from the very first pages, and find myself wanting to reread before i'm even halfway through.