Scan barcode
brendalovesbooks's review
3.0
I keep trying to read steampunk, and I keep finding that it's really not for me. There's something about it that just doesn't click or connect with me, and I have a hard time following the story or even caring. Unfortunately, Camera Obscura didn't change my mind about steampunk.
That being said, I found the story quite interesting. Usually steampunk confuses me because I can't picture what the author is talking about and it's all weird, but Lavie Tidhar is very descriptive in his writing, and that really helped. But only for the first half or so of the book. After that I started getting more and more confused about what was going on. Even with a bit less than 100 pages left, if you were to ask me what the book was about I'd be hard pressed to tell you.
Milady was a great strong female character, but while the author was quite descriptive about some things, I felt he was very vague with others. We would get little hints about things here and there, but for the most part the reader is left to speculate about a lot with the characters in the book.
I'm not sure if, when writing steampunk, worldbuilding would be easier or harder. There didn't seem to be any rules about the way the world worked here, and the author could do and include pretty much whatever he wanted. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because then you get lots of cool and different things, but it can also make things harder to follow when the rules of the world aren't clear.
I would compare my reading of this book to those times when you're half asleep and you can hear a conversation happening, but it's hard to follow, because you only get bits and pieces. There were times when the narrative even interrupted itself. For example:
"They used to make garments there--one of the first places to use the Daguerre looms, machines that automated production . . . it had been a natural step for the factory to--
The elevator doors opened. They all filed out. Another white clean corridor. They walked down it and came to a door. The door opened into an antechamber."
This kind of thing was all throughout the book, which made for a writing style that felt like I was hearing a story from someone with attention problems. But for all that, there were some really neat concepts here, and I was drawn to keep reading because I wanted to find out what happened, so it definitely wasn't all bad. I think fans of steampunk may really enjoy this one.
That being said, I found the story quite interesting. Usually steampunk confuses me because I can't picture what the author is talking about and it's all weird, but Lavie Tidhar is very descriptive in his writing, and that really helped. But only for the first half or so of the book. After that I started getting more and more confused about what was going on. Even with a bit less than 100 pages left, if you were to ask me what the book was about I'd be hard pressed to tell you.
Milady was a great strong female character, but while the author was quite descriptive about some things, I felt he was very vague with others. We would get little hints about things here and there, but for the most part the reader is left to speculate about a lot with the characters in the book.
I'm not sure if, when writing steampunk, worldbuilding would be easier or harder. There didn't seem to be any rules about the way the world worked here, and the author could do and include pretty much whatever he wanted. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because then you get lots of cool and different things, but it can also make things harder to follow when the rules of the world aren't clear.
I would compare my reading of this book to those times when you're half asleep and you can hear a conversation happening, but it's hard to follow, because you only get bits and pieces. There were times when the narrative even interrupted itself. For example:
"They used to make garments there--one of the first places to use the Daguerre looms, machines that automated production . . . it had been a natural step for the factory to--
The elevator doors opened. They all filed out. Another white clean corridor. They walked down it and came to a door. The door opened into an antechamber."
This kind of thing was all throughout the book, which made for a writing style that felt like I was hearing a story from someone with attention problems. But for all that, there were some really neat concepts here, and I was drawn to keep reading because I wanted to find out what happened, so it definitely wasn't all bad. I think fans of steampunk may really enjoy this one.
dantastic's review
3.0
A man is found dead in a locked room on the Rue Morgue, the mysterious object he was transporting cut from his abdomen. Milady de Winter investigates and uncovers a fiendish plot. Can de Winter figure out who killed the man and still retain her sanity?
In this sequel to [b:The Bookman|6922360|The Bookman (The Bookman Histories, #1)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258686290s/6922360.jpg|7150817], Lavie Tidhar crafts a steampunk noir tale with many wrinkles. As with the first book, Les Lizardes are in the background the entire time. De Winter follows a trail of clues and battles other agents of The Council as she tries to piece together what happened.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this one. While I liked it, I don't think it was anywhere near as good as The Bookman.
The stuff I liked: Milday De Winter was a much more compelling protagonist than Orphan from the first book and kicked multiple truckloads of ass. The ninjas from the Far East were cool and I liked the intrigue involving the Council. Viktor Frankenstein was an interesting supporting character. The villain of the book and what he does to de Winter about two thirds of the way through the book was really unexpected. As with the last book, it was fun trying to spot the Easter eggs in the text. The plot involving the lizards advanced a bit.
The other bits: It just wasn't as good as The Bookman. There weren't as many Easter Eggs, the plot was a little out of control, and it just wasn't as engaging. I found myself a little too eager to do housework or watch Doctor Who instead of reading. Another thing, the cover gives away some things that only happen in the last 25% of the book, blowing a pretty big surprise.
Closing remarks: While I didn't enjoy it as much as The Bookman, it was still a fun read at times. I'll definitely be buying more Lavie Tidhar books in the future.
In this sequel to [b:The Bookman|6922360|The Bookman (The Bookman Histories, #1)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258686290s/6922360.jpg|7150817], Lavie Tidhar crafts a steampunk noir tale with many wrinkles. As with the first book, Les Lizardes are in the background the entire time. De Winter follows a trail of clues and battles other agents of The Council as she tries to piece together what happened.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this one. While I liked it, I don't think it was anywhere near as good as The Bookman.
The stuff I liked: Milday De Winter was a much more compelling protagonist than Orphan from the first book and kicked multiple truckloads of ass. The ninjas from the Far East were cool and I liked the intrigue involving the Council. Viktor Frankenstein was an interesting supporting character. The villain of the book and what he does to de Winter about two thirds of the way through the book was really unexpected. As with the last book, it was fun trying to spot the Easter eggs in the text. The plot involving the lizards advanced a bit.
The other bits: It just wasn't as good as The Bookman. There weren't as many Easter Eggs, the plot was a little out of control, and it just wasn't as engaging. I found myself a little too eager to do housework or watch Doctor Who instead of reading. Another thing, the cover gives away some things that only happen in the last 25% of the book, blowing a pretty big surprise.
Closing remarks: While I didn't enjoy it as much as The Bookman, it was still a fun read at times. I'll definitely be buying more Lavie Tidhar books in the future.
rodbmoser's review
2.0
Lavie Tidhar shows real talent in describing the setting and establishing the gothic mood of Camera Obscura. Our protagonist, Milady de Winter, arrives on the scene of a recently deceased body found in an apartment and the reader begins his journey with de Winter through Paris, the Mekong River range, to Chicago and the World's Fair.
In a mixture of 'Men in Black' meets 'V' meets 'James Bond' our Milady de Winter is taken from one strange encounter to another in a poorly developed storyline culminating in an anti-climactic finale.
At times, I was swept up in the descriptive talent and found myself wanting to visit the underground of Paris and to walk the streets of the World Fair but I struggled with the substance. It felt like we hopped from one minor story to another without tying them together.
The author has descriptive talent but the story just lacked congruency and substance. In the end, I would have to give it 2 stars out of 5.
In a mixture of 'Men in Black' meets 'V' meets 'James Bond' our Milady de Winter is taken from one strange encounter to another in a poorly developed storyline culminating in an anti-climactic finale.
At times, I was swept up in the descriptive talent and found myself wanting to visit the underground of Paris and to walk the streets of the World Fair but I struggled with the substance. It felt like we hopped from one minor story to another without tying them together.
The author has descriptive talent but the story just lacked congruency and substance. In the end, I would have to give it 2 stars out of 5.
branch_c's review
3.0
I wanted to like Tidhar's The Bookman, first in this series, and in the end I did, with some reservations. It seemed like there was more emphasis on throwing a lot of interesting ideas together than in developing cool characters and plot. But overall I did like it, and I hoped the sequel would justify the steampunkish promise shown in the original.
Well, this is the sequel, and unfortunately for me, it's justified my reservations instead. Camera Obscura again had some interesting ideas, and I especially liked both the beginning and the ending. The middle, however, was just too grim and plodding for my taste. The horrific aspects seemed to be there just for the sake of people who enjoy reading about such things, rather than to give the reader insight into the characters and their motivations. I realize there was supposed to be an air of dark mystery about this eccentric cast, but maybe because of that I never felt that I knew them, and thus couldn't really empathize with them. And while I like steampunk concepts, and I like lots of frantic action, with (temporarily) unexplained occurrences at every turn, in this case it was as if we were just slogging through the motions, and it just wasn't a fun ride.
Anyway, I give the author credit for thinking big and constructing a complex and logical plot, but I guess I was hoping for more than that from this series.
Well, this is the sequel, and unfortunately for me, it's justified my reservations instead. Camera Obscura again had some interesting ideas, and I especially liked both the beginning and the ending. The middle, however, was just too grim and plodding for my taste. The horrific aspects seemed to be there just for the sake of people who enjoy reading about such things, rather than to give the reader insight into the characters and their motivations. I realize there was supposed to be an air of dark mystery about this eccentric cast, but maybe because of that I never felt that I knew them, and thus couldn't really empathize with them. And while I like steampunk concepts, and I like lots of frantic action, with (temporarily) unexplained occurrences at every turn, in this case it was as if we were just slogging through the motions, and it just wasn't a fun ride.
Anyway, I give the author credit for thinking big and constructing a complex and logical plot, but I guess I was hoping for more than that from this series.
jeswil62's review
1.0
I got about halfway through the book but couldnt finish it. Originally I was going to give it 2 stars but if i cant even finish it, it has to be a 1 star book. The plot was basically all these characters telling De Winter things and became the prime example of telling instead of showing. It did have cool aspects but i couldnt get over the mediocre writing and characters that tried so hard to be interesting. As a minor note, the grammar and writing style were appalling
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
1.0
In [b:The Bookman|6922360|The Bookman (The Bookman Histories, #1)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258686290s/6922360.jpg|7150817], Tidhar throws in everything, including the kitchen sink. In this one, he adds the plumbing, shame he forgot to connect it to a water source.
Good ideas, but too much "ain't it cool" based on television and not actual source material for the characters (some of whom are not in character, and some of whom don't make sense in co-existing together).
Worlds need some rules, besides the whole gravity thing.
Good ideas, but too much "ain't it cool" based on television and not actual source material for the characters (some of whom are not in character, and some of whom don't make sense in co-existing together).
Worlds need some rules, besides the whole gravity thing.
woodge's review
4.0
Though set in the same alternate steampunk world as The Bookman, this story stands on its own for the most part. This story is set three years after the events portrayed in The Bookman and begins in France. Our protagonist is Milady de Winter, a headstrong operative of the Quiet Council. The Council is sort of an elite police unit though with an agenda of its own. Milady is tasked with investigating a strange murder scene which blossoms into something much bigger and more dangerous.
Although my wife read The Bookman and liked it, she got about halfway through this one and said, "Oh gross!" and tossed it away in disgust. I thought that boded well for me. This story is indeed darker than The Bookman and I also enjoyed it more as well. Like in The Bookman, famous people from other works of literature pop up here too. I won't spoil it for you by telling you who, though. I am really enjoying this trilogy and looking forward to the final volume, The Great Game, due next year.
Although my wife read The Bookman and liked it, she got about halfway through this one and said, "Oh gross!" and tossed it away in disgust. I thought that boded well for me. This story is indeed darker than The Bookman and I also enjoyed it more as well. Like in The Bookman, famous people from other works of literature pop up here too. I won't spoil it for you by telling you who, though. I am really enjoying this trilogy and looking forward to the final volume, The Great Game, due next year.
mfred's review
2.0
Lavie Tidhar gives good setting. His descriptions of a Steampunk Victorian Age, ruled by Lizards, populated with historical and literary minor characters— Sherlock Holmes and his gang, a Lizard Queen Victoria, a nicely creepy Dr. Frankenstein — it’s all done very well. Totally enjoyable.
But does he write good story? Kinda. In The Bookman, the poet Orphan finds himself at the center of a vast conspiracy and is dragged all around the globe, beat up, and almost killed, numerous times. In Camera Obscura, the main difference seems to be that it is a woman, Milady, who is beat up, conspired against, etc.
Well ok, there is a second difference. Milady is also supposed to be a police woman, carrying a big gun and intimidating all of the criminals in Paris— unlike our somewhat nebbish everyman, Orphan.
But Milady, she is a badass with a big gun from the page one. She’s not drawn into conspiracy, she’s a conspirator! Employed by the Quiet Council, the shady cabal of automatons ruling France, Milady just swaggers all over town, covering up crimes, collecting clues, fingering her gun in menacing ways… Once the story gets going, however, Milady starts to get beat up, a lot.
And every time she is conspired against, beat on, horrifyingly tortured, etc., not only was I reminded a little too closely of Orphan’s woes, but I also started to doubt her verisimilitude as originally described. Her truthfulness as a person began to ring false the worse the story treated her.
I’m all for the noir style beat down of the protagonist. Bring em low, I say! Bring em down to my filthy, violent level!
…But by every villain that shows up? With every new twist of the plot? All the while also telling me just how tough and smart she is, always hinting at some dark past filled with clever and crafty misdeeds? In a fantasy England populated by walking and talking man-sized lizards, whales that roam the Thames, and a real, live Captain Nemo? It’s one unbelievable thing too many.
I give the Bookman three stars for being inventive and fun. Camera Obscura, however, gets two. Don’t piss on my leg (or beat up your so-called tough female heroine until she is unrecognizable) and tell me it’s raining. And seriously? Don’t make me read the same book twice.
But does he write good story? Kinda. In The Bookman, the poet Orphan finds himself at the center of a vast conspiracy and is dragged all around the globe, beat up, and almost killed, numerous times. In Camera Obscura, the main difference seems to be that it is a woman, Milady, who is beat up, conspired against, etc.
Well ok, there is a second difference. Milady is also supposed to be a police woman, carrying a big gun and intimidating all of the criminals in Paris— unlike our somewhat nebbish everyman, Orphan.
But Milady, she is a badass with a big gun from the page one. She’s not drawn into conspiracy, she’s a conspirator! Employed by the Quiet Council, the shady cabal of automatons ruling France, Milady just swaggers all over town, covering up crimes, collecting clues, fingering her gun in menacing ways… Once the story gets going, however, Milady starts to get beat up, a lot.
And every time she is conspired against, beat on, horrifyingly tortured, etc., not only was I reminded a little too closely of Orphan’s woes, but I also started to doubt her verisimilitude as originally described. Her truthfulness as a person began to ring false the worse the story treated her.
I’m all for the noir style beat down of the protagonist. Bring em low, I say! Bring em down to my filthy, violent level!
…But by every villain that shows up? With every new twist of the plot? All the while also telling me just how tough and smart she is, always hinting at some dark past filled with clever and crafty misdeeds? In a fantasy England populated by walking and talking man-sized lizards, whales that roam the Thames, and a real, live Captain Nemo? It’s one unbelievable thing too many.
I give the Bookman three stars for being inventive and fun. Camera Obscura, however, gets two. Don’t piss on my leg (or beat up your so-called tough female heroine until she is unrecognizable) and tell me it’s raining. And seriously? Don’t make me read the same book twice.
nkmeyers's review against another edition
3.0
[b:Camera Obscura|9280057|Camera Obscura (The Bookman Histories, #2)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301906823s/9280057.jpg|13326028]
Liked it.
Didn't love it like [b:The Bookman|6922360|The Bookman (The Bookman Histories, #1)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258686290s/6922360.jpg|7150817], but it was kinda fun anyway.
The book starts in a Paris with a brothel dominated nightlife
and includes a visit to an alternative future America
A false climax recalls the story of serial murder told more thoroughly in [b:The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America|21996|The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America|Erik Larson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167325045s/21996.jpg|3486041] (Guess here's where I have to admit I liked the Chicago of [b:Fair Weather|548194|Fair Weather|Richard Peck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309201817s/548194.jpg|535450] a bit better than the Devil book?)
But, however you look at it, the Chicago world's fair venue charged with Tesla's gyrating energy and the exposition's position in history are ripe territory for re-imagining.
I'm putting my copy up on swap if you want to explore this world for yourself!
athenalindia's review
4.0
I feel like this series is developing nicely. The second book feels slightly more accomplished than the first. But two books in, isn't it about time to state clearly what's going on here? It's not a deal-breaker, because I enjoy very much this literary steampunky world, but I've stuck it out for two books. What are Les Lezards? (Yes, it's been broadly hinted at. But I'm ready for answers, not just hints. If something major had been revealed each book, but reserved part of the secrets, that would have been fine. It's substituting the hints for any real reveals that makes me a bit impatient.)
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
More...