A review by gardant
Larklight by Philip Reeve, David Wyatt

4.0

The first installation of the Larklight series introduces readers to a science-fiction world with clear inspiration from Jules Verne and HG Wells, yet with an approach toward science that veers closer to the Ptolemaic. While the plot chugs along and the characters are interesting, perhaps the most winning aspect of this book to me is its intriguing post-colonial slant. For a children's book it is unusual to find something that does not shy away from some of the ugliness of imperialism when dealing with the historical (or in this case, pseudo-historical) British Empire - and better yet, it addresses these without resorting to tiresome and essentialist moralizing.