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sage01 's review for:

3.0

Pros:
A charming if strange intercultural queer love story. Fascinating to see Anglo-Japanese culture in 1880s London. Excellent use of multiple settings. Nice to see a female Oxford physicist. Really interesting mix of clockwork, magic, and clairvoyance. Universally interesting characters. Some really nice language.

Cons:
Very much a first novel. The major characters' various motivations were unclear, in large part due to the confusing structure. The villain's motives were utterly nonsensical.

Queer interest tag for the above mentioned m/m love story. Also what I can only guess is bi-phobia as a plot point.

Disability tag for the female protagonist's generally despised disabled mother, who then dies and isn't grieved. Meanwhile other characters miraculously survive multiple injuries and never show any lingering effects.