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quietbookbird 's review for:
A Study in Silks
by Emma Jane Holloway
A rather interesting book. The world Emma Holloway built is impressive- a Victorian world where ruthless steam barons control the technology of England, and therefore everyone in it. The threat of being "disconnected" from power keeps everyone under their thumbs, technological advances from others are squashed, and magic is punishable by death.
Enter Evelina, niece to Sherlock Holmes, houseguest of a lord- hiding a past in a circus troupe & a dangerous magical power to animate machinery. He tries to solve a puzzling mystery that implicates those closest to her, whilst surviving the romantic advances of Nick, old friend & circus performer, and Tobias rakish heir to a lordship.
The writing is decent (though sometimes repetitive), but the real draw is the romance & the world building, which are amazing. The three star ratingnis because it has its faults. The mystery is sorely lacking- we know the whole thing from the start, because the narration shifts to the villains who explain their plans towards the beginning of the book, and Evelina's detective work is a bit messy and incoherent. Also the major part played by Sherlock Holmes left me a bit uncomfortable- it sort of turned a story that was great on its own merits, and gave it a dash of commercial fanfiction, which I'm a little iffy about.
Anyhow, definitely worth reading, and I look forward to reading its sequel sometime soon.
Enter Evelina, niece to Sherlock Holmes, houseguest of a lord- hiding a past in a circus troupe & a dangerous magical power to animate machinery. He tries to solve a puzzling mystery that implicates those closest to her, whilst surviving the romantic advances of Nick, old friend & circus performer, and Tobias rakish heir to a lordship.
The writing is decent (though sometimes repetitive), but the real draw is the romance & the world building, which are amazing. The three star ratingnis because it has its faults. The mystery is sorely lacking- we know the whole thing from the start, because the narration shifts to the villains who explain their plans towards the beginning of the book, and Evelina's detective work is a bit messy and incoherent. Also the major part played by Sherlock Holmes left me a bit uncomfortable- it sort of turned a story that was great on its own merits, and gave it a dash of commercial fanfiction, which I'm a little iffy about.
Anyhow, definitely worth reading, and I look forward to reading its sequel sometime soon.