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A review by deadgoodbookreviews
Magpie's Song by Allison Pang
5.0
Full review and more up on my blog: http://bit.ly/2vdEn4q
Oh yeah. You read that right. There’s a clockwork dragon!
A small-enough-to-travel-with clockwork dragon.
Of course I loved this book! Whatever flaws it may have (all books have flaws, perfection is a facade) I will forever love it because there is a clockwork dragon, which means that the people who make bookish merch might make tiny clockwork dragons and I can walk around town with a clockwork dragon and live all of my wildest fantasies.
I’ve said clockwork dragon too many times now, it’s gone weird. I’ll let it go.
(Clockwork Dragon)
Right, main character Raggy Maggy/Mags/Magpie what do we think? She’s your fairly typical ‘unknown backstory, lives on the streets, scrappy and uncouth, young but world weary, pretty but also plain YA fantasy heroine. I don’t mind that. It’s a cliché for a reason. We like our teen heroines with a dash of angst and a heavy helping of sarcasm and Mags does not disappoint. What I found refreshing is that Mags is such a realist, she doesn’t dwell on situations where it doesn’t help to do so, she’s practical and she’s pragmatic and when she’s being impulsive she realises and she deals with it (sometimes a little too late I’ll admit.) She’s added to that list I’m making of YA protagonists I want to befriend.
World building? I like the concept of this, it reminded me a little of the floating city of Santaphrax from The Edge Chronicles with this floating ‘superior’ city and the dirty underbelly below. This is a little more futuristic than that but the concept is the same. What I was missing was a little more backstory. Where The Edge Chronicles start each story with a map and a short explanation of the world it took me a while to get to grips with the world in which Mags lives. I think a little bit more set up would have been beneficial since it can feel like you’re just expected to understand that Moon Children are discriminated against (before you really get what Moon Children are). It’s a little gripe, by the middle I had worked everything out but it just could have been even better.
The story is what truly captured my heart. I’m here for the mystery, the intrigue, the plots, the plans and the betrayals. This is obviously only the first book in what promises to be a great series so a lot of it is setting up who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’ and who is allied with whom. That being said, there is a great deal of action even in this first book, it’s not a boring book by any stretch of the imagination. Fans of action will be pleased I think.
If you like steampunk elements, dragons, mystery, action, a pinch of romance and a host of unique characters I heartily recommend picking up a copy of Magpie’s Song when it publishes tomorrow! (August 3rd)
My rating: 5/5 stars
By the way, I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Oh yeah. You read that right. There’s a clockwork dragon!
A small-enough-to-travel-with clockwork dragon.
Of course I loved this book! Whatever flaws it may have (all books have flaws, perfection is a facade) I will forever love it because there is a clockwork dragon, which means that the people who make bookish merch might make tiny clockwork dragons and I can walk around town with a clockwork dragon and live all of my wildest fantasies.
I’ve said clockwork dragon too many times now, it’s gone weird. I’ll let it go.
(Clockwork Dragon)
Right, main character Raggy Maggy/Mags/Magpie what do we think? She’s your fairly typical ‘unknown backstory, lives on the streets, scrappy and uncouth, young but world weary, pretty but also plain YA fantasy heroine. I don’t mind that. It’s a cliché for a reason. We like our teen heroines with a dash of angst and a heavy helping of sarcasm and Mags does not disappoint. What I found refreshing is that Mags is such a realist, she doesn’t dwell on situations where it doesn’t help to do so, she’s practical and she’s pragmatic and when she’s being impulsive she realises and she deals with it (sometimes a little too late I’ll admit.) She’s added to that list I’m making of YA protagonists I want to befriend.
World building? I like the concept of this, it reminded me a little of the floating city of Santaphrax from The Edge Chronicles with this floating ‘superior’ city and the dirty underbelly below. This is a little more futuristic than that but the concept is the same. What I was missing was a little more backstory. Where The Edge Chronicles start each story with a map and a short explanation of the world it took me a while to get to grips with the world in which Mags lives. I think a little bit more set up would have been beneficial since it can feel like you’re just expected to understand that Moon Children are discriminated against (before you really get what Moon Children are). It’s a little gripe, by the middle I had worked everything out but it just could have been even better.
The story is what truly captured my heart. I’m here for the mystery, the intrigue, the plots, the plans and the betrayals. This is obviously only the first book in what promises to be a great series so a lot of it is setting up who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’ and who is allied with whom. That being said, there is a great deal of action even in this first book, it’s not a boring book by any stretch of the imagination. Fans of action will be pleased I think.
If you like steampunk elements, dragons, mystery, action, a pinch of romance and a host of unique characters I heartily recommend picking up a copy of Magpie’s Song when it publishes tomorrow! (August 3rd)
My rating: 5/5 stars
By the way, I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.