Joanna Emerson

This steampunk fantasy is set mainly in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century, giving it an interesting historical flavour. Not being familiar with the period, I can't comment on accuracy, although some details made me raise my eyebrows (such as spending a few pounds on a meal).

The three point of view characters are distinct individuals, and I liked that they came from different backgrounds and so brought different attitudes to life.

The prose was easy to read, and the very occasional typos weren't distracting.

The book's tagged as young adult/teen, and it certainly has that feel to it. The main characters are very focussed on their immediate concerns. This made the plot straightforward to follow, but it felt like the rest of the world (even the Big Bad) wasn't getting on with their own lives around the characters. The internal conflicts and emotional processing were somewhat spelled out/up front for my tastes, but again, this seems appropriate for younger readers.

Overall, an enjoyable lightweight read in an interesting historical setting.… (más)