Bit of an odd book, very different to what I expected from the cover and blurb, which made it out to be terribly grim and serious. The first three quarters of the book were very silly and farcical, an over-the-top parody of Victorian customs and social mores. It dragged on a bit but it was fairly entertaining, in a mildly Dickensian way, with fun names like Porpington, Gibber and Squellingham and a lot of hilariously stupid school lessons. Then in the last two chapters or so the action suddenly kicked in and it all went completely haywire, with alarming litres of blood being splashed around and everyone racketing towards a dramatic conclusion with scant regard for details. It was like ol' R. Harland was just pootling along enjoying his witticisms at the expense of Queen Victoria when someone suddenly shouted in his ear "HURRY HURRY THIS BOOK MUST BE FINISHED BY FRIDAY and for goodness sake add some gore, this is supposed to be for teenage boys!!"The premise was great but the execution didn't really live up to it. Col, the main character, hadn't an ounce of sense or personality and I could not understand WHY an apparently smart, sparky girl like Riff would be interested in him. Honestly, he was SUCH a waste of space. (note: I gave +1 star for the steampunk setting, so if you're not considering this book for the steampunk in it, deduct one star.)This one generally has been labelled a teen/young adult book and I'll gladly attest to that classification. The prose is not overly elaborate but that only adds to the ease of reading.The first 50 or so pages, where the setting and the most notable characters are being introduced, were quite slow and I found myself having to push on repeatedly.However, after that point the story picks up in pace and gets more enjoyable. There certainly are some very archetypical characters in this novel so if you are one to cringe and roll eyes at such, be warned!The direction of the plot is easily guessed and I cannot tell whether that comes from it being a young adults novel or the book plot simply being that way.I personally found myself more interested in the characters' development and how they acted/changed under certain circumstances and influences anyway. Indeed a few tidbits were quite shockingly surpring to me (even if I started guessing at some point!) - which to me added to the depth of the book.The obligatory romance was not too heavy-handed and considering the young age of the characters involved I found it to be quite believable and authentic. Who was not spinning their wheels like that when they first felt love?All in all, I enjoyed the steampunk setting alot and I will come back to read the sequel at some point to know how the destiny of the characters unravels.
Do You like book Worldshaker (2010)?
I love the whole idea but the simple language sold the story for less than it's worth.
—chattys741
It was cute and different. I know some students that would love this story.
—hugorune
