I totally disagree with the other reviewer, and feel the need to extrapolate because I don't want anyone to miss out on this wonderful book.
So it's not a stupid 'paranormal romance' that happens to be set in the alternative world of the moment: Victorian Steampunk. It's not escapist action-adventure. It's about politics, tradition vs progress, and what it means to be 'human,' and further, what defines one's role in society.
This book was beautiful. The prose was elegant and simple, giving enough detail to develop the otherworldly steampunk city without bogging the reader down in pages of useless description. (Frankly, it has much to do with the perspective of the emancipated automaton heroine's limited viewpoint and interest in such things as much as anything. She tastes and smells in the pursuit of her alchemy... but is not overly involved in hedonistic narcissism of human life.)
I liked the gargoyles perspective, limited in it's own way, though I still don't understand their utter inability to actively engage in the city they profess to love and protect. They just kinda watch, and bemoan their fate. But then, that seems to be the fatal flaw in a lot of the characters - they just don't ACT - or if they do, it's too little, too late.
It was a unique, authentically (and deliciously) steampunk novel. It was also nominated for the Tiptree award in 2008 (a feminist sci-fi award given to exploration of sexuality and gender.)
So it's not a stupid 'paranormal romance' that happens to be set in the alternative world of the moment: Victorian Steampunk. It's not escapist action-adventure. It's about politics, tradition vs progress, and what it means to be 'human,' and further, what defines one's role in society.
This book was beautiful. The prose was elegant and simple, giving enough detail to develop the otherworldly steampunk city without bogging the reader down in pages of useless description. (Frankly, it has much to do with the perspective of the emancipated automaton heroine's limited viewpoint and interest in such things as much as anything. She tastes and smells in the pursuit of her alchemy... but is not overly involved in hedonistic narcissism of human life.)
I liked the gargoyles perspective, limited in it's own way, though I still don't understand their utter inability to actively engage in the city they profess to love and protect. They just kinda watch, and bemoan their fate. But then, that seems to be the fatal flaw in a lot of the characters - they just don't ACT - or if they do, it's too little, too late.
It was a unique, authentically (and deliciously) steampunk novel. It was also nominated for the Tiptree award in 2008 (a feminist sci-fi award given to exploration of sexuality and gender.)
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