Kady Cross

This book got progressively more terrible as it went on. If you've read like the first half and you're confused why people hate it... Just put it down now so you wont have to suffer like I've suffered.

I hate Sam so much. I hate everyone around him for excusing his behavior. He literally tried to kill Finley for something he was responsible for, but it's ok because he was "manipulated." And when she comes to his rescue he has the audacity to go:

"The last person he ever expected to come to his show more aid. Or was she there to make sure the automaton finished its task?"

AFTER HE LEARNS THAT SHE WAS COMPLETELY INNOCENT AND THAT HE'S RESPONSIBLE. Zero consequences. You don't actually have to forgive your friends if they turn out to be pure garbage humans. In fact, you shouldn't. You should end that friendship and never look back.

“That’s my fault,” she insisted. “If I had told you everything after the surgery, you wouldn’t have felt so betrayed. He wouldn’t have lured you in.” “It’s not your fault.” “Then it’s not yours, either.”

It's definitely your fault Sam. If you want to give a terrible character a redemption arc you have to give them some sort of redeeming qualities. Sam has none. It's not enough to keep repeating that he's someone's friend or love interest, there's literally nothing about him that's even remotely likable. He's a worse human than Umbridge, because at least we were never supposed to sympathize with her. If anyone read this book and didn't hate Sam... How? What? Are you ok?

Anyways... You also shouldn't put up with men who trap you in their house and tell you that you need saving and that he's the only one who can save you. Especially if he says shit like:

“Just relax, Finley. I’ll be done soon, and if you’re a good girl, I shall give you a biscuit.”

No. What you should do, Finley, is realize that you're perfectly fine the way you are, that you don't need fixing and that being different doesn't mean you're a monster. Why wasn't that the book, it would have been a lot more interesting than this sexist mess...

But if you must fixate on a man, Finley, pick the one who literally supports your every decision and actually listens to what you want. You know, the one who isn't a privileged, pompous asshat?

Also, there's a conversation to be had about casually inserting orientalism into a story to create ambiance. Like, I understand those were the times, but this is a steampunk novel... It doesn't have to accurately reflect the times? Especially if it doesn't intend to actually offer commentary on the effects of colonialism, but only sprinkles references to it throughout as "flavor."

While the sexism and other problematic content is "timely," this is alternative history or fantasy. If doesn't need to have those aspects. Like, make it make sense?

She's not wearing an "oriental dress," she's wearing a qipao. Why is a white, british YA heroine wearing a qipao? To highlight how she's coming to terms with her own sexuality and becoming more comfortable in her own skin? No. NO. Ew, ew, gross, gross... Like can we not? CAN WE JUST NOT WHY IS IT HAPPENING JUST NO. show less

Xandra, Goblin Queen, is coming more and more accustomed to being a goblin and even staring down Victoria (or sniping at her across the table) but even as her life grows more stable the city and the country succumbs to more and more unrest. There’s a movement led by Xandra’s own mother to depose the aristocracy, some vampire aristocrats are gunning for the Queen, the human masses are rising up violently – and under it all the brutal, horrific experimentations continue in secret show more laboratories on half-bloods; inflaming all factions.

Into this powder keg a creature is released – she looks a lot like Xandra but is even more dangerous. But who was she created to target? Xandra? Victoria? Or just causing mayhem? As anger on the street grows and the hunt for the monster grows more pressing, Xandra has to play politician and diplomat to try and bring the country back from the edge of civil war.

This plot grabbed me and held me – even though it took me to the edge of cringing several times, it also backed off every time. I kept thinking “no, she’s going to play mummy and ignore the danger!” or “no she’s going to risk everyone for this creature!” And it didn’t happen. She was sympathetic – but she wasn’t a fool. The plot itself had twist within twist – ok, I knew who the big bad was pretty early (he wasn’t exactly subtle – or, rather, he was subtle but it was such a classic trope) but who was working with him, why and, ultimately, what his end game was remained a mystery right until the end. With Xandra’s father, the Queen, her mother, her sister and so many other figures constantly stepping into the shade as possible accomplices – then out then back in again it was a mystery to see who Xandra could trust and who it would finally be who turned on her in the end.

The action was exciting, the intrigue was deep without being confusing and the twists were twisting indeed all working extremely well with this setting which I love so much

I love Xandra’s growth as a character – her growing acceptance of being a goblin and not just that she is a goblin but her place in goblin society, her growing affection and ties to the other goblins and their practices. It’s amazing how a book can present its protagonist starting to eat human flesh and it still be read as an excellent moment of character growth and self-acceptance. Yes, I cheered the cannibalism! Beyond the goblins, Xandra is accepting her role as aristocrat and a leader and even slowly expands her viewpoint beyond her people to the country as a whole. I love her transition between wanting to keep her people and loved ones safe (and viewing Victoria as a threat) to slowly seeing the wider societal problems that are tearing the country up (and viewing Victoria as an important ally, even if they still don’t get on). There’s a definite shift in Xandra, a lot of growth – but still that fierce loyalty that characterised her more than anything.

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There are a number of things that are wrong with this book, but I'll get to those in a bit. Admittedly, Locke created a very interesting world - it's politically fraught where the aristocrats are vampires (including Queen Victoria, about to celebrate her 175th year of rule) and werewolves, and their half-blood children serve as their protectors. Xandra is a halvie serving on the Royal Guard. While investigating her sister's disappearance and later death, she discovers that her world is more show more complicated and dangerous than she believed it to be.

First, I did enjoy the book. It's a quick read, and a fun one. The plot moves along briskly and the world-building was extremely interesting.

There are a few things that kept throwing me out of the book, though. The first was that the writing seemed amateurish at points, which is weird considering that Locke has published a number of other books under different names. But the words "chocolatey goodness" should never appear on the pages of a professionally published book. The author also tried a little too hard to make the book seem English - using "kerb" and "colour", for example. Xandra also throws in the odd "Oy". The book's setting is the Britain that Americans believe to be Britain.

Also, I got the feeling the author wrote this to piggyback onto the steampunk craze, even though this book contained very little actual steampunk (actually, pretty much nothing - there were no steam engines). Steampunk is more than corsets and tiny hats. And it pisses me off when things are labeled "steampunk" when it's obviously just a ploy to get people to buy it because steampunk is the 'in' thing right now.

The plot was interesting, and I did consider reading the next one but the awful shallowness and marketing around this book just turned me off. show less

THE FAERY’S VIEW

I LOVED The Girl in the Steel Corset---Everything about it! Kady Cross created an amazing world; Victorian London with a Steam-punky edge that was incredible in its detail I wanted to be there to experience it for myself but Ms. Cross’s vivid descriptions were the next best thing. Moving on to vivid descriptions, Ms. Cross’s character descriptions quickly had me entrenched in the story. Finley, already a favorite heroine from the novella, The Strange Case of Finley show more Jayne, became even more realistic to me. Her friends became my friends and in turn, her enemies became my enemies! This book is a One-Sit-Read, the highest honor that this reviewer can give.

Finley, at odds with her two selves; the bad or the other Finley who rejoices in vengence and violence-to those who justly deserve it, of course, that part of Finley seems to only come out when someone is being harmed, abused or threatened and the good Finley, the lady her mother brought her up to be. Finley has always known there is something different about her, she’s incredibly fast, incredibly strong and can do things that no human should be able to do. She heals incredibly fast and can take incredible injury that would kill others. Finley has no idea who her real father is and her mother won’t speak much about him and when she does, Finley senses some untruth lying just underneath her mother’s statements. Will she ever find out who her father is and if so, is he like her?

Finley’s 16 years old and has been sacked from her last two positions for defending those that couldn’t defend themselves, she gets another position in a very wealthy family’s Manse. Fearing she’s killed the rascal son who rapes the maids after punching him quite soundly in the mouth when he gets rough with her, the other Finley takes over and runs like a wild thing. It’s while she’s running blindly that she runs into the Griffin, The Duke of Greythorne, literally, while he’s riding his steam-powered velocycle. He decides to take her home to Greythorne knowing that she’s different immediately. Griffin’s learned to trust his instincts and he’s sure he’s right about this girl lying unconscious with only a cut on her cheek when she should have multiple injuries.

After the shock of waking up in the most luxurious room Finley’s ever seen and then the shock of being in the home of THE Duke of Greythorne, she meets Griffins rag-tag group of friends, all of whom are exceedingly loyal to Griff. Finley feels at once very at home but also an outsider. There’s Emily, with ropey red hair and the smartest person that Finley’s ever met-she’s extremely kind to Finley, then there is Sam, a monster of a man who is part robot who seems angry all the time, many of his barbs directed at Emily and Griff and he makes his distrust of Finley known as often as possible, Griff’s Aunt Cordelia who is his Guardian until he reaches the age of 21, though she is only 10 years or so older then he is but there is a deep affection between the two. Cordelia is a gifted mind reader which comes in handy at times, later we meet Jasper, an American six-gun shooter cowboy who can shoot like nobody’s business. Everyone she meets has something that makes them ‘unusual’. Finley fits right in and she needs to earn the trust of her new friends, friends that know about her two selves and unusual abilities yet still haven’t thrown her out. Ms. Cross did such an amazing job with her characters-they’re vivid, vulnerable and step off the page realistic.

The heart of the story is to catch the notorious Machinist, the criminal who has sent automatons to attack people. Diggers that help dig tunnels is one of the creations he adjusted and the one that almost took Sam’s life. When there is a robbery at The British Museum and it appears it was an automaton that did it, the group can only assume that the Machinist is up to no good. Some of the Queens personal items start disappearing and it’s only weeks before The Jubilee Celebration. The Queen makes a Jubilee procession through all of London during that time and Griffin and gang feel her life could be in great danger along with all those that attend. Will they have enough time to stop the Machinist and his mad plans? Is that his plan? You’ll have to read this fascinating story yourself to find out and I highly recommend you do. show less