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The Baskerville Affair #1
A Study in Silks
London, April 4, 1888 ~ Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock Holmes, is ready for her first London Season - except for a murderer, missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse. In a Victorian era ruled by a ruthless steam baron council, mechanical power is the real monarch, and sorcery the demon enemy of the empire. Evelina has secretly mastered a coveted weapon - magic that can run machines. Should she trust the handsome, clever rake who speeds her breath, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything she would ask?
531 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 24, 2013
About the author
Emma Jane Holloway
14 books245 followersEver since childhood, Emma Jane Holloway refused to accept that history was nothing but facts prisoned behind the closed door of time. Why waste a perfectly good playground coloring within the timelines? Accordingly, her novels are filled with whimsical impossibilities and the occasional eye-blinking impertinence—but always in the service of grand adventure.
Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.
Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.
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October 5, 2013
I'm a somewhat impatient reader. I don't mind a long book, but it has to be worth the investment, and I felt that this very, very long book was not worth the time and effort that I have devoted to it.
This book has the feel of Anne Perry's Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, without the sensible plot development, without the complex character portrayal, with a largely forgettable cast. What it does have (to its detriment), is a predictable and stupid love triangle, a boring main character---who, I must be honest, doesn't even feel like a main character, because she feels sidelined by the needlessly large side cast, an overly complicated plot, and a cliffhanger.
There are several rather...questionable words used to describe people of certain races. Words like Negro, and Chinaman. Fine, I accept that those words were probably used quite freely during that time era, but I do question the author's choice in including such words in her work, particularly in this day and age, when they are so offensive. It's just my personal pet peeve.
Don't be fooled by the cover...our heroine is nowhere as cool in the book. Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes, whose connection is tenuous and barely mentioned throughout much of the book. She is caught between two worlds, the one she was born to: that of the Gypsy and their traveling circus, and one to which she was adopted: that of upper-middle-class respectability. Evelina has a secret, she has magic (also referred to as having the Blood); this is a dangerous skill to have, and one that must remain hidden, because in this steampunk version of Victorian England, magic is illegal and the discovery could lead to her execution.
During an extended stay with her friend Imogen Roth, daughter of Viscount Roth, Lord Bancroft, she finds some highly illegal automatons (robots), and is involved in the discovery of a servant girl's death, all in one night. She sets out to solve the girl's death, with an ulterior motive which has me gritting my teeth---she merely doesn't want her beloved best friend to be embroiled in scandal during her Season, despite the fact that someone in the household may be the murderer. So much for impartiality; Sherlock Holmes would be so disappointed in his niece.
But wait! That's not all. I only wish that Evelina's determination to solve the murder mystery was the only plotline...then this book might have been tolerable. Nope nope nope. We have numerous other plotlines to be resolved, which ultimately ends in me having a headache.
The plot
The book is told from a third-person POV, with multiple narratives. You may think this is Evelina's book. You would be wrong. Her character and story feels completely sidelined by the much overly complicated plot and numerous side narratives of the other characters. For example, we get the narrative of: Nick (Evelina's former love, from her old life), Tobias Roth (golden son of Viscount Roth), Imogen (Evelina's best friend), Jasper Keating (a steam baron), Lord Bancroft. Most of the narratives just added to the confusion of the plot, and some--like Imogen's, added absolutely nothing more than giving us insight into a young woman's view of the Season and her potential suitors. The first half of the book was frankly, a pain to read through, because the various plot strings have not yet come together, and it just added to my frustration to have to follow multiple conspiracies from multiple perspectives. The book is far too complicated, and far too long.
- We have Evelina trying to solve the mystery of a servant's death.
- We have Evelina concealing evidence and trying to solve the mystery of the various items she stole off the corpse, as well as detecting the traces of magic on it.
- We have the steam barons seeking to consolidate their power.
- We have one particular steam baron seeking a magical artifact.
- We have Lord Bancroft plotting against the steam barons.
- We have a mysterious shadowy figure with an unknown motive.
- We have magic and demons in play.
- We have Sherlock Holmes drawn unwittingly into the scheme at some point.
- We have playboys involved in juvenile bets, like almost setting a fucking theatre on fire and killing everyone for the sake of amusement.
- We have side characters doing their own investigation while investigating yet more things for someone who hired them.
- We have a love triangle.
- We have Evelina trying to go about her Season and being presented to the Queen
- We have Evelina's best friend trying to find a husband
It is just altogether too fucking much.
The Setting
The world building is interesting; it is a steampunk version of England in every sense of the word, because steam rules the day. The steam barons are a council of very powerful men and women who control England behind the scenes because of the power, literally, that they wield. England runs on power, on steam, and these people hold England more or less hostage.
An intriguing premise...but the delivery is not so effective. While the explanation of the power of steam is quite grandiose...the extent of how steam and electricity is used is, well, not so impressive. The power of the steam barons is mostly told, not shown. From what we see in the book, steam is mostly used to power tea trolleys in the house, in sauce-dispensing machines for dinner parties, and for pretty decorative lights outside of wealthy people's houses.
There is a slight inclusion of magic, there are elemental creatures called devas, which are largely controlled by Evelina for the purpose of spying. There are hints of demonic possessions. The use of magic is there, but the inclusion of it just didn't interest me, and it didn't really feel like it meshed well with the plot overall.
The Characters
Evelina: She is smart...but her investigative skills leave a lot to be desired. She is completely biased, she sets out her investigation with a purpose in mind: to save her friend's family from scandal, so in this caase, her skills as a credible detective is highly questionable. Evelina doesn't change at all throughout the novel. Her character lacks the development and the complexity, we see her doing a lot of things, but there's very little insight into her mind, and I personally do not feel that she matures at all. I like that she is intelligent, I like that she wants to pursue her education, and that she likes mechanical things and tinkering around with engineering, but there is a serious lack of depth and insight into her personality.
To be honest, Evelina feels like a Mary Sue at times, she is too perfect...and she never feel like she fits in. "She was caught between, half gentry and half vagabond, two halves that never knit properly together." She knows how to act like a lady, and she knows how to walk on a tightrope. She is...
Tobias & Nick: I'm going to lump the two love interests together, because they are such horrible tropes. Nick is the Indomitable Niccolo, the circus knife-throwing man. The mysterious, dark, handsomely swarthy bad boy who loves Evelina from afar and is too far beneath her socially to entertain dreams of having a future with her. Tobias is the golden-haired playboy, a secretly brilliant engineer, the son and heir of a Viscountancy, completely out of Evelina's league. He knows that she's beyond his status, but of course, he selfishly pursues her anyway. I hated both of them; both men are completely unoriginal, and can be found in various reincarnations in 99.7% of the substandard PNR/fantasies in existence.
Apparently, Tobias and Nick can be compared to ships! Shiiiiips!
Broken record here, but the romance and love triangle is stupid. For Nick, Evelina has "always been the only girl who’d ever made his whole being come alive just by walking into a room." Um. They grew up together, they last saw each other when she was 14, and he was 17. That's a little creepy. And for Nick to continue feeling that way about her 5 years later...it's unrealistic.
And Tobias, well...trope aside, they had a lovely little moment of attraction...
Not recommended. Too long of a book for too little return in pleasure of reading.
This book has the feel of Anne Perry's Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, without the sensible plot development, without the complex character portrayal, with a largely forgettable cast. What it does have (to its detriment), is a predictable and stupid love triangle, a boring main character---who, I must be honest, doesn't even feel like a main character, because she feels sidelined by the needlessly large side cast, an overly complicated plot, and a cliffhanger.
There are several rather...questionable words used to describe people of certain races. Words like Negro, and Chinaman. Fine, I accept that those words were probably used quite freely during that time era, but I do question the author's choice in including such words in her work, particularly in this day and age, when they are so offensive. It's just my personal pet peeve.
Don't be fooled by the cover...our heroine is nowhere as cool in the book. Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes, whose connection is tenuous and barely mentioned throughout much of the book. She is caught between two worlds, the one she was born to: that of the Gypsy and their traveling circus, and one to which she was adopted: that of upper-middle-class respectability. Evelina has a secret, she has magic (also referred to as having the Blood); this is a dangerous skill to have, and one that must remain hidden, because in this steampunk version of Victorian England, magic is illegal and the discovery could lead to her execution.
During an extended stay with her friend Imogen Roth, daughter of Viscount Roth, Lord Bancroft, she finds some highly illegal automatons (robots), and is involved in the discovery of a servant girl's death, all in one night. She sets out to solve the girl's death, with an ulterior motive which has me gritting my teeth---she merely doesn't want her beloved best friend to be embroiled in scandal during her Season, despite the fact that someone in the household may be the murderer. So much for impartiality; Sherlock Holmes would be so disappointed in his niece.
But wait! That's not all. I only wish that Evelina's determination to solve the murder mystery was the only plotline...then this book might have been tolerable. Nope nope nope. We have numerous other plotlines to be resolved, which ultimately ends in me having a headache.
The plot
The book is told from a third-person POV, with multiple narratives. You may think this is Evelina's book. You would be wrong. Her character and story feels completely sidelined by the much overly complicated plot and numerous side narratives of the other characters. For example, we get the narrative of: Nick (Evelina's former love, from her old life), Tobias Roth (golden son of Viscount Roth), Imogen (Evelina's best friend), Jasper Keating (a steam baron), Lord Bancroft. Most of the narratives just added to the confusion of the plot, and some--like Imogen's, added absolutely nothing more than giving us insight into a young woman's view of the Season and her potential suitors. The first half of the book was frankly, a pain to read through, because the various plot strings have not yet come together, and it just added to my frustration to have to follow multiple conspiracies from multiple perspectives. The book is far too complicated, and far too long.
- We have Evelina trying to solve the mystery of a servant's death.
- We have Evelina concealing evidence and trying to solve the mystery of the various items she stole off the corpse, as well as detecting the traces of magic on it.
- We have the steam barons seeking to consolidate their power.
- We have one particular steam baron seeking a magical artifact.
- We have Lord Bancroft plotting against the steam barons.
- We have a mysterious shadowy figure with an unknown motive.
- We have magic and demons in play.
- We have Sherlock Holmes drawn unwittingly into the scheme at some point.
- We have playboys involved in juvenile bets, like almost setting a fucking theatre on fire and killing everyone for the sake of amusement.
- We have side characters doing their own investigation while investigating yet more things for someone who hired them.
- We have a love triangle.
- We have Evelina trying to go about her Season and being presented to the Queen
- We have Evelina's best friend trying to find a husband
It is just altogether too fucking much.
The Setting
The world building is interesting; it is a steampunk version of England in every sense of the word, because steam rules the day. The steam barons are a council of very powerful men and women who control England behind the scenes because of the power, literally, that they wield. England runs on power, on steam, and these people hold England more or less hostage.
The steam barons ran their companies and, by extension, certain towns and neighborhoods with a combination of bribes and threats.Magic is hated and feared, particularly by the steam barons, because its mysterious origins run contrary to their investment. If magic could power things, then the steam barons would be run out of business. Thus, magic is illegal, and to be tried as a witch is a surefire sentence of execution. Steam barons can also show their power to those who disobey by Disconnecting---or effectively cutting off electricity and power---to a household it deemed unworthy.
“Can you imagine what would happen if Parliament challenged them, and the Steam Council stopped supplying coal and gas?”
“There would be riots in the streets. If it went on long enough, the government would fall.”
"Steam may be the engine that drives the Empire, but the steam barons are the knife at its throat.”
An intriguing premise...but the delivery is not so effective. While the explanation of the power of steam is quite grandiose...the extent of how steam and electricity is used is, well, not so impressive. The power of the steam barons is mostly told, not shown. From what we see in the book, steam is mostly used to power tea trolleys in the house, in sauce-dispensing machines for dinner parties, and for pretty decorative lights outside of wealthy people's houses.
There is a slight inclusion of magic, there are elemental creatures called devas, which are largely controlled by Evelina for the purpose of spying. There are hints of demonic possessions. The use of magic is there, but the inclusion of it just didn't interest me, and it didn't really feel like it meshed well with the plot overall.
The Characters
Evelina: She is smart...but her investigative skills leave a lot to be desired. She is completely biased, she sets out her investigation with a purpose in mind: to save her friend's family from scandal, so in this caase, her skills as a credible detective is highly questionable. Evelina doesn't change at all throughout the novel. Her character lacks the development and the complexity, we see her doing a lot of things, but there's very little insight into her mind, and I personally do not feel that she matures at all. I like that she is intelligent, I like that she wants to pursue her education, and that she likes mechanical things and tinkering around with engineering, but there is a serious lack of depth and insight into her personality.
To be honest, Evelina feels like a Mary Sue at times, she is too perfect...and she never feel like she fits in. "She was caught between, half gentry and half vagabond, two halves that never knit properly together." She knows how to act like a lady, and she knows how to walk on a tightrope. She is...
...a beauty. Skin like the moon and hair like a starless nightEvelina is too much. She is unbelievable.It is not that she is an annoying character, Evelina is quite tolerable, even if she does incredibly stupid things (like hang upside down outside a window in the middle of the night), but I'm just not attached to her character.
Tobias & Nick: I'm going to lump the two love interests together, because they are such horrible tropes. Nick is the Indomitable Niccolo, the circus knife-throwing man. The mysterious, dark, handsomely swarthy bad boy who loves Evelina from afar and is too far beneath her socially to entertain dreams of having a future with her. Tobias is the golden-haired playboy, a secretly brilliant engineer, the son and heir of a Viscountancy, completely out of Evelina's league. He knows that she's beyond his status, but of course, he selfishly pursues her anyway. I hated both of them; both men are completely unoriginal, and can be found in various reincarnations in 99.7% of the substandard PNR/fantasies in existence.
Apparently, Tobias and Nick can be compared to ships! Shiiiiips!
Tobias would have been something beautifully crafted and elegant with lots of white sails—the meeting place of tradition and innovation.Romance
Nick, on the other hand, would have been a sleek pirate ship. He already had the gold rings in his ears.
Broken record here, but the romance and love triangle is stupid. For Nick, Evelina has "always been the only girl who’d ever made his whole being come alive just by walking into a room." Um. They grew up together, they last saw each other when she was 14, and he was 17. That's a little creepy. And for Nick to continue feeling that way about her 5 years later...it's unrealistic.
And Tobias, well...trope aside, they had a lovely little moment of attraction...
The top buttons of his shirt were undone, his collar gone. She could see the smooth pale arc of his throat. Beneath the scent of brandy, she could smell smoke, as if he’d been standing next to a steam engine.Cute, right? Well, not exactly. Because they're both hovering over a mutilated corpse.
He crouched next to her. He was so near, she could feel the heat of his body, and it was all she could do not to lean even closer.
...a dead body. Not just dead, but violently dead. The straggling hair was matted with blood...The dead woman’s face was obscured by the tumble of her hair, but Evelina could see the throat had been slashed from ear to ear.Sooooooooooo romantic! Yeah, you can see where this goes.
Not recommended. Too long of a book for too little return in pleasure of reading.
March 4, 2017
Re-posting review to coincide with book publication on September 24th, 2013.
-------------------------
A Study in Silks is still lingering in my mind. It ended up having depths to it that I really didn't expect from a historical mystery/romance. Often even when I enjoy a book, it's easy to move right on to the next one, but this is making me pause for a moment to absorb it all. I'm so thankful that I don't have to wait a year for the next two books, since they are all being released this year.
It's an intriguing mix of my favorite genres and this time I feel the mix worked really well. It has historical mystery, romance, and fantasy all mixed with Steampunk - a genre I'm beginning to explore.
The mystery is only a part of the whole, and isn't in the typical mystery style. Answers are revealed to the reader when the viewpoint shifts instead of when the heroine, Evelina, discovers them (and there are multiple viewpoints). At first I wasn't sure how I liked knowing more than Evelina, but it ended up having complexities that took me by surprise, avoiding easy answers and pat endings.
I should mention now that this is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and Evelina is the niece of Holmes. Enter murder in the respectable home where Evelina is a guest, and the underbelly of Victorian London takes on a new aspect. I'm not sure how well the Sherlock portion is done since I'm not an Arthur Conan Doyle aficionado. Without having a real frame of reference for the legend, I can't judge. But I can say this was a great story and his part was only a sliver of the whole.
The Fantasy and Steampunk version of London is very well done. I felt like it all fit together very well. Magic is pitted against Steam, and Steam against traditional political power. This is a dangerous mix in a city choked by the monopoly of Steam Barons, with Evelina caught in the thick of it, in danger of her own magic being exposed at every turn. Solving the murder could unravel everything. This makes for a much more dangerous London than we normally get.
With all the investigative drama and danger going on, Evelina is still a young lady in her first London season. She is a heroine who doesn't quite fit the social scene, having grown up in a circus and possessing outlawed magic. I was sure the romance was going to be typical 'regency' style courtship and manners (which was part of it), and it seemed ready to develop into a typical love-triangle debacle as well. But I was pleasantly surprised that even the romance didn't turn out as shallow as I feared. I'm ready to find out what happens next!
I'm trying to think if there's any reason I shouldn't give this 5 stars since I don't want to hand them out lightly. But for me it was the combination of favorite genres done well, it was entertaining, and didn't live down to my jaded expectations. I'm feeling generous.
**Received free arc for review.
-------------------------
A Study in Silks is still lingering in my mind. It ended up having depths to it that I really didn't expect from a historical mystery/romance. Often even when I enjoy a book, it's easy to move right on to the next one, but this is making me pause for a moment to absorb it all. I'm so thankful that I don't have to wait a year for the next two books, since they are all being released this year.
It's an intriguing mix of my favorite genres and this time I feel the mix worked really well. It has historical mystery, romance, and fantasy all mixed with Steampunk - a genre I'm beginning to explore.
The mystery is only a part of the whole, and isn't in the typical mystery style. Answers are revealed to the reader when the viewpoint shifts instead of when the heroine, Evelina, discovers them (and there are multiple viewpoints). At first I wasn't sure how I liked knowing more than Evelina, but it ended up having complexities that took me by surprise, avoiding easy answers and pat endings.
I should mention now that this is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and Evelina is the niece of Holmes. Enter murder in the respectable home where Evelina is a guest, and the underbelly of Victorian London takes on a new aspect. I'm not sure how well the Sherlock portion is done since I'm not an Arthur Conan Doyle aficionado. Without having a real frame of reference for the legend, I can't judge. But I can say this was a great story and his part was only a sliver of the whole.
The Fantasy and Steampunk version of London is very well done. I felt like it all fit together very well. Magic is pitted against Steam, and Steam against traditional political power. This is a dangerous mix in a city choked by the monopoly of Steam Barons, with Evelina caught in the thick of it, in danger of her own magic being exposed at every turn. Solving the murder could unravel everything. This makes for a much more dangerous London than we normally get.
With all the investigative drama and danger going on, Evelina is still a young lady in her first London season. She is a heroine who doesn't quite fit the social scene, having grown up in a circus and possessing outlawed magic. I was sure the romance was going to be typical 'regency' style courtship and manners (which was part of it), and it seemed ready to develop into a typical love-triangle debacle as well. But I was pleasantly surprised that even the romance didn't turn out as shallow as I feared. I'm ready to find out what happens next!
I'm trying to think if there's any reason I shouldn't give this 5 stars since I don't want to hand them out lightly. But for me it was the combination of favorite genres done well, it was entertaining, and didn't live down to my jaded expectations. I'm feeling generous.
**Received free arc for review.
August 29, 2013
This book isn't out yet, but the editor sent me a copy to read and give a cover quote if I liked it. Well, I didn't read it fast enough to give a quote, but I did enjoy it.
The setting is very similar to the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - Victorian England with steampunk and magic. While Gail's book has vampires and werewolves as part of the story, A Study in Silks has a different magic system. Also the main character, Evelina is younger and on the verge of her debutante season.
Evelina is smart and persistent and she gets involved with the mystery right away. She's also the niece of Sherlock Holmes...yeah, I didn't like this for some reason. And while Uncle Sherlock is off on his own adventure during most of the book he arrives about three-quarters of the way in and, in my opinion, doesn't add anything to the book. I'd rather Evelina solve the puzzles on her own or with the help of her friends rather than her uncle, and there's a number of questions left unanswered at the end, which just means there will be book 2 (planned to be released a month after book 1 and I think book 3 is coming the month after 2). So I'm okay with that even though I'd never leave my readers hanging....uh...yeah...never mind! ;)
I'd recommend this book to those who enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate series. There's plenty of romance between hunky Nic and handsome Tobias and lots of steampunk gadgets like giant squids.
The setting is very similar to the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - Victorian England with steampunk and magic. While Gail's book has vampires and werewolves as part of the story, A Study in Silks has a different magic system. Also the main character, Evelina is younger and on the verge of her debutante season.
Evelina is smart and persistent and she gets involved with the mystery right away. She's also the niece of Sherlock Holmes...yeah, I didn't like this for some reason. And while Uncle Sherlock is off on his own adventure during most of the book he arrives about three-quarters of the way in and, in my opinion, doesn't add anything to the book. I'd rather Evelina solve the puzzles on her own or with the help of her friends rather than her uncle, and there's a number of questions left unanswered at the end, which just means there will be book 2 (planned to be released a month after book 1 and I think book 3 is coming the month after 2). So I'm okay with that even though I'd never leave my readers hanging....uh...yeah...never mind! ;)
I'd recommend this book to those who enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate series. There's plenty of romance between hunky Nic and handsome Tobias and lots of steampunk gadgets like giant squids.
July 11, 2019
***The Summer of Sherlock 2019***
3.5 stars
A very steampunk story, with an indirect connection to Sherlock Holmes. The author gives the great detective a sister, who has produced this niece before dying. The niece has been retrieved from her father’s side of the family, a circus family. That’s as in trapezes, not in family hysterics!
So it’s way out there, Holmes-wise. I can’t help but think that the author could have made up a famous detective of her own to fill in for the detective uncle and the story would have been just as good. However, it does tie into a late Holmes story, The Problem of Thor Bridge. This is obviously where Holloway got her inspiration for the Gold King, and the various steambarons who divide London up between them with their monopolistic business ventures.
There are clockwork devices and occasional magic, not at all the usual stuff of Sherlock Holmes stories, but it was a fun little romp and I’m looking forward to the next book. Our heroine, Evelina Cooper, will undoubtedly have to choose between her two men, circus performer Nick and blue blood Tobias. Having burned bridges with both of them in this volume, it will be interesting to see how the author ropes them back in during the next book.
I would warn away the Sherlock Holmes purists from this series, but if you are into Steampunk paranormal romances, A Study in Silks is pretty decent.
3.5 stars
A very steampunk story, with an indirect connection to Sherlock Holmes. The author gives the great detective a sister, who has produced this niece before dying. The niece has been retrieved from her father’s side of the family, a circus family. That’s as in trapezes, not in family hysterics!
So it’s way out there, Holmes-wise. I can’t help but think that the author could have made up a famous detective of her own to fill in for the detective uncle and the story would have been just as good. However, it does tie into a late Holmes story, The Problem of Thor Bridge. This is obviously where Holloway got her inspiration for the Gold King, and the various steambarons who divide London up between them with their monopolistic business ventures.
There are clockwork devices and occasional magic, not at all the usual stuff of Sherlock Holmes stories, but it was a fun little romp and I’m looking forward to the next book. Our heroine, Evelina Cooper, will undoubtedly have to choose between her two men, circus performer Nick and blue blood Tobias. Having burned bridges with both of them in this volume, it will be interesting to see how the author ropes them back in during the next book.
I would warn away the Sherlock Holmes purists from this series, but if you are into Steampunk paranormal romances, A Study in Silks is pretty decent.
October 31, 2013
Through most of this book, I couldn't make up my mind if I liked it or not. There were so many elements that could break badly so the jury remained out, even as the story was gripping enough to keep me going. Fortunately, my worst fears were never realized and Holloway even managed a deeply satisfying ending (though not in ways you'd think).
There are three elements that niggled at me the most. First was the love triangle. I hate these things and wish authors would just stop. And this one felt as contrived as any other. Two guys from opposite ends of the social spectrum, both interested in our heroine (who is, frustratingly, in a social middle ground that makes her realistically off-limits to both). Drama, drama, drama. And, of course, she likes them both for their individual qualities.
Unexpectedly, this element resolves at the end in a manner that surprised and delighted me. Spoilers would be a true disservice, so that's all you'll get from me. Suffice it to say that the eventual resolution was deeply, artistically perfect. I really wish I could burble on about it, but I just can't in a review.
Unfortunately, the other two remain niggles--enough so that I just couldn't bump this to 5 stars (or even 4.5). The first of these is the political background. I'm sorry, but the steam barons just don't survive scrutiny. They've usurped enough power and function from government that they are a threat to government--you know, the people with real guns and soldiers to wield them. They're like organized crime if the mafia decided to publish an org chart and carry out public meetings. You can see how that would end badly for the mafia. Now, this is a particular difficulty of mine with political machinations that don't survive close scrutiny. Still, while they're an important part of the story, the political setup really isn't. I had to keep reminding myself of this, which detracted from my enjoyment somewhat.
Oh, and in like manner, the whole "magic is illegal" doesn't hold up well, either. The barons seem like the type who would grasp at any and every advantage, but even if they aren't, France, Spain, Germany or any of the other unruly powers across the channel would just love to have a pronounced advantage by recruiting magical people to their cause. That's an arms race with way too clear an advantage to forgo on nothing but fear. Since we know from Evelina's example that magic isn't inherently evil, this is functionally no different from having guys around with any other natural endowment--like, say, Sherlock Holmes.
The final weakness had the biggest impact on pacing but was the easiest for me to get used to. I'm not a fan of frequent perspective shifts, particularly when those include opposing players in a drama. It feels like a new home owner who has to show you the attic and the crawlspace under the house just because it's all so very neat! If I'm invested in the heroine, that's the story I want to see and every other perspective slows things down, takes me out of her world, and there is rarely anything vital that couldn't have been (and eventually is) shown from her perspective, anyway. Holloway doesn't fumble this as badly as some as the non-Evelina parts are at least interesting, even if they're mostly filler.
So yeah, weaknesses. I still enjoyed the heck out of this book. Evelina is a wonderful protagonist with a delightful friend in Imogen. The world is vivid, even if both the magic and steampunk elements are something of an intrusion on a Sherlock Holmes tie-in. I'm actually impressed with how well both worked out. Yeah, there's hand-waving, but that's a given for steampunk and Holloway kept it to a minimum.
This was a solid three stars all the way through, though with the nagging proviso that it could easily screw things up and drop to one. And then it flashed up to four with the ending. I'll definitely be picking up the next when I can.
There are three elements that niggled at me the most. First was the love triangle. I hate these things and wish authors would just stop. And this one felt as contrived as any other. Two guys from opposite ends of the social spectrum, both interested in our heroine (who is, frustratingly, in a social middle ground that makes her realistically off-limits to both). Drama, drama, drama. And, of course, she likes them both for their individual qualities.
Unexpectedly, this element resolves at the end in a manner that surprised and delighted me. Spoilers would be a true disservice, so that's all you'll get from me. Suffice it to say that the eventual resolution was deeply, artistically perfect. I really wish I could burble on about it, but I just can't in a review.
Unfortunately, the other two remain niggles--enough so that I just couldn't bump this to 5 stars (or even 4.5). The first of these is the political background. I'm sorry, but the steam barons just don't survive scrutiny. They've usurped enough power and function from government that they are a threat to government--you know, the people with real guns and soldiers to wield them. They're like organized crime if the mafia decided to publish an org chart and carry out public meetings. You can see how that would end badly for the mafia. Now, this is a particular difficulty of mine with political machinations that don't survive close scrutiny. Still, while they're an important part of the story, the political setup really isn't. I had to keep reminding myself of this, which detracted from my enjoyment somewhat.
Oh, and in like manner, the whole "magic is illegal" doesn't hold up well, either. The barons seem like the type who would grasp at any and every advantage, but even if they aren't, France, Spain, Germany or any of the other unruly powers across the channel would just love to have a pronounced advantage by recruiting magical people to their cause. That's an arms race with way too clear an advantage to forgo on nothing but fear. Since we know from Evelina's example that magic isn't inherently evil, this is functionally no different from having guys around with any other natural endowment--like, say, Sherlock Holmes.
The final weakness had the biggest impact on pacing but was the easiest for me to get used to. I'm not a fan of frequent perspective shifts, particularly when those include opposing players in a drama. It feels like a new home owner who has to show you the attic and the crawlspace under the house just because it's all so very neat! If I'm invested in the heroine, that's the story I want to see and every other perspective slows things down, takes me out of her world, and there is rarely anything vital that couldn't have been (and eventually is) shown from her perspective, anyway. Holloway doesn't fumble this as badly as some as the non-Evelina parts are at least interesting, even if they're mostly filler.
So yeah, weaknesses. I still enjoyed the heck out of this book. Evelina is a wonderful protagonist with a delightful friend in Imogen. The world is vivid, even if both the magic and steampunk elements are something of an intrusion on a Sherlock Holmes tie-in. I'm actually impressed with how well both worked out. Yeah, there's hand-waving, but that's a given for steampunk and Holloway kept it to a minimum.
This was a solid three stars all the way through, though with the nagging proviso that it could easily screw things up and drop to one. And then it flashed up to four with the ending. I'll definitely be picking up the next when I can.
August 29, 2013
A Study in Silks was a book I won from a Goodreads giveaway. Part steampunk historical mystery and part fantasy paranormal romance, I was initially drawn to the story's setting as well as its description of the main character Evelina Cooper as being the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes.
Eveline, however, is not solely defined by her famous uncle, and I liked how Emma Jane Holloway has given her character an exceptional background with which to distinguish herself. Thanks to her Granny Holmes, Evelina was plucked from a childhood of growing up with a traveling circus to be dropped into a world of lords and ladies, and here she must learn to live a life caught between two worlds.
But Sherlock Holmes' work has clearly also rubbed off on her, given how eagerly she aspires to follow in his footsteps. When a young servant girl is killed at the home of her best friend, Evelina does what she can for the investigation, going as far as to use her gift of the Blood, which allows her to communicate with minor spirits and recruit them to her aid.
At first glance, one would suppose there's a lot happening in this novel. In fact, one of the most noticeable features of the paperback when it arrived was how remarkably hefty it was. Coming in at more than 500 pages, it's much longer than I would have expected from a book of this genre and type, and my first assumption was that there would be a lot of world building.
In this, I suppose I was half correct. The setting is ambitious, definitely, in this world of steam barons, demons and devas, clockwork animals and automatons. A little too ambitious, maybe, seeing as I was left wishing more attention could have been given to both the steampunk and magical aspect, putting them in further context. I'd have loved to know more about the deva spirits, for example, beyond simply knowng that Evelina has the power to snare them in her mechanical toys and make them do her bidding.
The fact that A Study in Silks falls more heavily on the "paranormal romance" side of things might have something to do with this. Quite honestly, more emphasis in the story is given to providing juicy details about which character is fancying whom, rather than towards world building and setting up a murder mystery. In truth, if Sherlock Holmes were real he'd probably have a conniption fit over Evelina's methods. While I love her character, I don't actually think our heroine makes a good detective, as she often lets her emotional ties get in the way of her objectivity.
My take: The mystery plot spices it up well, but mainly check this book out if you like historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in, and extra bonus if you are a fan of delicious love triangles, which in itself provides a bit of suspense here. The book is definitely not without its merits, especially if you think you might enjoy the look into its elegant world of Victorian steampunk high society, complete with formal balls and debutantes.
More reviews at The BiblioSanctum
Eveline, however, is not solely defined by her famous uncle, and I liked how Emma Jane Holloway has given her character an exceptional background with which to distinguish herself. Thanks to her Granny Holmes, Evelina was plucked from a childhood of growing up with a traveling circus to be dropped into a world of lords and ladies, and here she must learn to live a life caught between two worlds.
But Sherlock Holmes' work has clearly also rubbed off on her, given how eagerly she aspires to follow in his footsteps. When a young servant girl is killed at the home of her best friend, Evelina does what she can for the investigation, going as far as to use her gift of the Blood, which allows her to communicate with minor spirits and recruit them to her aid.
At first glance, one would suppose there's a lot happening in this novel. In fact, one of the most noticeable features of the paperback when it arrived was how remarkably hefty it was. Coming in at more than 500 pages, it's much longer than I would have expected from a book of this genre and type, and my first assumption was that there would be a lot of world building.
In this, I suppose I was half correct. The setting is ambitious, definitely, in this world of steam barons, demons and devas, clockwork animals and automatons. A little too ambitious, maybe, seeing as I was left wishing more attention could have been given to both the steampunk and magical aspect, putting them in further context. I'd have loved to know more about the deva spirits, for example, beyond simply knowng that Evelina has the power to snare them in her mechanical toys and make them do her bidding.
The fact that A Study in Silks falls more heavily on the "paranormal romance" side of things might have something to do with this. Quite honestly, more emphasis in the story is given to providing juicy details about which character is fancying whom, rather than towards world building and setting up a murder mystery. In truth, if Sherlock Holmes were real he'd probably have a conniption fit over Evelina's methods. While I love her character, I don't actually think our heroine makes a good detective, as she often lets her emotional ties get in the way of her objectivity.
My take: The mystery plot spices it up well, but mainly check this book out if you like historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in, and extra bonus if you are a fan of delicious love triangles, which in itself provides a bit of suspense here. The book is definitely not without its merits, especially if you think you might enjoy the look into its elegant world of Victorian steampunk high society, complete with formal balls and debutantes.
More reviews at The BiblioSanctum
August 8, 2013
First off, let me declare that I strongly disapprove of fanfiction.
That being said, if we uprooted the fanfiction from this book, I could like it. It would still have its flaws, but it would be likeable.
As it is, it's been a dreadful experience.
When I picked up this from Netgalley, I was blinded by the cover and the words “steampunk”, “murder”, “sorcery” and “mystery”. So what if the heroine is supposed to be Sherlock Holmes’ niece? It will be just a little mention here and there…
That wretched kinship was all over the place. That was disturbing enough, until we came to the absolute horror that was Sherlock's parody.
In this book, I've seen Sherlock giving advice for a young lady's Season, Sherlock listening to a girl prattling, Sherlock submitting to blackmail, Sherlock asserting that he believes in magic…
Maybe I'm a bit touchy. Sherlock was one of my very first literary crushes.
Every Sherlock lover out there will know that he was a genius as well as a drug addict, an utter misogynist, a probable sociopath and an overall bastard. I loved him with all the passion my adolescent self could have.
My personal touchiness aside, this rendition of Sherlock was so wrong, I can't find a single positive thing to say about it. To forgive yet another bad reenactment, it would take at least a Robert Downey Jr. (and maybe some scenes starring him half-naked).
If you think I'm being disrespectful here, think about how Nikola Tesla would feel being referred to as "some Serb".
Here's a bit of me being pedantic about some misspelled italian bits; nothing that will actually spoil you, but maybe you'd like to skip some of my worst rantings:
Last but not least, let it be known to all who dared to read this bitchy monologue, that I suffered throughout 488 pages (on my ADE reader) of terrible, and overabundant, similes.
Anything, anything has to be compared with something else, better if this something else is utter nonsense like the sound of a smile.
Oh, there's also a love triangle; but in comparison, it didn't bother me so much as it usually does.
Cut the fanfiction, cut the similes and you get half the lenght of the original book. And it could be good.
That being said, if we uprooted the fanfiction from this book, I could like it. It would still have its flaws, but it would be likeable.
As it is, it's been a dreadful experience.
When I picked up this from Netgalley, I was blinded by the cover and the words “steampunk”, “murder”, “sorcery” and “mystery”. So what if the heroine is supposed to be Sherlock Holmes’ niece? It will be just a little mention here and there…
That wretched kinship was all over the place. That was disturbing enough, until we came to the absolute horror that was Sherlock's parody.
In this book, I've seen Sherlock giving advice for a young lady's Season, Sherlock listening to a girl prattling, Sherlock submitting to blackmail, Sherlock asserting that he believes in magic…
Maybe I'm a bit touchy. Sherlock was one of my very first literary crushes.
Every Sherlock lover out there will know that he was a genius as well as a drug addict, an utter misogynist, a probable sociopath and an overall bastard. I loved him with all the passion my adolescent self could have.
My personal touchiness aside, this rendition of Sherlock was so wrong, I can't find a single positive thing to say about it. To forgive yet another bad reenactment, it would take at least a Robert Downey Jr. (and maybe some scenes starring him half-naked).
If you think I'm being disrespectful here, think about how Nikola Tesla would feel being referred to as "some Serb".
Here's a bit of me being pedantic about some misspelled italian bits; nothing that will actually spoil you, but maybe you'd like to skip some of my worst rantings:
Last but not least, let it be known to all who dared to read this bitchy monologue, that I suffered throughout 488 pages (on my ADE reader) of terrible, and overabundant, similes.
She […] felt the displacement of air–a light exhalation like the sound of a gloating smile.
shadows settled in the corners like sleepy cats
the row of doors stood like oak-paneled sentries
Anything, anything has to be compared with something else, better if this something else is utter nonsense like the sound of a smile.
Oh, there's also a love triangle; but in comparison, it didn't bother me so much as it usually does.
Cut the fanfiction, cut the similes and you get half the lenght of the original book. And it could be good.
September 2, 2015
2 September 2015: $0.99 on Kindle
2.7 stars is where I think I end up.
I expected a lot from this book when I started it - it's hard not to when the author puts Sherlock Holmes in the mix, even if we are dealing with his niece. While in some aspects it didn't disappoint, in others it sorely left me wanting.
See my full review on my blog or booklikes
The last 15% of this book were what I was hoping for from the entire thing. I need to write my review to figure out where I stand all together though.
Review to come.
2.7 stars is where I think I end up.
I expected a lot from this book when I started it - it's hard not to when the author puts Sherlock Holmes in the mix, even if we are dealing with his niece. While in some aspects it didn't disappoint, in others it sorely left me wanting.
See my full review on my blog or booklikes
The last 15% of this book were what I was hoping for from the entire thing. I need to write my review to figure out where I stand all together though.
Review to come.
September 21, 2013
From the very start I was hooked. This is steampunk world building at it's best. The writing is great, the characters are great and the sense of mystery is entrancing.
A superb, complex and believable Steampunk world comes to life on these pages. The technologies are inspiring, the world a dark, dark place, especially if you fall foul of the steam barons. The author has taken inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and really made it work, weaving it wonderfully into this story - the result is quite splendid.
The characters have depth, with flaws all round, and they grow and change so much throughout this book. It was slightly infuriating knowing more than each of the characters at times but the narrative really works for this story.
The ending was not what I expected, which is actually excellent. It kept me thinking, wondering... And what a twist! It left me quite sad and surprisingly bereft. Is it any wonder I picked up the second book straight away?
A splendid steampunk tale infused with magic and darkness.
A superb, complex and believable Steampunk world comes to life on these pages. The technologies are inspiring, the world a dark, dark place, especially if you fall foul of the steam barons. The author has taken inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and really made it work, weaving it wonderfully into this story - the result is quite splendid.
The characters have depth, with flaws all round, and they grow and change so much throughout this book. It was slightly infuriating knowing more than each of the characters at times but the narrative really works for this story.
The ending was not what I expected, which is actually excellent. It kept me thinking, wondering... And what a twist! It left me quite sad and surprisingly bereft. Is it any wonder I picked up the second book straight away?
A splendid steampunk tale infused with magic and darkness.
August 29, 2013
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
This could have been a lovely book, if it weren't for the characters.
From the start, I disliked the love triangle between Evelina, Nick and Tobias. I normally don't mind love triangles but I hated Evelina's crush on Tobias. I couldn't understand what she found attractive in him.
Was it his drinking, gambling or sleeping around ways? The slightest favourable thing about him was his ability to make things. But even that paled a lot next to his fickle character and his character is very fickle, especially in the end.
I felt like Evelina was dazzled by his rakish charm and the fact that he had a title that Nick did not.
I honestly found her superficial. I won't say that about many heroines, but in this one, although Evelina kept on saying that she didn't care more about her respectability than Nick, I felt the other way. For example, there was a part where Nick gets hurt and they have a conversation where Nick asks her whether she would call a doctor for him, and she says that she would if she thought it would help. Of course it would help, he was bloody bleeding. But she decides to trust her own unknown powers of healing over a doctor's trusted methods.
There was one Shakespearean quote that came to mind:
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Evelina was also very fickle. One moment she was wholly in love with Nick, the other with Tobias.
The setting and plot was good. But I felt the love triangle detracted me from enjoying the setting and plot too much.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing.
This could have been a lovely book, if it weren't for the characters.
From the start, I disliked the love triangle between Evelina, Nick and Tobias. I normally don't mind love triangles but I hated Evelina's crush on Tobias. I couldn't understand what she found attractive in him.
Was it his drinking, gambling or sleeping around ways? The slightest favourable thing about him was his ability to make things. But even that paled a lot next to his fickle character and his character is very fickle, especially in the end.
I felt like Evelina was dazzled by his rakish charm and the fact that he had a title that Nick did not.
I honestly found her superficial. I won't say that about many heroines, but in this one, although Evelina kept on saying that she didn't care more about her respectability than Nick, I felt the other way. For example, there was a part where Nick gets hurt and they have a conversation where Nick asks her whether she would call a doctor for him, and she says that she would if she thought it would help. Of course it would help, he was bloody bleeding. But she decides to trust her own unknown powers of healing over a doctor's trusted methods.
There was one Shakespearean quote that came to mind:
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Evelina was also very fickle. One moment she was wholly in love with Nick, the other with Tobias.
The setting and plot was good. But I felt the love triangle detracted me from enjoying the setting and plot too much.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing.
December 6, 2013
Buddy read with Ange
After really enjoying the prequel short story The Adventure of the Woolaston Ritual (you can read that for free on the author's website) I was really looking forward to reading A Study in Silks. Unfortunately although I liked the story it failed to live up to expectations and I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to. I think my main issues were to do with the pacing, this is a long book (over 500 pages) and at times it really struggled to hold my interest. I think the main cause of the problem was the multiple points of view, I counted at least 7 different POVs and it seemed like you'd go multiple chapters without hearing from the main character. I loved Evelina's voice and I enjoyed the occasional chapters from her love interests and even her best friend Imogen but when you start adding more than that it just became too much and it gets to the point where the reader has too much information about what is happening. I wanted to be able to uncover the mystery alongside Evelina not find out everything in advance and I lost interest in her investigation because of that.
To move on to the positives I have to say I really loved the world building and I'm hoping the teething problems were just down to this being the first book in the series. Evelina is a great heroine, she is intelligent and has her uncle Sherlock's curiosity and ability to tie clues together. She is still young and idealistic so she does make mistakes but her heart is in the right place and she always tries to do the right thing. I loved her magical abilities, I don't want to say too much about them because I'd rather let you discover them for yourselves so I'll just say her pets were one of my favourite things about the story. I really liked the strong bond that Evelina has with her best friend Imogen, the two of them are more like sisters in a lot of ways and I always appreciate strong female friendships in my stories. Imogen is Evelina's complete opposite in a lot of ways, she had a very different upbringing and her family have high expectations of her making a good match but she has a rebellious streak that makes her keen to help Evelina with her investigation. The two girls often get themselves in trouble but they always have each other's backs.
I was slightly disappointed when I discovered that this series was going to have a love triangle (I'm so sick of seeing them in pretty much every YA series I read) but I have to say I was impressed with the way this one was handled. For the majority of the book I couldn't decide which of the two guys I liked more, I kept switching back and forth from Nick to Tobias and it wasn't until near the end when I finally decided which team I'm on. The two men couldn't be more different to each other but I could see why Evelina was drawn to them both. Nick is someone she grew up with, someone she has always been able to rely on and who understands her completely, he is her best friend and they have a shared past that will always tie them together. Tobias on the other hand is everything she should be looking for in a husband, he is Imogen's brother and someone she has liked from afar since she first met him. He is a rake and a playboy but he is from the right kind of family and marrying him would assure her of her place in society, something that is important to her considering the scandal in her family history. I think Evelina is going to have to choose a guy based on what she wants her future to be like and I'm REALLY hoping she'll want to live a life of adventure with Nick!
Of course I can't talk about this book without mentioning Sherlock, Evelina is his niece and she contacts him for help when she has trouble with her investigations. He is absent for the majority of the book but I loved every scene he was in, I'd actually have much preferred spending more time with him than with some of the other characters we are subjected to! Although the issues I had with A Study in Silks turn this into a middle of the road read rather than the fantastic one it could have been I like the characters and the world enough to read the next book. The pacing of this story picked up considerably during the last 20% or so and if Emma Jane Holloway can only follow that through into the next book I can see myself devouring the rest of the series.
After really enjoying the prequel short story The Adventure of the Woolaston Ritual (you can read that for free on the author's website) I was really looking forward to reading A Study in Silks. Unfortunately although I liked the story it failed to live up to expectations and I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to. I think my main issues were to do with the pacing, this is a long book (over 500 pages) and at times it really struggled to hold my interest. I think the main cause of the problem was the multiple points of view, I counted at least 7 different POVs and it seemed like you'd go multiple chapters without hearing from the main character. I loved Evelina's voice and I enjoyed the occasional chapters from her love interests and even her best friend Imogen but when you start adding more than that it just became too much and it gets to the point where the reader has too much information about what is happening. I wanted to be able to uncover the mystery alongside Evelina not find out everything in advance and I lost interest in her investigation because of that.
To move on to the positives I have to say I really loved the world building and I'm hoping the teething problems were just down to this being the first book in the series. Evelina is a great heroine, she is intelligent and has her uncle Sherlock's curiosity and ability to tie clues together. She is still young and idealistic so she does make mistakes but her heart is in the right place and she always tries to do the right thing. I loved her magical abilities, I don't want to say too much about them because I'd rather let you discover them for yourselves so I'll just say her pets were one of my favourite things about the story. I really liked the strong bond that Evelina has with her best friend Imogen, the two of them are more like sisters in a lot of ways and I always appreciate strong female friendships in my stories. Imogen is Evelina's complete opposite in a lot of ways, she had a very different upbringing and her family have high expectations of her making a good match but she has a rebellious streak that makes her keen to help Evelina with her investigation. The two girls often get themselves in trouble but they always have each other's backs.
I was slightly disappointed when I discovered that this series was going to have a love triangle (I'm so sick of seeing them in pretty much every YA series I read) but I have to say I was impressed with the way this one was handled. For the majority of the book I couldn't decide which of the two guys I liked more, I kept switching back and forth from Nick to Tobias and it wasn't until near the end when I finally decided which team I'm on. The two men couldn't be more different to each other but I could see why Evelina was drawn to them both. Nick is someone she grew up with, someone she has always been able to rely on and who understands her completely, he is her best friend and they have a shared past that will always tie them together. Tobias on the other hand is everything she should be looking for in a husband, he is Imogen's brother and someone she has liked from afar since she first met him. He is a rake and a playboy but he is from the right kind of family and marrying him would assure her of her place in society, something that is important to her considering the scandal in her family history. I think Evelina is going to have to choose a guy based on what she wants her future to be like and I'm REALLY hoping she'll want to live a life of adventure with Nick!
Of course I can't talk about this book without mentioning Sherlock, Evelina is his niece and she contacts him for help when she has trouble with her investigations. He is absent for the majority of the book but I loved every scene he was in, I'd actually have much preferred spending more time with him than with some of the other characters we are subjected to! Although the issues I had with A Study in Silks turn this into a middle of the road read rather than the fantastic one it could have been I like the characters and the world enough to read the next book. The pacing of this story picked up considerably during the last 20% or so and if Emma Jane Holloway can only follow that through into the next book I can see myself devouring the rest of the series.
July 8, 2015
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
If I have a literary guilty pleasure, it's steampunk. I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, but there is something about the sub-genre that appeals to me in a way I can't explain. It's fun, it's imaginative and I get a kick seeing what authors are capable of when allowed to play in an alternative time period littered with retro-futuristic gadgets.
Generally speaking, I gravitate toward adult titles like Steampunk Darcy or How Beauty Met the Beast, but I've learned to roll with it when something catches my eye which is how I came by Emma Jane Holloway's A Study in Silks. A young adult piece, I knew it was hit or miss going in, but I ultimately enjoyed the title for its unique blend of automation, adventure and whimsy. The love triangle didn't really work for me, but Holloway gets points for downplaying it in favor of the steam barons and the underground power battle between mechanical engineering and clandestine sorcery.
Several readers have thrown up their hands and cried foul over Holloway's incorporation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classics, but I can't say I had a problem with it. A Study in Silks is no competition for the Sherlock Holmes canon, but I think it important to recognize it isn't meant to rival the original series. Like Jasper Fforde, Holloway is extending an appreciative nod, not reinventing the wheel.
On that note, it should also be acknowledged that A Study in Silks isn't meant to be a standalone publication. Several elements of the story contribute to plot twists later in the series, leave the reader wondering and feel incomplete. I can certainly understand the frustration this causes, but I feel it best if readers at least attempt to appreciate the author's vision.
If I have a literary guilty pleasure, it's steampunk. I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, but there is something about the sub-genre that appeals to me in a way I can't explain. It's fun, it's imaginative and I get a kick seeing what authors are capable of when allowed to play in an alternative time period littered with retro-futuristic gadgets.
Generally speaking, I gravitate toward adult titles like Steampunk Darcy or How Beauty Met the Beast, but I've learned to roll with it when something catches my eye which is how I came by Emma Jane Holloway's A Study in Silks. A young adult piece, I knew it was hit or miss going in, but I ultimately enjoyed the title for its unique blend of automation, adventure and whimsy. The love triangle didn't really work for me, but Holloway gets points for downplaying it in favor of the steam barons and the underground power battle between mechanical engineering and clandestine sorcery.
Several readers have thrown up their hands and cried foul over Holloway's incorporation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classics, but I can't say I had a problem with it. A Study in Silks is no competition for the Sherlock Holmes canon, but I think it important to recognize it isn't meant to rival the original series. Like Jasper Fforde, Holloway is extending an appreciative nod, not reinventing the wheel.
On that note, it should also be acknowledged that A Study in Silks isn't meant to be a standalone publication. Several elements of the story contribute to plot twists later in the series, leave the reader wondering and feel incomplete. I can certainly understand the frustration this causes, but I feel it best if readers at least attempt to appreciate the author's vision.
January 1, 2018
Trigger warnings: murder, death of a family member, creepy af robot doll things?
I've been wanting to read this book for YEARS, but for some reason it was never available in the Australian Kindle store. And then the other day, it mysteriously WAS available. So I bought it. And perhaps I've been building it up in my mind too much over the past few years, but this was...meh.
It was almost like it was trying to be one too many things? Like...it was a steampunk book. But it was also a crime book. But it was also a Sherlock Holmes adjacent story. But it was also a historical fiction book about teenage girls making their debuts and debating which hot guy to fall in love with. But it was also a fantasy book with magic and sorcery. And for me? There were just too many things happening and it didn't really deal with any of them adequately.
Add in the fact that there were a few too many perspectives for my liking and this balanced out to blah. Sigh.
I've been wanting to read this book for YEARS, but for some reason it was never available in the Australian Kindle store. And then the other day, it mysteriously WAS available. So I bought it. And perhaps I've been building it up in my mind too much over the past few years, but this was...meh.
It was almost like it was trying to be one too many things? Like...it was a steampunk book. But it was also a crime book. But it was also a Sherlock Holmes adjacent story. But it was also a historical fiction book about teenage girls making their debuts and debating which hot guy to fall in love with. But it was also a fantasy book with magic and sorcery. And for me? There were just too many things happening and it didn't really deal with any of them adequately.
Add in the fact that there were a few too many perspectives for my liking and this balanced out to blah. Sigh.
November 23, 2013
This was really pleasurable steampunk fiction, ladies and gents. Not steampunk-ish which is pretty popular these days, but something that was full of delightful cogs and gadgets, and with a whole empire running on steam. Loved it!
Steven Harper, Meljean Brook and Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris come to mind. So if you enjoyed their books, you shouldn't have a problem liking A Study in Silks.
There are three elements which made this book for me.
First of all, British Empire is ruled by a council of greedy corporations providing steam, electricity and gas to all the households. They stop any other inventions from being patented and ruthlessly suppress all progress in the name of their profits. Reminds you of something else?
Secondly, Evelina and other characters are proper inventors. They create something awesome and bizarre because they are obsessed with science, but at the same time they have to keep it all quiet so not to get on the radar of steam barons.
Thirdly, the magic exists and is reviled or prohibited to use because again steam council doesn't want magic competing with their services. You can burn or made into a laboratory rat if you are accused of being a witch.
Add to these awesome elements Evelina's circus past, her famous uncle Sherlock and her magical abilities, and this girl really knows how to get into trouble!
Secondary characters are not one dimensional and quite intriguing as well. Tobias and Imogen Roth, Bucky Penner (who absolutely charmed me), Dr. Marcus, Keating and of course, Nick. Great bunch, and I'm pretty sure they all will have their own stories developed along with Evelina's in following books.
My only complaint is that there are a lot of slow passages and inner monologues in the book interspersed with action, and while they might be good on their own, I was way more invested in finding out what happens next and skimmed through quite a few of them.
Otherwise, knock yourself out and read this. I'm on book two now.
Steven Harper, Meljean Brook and Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris come to mind. So if you enjoyed their books, you shouldn't have a problem liking A Study in Silks.
There are three elements which made this book for me.
First of all, British Empire is ruled by a council of greedy corporations providing steam, electricity and gas to all the households. They stop any other inventions from being patented and ruthlessly suppress all progress in the name of their profits. Reminds you of something else?
Secondly, Evelina and other characters are proper inventors. They create something awesome and bizarre because they are obsessed with science, but at the same time they have to keep it all quiet so not to get on the radar of steam barons.
Thirdly, the magic exists and is reviled or prohibited to use because again steam council doesn't want magic competing with their services. You can burn or made into a laboratory rat if you are accused of being a witch.
Add to these awesome elements Evelina's circus past, her famous uncle Sherlock and her magical abilities, and this girl really knows how to get into trouble!
Secondary characters are not one dimensional and quite intriguing as well. Tobias and Imogen Roth, Bucky Penner (who absolutely charmed me), Dr. Marcus, Keating and of course, Nick. Great bunch, and I'm pretty sure they all will have their own stories developed along with Evelina's in following books.
My only complaint is that there are a lot of slow passages and inner monologues in the book interspersed with action, and while they might be good on their own, I was way more invested in finding out what happens next and skimmed through quite a few of them.
Otherwise, knock yourself out and read this. I'm on book two now.
August 4, 2013
3 1\2
A Study in Silks has many readers as its intended target:
-Fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate the many hints to the classic works of Conan Doyle (starting from the title) and his cameos
-Fans of steampunk will cheer the alternate world Ms Holloway has created.
-Fans of UF will love the mix of magic and technology it entails.
The mix of steampunk and UF was well blended and created a world-building in which I was elated to sink my teeth into. You will find a historical mystery, a touch of romance, and fantasy all mixed with steampunkish elements.
Except for the pacing, a little on the slow side, I loved almost all aspects of A Study in Silks. But the world was what intrigued me most. The mob-like Steam Barons are at war with both new tech and magic, there's hint of a possible revolution against them. The gentry is undecided about where to stand.
None of the characters is blameless or completely black or white, if only because so much is forbidden that it's difficult to stay on the side of the law. (Witches are still burned at the stakes or, worse, sent to labs as specimen).
The only problems I had with the story was a disorienting moment at the beginning (I'm still wondering about) and the changing Povs that take same time getting used to. But all of this is well balanced by depth of characters and plot.
Even without any cliff-ending, when I finished I was left with a strong need of getting my hands on the sequels :D
ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley
A Study in Silks has many readers as its intended target:
-Fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate the many hints to the classic works of Conan Doyle (starting from the title) and his cameos
-Fans of steampunk will cheer the alternate world Ms Holloway has created.
-Fans of UF will love the mix of magic and technology it entails.
The mix of steampunk and UF was well blended and created a world-building in which I was elated to sink my teeth into. You will find a historical mystery, a touch of romance, and fantasy all mixed with steampunkish elements.
Except for the pacing, a little on the slow side, I loved almost all aspects of A Study in Silks. But the world was what intrigued me most. The mob-like Steam Barons are at war with both new tech and magic, there's hint of a possible revolution against them. The gentry is undecided about where to stand.
None of the characters is blameless or completely black or white, if only because so much is forbidden that it's difficult to stay on the side of the law. (Witches are still burned at the stakes or, worse, sent to labs as specimen).
The only problems I had with the story was a disorienting moment at the beginning (I'm still wondering about) and the changing Povs that take same time getting used to. But all of this is well balanced by depth of characters and plot.
Even without any cliff-ending, when I finished I was left with a strong need of getting my hands on the sequels :D
ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley
May 18, 2022
Brillant !!! L'époque victorienne prend vie dans cet excellent roman steampunk...l'héroïne est une addition audacieuse et pleine de charme au mythe et à l'univers de Sherlock Holmes. Tout simplement excellent. Une lecture captivante et passionnante. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 4, 2013
Evelina, the niece of Sherlock Holmes, is trying to make her way in the Victorian era's society. Joining her friend for their coming out, she is caught in a murder mystery...a young maid has been murdered with magical traces left behind. Trying to save the reputation of the kind family that has taken her in for the season, Evelina slowly uncovers truths that can destroy all she cares about.
There might be a Queen of England but the “steam barons” are ruling the country by monopolizing the utilities' distribution. Ruthlessly the barons fight for more power while other political mechanizations come into play.
Caught in these games, Evelina must enlist her sleuthing abilities as well as her mechanical and magical gifts. In a world where witches are burned at the stake or become a resident of the Queens laboratories, this path might also lead to Evelina's destruction.
The characters were packed full of emotion and realism, making their journey a fascinating and alluring trip to take. Detail and care was taken with the historical language, back ground and social acceptability, pulling us back into time but adding the perfect mechanical splash of steampunk.
A wonderful romantic tension exists between Evelina, Tobias and Nick. A choice between her old life and new, right and wrong and duty and honor all come into play...the strength of character shown by Evelina's perseverance was extraordinary.
I loved this book. I found A Study in Silks a brilliantly witty and imaginative twist to an off shoot of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Crossing steampunk, paranormal, romance and historical fiction, this story was a perfect and seamless blending or all my favorite genres.
This ARC copy of A Study in Silks was given to me by Random House - Del Rey in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication on September 24, 2013.
Written by: Emma Jane Holloway
Series: The Baskerville Affair
Sequence in Series: 1
Print Length: 560 pages
Publisher: Del Rey - Random House
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: historical-fiction, paranormal, romance, steampunk
Age Recommendation: Young Adult +
Emma Jane Holloway's Website
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
There might be a Queen of England but the “steam barons” are ruling the country by monopolizing the utilities' distribution. Ruthlessly the barons fight for more power while other political mechanizations come into play.
Caught in these games, Evelina must enlist her sleuthing abilities as well as her mechanical and magical gifts. In a world where witches are burned at the stake or become a resident of the Queens laboratories, this path might also lead to Evelina's destruction.
The characters were packed full of emotion and realism, making their journey a fascinating and alluring trip to take. Detail and care was taken with the historical language, back ground and social acceptability, pulling us back into time but adding the perfect mechanical splash of steampunk.
A wonderful romantic tension exists between Evelina, Tobias and Nick. A choice between her old life and new, right and wrong and duty and honor all come into play...the strength of character shown by Evelina's perseverance was extraordinary.
I loved this book. I found A Study in Silks a brilliantly witty and imaginative twist to an off shoot of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Crossing steampunk, paranormal, romance and historical fiction, this story was a perfect and seamless blending or all my favorite genres.
This ARC copy of A Study in Silks was given to me by Random House - Del Rey in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication on September 24, 2013.
Written by: Emma Jane Holloway
Series: The Baskerville Affair
Sequence in Series: 1
Print Length: 560 pages
Publisher: Del Rey - Random House
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: historical-fiction, paranormal, romance, steampunk
Age Recommendation: Young Adult +
Emma Jane Holloway's Website
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
August 28, 2013
I love stumbling upon books which leave me longing for the next in the series. A Study in Silks is definitely one of those. Happily, I don't have to wait to long because the next two books will be out before the end of the year. I will definitely be reading them.
I saw A Study in Silks on Netgalley and was beguiled by the premise. . .
In this steampunk whodunit, Emma Jane Holloway weaves an imaginative story around Sherlock Holmes's niece, Evelina Cooper. Evelina is a girl caught between two worlds: her childhood spent as a trapeze artist in the circus (a legacy from her father) and her opportunity as a young debutante facing her first season in London to find a gentleman husband (a legacy from her mother who happened to be Sherlock Holmes's sister). Add Evelina's bright, inquiring mind and her magical abilities - kept secret because she lives in a age when knowledge of magic is a crime punishable by death - to the mix and we have a rollicking read.
The book opens with a murder at Evelina's best friend Imogen's family home where Evelina is staying for the season. Encouraged by Imogen's rakish brother Tobias, whom she is secretly crushing on, Evelina quickly becomes embroiled in the investigation. To add to the confusion, Evelina's childhood sweetheart Nick, a circus performer, appears in her bedroom moments before the murder is discovered. But for all this, Evelina's only concern is to protect the reputation of Imogen's family and to keep her magical abilities hidden. Her task is greatly challenged by Imogen's father who seems to be deeply implicated in the murder, and a whole lot of other clandestine activities involving sorcery and a collection of fascinating, but dangerous steam-driven constructs.
The many other characters who share the stage with her are richly depicted and interestingly flawed. There isn't one of them - including Evelina - who comes off squeaky clean and sparkly. Everyone has an agenda, everyone has a price, usually exacted by the powerful steam barons who virtually control life and death. Even Sherlock Holmes, who makes an appearance, is successfully blackmailed by them!
A Study in Silk is a fun read that kept me riveted for my entire plane flight from Cape Town, through Dubai, and onto Newcastle. I just couldn't put it down. Even better, the story stayed with me for days afterwards as I pondered how each character's motives added to the convoluted plot. The more I thought about, the more excited I got for the next book: A Study in Darkness due in October.
So if you love steampunk, mysteries, bitter-sweet romance, and fascinating characters, then this one is definitely for you.
I saw A Study in Silks on Netgalley and was beguiled by the premise. . .
In this steampunk whodunit, Emma Jane Holloway weaves an imaginative story around Sherlock Holmes's niece, Evelina Cooper. Evelina is a girl caught between two worlds: her childhood spent as a trapeze artist in the circus (a legacy from her father) and her opportunity as a young debutante facing her first season in London to find a gentleman husband (a legacy from her mother who happened to be Sherlock Holmes's sister). Add Evelina's bright, inquiring mind and her magical abilities - kept secret because she lives in a age when knowledge of magic is a crime punishable by death - to the mix and we have a rollicking read.
The book opens with a murder at Evelina's best friend Imogen's family home where Evelina is staying for the season. Encouraged by Imogen's rakish brother Tobias, whom she is secretly crushing on, Evelina quickly becomes embroiled in the investigation. To add to the confusion, Evelina's childhood sweetheart Nick, a circus performer, appears in her bedroom moments before the murder is discovered. But for all this, Evelina's only concern is to protect the reputation of Imogen's family and to keep her magical abilities hidden. Her task is greatly challenged by Imogen's father who seems to be deeply implicated in the murder, and a whole lot of other clandestine activities involving sorcery and a collection of fascinating, but dangerous steam-driven constructs.
The many other characters who share the stage with her are richly depicted and interestingly flawed. There isn't one of them - including Evelina - who comes off squeaky clean and sparkly. Everyone has an agenda, everyone has a price, usually exacted by the powerful steam barons who virtually control life and death. Even Sherlock Holmes, who makes an appearance, is successfully blackmailed by them!
A Study in Silk is a fun read that kept me riveted for my entire plane flight from Cape Town, through Dubai, and onto Newcastle. I just couldn't put it down. Even better, the story stayed with me for days afterwards as I pondered how each character's motives added to the convoluted plot. The more I thought about, the more excited I got for the next book: A Study in Darkness due in October.
So if you love steampunk, mysteries, bitter-sweet romance, and fascinating characters, then this one is definitely for you.
August 1, 2016
The story revolves around Evelina Cooper, Sherlock Holmes’s niece. With her rather unusual upbringing (she grew up in a circus, no less), Evelina doesn’t fit in with London’s high society. Her interest in various steam-powered trinkets and her penchant for magic only make things worse. However, as an outsider with inside connections, she is uniquely qualified to solve mysteries, even though no one else seems to think so.
A Study in Silks occasionally tries to do too much, but still drags a bit due to its unusual length. The pacing is slower, and Evelina sometimes just isn’t strong enough to carry it. Admittedly, Holloway has great talent for writing action scenes so those parts proved to be incredibly entertaining. Her writing is fairly clean and light, completely unlike Gail Carriger’s witty style.
True fans of one mister Sherlock Holmes might struggle a bit with this book. Holloway’s portrayal of this well known and beloved character has very little to do with the original, which might be irritating to some. Doyle’s Sherlock is a misogynist, he is a drug addict and impossible to live with. Holloway’s version is too mild in comparison, completely unlike the skeptic we all know and love. I’ve seen him described as sweet by several reviewers, and while Sherlock may be many awesome things, sweet he most certainly is not. I saw no reason for the introduction of this character and I thought the book would have been much better without it.
As for the romance, there is a prominent and rather painful love triangle, which I resented. That aside, though, Holloway understands that infatuations aren’t meant to last and that young, inexperienced people often see what they want to see in others. As a true romance fan, I struggled a bit with these parts of the book as well, but intellectually I appreciated Holloway’s bravery and the path(s) she chose to take.
There haven’t been any new books since 2013 as far as I can see, but fans of steampunk should read the three that have been published, as long as they’re not too sensitive about Holloway’s artistic liberties with the character of Sherlock Holmes.
July 6, 2013
I have read some steampunk book and have enjoyed the ones that I have read. This is the first steampunk/magic one that I have read and even though I am only 75% through it I am enjoying it so much I wanted to write a review now.
I love the interaction of the characters and the sprinkling of Sherlock Holmes in there as well. The one thing that struck me was the attention to detail and the use of language in the story. Eveline is a strong and gutsy woman who doesn't back down. You can feel the tension between her and Tobias, along with Nick which makes for interesting reading. This book grabbed me and didn't let me go.
This is the first book I have read by Emma Jane Holloway and when I looked for other books and saw that there are two more books in this series I immediately pre ordered the next two and can't wait for them to come out!
I have a hard time finding steampunk that I enjoy but I have struck gold with this book. Thank you for an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read!
I love the interaction of the characters and the sprinkling of Sherlock Holmes in there as well. The one thing that struck me was the attention to detail and the use of language in the story. Eveline is a strong and gutsy woman who doesn't back down. You can feel the tension between her and Tobias, along with Nick which makes for interesting reading. This book grabbed me and didn't let me go.
This is the first book I have read by Emma Jane Holloway and when I looked for other books and saw that there are two more books in this series I immediately pre ordered the next two and can't wait for them to come out!
I have a hard time finding steampunk that I enjoy but I have struck gold with this book. Thank you for an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read!
May 16, 2014
The sheer length of this novel sucked all life from the characters and the plot. I gave up half-way through because I was getting absolutely nowhere.
It was bad enough the author kept jumping the narrative from character to character but when she stared to mess with the timeline too! It was beyond annoying. One moment we're late at night with Evelina discovering the body. Next chapter, new character, earlier in the evening. Next chapter, new character, present time, police have arrived. Next chapter new character, the morning of the murder. Next chapter, same character but now the afternoon of the murder. SERIOUSLY!
This book was the equivalent of treading water - nothing happens. Evelina spends all her time thinking, sitting around, basically anything but detective work. The magic element feels a last minute addition. And the love triangle, who in their right mind would want to hook up with either of these two jerks.
Just bad.
It was bad enough the author kept jumping the narrative from character to character but when she stared to mess with the timeline too! It was beyond annoying. One moment we're late at night with Evelina discovering the body. Next chapter, new character, earlier in the evening. Next chapter, new character, present time, police have arrived. Next chapter new character, the morning of the murder. Next chapter, same character but now the afternoon of the murder. SERIOUSLY!
This book was the equivalent of treading water - nothing happens. Evelina spends all her time thinking, sitting around, basically anything but detective work. The magic element feels a last minute addition. And the love triangle, who in their right mind would want to hook up with either of these two jerks.
Just bad.
December 29, 2013
A good start into a new series.
There are steampunk elements combined with dark arts, detective story, romance and a look behind the scene of the Victorian nobility.
Romance is not my cup of tea. Therefore I skimmed over the romance passages.
The main character Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. But from my point of view it was not really necessary to involve him and Dr. Watson.
Anyway I will read the following two books
- A Study in Darkness and A Study in Ashes
There are steampunk elements combined with dark arts, detective story, romance and a look behind the scene of the Victorian nobility.
Romance is not my cup of tea. Therefore I skimmed over the romance passages.
The main character Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. But from my point of view it was not really necessary to involve him and Dr. Watson.
Anyway I will read the following two books
- A Study in Darkness and A Study in Ashes
March 30, 2015
This didn't really hold my attention and no character stood out to me either. It was just way too long and no fun what so ever! Overall 2.5*'s from me!
September 11, 2021
A very pleasant surprise. This first novel in the “Baskerville Affair” series was quite a surprise, combining a number of sub genres together including Victorian mystery, gaslight fantasy, steampunk and a healthy dash of romance. All well-balanced and cohesive.
Evelina Coper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She grew up in the circus and also happens to be of “the blood” meaning she has some level of magical abilities. For example, she can create small objects like a toy mouse and entice a being called a deva into it, thereby animating it and bringing it alive. The plot, at its core is a mystery whodunnit, but with plenty of perilous adventure along the way.
What I’ve described above sounds like a bit of a lightweight novel but not so. The author proves adept at not only developing an intriguing, beguiling plot but also at creating a whole host of interesting characters. Rich society Lords and Ladies, roguish scoundrels, backstreet hoodlums, wide-eyed maidens, and even a mysterious sorcerer all combine to bring the rich world-building to life. There is a nice cameo from Sherlock himself, but he resides mostly offstage allowing his niece to find and follow the clues to multiple murders and uncover the conspiracy beneath it all.
I need to digress a moment to talk about steampunk. Most steampunk books I read don’t really seem to know how to deal with it. The authors throw in a few steam-powered dirigibles or motorbikes to fulfill the requirements but leave it at that. Here, the author does a marvelous job of incorporating a steam-powered society into the story, including the “steam barons” who monopolize steam power and use it as a way to wield political power and prevent the advancements of other competing energy sources. It’s a well-developed concept and integral to the plot. Having said that, this is not “just” a steampunk novel. The mystery is excellent, the adventure is enticing, and the romance is simultaneously sweet and aggravating. Most characters have secrets and uncovering and exposing them is half the fun.
The end of this first volume leaves many things up in the air so thankfully there are two more books and a few short stories already out. I’ll definitely be on board. Full steam ahead.
Evelina Coper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She grew up in the circus and also happens to be of “the blood” meaning she has some level of magical abilities. For example, she can create small objects like a toy mouse and entice a being called a deva into it, thereby animating it and bringing it alive. The plot, at its core is a mystery whodunnit, but with plenty of perilous adventure along the way.
What I’ve described above sounds like a bit of a lightweight novel but not so. The author proves adept at not only developing an intriguing, beguiling plot but also at creating a whole host of interesting characters. Rich society Lords and Ladies, roguish scoundrels, backstreet hoodlums, wide-eyed maidens, and even a mysterious sorcerer all combine to bring the rich world-building to life. There is a nice cameo from Sherlock himself, but he resides mostly offstage allowing his niece to find and follow the clues to multiple murders and uncover the conspiracy beneath it all.
I need to digress a moment to talk about steampunk. Most steampunk books I read don’t really seem to know how to deal with it. The authors throw in a few steam-powered dirigibles or motorbikes to fulfill the requirements but leave it at that. Here, the author does a marvelous job of incorporating a steam-powered society into the story, including the “steam barons” who monopolize steam power and use it as a way to wield political power and prevent the advancements of other competing energy sources. It’s a well-developed concept and integral to the plot. Having said that, this is not “just” a steampunk novel. The mystery is excellent, the adventure is enticing, and the romance is simultaneously sweet and aggravating. Most characters have secrets and uncovering and exposing them is half the fun.
The end of this first volume leaves many things up in the air so thankfully there are two more books and a few short stories already out. I’ll definitely be on board. Full steam ahead.
March 8, 2024
Quick take: Read for book club and only chose it because it was about Sherlock Holmes' niece. Had I known it was incredibly boring, long, and complicated, I probably wouldn't have chosen it. There were too many characters, too many POVs, and to top it off, Evelina was an incredibly dull and unlikable main character.
World-building background: The steam barons are a council of very powerful men and women who control England behind the scenes. Magic is hated and feared, particularly by the steam barons, because its mysterious origins run contrary to their investment. If magic could power things, then the steam barons would be run out of business.
Summary: Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She is caught between two worlds, the one she was born to: that of the Gypsy and their traveling circus (and their magic), and one to which she was adopted: that of upper-middle-class respectability. Evelina has a secret, she has magic (also referred to as having the Blood); this is a dangerous skill to have, and one that must remain hidden, because in this steampunk version of Victorian England, magic is illegal and the discovery could lead to her execution.
During an extended stay with her friend Imogen Roth, daughter of Viscount Roth, Lord Bancroft, she finds some highly illegal automatons (robots), and is involved in the discovery of a servant girl's death, all in one night. She sets out to solve the girl's death and help her friend's family.
But beyond that, there are so many other plots and characters that this book got complicated very quickly. Sometimes a character would disappear for a while and then show up 200 pages later, and it was hard to follow who was who. There are steam barons who are trying to consolidate their power. There's one particular steam baron who is seeking a magical artifact. There is some unknown shadowy person. Sherlock Holmes is drawn in, but it's very random.
The book is in third person, with multiple narrations. And yet Evelina doesn't seem to be the main character. Evelina is honestly quite boring and I found her to be annoying at times.
The romance is a love triangle with Evelina, her friend's aristocratic brother, and Evelina's childhood Gypsy friend with the circus.
World-building background: The steam barons are a council of very powerful men and women who control England behind the scenes. Magic is hated and feared, particularly by the steam barons, because its mysterious origins run contrary to their investment. If magic could power things, then the steam barons would be run out of business.
Summary: Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She is caught between two worlds, the one she was born to: that of the Gypsy and their traveling circus (and their magic), and one to which she was adopted: that of upper-middle-class respectability. Evelina has a secret, she has magic (also referred to as having the Blood); this is a dangerous skill to have, and one that must remain hidden, because in this steampunk version of Victorian England, magic is illegal and the discovery could lead to her execution.
During an extended stay with her friend Imogen Roth, daughter of Viscount Roth, Lord Bancroft, she finds some highly illegal automatons (robots), and is involved in the discovery of a servant girl's death, all in one night. She sets out to solve the girl's death and help her friend's family.
But beyond that, there are so many other plots and characters that this book got complicated very quickly. Sometimes a character would disappear for a while and then show up 200 pages later, and it was hard to follow who was who. There are steam barons who are trying to consolidate their power. There's one particular steam baron who is seeking a magical artifact. There is some unknown shadowy person. Sherlock Holmes is drawn in, but it's very random.
The book is in third person, with multiple narrations. And yet Evelina doesn't seem to be the main character. Evelina is honestly quite boring and I found her to be annoying at times.
The romance is a love triangle with Evelina, her friend's aristocratic brother, and Evelina's childhood Gypsy friend with the circus.
August 30, 2016
I loved this to pieces. I really did. I made the mistake of looking at others' reviews, and I really shouldn't do that, and I'm not going to let it affect my opinion or my rating (and will do my best not to make this an out–and–out rebuttal of some of those reviews, despite some things said in them which baffled me): I enjoyed reading A Study in Silks, I enjoyed the characters and the plot and the writing, and I even, to my surprise, enjoyed the involvement of his serene consultingness Sherlock Holmes.
It is the tale of a young woman, Evelina, whose rather–upper–crust mother (Sherlock Holmes's sister) ran off with a young man from a circus background, who then died; disowned by the "better" folk, she turned to the show folk for support, and thus Evelina grew up performing. (I saw a review which called this niece of Sherlock Holmes who grew up performing in the circus boring. If Evelina's boring, I'm not sure what that makes me. Coma–inspiring, I suppose?) Now, though, Evelina's Holmes grandmother has – for various reasons – seen to it that she has attended finishing school and is having her Season.
One of my favorite things is a really well–turned phrase, a clever metaphor or simile. And Emma Jane Holloway excels in this area.
- - "The expectation that Evelina would also fall from grace—an event no doubt attended with all the aplomb and inevitability of cold gravy plopping from a spoon—was sufficiently acute that there were days when Evelina wanted to oblige and get it over with."
- - "One couldn’t throw a dinner bun in London without hitting a liar."
- - "The tall, lanky Edgerton moved like a giraffe on ice skates."
I loved the Society for the Proliferation of Impertinent Events.
I appreciated the characters. There was depth to them, and believability. "Tobias was intrigued. People had wanted him for his name, or his looks, or what he might do for them, but never for what he loved about himself." Poor little rich boy … no, seriously, poor Tobias, thwarted in what he most wanted to do and afraid of being forced into the wrong mold. After all, "A man has needs beyond a stuffed sheep".
Imogen's father was an interesting character. "Her hair had smelled of Cook’s baking bread, and for a week afterward his dinner rolls had carried an erotic thrill."
Imogen and her incipient love affair was adorable. "Tea is never as simple as it appears, Mr. Penner."
"Well, I understand the school closed the year you left."
Evelina cringed at the memory. "The headmistress retired after an unfortunate incident with the walking dead, but that’s a tiresome story."
– I love that that's all of it. Unless there's a prequel out there somewhere, there's just the mention, as tantalizing as her uncle's "giant rat of Sumatra".
Evelina was not a Mary Sue: always a plus. She could easily have been one – for a minute I was very much afraid that she would exhibit signs – but no: she was an intelligent teenaged girl with abilities, but not able to beat all comers and swan through unscathed.
Speaking of his deer–stalkeredness – I did not think this would work. But it did. Often the best way to keep me from being a fan is to graft one's own cutting onto a family tree where it ought not to belong – but this actually did work for me. This Holmes, dispensing very Holmesian advice to and expecting high levels of competence from his sister's daughter, is in a very similar vein to Laurie R. King's incarnation, in that – in his cool and detached way – he takes under his almost indifferent wing an orphaned girl, and expects her to rise. I found this Holmes's reactions completely believable. (Keep in mind, of course, that when I read the canon through last year I discovered that I despise the original Holmes, so close enough is … close enough.)
I did find the statement "He holds his clients’ confidentiality in high regard" as funny here as the protestations and situations in the canon; how sacrosanct is confidentiality with Watson in a corner making notes toward future publication?
All too often I have happily dived into a steampunk novel, expecting to love every minute of the ride … only to give up on it in annoyance (or finish it in annoyance). This, though, fit the bill perfectly for me: this did just about everything I'd want steampunk to do. I loved the big bad evil of the steam lobby, and the logic of how it all came about and proliferated and kept everything else down. I loved the shifting boundaries of the different–colored factions. (One thing, though: "One pays once for light and again for heat and thrice if you are so lucky as to receive electricity for your business" – how is that different from now?) I loved the crab/squid.
I saw an outraged note out there about the line "Tobias remembered some Serb had recently published a paper on wireless transmission", highly indignant that Tesla would be referred to thus… but it's from Tobias's point of view. From Tobias I would expect the prime minister to be "that chap with the monocle", if of course he had a monocle. I was pleased to catch the reference and tickled that it was there, not upset by the fact that it wasn't more pointed. (Seriously, that's the only time I'll reference another review.)
Something that did bug me, a lot, was the quote of a theatre poster (I think): "THE KNIGHTS OF TATIANA VICTORIOUS OVER THE FORCES OF KING OBERON". Tatiana??? Since when was the fairy queen Russian?
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
It is the tale of a young woman, Evelina, whose rather–upper–crust mother (Sherlock Holmes's sister) ran off with a young man from a circus background, who then died; disowned by the "better" folk, she turned to the show folk for support, and thus Evelina grew up performing. (I saw a review which called this niece of Sherlock Holmes who grew up performing in the circus boring. If Evelina's boring, I'm not sure what that makes me. Coma–inspiring, I suppose?) Now, though, Evelina's Holmes grandmother has – for various reasons – seen to it that she has attended finishing school and is having her Season.
One of my favorite things is a really well–turned phrase, a clever metaphor or simile. And Emma Jane Holloway excels in this area.
- - "The expectation that Evelina would also fall from grace—an event no doubt attended with all the aplomb and inevitability of cold gravy plopping from a spoon—was sufficiently acute that there were days when Evelina wanted to oblige and get it over with."
- - "One couldn’t throw a dinner bun in London without hitting a liar."
- - "The tall, lanky Edgerton moved like a giraffe on ice skates."
I loved the Society for the Proliferation of Impertinent Events.
I appreciated the characters. There was depth to them, and believability. "Tobias was intrigued. People had wanted him for his name, or his looks, or what he might do for them, but never for what he loved about himself." Poor little rich boy … no, seriously, poor Tobias, thwarted in what he most wanted to do and afraid of being forced into the wrong mold. After all, "A man has needs beyond a stuffed sheep".
Imogen's father was an interesting character. "Her hair had smelled of Cook’s baking bread, and for a week afterward his dinner rolls had carried an erotic thrill."
Imogen and her incipient love affair was adorable. "Tea is never as simple as it appears, Mr. Penner."
"Well, I understand the school closed the year you left."
Evelina cringed at the memory. "The headmistress retired after an unfortunate incident with the walking dead, but that’s a tiresome story."
– I love that that's all of it. Unless there's a prequel out there somewhere, there's just the mention, as tantalizing as her uncle's "giant rat of Sumatra".
Evelina was not a Mary Sue: always a plus. She could easily have been one – for a minute I was very much afraid that she would exhibit signs – but no: she was an intelligent teenaged girl with abilities, but not able to beat all comers and swan through unscathed.
Speaking of his deer–stalkeredness – I did not think this would work. But it did. Often the best way to keep me from being a fan is to graft one's own cutting onto a family tree where it ought not to belong – but this actually did work for me. This Holmes, dispensing very Holmesian advice to and expecting high levels of competence from his sister's daughter, is in a very similar vein to Laurie R. King's incarnation, in that – in his cool and detached way – he takes under his almost indifferent wing an orphaned girl, and expects her to rise. I found this Holmes's reactions completely believable. (Keep in mind, of course, that when I read the canon through last year I discovered that I despise the original Holmes, so close enough is … close enough.)
I did find the statement "He holds his clients’ confidentiality in high regard" as funny here as the protestations and situations in the canon; how sacrosanct is confidentiality with Watson in a corner making notes toward future publication?
All too often I have happily dived into a steampunk novel, expecting to love every minute of the ride … only to give up on it in annoyance (or finish it in annoyance). This, though, fit the bill perfectly for me: this did just about everything I'd want steampunk to do. I loved the big bad evil of the steam lobby, and the logic of how it all came about and proliferated and kept everything else down. I loved the shifting boundaries of the different–colored factions. (One thing, though: "One pays once for light and again for heat and thrice if you are so lucky as to receive electricity for your business" – how is that different from now?) I loved the crab/squid.
I saw an outraged note out there about the line "Tobias remembered some Serb had recently published a paper on wireless transmission", highly indignant that Tesla would be referred to thus… but it's from Tobias's point of view. From Tobias I would expect the prime minister to be "that chap with the monocle", if of course he had a monocle. I was pleased to catch the reference and tickled that it was there, not upset by the fact that it wasn't more pointed. (Seriously, that's the only time I'll reference another review.)
Something that did bug me, a lot, was the quote of a theatre poster (I think): "THE KNIGHTS OF TATIANA VICTORIOUS OVER THE FORCES OF KING OBERON". Tatiana??? Since when was the fairy queen Russian?
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
March 9, 2019
Les différents ingrédients (époque victorienne, enquête, romance, magie, et quelques éléments steampunk) se mélangent plutôt bien à mon goût. Un bon moment de lecture. Vivement la suite!
February 7, 2017
When I initially picked up this book and saw the leading female, Evelina, was the niece of Sherlock Holmes, I thought it would be in the same vein as a Holmes mystery except with a female in the detective shoes with an obvious steampunk tone. But the more I read, I found myself pleasantly surprised at how Emma Jane Holloway wrote a story combining mystery, intrigue, romance, magic and steampunk with such depth that made A Study In Silks a creative and engaging read.
I was really impressed with Holloway’s writing and how she plotted out the story. She took the time to develop and unfurl the story on its own. And this is important since A Study In Silks is the first book in her Baskerville Affair series. You understood that in her world, mechanics (steam) and magic exists side by side but it’s the steam mechanics that rule it (with a sort of hierarchical rule involving the steam barons and the extent of the power they wield) with magic considered illegal and punishable by death or worse. And while these two aspects don’t seem to fit in one story/series, Holloway makes it work. It’d be easy for everything to sound outlandish to the point that it’s hard to buy into this type of world, but she manages to maintain a certain level of groundedness. Neither the steam mechanics or magic edged toward the extreme of fantastical. Some of the contraptions described in the book is reminiscent of our modern conveniences except they are run by steam. And the magic that exists in the story is more of the nature variety instead of the conjurers and spells type. But let me say that since this is the first book, there’s still a lot we don’t know about magic and hints that our leading lady, Evelina who has The Blood, is special and wants to know more about her abilities. So we’ll see the if the magic that’s in this world will expand beyond what has been alluded to. Either way, there’s a good balance between the mechanics and magic that somehow manages to be credible that these two wholly different aspects of the world can exist in a story involving Victorian England and Sherlock Holmes.
But I think what makes it work is how Holloway didn’t make them the center of her story. Yes, they play big parts in the story and the characters, but in the end, it’s the characters and the plot that take center stage. I mentioned earlier how it was important for this first book to establish the story and how Holloway did it with her attention to details. This included her characters with their backgrounds and eventual roles into the overall story arc. Each character was well thought out with their own personal traits and conflicts, making them complicated and providing Holloway the opportunity to explore the different paths she could take Evelina, Nick, Tobias, Imogen, etc. (the ending certainly implies there’s more to come with these characters).
With that said, I have to point out that the story does move in a slow pace. Details and subplots are revealed in their time and often without that certain flair or action that we’re used to with the modern mysteries/thrillers/suspense. This pace can make it a little hard to stay engaged into the story. You may feel impatient waiting for something to happen. I know I had my moments where I was wondering where everything was going. But there’s enough developing there that you slowly become invested, wanting to know what happen. The pace certainly reflects that Victorian feel of the time period it’s set in. But the one aspect of the story that works with the Victorian-esque trait is the romance. The interesting mixture of the chaste with the chemistry and allure between Evelina/Nick and Evelina/Tobia made for some interesting scenes (dare I say even sexy?). I actually found myself liking those scenes. Yes, I usually roll my eyes with YA books containing love triangles, but with this book it didn’t bother me as much. There was enough going on with the book that the love triangle didn’t take the forefront as much even though it did have some influence with the plot but not so much that my cynical half came roaring out, eyes rolling.
If you’re wondering: yes, Sherlock Holmes himself does make an appearance in the book. And yes, I was picturing Benedict Cumberbatch. Which was in itself surprising since I figured it’d only involve Evelina and her circle of people. It just goes to show that the book didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. Which is a good thing. I was very impressed with Holloway’s writing and attention to detail. It led to a book that was filled with a complex story with complicated characters and relationships taking place in a world that is both familiar and yet with an exotic flavor. By the end of the book, I found myself hooked and wanting to know how the story Holloway established in this first installment will develop in the subsequent books of this trilogy.
I was really impressed with Holloway’s writing and how she plotted out the story. She took the time to develop and unfurl the story on its own. And this is important since A Study In Silks is the first book in her Baskerville Affair series. You understood that in her world, mechanics (steam) and magic exists side by side but it’s the steam mechanics that rule it (with a sort of hierarchical rule involving the steam barons and the extent of the power they wield) with magic considered illegal and punishable by death or worse. And while these two aspects don’t seem to fit in one story/series, Holloway makes it work. It’d be easy for everything to sound outlandish to the point that it’s hard to buy into this type of world, but she manages to maintain a certain level of groundedness. Neither the steam mechanics or magic edged toward the extreme of fantastical. Some of the contraptions described in the book is reminiscent of our modern conveniences except they are run by steam. And the magic that exists in the story is more of the nature variety instead of the conjurers and spells type. But let me say that since this is the first book, there’s still a lot we don’t know about magic and hints that our leading lady, Evelina who has The Blood, is special and wants to know more about her abilities. So we’ll see the if the magic that’s in this world will expand beyond what has been alluded to. Either way, there’s a good balance between the mechanics and magic that somehow manages to be credible that these two wholly different aspects of the world can exist in a story involving Victorian England and Sherlock Holmes.
But I think what makes it work is how Holloway didn’t make them the center of her story. Yes, they play big parts in the story and the characters, but in the end, it’s the characters and the plot that take center stage. I mentioned earlier how it was important for this first book to establish the story and how Holloway did it with her attention to details. This included her characters with their backgrounds and eventual roles into the overall story arc. Each character was well thought out with their own personal traits and conflicts, making them complicated and providing Holloway the opportunity to explore the different paths she could take Evelina, Nick, Tobias, Imogen, etc. (the ending certainly implies there’s more to come with these characters).
With that said, I have to point out that the story does move in a slow pace. Details and subplots are revealed in their time and often without that certain flair or action that we’re used to with the modern mysteries/thrillers/suspense. This pace can make it a little hard to stay engaged into the story. You may feel impatient waiting for something to happen. I know I had my moments where I was wondering where everything was going. But there’s enough developing there that you slowly become invested, wanting to know what happen. The pace certainly reflects that Victorian feel of the time period it’s set in. But the one aspect of the story that works with the Victorian-esque trait is the romance. The interesting mixture of the chaste with the chemistry and allure between Evelina/Nick and Evelina/Tobia made for some interesting scenes (dare I say even sexy?). I actually found myself liking those scenes. Yes, I usually roll my eyes with YA books containing love triangles, but with this book it didn’t bother me as much. There was enough going on with the book that the love triangle didn’t take the forefront as much even though it did have some influence with the plot but not so much that my cynical half came roaring out, eyes rolling.
If you’re wondering: yes, Sherlock Holmes himself does make an appearance in the book. And yes, I was picturing Benedict Cumberbatch. Which was in itself surprising since I figured it’d only involve Evelina and her circle of people. It just goes to show that the book didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. Which is a good thing. I was very impressed with Holloway’s writing and attention to detail. It led to a book that was filled with a complex story with complicated characters and relationships taking place in a world that is both familiar and yet with an exotic flavor. By the end of the book, I found myself hooked and wanting to know how the story Holloway established in this first installment will develop in the subsequent books of this trilogy.
May 3, 2019
Complicated with a touch of sci-fi. Can’t wait to read the next one.
September 16, 2013
I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. I love steampunk books and thought the idea of following a character around that was Sherlock Holme’s neice was a good one. This book has two more books planned in the series. The second book will be titled, A Study in Darkness, and is planned to have an October 2013 release. The third book will be titled, A Study in Ashes, and is planned to release in November 2013. I really enjoyed this book a lot.
Evelina was raised by her grandmother in the circus, only to find that she had another grandmother who was nobility. Her noble grandmother offers to support Evelina’s schooling and debut in society. Now Evelina is done with school and spending her time at a friend’s house, a friend whose father is a Baron. Evelina finds herself struggling to fit in with high society because of her background...not to mention the fact that Evelina can perform magic, something forbidden in society. Then a maid gets murdered and Evelina is drawn into a web of dangerous and complicated intrigue, power, and magic.
This was a very well done novel that is a blend of steampunk, mystery, and Pride and Prejudice. I enjoyed it alot. The world-building is fantastic. Basically this London is run by Steam Barons, all of the vying for power and property. God help anyone who gets on the wrong side of the Steam Barons; that person will find themselves cut off from power at the least and dead at the worst. It is a complicated world of power struggles, dark magic, and intrigue and I really enjoyed it.
Evelina is an interesting character. She is struggling to be a proper English lady, but can still do the trapeze tricks she learned in the circus and has a very unladylike obsession with all things mechanical. Then there is the fact that she can do magic, something highly forbidden. She’s curious like a cat and can never leave well-enough alone. Add to this the fact that she has contact with the great Sherlock Holmes (who despises magic) and she leads a very complicated life.
Evelina is also the victim of a love triangle. A boy/man from the circus that she grew up with, Nick (who is a trick horse-rider and all around bad-boy), has appeared suddenly back into her life. Nick and Evelina share a strange connection through their magic, but Evelina wants to protect them both by staying apart. Then there is a the insufferable Tobias, her best friend’s older brother. At first Tobias seems to be a bit of a cad, but then as we get to know him better we find that him and Evelina share a love of all things mechanical.
The mystery is well done with lots of twists and turns that are unexpected but never felt contrived. Things are nicely resolved, with some strands of story left open for future books.
My only problem with this book was the length. It is really, really long. Although I enjoyed reading it, it still felt like a long read. The story is told from a number of points of view and this drags the story out longer than it needed to be. I think the book could have been tightened up a bit and it would have made for a faster pace and a more engaging read.
Overall I really enjoyed this Victorian steampunk mystery. I loved the world building and the way the Steam Barons ran everything. I enjoyed the characters; Evelina is a wonderful heroine and the tension between her and Nick and Tobias was skillfully done. The plot was wonderful too and the mystery was engaging. I do feel that the story was a bit slow at points and could have been tightened up and shortened a bit. Still it was an excellent read and I plan on reading the next two books of the series as well. Recommended to those who enjoy steampunk with some romance.
Evelina was raised by her grandmother in the circus, only to find that she had another grandmother who was nobility. Her noble grandmother offers to support Evelina’s schooling and debut in society. Now Evelina is done with school and spending her time at a friend’s house, a friend whose father is a Baron. Evelina finds herself struggling to fit in with high society because of her background...not to mention the fact that Evelina can perform magic, something forbidden in society. Then a maid gets murdered and Evelina is drawn into a web of dangerous and complicated intrigue, power, and magic.
This was a very well done novel that is a blend of steampunk, mystery, and Pride and Prejudice. I enjoyed it alot. The world-building is fantastic. Basically this London is run by Steam Barons, all of the vying for power and property. God help anyone who gets on the wrong side of the Steam Barons; that person will find themselves cut off from power at the least and dead at the worst. It is a complicated world of power struggles, dark magic, and intrigue and I really enjoyed it.
Evelina is an interesting character. She is struggling to be a proper English lady, but can still do the trapeze tricks she learned in the circus and has a very unladylike obsession with all things mechanical. Then there is the fact that she can do magic, something highly forbidden. She’s curious like a cat and can never leave well-enough alone. Add to this the fact that she has contact with the great Sherlock Holmes (who despises magic) and she leads a very complicated life.
Evelina is also the victim of a love triangle. A boy/man from the circus that she grew up with, Nick (who is a trick horse-rider and all around bad-boy), has appeared suddenly back into her life. Nick and Evelina share a strange connection through their magic, but Evelina wants to protect them both by staying apart. Then there is a the insufferable Tobias, her best friend’s older brother. At first Tobias seems to be a bit of a cad, but then as we get to know him better we find that him and Evelina share a love of all things mechanical.
The mystery is well done with lots of twists and turns that are unexpected but never felt contrived. Things are nicely resolved, with some strands of story left open for future books.
My only problem with this book was the length. It is really, really long. Although I enjoyed reading it, it still felt like a long read. The story is told from a number of points of view and this drags the story out longer than it needed to be. I think the book could have been tightened up a bit and it would have made for a faster pace and a more engaging read.
Overall I really enjoyed this Victorian steampunk mystery. I loved the world building and the way the Steam Barons ran everything. I enjoyed the characters; Evelina is a wonderful heroine and the tension between her and Nick and Tobias was skillfully done. The plot was wonderful too and the mystery was engaging. I do feel that the story was a bit slow at points and could have been tightened up and shortened a bit. Still it was an excellent read and I plan on reading the next two books of the series as well. Recommended to those who enjoy steampunk with some romance.
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