Scan barcode
shonaj29's review against another edition
5.0
Unseemly Science - Elizabeth Barnabus is now the owner of the Bullet Catcher’s Handbook. She wants to burn it and leave her old life behind, but sometimes things are easier said than done. There is a new charitable organisation in town and something about it puts Elizabeth on edge. Her unstoppable curiosity draws her into the world of body snatching, politics and unseemly science.
Again a fabulous book from Rod Duncan and follows on from The Bullet Catcher's Daughter perfectly. I loved every minute of this book and went straight on to the final in the trilogy because I had to find out what happened.
Again a fabulous book from Rod Duncan and follows on from The Bullet Catcher's Daughter perfectly. I loved every minute of this book and went straight on to the final in the trilogy because I had to find out what happened.
mimosaeyes's review
4.0
Better than the first book in the trilogy! I really got a sense of depth and complexity here, a sense of a wider world and a bigger narrative. The public autopsies plot-line was also really in line with the Victorian fascination with the macabre; a nice touch in a steampunk novel. I also like where all the character dynamics are going, particularly .
Having, and I wasn't too down with that. Still, excited to see where the third book goes!
Spoiler
Elizabeth's relationship to Tinker and Julia respectively (and with John Farthing, if I'm being honest)Having
Spoiler
the person Elizabeth is commissioned to find, wind up ice-zombie dead is barely better than the person actually dying, in the first bookfishrgreat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
daejmonet's review against another edition
I had forgotten how much I had liked the first book in this series, but I was reminded once I started this one. I find myself really falling into the mysteries of this series and I like that the reveal is never unrealistically outlandish. The concept of Elizabeth using her brother's identity in a society that didn't respect women's individuality was genius. I'm excited for the third book in the series, which hopefully involves a romance between Elizabeth and John.
silvernfire's review against another edition
3.0
Last year, I read [b:The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter|20697500|The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter (The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire, #1)|Rod Duncan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399112088s/20697500.jpg|40316944] and enjoyed it. But it didn't end on a cliff-hanger, so I was in no real hurry to start Unseemly Science. As it turned out, I waited a bit too long. By the time I read this, I'd forgotten a lot about the world of the Gas-Lit Empire, and while I remembered why Elizabeth was taking refuge in the Republic, I couldn't remember much else about her or several of the other characters. Maybe all that forgetting was part of why I didn't like this book as much. The first part of the book, when Elizabeth struggles to avoid being extradited to the Kingdom, failed to grab me. I'd been hoping for a mystery, and the plot I was getting was realistic and tense, but not what I'd been expecting. When Elizabeth does get a mystery to solve, the book picks up speed, and I got to that good place where you can barely make yourself put the book down. And I'll probably read [b:The Custodian of Marvels|25488847|The Custodian of Marvels (Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire, #3)|Rod Duncan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443099070s/25488847.jpg|45263398] sometime (preferably before I forget all the world-building details again)—I'm still waiting for that promised fall of the Gas-Lit Empire!
sloshydolphin's review against another edition
4.0
Carrying on from where the first book left us, the book shows a world of race hate added to the oppressive (for women) world. Elizabeth is such a well developed character she does not always do what is right , but what is right for her. The story follows in the same vain as the first. The books are not the most exciting but he immersion in the world and connection to Elizabeth in her steampunk world are what really engaged me in the book. If you liked the first one then you will love the second and like wise if you were not keen on the first then i do not think you will enjoy this one.
amy_in_the_books's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
katbond's review against another edition
5.0
I really like this series and this book provides more depth than the first.
jeepin's review against another edition
3.0
This one was fine, but nothing spectacular. Felt like he didn't quite know how to move forward from the first book. I was semi interested in the story line, but it felt like he didn't really shine a lot of light on any of the characters aside from Elizabeth. Also, I felt like I read the whole book for 3 mins of plot twist and then it fizzled out. I also felt like the internment camps kept giving me a slight holocaust feel and then nothing really came from that either. I imagine this book was needed to develop some of the characters for the next book (at least I hope so).
melinalovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book a lot more than the first one. I am not sure if it was because I already knew the main character or because of the dark tones this one had. It was probably both. While the first one focused more on setting the stage and being what I thought rather broad with the story line, this one had a more concise and faster pace. It did not take Elizabeth to multiple people and multiple places, it had one direct and dark outcome. You could feel every threat that she faced more strongly than the first one. I enjoyed it very much and wait with anticipation for the next installment.