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georginaflor's review against another edition
3.0
✨3.5 stars✨
I haven’t read a ton of steampunk books in my life, so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but this was really enjoyable! I will admit that some of the machinery confused me, and the sci-fi aspects like aircrafts and how they work lowkey went over my head a little bit, but I still found this book to be a fun read, which is a really good sign.
The Carpathia and its crew were ADORABLE. I love love love books with a close knit friend group/crew and this book fully ticks that box. I bloody adored Cupcake, her dynamic with Aveline and Noona was so sweet and I found myself really feeling for her when she was trying to find her parents. I would have liked to have found out more about the other individual crew members though, as some were mere mentions of names, and sometimes that made it feel a bit distant and random. There were times where names were said and I found myself thinking ‘who??’ which is never ideal.
Saying that though, the characters that were explored were nicely multifaceted, as they weren’t necessarily likeable but they were realistic. I don’t know that I particularly liked Aveline, but she was definitely fleshed out and three dimensional, with her decisions and feelings battling with one another, especially her conflicting feelings about Proteus at the end of the book. I adored this plot twist, not one part of me was expecting it and it actually really hit! Often, plot twists are either so obvious that they fall flat, or are so bananas that they just make no sense, but this absolutely hit the sweet spot of being unexpected and yet completely making things make sense.
One person I just plain despised, however, was Lorelai. She was just the absolute worst, kissing Aveline’s boyfriend (who was also a prize asshole but still), demanding Aveline not leave, just generally being a massive bitch- honestly I was mentally screaming at Aveline to just not bother going back for Lorelai at all, Xanthe’s sister or not. There was just something that really grated on me about her, and whilst she was written really well, oooooh boy she just made my blood boil.
The book starts off quite slowly and it takes a while to build momentum, but once it got going it really did keep me gripped, and I finished the last half in a day. I do feel as though the world needed more fleshing out, as well as the secondary characters, and the Aveline/Brayde ‘romance’ could definitely have done with more building up (like they’re really in love? after only a few days? oh honey no) but overall I can’t deny that I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the Andul storyline was really clever, and I was impressed with Aveline’s journey to realise the extent to which her people were oppressed, because it gave her character a really important bit of scope to change her viewpoints. I appreciated that a lot. Hopefully there’s less Lorelai in the sequel (I suspect not, but a girl can dream) because I am more than happy to shirk my uni work in order to read the next book in the series. But seriously though, less Lorelai would be lovely xo
I haven’t read a ton of steampunk books in my life, so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but this was really enjoyable! I will admit that some of the machinery confused me, and the sci-fi aspects like aircrafts and how they work lowkey went over my head a little bit, but I still found this book to be a fun read, which is a really good sign.
The Carpathia and its crew were ADORABLE. I love love love books with a close knit friend group/crew and this book fully ticks that box. I bloody adored Cupcake, her dynamic with Aveline and Noona was so sweet and I found myself really feeling for her when she was trying to find her parents. I would have liked to have found out more about the other individual crew members though, as some were mere mentions of names, and sometimes that made it feel a bit distant and random. There were times where names were said and I found myself thinking ‘who??’ which is never ideal.
Saying that though, the characters that were explored were nicely multifaceted, as they weren’t necessarily likeable but they were realistic. I don’t know that I particularly liked Aveline, but she was definitely fleshed out and three dimensional, with her decisions and feelings battling with one another, especially her conflicting feelings about Proteus at the end of the book. I adored this plot twist, not one part of me was expecting it and it actually really hit! Often, plot twists are either so obvious that they fall flat, or are so bananas that they just make no sense, but this absolutely hit the sweet spot of being unexpected and yet completely making things make sense.
One person I just plain despised, however, was Lorelai. She was just the absolute worst, kissing Aveline’s boyfriend (who was also a prize asshole but still), demanding Aveline not leave, just generally being a massive bitch- honestly I was mentally screaming at Aveline to just not bother going back for Lorelai at all, Xanthe’s sister or not. There was just something that really grated on me about her, and whilst she was written really well, oooooh boy she just made my blood boil.
The book starts off quite slowly and it takes a while to build momentum, but once it got going it really did keep me gripped, and I finished the last half in a day. I do feel as though the world needed more fleshing out, as well as the secondary characters, and the Aveline/Brayde ‘romance’ could definitely have done with more building up (like they’re really in love? after only a few days? oh honey no) but overall I can’t deny that I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the Andul storyline was really clever, and I was impressed with Aveline’s journey to realise the extent to which her people were oppressed, because it gave her character a really important bit of scope to change her viewpoints. I appreciated that a lot. Hopefully there’s less Lorelai in the sequel (I suspect not, but a girl can dream) because I am more than happy to shirk my uni work in order to read the next book in the series. But seriously though, less Lorelai would be lovely xo
emma_thebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This story combines steam-punk, fantasy, and sci-fi in such a fun and unique way! It follows Xanthe, who commands a flying ship along with his friend Brayde, and they do Robin Hood-style work of saving young children before they are made to work for the army. Xanthe is also trying to find his missing sister, which is something which I found really drives the plot forward. The story never had a dull moment, and I felt really engaged in what was happening any time I picked it up.
Xanthe was a great character, he was so clever and made a great leader. I could really tell that some of the other characters looked up to him. His abilities were so fun to read about, I particularly found his ‘slipping’ really interesting because it allowed him to travel across spaces in the blink of an eye. I really liked his dynamic with Brayde, you could really tell how much they trusted one another and how deep their friendship went. Brayde also has a really sweet romance with a character who meets them for the first time near the beginning, and it was enough to add an extra element to the story without distracting from the main plot.
The world building in this book was incredible, it all clicked together really well and I could tell that Black had done lots of planning before writing because everything worked and made sense. It felt very believable for a sci-fi steam-punk world! Overall I gave this book 4 stars, and I recommend it to people who love found families and loveably flawed main characters!
Xanthe was a great character, he was so clever and made a great leader. I could really tell that some of the other characters looked up to him. His abilities were so fun to read about, I particularly found his ‘slipping’ really interesting because it allowed him to travel across spaces in the blink of an eye. I really liked his dynamic with Brayde, you could really tell how much they trusted one another and how deep their friendship went. Brayde also has a really sweet romance with a character who meets them for the first time near the beginning, and it was enough to add an extra element to the story without distracting from the main plot.
The world building in this book was incredible, it all clicked together really well and I could tell that Black had done lots of planning before writing because everything worked and made sense. It felt very believable for a sci-fi steam-punk world! Overall I gave this book 4 stars, and I recommend it to people who love found families and loveably flawed main characters!
booksnsocks's review against another edition
4.0
I received this e-book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I've never read a steampunk novel before and this was a great introduction to the genre! The world of Tyria is a really unique one where ships fly through the skies and some people, the Andul, can move from one place to another by using their special power called 'slipping'. I could've done with a bit more world building and a short passage explaining how exactly slipping works in the beginning, but I think I'd figured it all out quite well along the way.
There were a few things I hadn't figured out, though...because they ended up being plot twists! And wow, I did not see those plot twists coming! They left me wanting to read more and before I knew it, I had finished another few chapters.
I especially liked the chapters that followed Avilene and Lorelei, as I found the whole idea of 'slipping' really interesting and was trying to figure out how exactly this type of magic works. As became clear from their chapters, which were focused a lot on the use of this magic, the Andul can not just jump through space, but also through time. 'Slipping' takes a lot of energy and can be done by singing a special song and it causes the user to go temporarily blind, or permanently blind in the case of Xanthe. The only thing that can keep the Andul from using their power is a green crystal called Moldavite. Sometimes a book contains all kinds of magic, which makes it feel messy, but the magic in this book was complex, but well thought out.
When it comes to the characters, I adored Cupcake (I, too, would like to just eat every sweet thing in sight), but I found Xanthe a really interesting character and would love to read his perspective! He is a really powerful character known as The Phantom Nightingale and he saves Andul children from being enslaved and used as weapons in a looming war undertaken by humans. He gives them a place on his ship (a flying one! I'm still not over how cool that is!) and seeks a safe place with a kind family for them to live.
This was a great set up, but it actually wasn't the most important part of the story. The story is about Xanthe who is searching for his lost sister who he believes is entrapped in the Yugend Academy where Avilene is an ensign. Avilene, who is Andul but has lost her powers, feels trapped and wants to escape the academy and break free from her cruel superintendent, Proteus. The stories of Avilene and Xanthe and Brayde (Xanthe's first mate) intertwine when Brayde and Sicarah (one of the people from the ship) infiltrate the academy to save Xanthe's sister. After that, the story is jam-packed with action and plot twists, and pirates and magic!
Of course there was a romantic element to this story, and while it was a small part and I normally loooove romance, I found that it was enough. It didn't take over the story, but it was a nice addition to it.
Overall, this was a really unique story and I'm curious to see where the story'll go!
I've never read a steampunk novel before and this was a great introduction to the genre! The world of Tyria is a really unique one where ships fly through the skies and some people, the Andul, can move from one place to another by using their special power called 'slipping'. I could've done with a bit more world building and a short passage explaining how exactly slipping works in the beginning, but I think I'd figured it all out quite well along the way.
There were a few things I hadn't figured out, though...because they ended up being plot twists! And wow, I did not see those plot twists coming! They left me wanting to read more and before I knew it, I had finished another few chapters.
I especially liked the chapters that followed Avilene and Lorelei, as I found the whole idea of 'slipping' really interesting and was trying to figure out how exactly this type of magic works. As became clear from their chapters, which were focused a lot on the use of this magic, the Andul can not just jump through space, but also through time. 'Slipping' takes a lot of energy and can be done by singing a special song and it causes the user to go temporarily blind, or permanently blind in the case of Xanthe. The only thing that can keep the Andul from using their power is a green crystal called Moldavite. Sometimes a book contains all kinds of magic, which makes it feel messy, but the magic in this book was complex, but well thought out.
When it comes to the characters, I adored Cupcake (I, too, would like to just eat every sweet thing in sight), but I found Xanthe a really interesting character and would love to read his perspective! He is a really powerful character known as The Phantom Nightingale and he saves Andul children from being enslaved and used as weapons in a looming war undertaken by humans. He gives them a place on his ship (a flying one! I'm still not over how cool that is!) and seeks a safe place with a kind family for them to live.
This was a great set up, but it actually wasn't the most important part of the story. The story is about Xanthe who is searching for his lost sister who he believes is entrapped in the Yugend Academy where Avilene is an ensign. Avilene, who is Andul but has lost her powers, feels trapped and wants to escape the academy and break free from her cruel superintendent, Proteus. The stories of Avilene and Xanthe and Brayde (Xanthe's first mate) intertwine when Brayde and Sicarah (one of the people from the ship) infiltrate the academy to save Xanthe's sister. After that, the story is jam-packed with action and plot twists, and pirates and magic!
Of course there was a romantic element to this story, and while it was a small part and I normally loooove romance, I found that it was enough. It didn't take over the story, but it was a nice addition to it.
Overall, this was a really unique story and I'm curious to see where the story'll go!
ksmarsden's review against another edition
5.0
A mix of steampunk, pirates, and magic that may unravel time itself!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book took a while to get into, as I think I was misled by the blurb.
Yes, Xanthe finding his lost sister is what drives the plot; and the pirate ship full of kids does play a part later on - but this book is primarily about his first-mate Brayde, and academy girl Avilene.
Brayde has been working tirelessly with Xanthe, ever since he was rescued from slave labour as a kid; and now in turn, they save as many as they can. They fight against a government that routinely takes 'recruits' from families, not caring that these children are too young, and throwing them into dangerous work. Those born with magic are treated as dispensable property, that have to serve the system in any way they can.
Avilene is one such victim. She was born with magic, but was pushed to the point of breaking by Superintendent Proteus. She considers herself one of the lucky ones, as she got a place in Yugend Academy, so she spends her days training; planning to get away from Proteus; and trying to spare her magical friend Lorelei any pain she can.
They meet when Brayde and Sicarah (who is amazing), go undercover at the Academy, posing as new recruits, to try and find information on Xanthe's missing sister.
I really enjoyed this. You have the perfect mix of adventure and intrigue.
They are basically pirates, in a flying ship. Oh, and the ship can 'slip' locations, because Xanthe is a magical person descended from aliens.
With so many components, it could easily get out of hand; but Black makes the story believable, every step of the way. She perfectly balances the world-building without ever overwhelming the reader with information.
The story is fun- it broaches some serious plotlines without being too intense.
It also has the romantic aspect between Brayde and Avilene, which plays a part, but it never felt like it was over-shadowing the rest of the plot.
Overall, this was a great start to a series, and I can't wait to read more.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book took a while to get into, as I think I was misled by the blurb.
Yes, Xanthe finding his lost sister is what drives the plot; and the pirate ship full of kids does play a part later on - but this book is primarily about his first-mate Brayde, and academy girl Avilene.
Brayde has been working tirelessly with Xanthe, ever since he was rescued from slave labour as a kid; and now in turn, they save as many as they can. They fight against a government that routinely takes 'recruits' from families, not caring that these children are too young, and throwing them into dangerous work. Those born with magic are treated as dispensable property, that have to serve the system in any way they can.
Avilene is one such victim. She was born with magic, but was pushed to the point of breaking by Superintendent Proteus. She considers herself one of the lucky ones, as she got a place in Yugend Academy, so she spends her days training; planning to get away from Proteus; and trying to spare her magical friend Lorelei any pain she can.
They meet when Brayde and Sicarah (who is amazing), go undercover at the Academy, posing as new recruits, to try and find information on Xanthe's missing sister.
I really enjoyed this. You have the perfect mix of adventure and intrigue.
They are basically pirates, in a flying ship. Oh, and the ship can 'slip' locations, because Xanthe is a magical person descended from aliens.
With so many components, it could easily get out of hand; but Black makes the story believable, every step of the way. She perfectly balances the world-building without ever overwhelming the reader with information.
The story is fun- it broaches some serious plotlines without being too intense.
It also has the romantic aspect between Brayde and Avilene, which plays a part, but it never felt like it was over-shadowing the rest of the plot.
Overall, this was a great start to a series, and I can't wait to read more.
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