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heartsdesire's review against another edition
4.0
perfect. if only there is no romance shaped like triangle. but hey, still, this is a great work of fantasy.
it makes me laugh here and there.
and thank you for Grimehug the gnole. I adore him.
and thank you for no unnecessary brick loads of words that still builds the story on point, crystal clear and absolute magical.
it makes me laugh here and there.
and thank you for Grimehug the gnole. I adore him.
and thank you for no unnecessary brick loads of words that still builds the story on point, crystal clear and absolute magical.
fruitcd's review against another edition
The way I only read this bc for some reason I thought it was gay and then it turned out to be half a story where nothing happened and not even gay wtf
batty_and_bookish's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
nancy163's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
inbigtreble's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book would be an easy 5 if it had anything resembling an ending. As it stands, it's the first half of a longer book and my library has an awfully long wait for Wonder Engine. It's extremely fun and lovely, but it's just...not a complete story.
cnapple's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I knew from the first chapter that I would love this book. I think I finished it in about 5 hours over two days, and once I started reading, I literally could not put it down until I had to force my eyes closed to go to sleep.
Kingfisher is the queen of blending traditional fantasy, horror, whatever genre with the perfect amount of humor, and while I was literally laughing out loud every few pages or so, it never felt forced or broke my immersion or lowered the stakes of the plot.
Likewise, the characters are often subjected to ridiculous levels of misfortune and frequent fumble the ball before ultimately making the play, but they are never charicaturized, but are rather made more relatable and sympathetic. Even the most objectionable characters still have flashes of humanity and growth.
I am someone who likes a splash of romance in their fantasy, when handled appropriately and with respect to both characters, and Clockwork Boys, nails this for me. Since I read McMaster-Bujold's Shards of Honor over a decade ago, it has set the bar for adult romance between well-developed characters who respect and compliment each other's nature. I may now have a new gold standard.
There's a bit in the Acknowledgments about how Kingfisher pitched this as a light swashbuckling love story, and her editor was skeptical of the fit with some of the darker plot elements, but I have to disagree. For me, Clockwork Boys was, cover-to-cover, an absolute delight to read. now, if you're looking for a meaty, philosophical fantasy with a lot of gritty political machination, this may not be the read for you but it was absolutely a swashbuckling good time. Easy 5 stars.
Kingfisher is the queen of blending traditional fantasy, horror, whatever genre with the perfect amount of humor, and while I was literally laughing out loud every few pages or so, it never felt forced or broke my immersion or lowered the stakes of the plot.
Likewise, the characters are often subjected to ridiculous levels of misfortune and frequent fumble the ball before ultimately making the play, but they are never charicaturized, but are rather made more relatable and sympathetic. Even the most objectionable characters still have flashes of humanity and growth.
I am someone who likes a splash of romance in their fantasy, when handled appropriately and with respect to both characters, and Clockwork Boys, nails this for me. Since I read McMaster-Bujold's Shards of Honor over a decade ago, it has set the bar for adult romance between well-developed characters who respect and compliment each other's nature. I may now have a new gold standard.
There's a bit in the Acknowledgments about how Kingfisher pitched this as a light swashbuckling love story, and her editor was skeptical of the fit with some of the darker plot elements, but I have to disagree. For me, Clockwork Boys was, cover-to-cover, an absolute delight to read. now, if you're looking for a meaty, philosophical fantasy with a lot of gritty political machination, this may not be the read for you but it was absolutely a swashbuckling good time. Easy 5 stars.