The Wonder Engine
Ratings88
Average rating4.1
I don't know whether to be mad or glad that this book is over, as I am heartbroken and yet in awe of the sheer emotions that Kingfisher has managed to put down on paper.
Firstly, I would agree with others that say you should read this directly after the first book, since this picks up exactly where the previous left off. The journey continues pretty well and there is a lot of setup for this high risk, high reward mission that they're on. There was a lot of set up, a few side quests to finish off based on our dear Slate's backstory, and then the ultimate finale (which honestly was sidelined by the more heart-wrenching plot twist).
Learned Edmund is probably the one that goes through the most character development. He is a very young and impressionable, and it is clear that he was indoctrinated with the beliefs of the Many-Armed God very early on. The best indication of this is when he invites Slate to join him after their journey, forgetting the animosity that his brethren have against women.
The ending was weirdly unsatisfactory. I know that in order to qualify for a romance, the characters have to have a HEA, but I feel like leaving it as it had been and having them finish open-ended would have served better, especially after the events that happened.
I still love it despite what transpired, I can admire an author that cackles knowing the reader will break over what they've written.
The first book was fresh and intriguing; this one felt much too long. It dragged on. The side plots felt forced. The romance angle got to where it just felt tedious. The cutesy oppressed creatures were depicted in a way that seemed cringily Samboish. The lookism was awkward. Yes, I will read Kingfisher again, her heart is huge and loving. Just not for a while.
I'm so happy I started this series. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but I'm still heartbroken.
Will try diving into the next book set in this world very soon.
Basically everything I wanted to say I covered in my review of the first book in the series (since I read them back to back). Comfy fantasy, action, a bit of romance, what more could you want!
3.5 stars. Overall, I really love this overarching world which a lot of T. Kingfisher's series is set in. I did enjoy the whole dynamic between our motley crew in this one too, but felt that more could've been done with the clocktaur plot and perhaps with a bit more politicking.
This story is so much of a continuation of the first instalment of the series, Clockwork Boys, that it feels like you're hopping on to a moving car when you first start. There's a very helpful prologue at the beginning to catch new readers up to things, but I still feel like I could've done with a reread of Clockwork Boys, which I've read many many months ago.
Interestingly, what I enjoyed most in this book is the little glimpse we get into the world of the gnoles, their strangely rigid hierarchy, and even the language that they get. Kingfisher teases in her post-credits that we might get a book about Learned Edmund in the future, and if he's going to go on some gnole-ish adventures to write his book, I'd be very interested.
I fairly enjoyed the slow burn romance we got between Slate and Caliban in this one, but it grated on me a little by the end. I didn't like how Slate responded to certain plot events which moved things along with their relationship. In further detail: I was fine with her mourning for Brenner and being mad at Caliban for it, but it seemed like she was mad at Caliban just because he had pushed her aside while on his mission to get at the demon, and not so much because she had witnessed him killing Brenner? It was a hard thing to witness and I was fully behind Slate having to have some time away from Caliban to process things, but the motivation and reasons for her avoiding Caliban just seemed like the wrong ones to me. I didn't like how she held it over Caliban's head in the end before they could finally had a fight about it and reconcile by the end.
Personally, I prefer the other Kingfisher books I've read by her (Paladin's Grace from the Saint of Steel series, and The Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - both of them set in the same world as Clocktaur War), but that's not to say that this book is bad by any means. I enjoyed it and would still recommend it to anyone who's looking for a good steampunk fantasy with a dash of humour and romance.
This is the second part of the story begin in [b:Clockwork Boys 36618062 Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War, #1) T. Kingfisher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511019840l/36618062.SY75.jpg 58376790], and I think one review will do for all, so I won't review it again here. Suffice it to say that this second part has extra characters and is more exciting, so I give it one more star. You might say the first part functions as a long introduction to the second.
4 stars for this book, 5 stars for the series.
Some of the best fantasy I've read in decades. Maybe a little too much “oh he/she can't possibly want/like me as much as I like him/her,” considering that Slate and Caliban are mature individuals, but the dialogue continues to sparkle, the characters continue to develop, and the gnoles are worth an entire series on their own.
Ms. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon says it took decades for her to complete the Clocktaur War series. I hope it doesn't take as long for her to revisit this world. Even if Slate and Caliban are just glimpsed arguing with each other in the background I'll be happy.
Although I'll never think about chutney and what implements are used to make it in the same way anymore after Chapter 33.