4/5 stars - unusual and full of excitement!

Here's one book you should judge by it's cover! The gorgeous, whimsical art fits perfectly with the steampunk adventure that is Peter Bunzl's Cogheart. This middle-grade novel was a fun, light read even as an adult, but I would've absolutely loved it as a child.

Bunzl's strong sensory descriptions were engaging from the first page, lending immediacy to moments of danger and impact to emotional scenes. The story itself, while suitable for children, doesn't coddle its readers: the vocabulary choices are occasionally advanced and the plot deals with subjects like discrimination framed in the context of fantasy. The two main characters, Lily and Robert, have compelling voices appropriate to their ages, and they're distinct enough that readers will probably be able to relate to one (if not both) of them.

While my impression of Cogheart was overwhelmingly positive, I have three fairly minor bones to pick. 1) The prose is oddly comma-heavy. 2) I don't think there's any sense teaching young readers the 'not like other girls' nonsense that has led to so much unnecessary competition between women later in life (In the first chapter: "Lily had long ago noticed the other girls never read in posture class. It seemed thinking and walking simultaneously was too difficult for them. She doubted a single important thought ever floated through their minds.) And finally, 3) It didn't seem necessary to pepper Madame Verdigris' speech with French phrases when not all readers will know French. It doesn't contribute to the story and that's generally not how bilingual people mix their languages anyway, in my experience. Plus, the French is sometimes incorrect ("Besides, I've had a bien offer from someone who wanted the parts.")

Again, those were minimal flaws compared to the rest of the novel! I'd recommend Cogheart to any middle-grade reader, especially fans of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series.