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A review by elementarymydear
The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
WOW. I was not expecting this book to be so immersive, so atmospheric, and so downright creepy but it was truly brilliant!
The story is set in 18th Century Paris, with a nice mix of fictional and real characters. Using real historical figures is a difficult game, especially when they are not leading roles such as in this book, but I thought the author did a great job of introducing them and then balancing them with the rest of the story.
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I loved the friendship between the main character, Madeleine, and the young woman she works for, Véronique. The way it developed over the course of the story felt very natural and was a lovely arc. There was also lots of very interesting family dynamics for both women, which were well depicted with all their complexities.
All of this is driven by a very cool but very creepy plot involving steampunk-style automata. It’s not a fantasy book or even magical realism, but there is a fantastical air to some it. The morbid fascination that some of the characters have with dissecting various creatures, in order to recreate them in clockwork form, has that occasional villainous tone to it but also draws you in as a reader with their own intrigue and obsession.
This book is not at all what I expected, but it was all for the best. It’s a perfect example of how to blend fact with fiction, and how to creep out your readers while ensuring they can’t look away.
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.
The story is set in 18th Century Paris, with a nice mix of fictional and real characters. Using real historical figures is a difficult game, especially when they are not leading roles such as in this book, but I thought the author did a great job of introducing them and then balancing them with the rest of the story.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
I loved the friendship between the main character, Madeleine, and the young woman she works for, Véronique. The way it developed over the course of the story felt very natural and was a lovely arc. There was also lots of very interesting family dynamics for both women, which were well depicted with all their complexities.
All of this is driven by a very cool but very creepy plot involving steampunk-style automata. It’s not a fantasy book or even magical realism, but there is a fantastical air to some it. The morbid fascination that some of the characters have with dissecting various creatures, in order to recreate them in clockwork form, has that occasional villainous tone to it but also draws you in as a reader with their own intrigue and obsession.
This book is not at all what I expected, but it was all for the best. It’s a perfect example of how to blend fact with fiction, and how to creep out your readers while ensuring they can’t look away.
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.