In a vastly different and darker Philadelphia of 1844, steam power has been repressed, war threatens from deep, dark waters, and one young lady of high social standing is expecting a surprise at her seventeenth birthday party–but certainly not the one she gets!
Jordan Astraea, who has lived out all of her life in Philadelphia’s most exclusive neighborhood, is preparing to celebrate her birthday with friends, family and all the extravagance they might muster. The young man who is most often her dashing companion, Rowen Burchette, has told her a surprise awaits her and her best friend, Catrina Hollindale, wouldn’t miss this night for all the world!
But storm clouds are gathering and threatening to do far more than dampen her party plans because someone in the Astraea household has committed the greatest of social sins by Harboring a Weather Witch.
The synopsis above is not what the back of the book said, and so I was somewhat confused as to what exactly this book was supposed to be about the first time I read the back. Come to find out it is set in the Nineteenth century and is another book in the ever popular steampunk genre. Just didn’t see that coming!
Anyway, the first thirty or so pages are very heavy on exposition. This made the beginning a bit slow, but I promise that if you push through the information dump, the plot picks up quickly.
Things that Worked: While the exposition slowed down the plot, it was very beneficial to the world building and the information comes in handy later. Delaney’s writing is really descriptive and her word choice positively impeccable. Believe me, you’ll feel as though you are riding in the uncomfortable, barred cage that carries Jordan across the countryside.
Things that Didn’t Work: So. Many. Point of Views. While I appreciate the use of multiple POVs to tell the whole story, I really felt that the POVs switched too often and I found myself forgetting who’s POV I was supposed to be reading from. This could just be a symptom of the Third Person Limited POV use, since it is harder to distinguish voice that way. I also found it a bit hard to believe that Bram wouldn’t have realized that his daughter was an “abomination.” It is just so unlikely that he wouldn’t have seen the signs considering his expertise. I can’t say more or it will give some of the plot away!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I definitely look forward to the sequel.
4 Bards.
Moving! 