Ticker by Lisa Mantchev is a delightful steampunk novel. I've really haven't read much in the steampunk genre (Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, and the first book of the Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger, although I'm sure die hard steampunk fans might have issues with both of those). But I loved the cover of this one (I know! But I can't lie, as I get older, I judge covers even harder). I requested it from Netgalley and received my first egalley for review! This was also the first whole book I read on my kindle (fun fact.).
Ticker is about young Penny Farthing. The women in her family inherit a mysterious heart ailment. Both of her sisters have died from it. She is saved from dying by an augmentation: a replacement, clockwork heart. However, the person who replaced it for her has been accused of several heinous murders, and is currently on trial. Then Penny's parents are kidnapped.
Ticker is an adventure of a novel. There are very few slow points, and even the ones without racing adventure are filled with bits of character development. I loved Mantchev's steampunk world. She did a great job of making me believe in it without stopping to explain things constantly. She writes like the world exists which makes it so much easier to step in to it and believe.
My favorite part of Mantchev's writing was the way Penny talks about her heart or Ticker. It works so well in regards to having a clockwork heart, but it also mimics the way real hearts work. I loved it.
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I would recommend this book to any fantasy lover willing to try the steampunk genre, or anyone who loves steampunk in general. Although it didn't hit a new favorite for me, I really enjoyed it. Mantchev's interpretation of steampunk is clever and exciting.
~~~ I recieved a free egalley of this book in return for an honest review. ~~~
Favorite Quotes (taken from egalley and subject to change in final version):
I am more than a pretty little windup doll.
We've all had terrible things happen to us [...] Only the weak use it as an excuse to prey upon others.
There are no heroes in a situation like this [...] There are only the dead and the survivors.
I haven't heard of this one before but it sounds interesting, steampunk can be pretty hit or miss in my experience (like everything I guess), so I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree! But this one was a good read. It's pretty short too, although I read it on my Kindle, I think it's like 324 in print?
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