The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles, #1) in Addicted to YA

Mar 08, 2013 Courtney rated it liked it

Shelves: teens, 2013-a-z-titles

While Steampunk is not my favorite genre (automatons don't interest me in the slightest), I did enjoy this book. I liked the characters, a group of young people of varying classes brought together by their common strangeness. Finley--the somewhat Jekyll/Hyde character, struggling to find peace and control over her two sides. Griffin--the young duke learning to control the Aether and discover the truth behind his parents' death. Emily--the sassy red head with an uncanny understanding of machines. ...more

Like · see review

May 29, 2012 Book Sp(l)ot rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2011-release, series, challenge-big-books

"There's a darkness within me something I can't always control.

If you like a girl with a secret side, you're gonna love me..."

There's something special about a book that can fulfill the declaration made on its back (or inside) cover. Kady Cross' The Girl in the Steel Corset does just that and more.

Finley Jayne, just sixteen, is already convinced that she's a freak and that there's no one else in London - or, likely, the world - like her. After all, no one else has two sides to themselves: one t ...more

Like · see review

May 30, 2012 Sasha rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, steampunk

When Kady Cross described The Girl in the Steel Corset as a cross between League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and X-Men , I thought that she was being overly ambitious. I mean, those are two of my favorite movies, and who was she to compare her books to them? But man, oh man, Ms. Cross hit the nail on the head with this one! The result is a book that an exciting, alluring, and dangerously addicting adventure from start to finish.

Finley Jane is no ordinary young woman. In possession of abilities t When Kady Cross described The Girl in the Steel Corset as a cross between League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and X-Men , I thought that she was being overly ambitious. I mean, those are two of my favorite movies, and who was she to compare her books to them? But man, oh man, Ms. Cross hit the nail on the head with this one! The result is a book that an exciting, alluring, and dangerously addicting adventure from start to finish.

Finley Jane is no ordinary young woman. In possession of abilities that no one in their wildest dreams could think of, she’s constantly in fear of letting these abilities dominate her and for her “dark side” to be in control and hurt people. However, one fateful encounter with the young Lord Griffin and his friends has her stumbling into a whole new world of high class nobility—and even higher stakes. Will Finley’s powers be mastered before it’s too late? And what plan does the Mechanist, a terrorist in possession and control of vicious robot automatons, have in store for London?

Finley is quite an unusual heroine, and I mean that in the best way. Used to having to look out for herself and not trusting anyone, it takes a long time for her to let her guard down around Griffin and his friends Emily, Jasper, and Sam. Her other persona, as I like to think of it, comes on in times of stress or dire situations, lashing out and hurting people if they get in the way. It that way, Finley was definitely scary. The part of her that was violent truly enjoyed hurting people, just as much as the other part of her abhorred it. Having such a dual personality, if you will, made Finley’s narration really interesting, because it was clear when she was struggling to stay in control of her abilities. I can’t imagine what that’s like.

I really liked the supporting characters, particularly Griffin and Jack Dandy. Griffin, though born into privilege, uses his wealth to help people. When Cross described the mansion where he lived and the people he had taken under his wing, I definitely got a Professor X, circa X-Men: First Class vibe. And Jack Dandy. Let me tell you something about Jack Dandy. He’s my favorite out of all of them. He wins all the awards. I’m mean, how could he not? He’s got that calculated Cockney accent, which hides his articulate cleverness and intelligence. He’s a criminal, but he’s got a set of morals somewhere deep down. He’s handsome, flirty, and every inch of him is dangerous. I love it! He’s easily the most colorful and interesting character of the lot, and I was disappointed by how little he is in the book (compared to how much I thought he should have been in it).

Cross has a wonderful knack for description, which was welcome in a steampunk Victorian Britain. Everything from the clothing to the technology and buildings were really vividly described, and I could picture it in my mind’s eye quite easily. However, in some places, I felt like things were unnecessarily described, going on and on about certain features of a telephone or the décor in a room or something when that space could be used for dialogue or plot advancement instead.

The Girl in the Steel Corset was a fun, quick read, with memorable characters, a colorful setting, and an imaginative plot. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. If you’re looking for a fantastic science fiction romance, this steampunk novel is just the right choice for you.
____

For more book reviews, visit my blog The Bookshelf! ...more

Like · see review

May 06, 2011 Kami rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, red-cover, steampunk

Living in an alternate 1897 London, Finley Jayne doesn't act like a normal Victorian lady. When the son of her employer attacks her, she fights back and knocks him out cold. Finley is found by a mysterious group led by 18-year-old Griffin King, the Duke of Greythorne. Griffin wants to help Finley control her dark side. This is a really good steampunk story. I was immediately drawn into the plot and characters' lives. I wanted to jump into the book and shake the characters for being stupid at tim ...more

Like · see review

Sep 15, 2013 Cheryl rated it really liked it

I felt like she did a poor job of explaining how the automatons came into being or how the world there was so different from the world here. But I liked it enough to keep reading the series, and I liked it a lot! So after 250 pages of this story, I kept holding on and ended up liking it.

Like · see review

Jul 21, 2011 Melissa rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, science-fiction, steampunk

An excellent steampunk novel with flawed heroes and heroines and a rogue with a mercenary but good(ish) heart. Set in Victorian England, this is an interesting world where machines, powered by a unique discovery, do much of the work. I like that the females aren't just waiting around to be rescued by the men. I hope for more! ...more

Like · see review

Mar 17, 2012 a_tiffyfit rated it really liked it

Shelves: re-readable

I really enjoyed this book! Fun story line, great character interactions, great editing as there were no gross grammatical errors to distract me as I was reading. I cannot WAIT for the next one!

Like · see review

Feb 24, 2013 Renuka rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, science-fiction, adventure, romance, action, historical-fiction, steampunk, e-book, cliff-hangers

Can I just say, steampunk is awesome. Especially when you have girls like Finley who could throw you out a window then stomp on your face. Pure amazing.

Like · see review