The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles, #2) in Addicted to YA

May 22, 2012 Melissa rated it really liked it

This is the second in the Steampunk Chronicles, the first being The Girl in the Steel Corset. In this one our group travels to the US to help out Jasper who has problems at the end of the first book. That mystery unfolds as does the mystery of how Finley is doing by combining her two selves. We also get a hint of romance with the promise of more.

I'd have to say that my main complaint with this book was that Jack Dandy was absent in this tale. Even though I don't enjoy love triangles, I really lo ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Courtney rated it liked it

Shelves: teens

Still not a huge Steampunk fan, but I enjoyed it. Griffin and crew head to America to find Jasper and bring him back. They have to save him from his former gang, holding him against his will and forcing him to do the bidding of evil leader Dalton. Jasper's former love, Mei, is the leverage Dalton is holding over him. Finley infiltrates the gang to get Jasper out. Will Griffin's crew be able to stop Dalton before his evil machinations are realized? In this installment, Finley finally finds hersel ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Sasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, steampunk

4.5 stars.

You know those times when you open a book to the first chapter, read the first few paragraphs, and just sort of do this sigh of contentment because you’re finally back in that world, reading about the characters and the storylines you love? That’s how I felt when I finally got around to reading the second book in Kady Cross’ spectacular Steampunk Chronicles series, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.

There are many things that are absolutely awesome about this book. Right off the bat, on 4.5 stars.

You know those times when you open a book to the first chapter, read the first few paragraphs, and just sort of do this sigh of contentment because you’re finally back in that world, reading about the characters and the storylines you love? That’s how I felt when I finally got around to reading the second book in Kady Cross’ spectacular Steampunk Chronicles series, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.

There are many things that are absolutely awesome about this book. Right off the bat, one thing that really made me excited as a reader was the cover: just like the first book, this cover is gorgeous, with an Asian girl featured on the cover. I remember my first thought being, “Awesome! A girl of color on the cover of this prominent book series! That’s not very common.” I was really excited to see who this mystery girl was, and how she factored into the story. Also, the last book left me with a lot of questions—how was Finley going to negotiate her “good” side and her “bad” side now that they were one? What was going to happen to Jasper? Were Griffin’s powers really as badass as they were hinted to be? All of these questions and more were answered in glorious fashion in The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, and I was not disappointed.

The characterization of this book was on point. We really get to see Finley’s struggles to stay honest and “good” despite the constant presence of her bloodthirsty tendencies like a voice in her ear. I also liked the development of the secondary characters, like Jasper. We didn’t really get to learn much about Jasper in the last book and I’m really glad we get more from his point of view this time around. Jasper has gotten himself into a lot of trouble, having stolen something of the criminal Dalton’s and hidden it around New York to prevent Dalton from getting his hands on it. However, Dalton has leverage on Jasper: Mei, the girl he loved, is in his grasp, and Dalton knows Jasper will do anything to protect her. I can’t go into too many details about this situation without spoiling it but I will say that Dalton is a worthy adversary and Jasper shows his true worth whenever the occasion calls for it, proving that he is a worthy addition to Griffin’s gang.

The plot moves along at a gallop, with no shortage of twists and new developments. I also liked that we got to see each character’s talents in more detail, particularly Griffin’s and Jasper’s. Griffin has control of the Aether, an unseen substance connected to the souls of the dead. Something dark is at work in the Aether, and more than once Griffin is attacked by a shadowy demon out for his blood in particular. Another time, Griffin takes hold of too much Aetheric power and showcases just what kind destruction he is capable of and has to hold a tight rein on every day. These insights into Griffin’s power peeled away some of the enigma and made him a more well-rounded character. I’ve always thought he was the least well-developed character of the gang and appreciated Cross’ efforts to make the reader understand him and his motivations a little better.

That being said, the weakest part of the plot for me was Griffin and Finley’s relationship, which to me was dull and lacking. Honestly, I forget if there was anything I enjoyed about their relationship from the first book but going on the second book alone, I wasn’t impressed. There may be affection between the two, but as for the spark, it just didn’t do it for me. I felt like Finley had a more organic attraction to people like Dalton or even Jasper, not to mention Jack Dandy, who, sadly, does not make an appearance in this book (he was hands-down my favorite in the first book. I do hope we see more of him in the third of the series).

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is a fast-paced adventure that you will be absorbed in from start to finish. Cady owns the YA steampunk genre and for good reason. I can’t wait to see what the next book has in store for Griffin’s gang of misfits!
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Oct 07, 2013 Cheryl rated it liked it

I could see the end coming from the beginning, but still enjoyed reading it. I did not enjoy the sadness from *certain* characters standpoint, but I will not mention who if you choose to read this book. I liked this one a little less than the first one but still enough to devour it and the following one. I hate having to wait for the series to end, as I can read a book like this in about 2 days or 8-10 hours.

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Feb 27, 2013 Kami rated it it was amazing

Shelves: rrrc, steampunk, another-world

Finley et al. are on the way to New York in a dirigible to rescue Jasper. Dalton wants Jasper to bring him a device or he will kill Mei, the girl in the clockwork collar. Emily likes both Sam and Jasper, so the addition of Mei, causes some problems. The romantic tension between Finley and Griffin continues. This was such a good continuation of Finley's story. I really like the characters a lot. I like the action, super-human abilities and steampunk gadgets. I am excited to read the next book. ...more

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