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Stoker & Holmes #1
The Clockwork Scarab
Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you’re the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.
Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.
Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2013
About the author
Colleen Gleason
119 books1,591 followersAward-winning, NEW YORK TIMES and USA Today bestselling author Colleen Gleason has written more than twenty books for major publishers such as Penguin Group, Harlequin Enterprises, Chronicle Books, and HarperCollins (as Joss Ware). Her books have been translated into seven different languages.
Colleen lives in the Midwest United States where she is fortunate enough to be working on her next book.
She loves to hear from readers via her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.
Colleen lives in the Midwest United States where she is fortunate enough to be working on her next book.
She loves to hear from readers via her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,323 reviews
July 30, 2016
"Miss Holmes. Miss Stoker. There are many young men your age who are called into the service of their country. Who risk life and limb for their queen, their countrymen, and the Empire. Tonight, I ask, on behalf of Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales: will you do what no other young women are called to do, and place your lives and honor at the feet of your country?”This book, while by no means perfect, was just a lot of fun. It is mostly plot-driven, without much character development nor depth. It is also bogged down by some truly stupid insta-loves and love triangles.
Overall, I would still recommend this for a is a light, easy, fun read.
"Yes, I am willing,”The setting is London, 1889. This is a steampunk novel, but it is steampunk light. It can barely be called steampunk, because this is just a more mechanized, steam-powered version of Victorian London. The elements of steampunk are there, but they are so very minor as to be almost nonexistent in the book. Victorian ideals and beliefs still prevail. We have steam-powered engines, trolleys, electricity is outlawed, we have robot-like machines used around the house to help ladies put on corsets and practice dancing without a partner. London is just a little bit different.
Miss Adler was offering me a way to prove that, despite my gender, I was a Holmes in more than mere name and the size of my nose.
I disliked the new carriages, propelled by a steam engine and with no visible driver or engineer. They ran on some sort of magnetic tracking system. Ever since the Moseley-Haft Steam-Promotion Act had been passed by Lord Cosgrove-Pitt and his Parliament, everyone in London had been keen on them and anything else that could be mechanized and automated.Our heroines are Alvemina (who understandably prefers to be called "Mina" instead of her full name) Holmes, daughter of Sir Mycroft Holmes and niece of the famed Sherlock Holmes. Neglected by her father and abandoned by her mother, she is highly deductive (and thinks quite highly of herself), impulsive, completely lacking in social graces, and not altogether familiar with common sense, however book-smart and practical she is. Mina claims to be a scholar, and an admirer of her uncle's work. To be honest...I didn't find her too terribly smart, despite her self-professed assertion of being brilliant.
Her partner-in-crime, reluctantly thrown together, is Evaline Stoker, of Colleen Gleason's Gardetta Vampires family series. She is a vampire hunter, who is feeling a little bored and more than a little helpless at her current situation (London is sadly lacking in vampires to hunt, since her famed ancestor Victoria has pretty much killed them all, half a decade or so ago). Evaline is the opposite of Mina. She is beautiful, socially graceful and active, and as much as Mina is a scholar, Evaline is a warrior, despite her quiet front. She is a vampire hunter, and she does know how to kick some asses.
The two young ladies (and they are very young, 18 or so) are enlisted by Irene Adler of Sherlock Holmes fame, to investigate the deaths of some young society ladies. Along the way, they encounter mysterious Egyptian clues, secret societies, and mysterious young men---one of whom might even be a time traveler. He wears strange pants! His shirt has no buttons and a word that looks like AEROPOSTA on it. And he carries a strange device...
I pulled the device from my pocket. It looked like a small, dark mirror, but its window or face was black and shiny and reflected a bit of light and no clear image. About as big as my hand, it was slender and elegant, made of glass and encased in silver metal. I turned it over and noticed the faint image of an apple with a bite out of it.I don't know if it's an unintended joke on the Apple theme...but Evaline's mentor is named Siri.
Both Mina and Evaline are very different, and they are initially distrustful and judgmental of each other. Mina is dismissive of Evaline's skills and personality, based on her beautiful exterior.
According to The Venators, the vampire hunters of her family were endowed with superior physical strength and unnatural speed. I wondered if it was true. She certainly didn’t appear dangerous.And Evaline is similarly disparaging of Mina's braininess, calling her a "gawky brain-beak", which is also a dig on Mina's appearance, since Mina has unfortunately inherited the famous Holmes beak-like nose.
Despite their initial dislike of one another, they slowly warm to each other, and become appreciative of one anothers' strengths. They are not perfect, and both act really, really idiotically at numerous times in the course of their investigation. Mina walks into dangerous situations alone, without any defense, as well as invites a perfect stranger (a MAN, no less) to stay over at her home, knowing of the danger and the ridiculous impropriety of it. Similarly, Evaline acts like an impetuous fool, and completely blow their covers on more than one occasion. However, they are excellent foils to each other, since they are both there to bail the other out when one is endangered. Their partnership grow to be one of trust, and maybe even friendship.
That was when I realized that, somewhere along the way, she’d ceased being Miss Stoker and had become Evaline.There is not much character development in this book...both characters start off being unsure of themselves and their situation in the world, and are eager to prove their worthiness. They do accomplish that, to an extent, but that's the magnitude of their maturity. There is not much beyond that.
Not quite a friend, but no longer a stranger.
My major complaint with this book is the forced romances. Thankfully, Mina and Evaline never did fight over a guy, but I found their respective love interests to be such a stupid stretch. One of the two character not only falls into insta-love, but also gets involved in a stupid love triangle. The other gets involved with some mysterious young man who speaks in an exaggerated Cockney accent, who makes an appearance at pretty much every place she turns up (in this day, we'd call that a stalker), and kisses her silly at every chance. And naturally, our lovestruck heroine is intriged. BY A COCKNEY-ACCENTED STRANGER NAMED PIX. LIKE PIXIE.
/facepalm
Regardless of the stupidity of the numerous romances in this book, it was an fun read. Recommended for people who want something light that doesn't require them to think too much.
October 25, 2013
At first, I thought I was going to like this a whole lot better than I did. Indeed, for most of the book, I enjoyed it well-enough. Two heroines, strong in very different ways, learning to work together to fight crime, unmask villains, and solve mysteries.
Unfortunately, some elements of the book enter from left field. And there's a terribly contrived love triangle being setup for the series, and I hate that.
But it really takes a turn for the worse in the last quarter of the book. If you spend a lot of time establishing strong female leads, it'd probably be best if you don't have them fall all over themselves screwing up in crucial moments as your story draws to a close. This was particularly bad with Evaline Stoker where she goes from being stronger than anybody (because she's the slayer, essentially) to being manhandled, pushed around, even casually knocked out by pretty much everybody--and that's not even touching that Gleason made her freeze up at the sight of blood. Ugh.
Not that Gleason didn't neuter Mina Holmes as well. The essential characteristic of Sherlock Holmes is that he is so much smarter than everybody around him that he gets frustrated dragging them along--particularly official police-type everybodies. Not so with Mina. No, she gets a very special love-interest police somebody who not only keeps up with her effortlessly but shows her up at least twice. Which means that if Gleason was trying for a girl empowerment fantasy (which I very much wish that she had), then she not only failed spectacularly by creating female characters that screw up in crucial moments despite great gifts, she also added male counterparts who were better than those girls in their own areas of expertise (I haven't mentioned Pix, but he's about fifty times more effective than Eva and he actually had to work to gain his abilities--and with the added bonus that he doesn't freeze up at the sight of blood, too).
Anyway, the book ends up a complete mess, for me. Someone who came to this book interested in ordinary girls who stumble and bumble around to eventually succeed in not dying won't have as big a problem, I'm sure. Which kind of makes me wonder why Gleason would feature Stoker and Holmes. With those evocative names, you'd think she would create a story about rising to meet challenges suited to extraordinary girls. Instead, we get a villain straight out of central casting with insane plans whose successes occur because our heroines fail a lot. That's a tragic failure to execute on a brilliant premise, that is...
Unfortunately, some elements of the book enter from left field. And there's a terribly contrived love triangle being setup for the series, and I hate that.
But it really takes a turn for the worse in the last quarter of the book. If you spend a lot of time establishing strong female leads, it'd probably be best if you don't have them fall all over themselves screwing up in crucial moments as your story draws to a close. This was particularly bad with Evaline Stoker where she goes from being stronger than anybody (because she's the slayer, essentially) to being manhandled, pushed around, even casually knocked out by pretty much everybody--and that's not even touching that Gleason made her freeze up at the sight of blood. Ugh.
Not that Gleason didn't neuter Mina Holmes as well. The essential characteristic of Sherlock Holmes is that he is so much smarter than everybody around him that he gets frustrated dragging them along--particularly official police-type everybodies. Not so with Mina. No, she gets a very special love-interest police somebody who not only keeps up with her effortlessly but shows her up at least twice. Which means that if Gleason was trying for a girl empowerment fantasy (which I very much wish that she had), then she not only failed spectacularly by creating female characters that screw up in crucial moments despite great gifts, she also added male counterparts who were better than those girls in their own areas of expertise (I haven't mentioned Pix, but he's about fifty times more effective than Eva and he actually had to work to gain his abilities--and with the added bonus that he doesn't freeze up at the sight of blood, too).
Anyway, the book ends up a complete mess, for me. Someone who came to this book interested in ordinary girls who stumble and bumble around to eventually succeed in not dying won't have as big a problem, I'm sure. Which kind of makes me wonder why Gleason would feature Stoker and Holmes. With those evocative names, you'd think she would create a story about rising to meet challenges suited to extraordinary girls. Instead, we get a villain straight out of central casting with insane plans whose successes occur because our heroines fail a lot. That's a tragic failure to execute on a brilliant premise, that is...
June 9, 2023
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS A REVIEW WILL COME LATER PEOPLE
August 21, 2015
5 Words: Sherlock Holmes, Time Travel, Steampunk.
So this was a bit of a surprise for me. For one, it absolutely flew by. It ended and I was actually surprised because despite everything wrapping up quite nicely, I was prepared for more.
Jayne Entwistle does a fabulous job of reading this. The next book in the series is on my audible wishlist and so are a few of her other readings.
I liked the distinct voices. Even if I wasn't paying attention to the beginning of the chapter, where it told you who the narrator was, I was never lost. It wasn't just the voices that the actress was giving the characters were different, it's that the characters themselves were so distinct.
This plays on Sherlock canon, adds a dash of Steampunk and a touch of time-travel, picks up some Bram Stoker on the way and then runs madly into the wild, flailing its arms around hoping to pick up some ancient Egyptian lore. And it's excellent.
So this was a bit of a surprise for me. For one, it absolutely flew by. It ended and I was actually surprised because despite everything wrapping up quite nicely, I was prepared for more.
Jayne Entwistle does a fabulous job of reading this. The next book in the series is on my audible wishlist and so are a few of her other readings.
I liked the distinct voices. Even if I wasn't paying attention to the beginning of the chapter, where it told you who the narrator was, I was never lost. It wasn't just the voices that the actress was giving the characters were different, it's that the characters themselves were so distinct.
This plays on Sherlock canon, adds a dash of Steampunk and a touch of time-travel, picks up some Bram Stoker on the way and then runs madly into the wild, flailing its arms around hoping to pick up some ancient Egyptian lore. And it's excellent.
August 31, 2017
Something a little different for my real-life book club—a steampunk novel. A perfect, light little book for reading during the heat of August, when who really wants to exert themselves too much?
It’s a young adult novel, but it’s charm is dependent on the reader having some familiarity with Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker. The stars of this show are Mina Holmes (Sherlock’s niece) and Evalina Stoker (Bram’s much younger sister). Each of them are talented in their own rights, Mina as a thinker and reasoner like her uncle, Evalina as a vampire hunter. Brains and brawn, in other words.
When the two young women are forced to work together, their innate independence stands in their way to begin with. But resistance is futile, and they find themselves relying on each other more & more. Of course, there are love interests introduced for each one—a law man and a rapscallion, just to emphasize their tempermental differences! Since neither woman expected to find a suitable romance, they are surprised & confused by this state of affairs.
While this book will never achieve the durability or popularity of the original Conan Doyle or Stoker creations, it is cute and fun, and I will probably read at least one more book in the series.
It’s a young adult novel, but it’s charm is dependent on the reader having some familiarity with Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker. The stars of this show are Mina Holmes (Sherlock’s niece) and Evalina Stoker (Bram’s much younger sister). Each of them are talented in their own rights, Mina as a thinker and reasoner like her uncle, Evalina as a vampire hunter. Brains and brawn, in other words.
When the two young women are forced to work together, their innate independence stands in their way to begin with. But resistance is futile, and they find themselves relying on each other more & more. Of course, there are love interests introduced for each one—a law man and a rapscallion, just to emphasize their tempermental differences! Since neither woman expected to find a suitable romance, they are surprised & confused by this state of affairs.
While this book will never achieve the durability or popularity of the original Conan Doyle or Stoker creations, it is cute and fun, and I will probably read at least one more book in the series.
June 18, 2018
An enjoyable enough YA romp through steampunk London. There wasn't anything terribly original about the plot or characters but I enjoyed this version of London with its different levels and it's steam streamers and various other devices and where electricity is illegal. I don't think I'm likely to continue the series though.
October 1, 2013
Spoilers
This wasn't as good as Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles (which I loved), but it was still a fun read.
-Clockwork Scarab was essentially a run-of-the-mill murder mystery with steampunk elements, plucky heroines, and not-so-great love triangles. There were some parts that dragged and some aspects that were a tad over the top… like the secret Egyptian cults, the cartoonish bad guys, and the random time travel arc, it was a bit much.
-I don't usually like dual POV's but it worked quite well in this. Mina (Sherlock Holmes's niece) and Evaline (vampire slayer/Bram Stoker's sister) were both decent enough protagonists. I much preferred Mina over Evaline though, she was more likeable and interesting, whilst Evaline was a little dull and TSTL.
-I was disappointed that Mina and Evaline didn't really get along, they had a mostly antagonistic relationship. Yea, I really wasn't impressed that both of them judged the other from the get go, they didn't even know each other yet they made all sorts of bitchy judgements. They had more of a friendship at the end, but I find it annoying that apparently most female characters just can't get along from the get go.
-Evaline and Mina's characters were kind of cheesy. Mina was smart (kind of), socially awkward, and obsessed with solving things — so she was basically a young, female Sherlock. Whereas Evaline was reckless, idiotic, and full of herself — she was the typical YA 'kickass' warrior heroine. It would have been better if they hadn't been quite so predictable as characters.
-The love interests weren't all that impressive. There was too much insta-lust going on for my liking, the girls fell for the first guy that took an interest in them. The only love interest that I was impressed with was Grayling, he had a good personality and his chemistry with Mina was rather sweet. Evaline's fella wasn't my cup of tea at all, he was the typical-cocky-in-love-with-himself-manslut type hero.
-The Dylan/time travel arc didn't fit in with the rest of the story. I didn't see the point of his character at all.
All in all, an enjoyable enough read.
**ARC from Edelweiss
This wasn't as good as Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles (which I loved), but it was still a fun read.
-Clockwork Scarab was essentially a run-of-the-mill murder mystery with steampunk elements, plucky heroines, and not-so-great love triangles. There were some parts that dragged and some aspects that were a tad over the top… like the secret Egyptian cults, the cartoonish bad guys, and the random time travel arc, it was a bit much.
-I don't usually like dual POV's but it worked quite well in this. Mina (Sherlock Holmes's niece) and Evaline (vampire slayer/Bram Stoker's sister) were both decent enough protagonists. I much preferred Mina over Evaline though, she was more likeable and interesting, whilst Evaline was a little dull and TSTL.
-I was disappointed that Mina and Evaline didn't really get along, they had a mostly antagonistic relationship. Yea, I really wasn't impressed that both of them judged the other from the get go, they didn't even know each other yet they made all sorts of bitchy judgements. They had more of a friendship at the end, but I find it annoying that apparently most female characters just can't get along from the get go.
-Evaline and Mina's characters were kind of cheesy. Mina was smart (kind of), socially awkward, and obsessed with solving things — so she was basically a young, female Sherlock. Whereas Evaline was reckless, idiotic, and full of herself — she was the typical YA 'kickass' warrior heroine. It would have been better if they hadn't been quite so predictable as characters.
-The love interests weren't all that impressive. There was too much insta-lust going on for my liking, the girls fell for the first guy that took an interest in them. The only love interest that I was impressed with was Grayling, he had a good personality and his chemistry with Mina was rather sweet. Evaline's fella wasn't my cup of tea at all, he was the typical-cocky-in-love-with-himself-manslut type hero.
-The Dylan/time travel arc didn't fit in with the rest of the story. I didn't see the point of his character at all.
All in all, an enjoyable enough read.
**ARC from Edelweiss
July 17, 2016
Read for the Summer Biannual Bibliothon 2016
Actual rating: 3.5
First; love the setting, love the steampunk, love the fact that it feels like one of my own fanfictions. I seriously had to double check that Colleen Gleason was not me in disguise, because there were so many elements of this story that I tend to use when I write fanfics, such as the , whichever it turns out to be. Although, I've never written steampunk, at least not well, so I guess I'm not the author of this.
Also, the story felt very short and condensed. It could have been extended and elaborated and had a lot more details than it ended up having. Victorian London + steampunk setting should equal a ton of things to describe to really set the tone, but there was very little of that. The two main characters could also have been developed further - and described better. I forgot what they looked like after a while, which (for me) meant that I lost some of the immersion with the story.
But a good start to the series, I'd say, and I look forward to reading the next book.
Actual rating: 3.5
First; love the setting, love the steampunk, love the fact that it feels like one of my own fanfictions. I seriously had to double check that Colleen Gleason was not me in disguise, because there were so many elements of this story that I tend to use when I write fanfics, such as the , whichever it turns out to be. Although, I've never written steampunk, at least not well, so I guess I'm not the author of this.
Also, the story felt very short and condensed. It could have been extended and elaborated and had a lot more details than it ended up having. Victorian London + steampunk setting should equal a ton of things to describe to really set the tone, but there was very little of that. The two main characters could also have been developed further - and described better. I forgot what they looked like after a while, which (for me) meant that I lost some of the immersion with the story.
But a good start to the series, I'd say, and I look forward to reading the next book.
August 31, 2017
What was this book? It seemed like the author was just taking every modern teenage book plot and mashing them all together into a less than pretty sculpture of undefined mess.
There was steampunk, there was mystery, there was Sherlock Holmes, there were vampires, there was time travel. And all this left me thinking: WTF?!
First of all, the characters. The POV switches between the two main characters, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker. They literally sound almost exactly alike except Mina won't shut up about how smart she is, and Evaline won't shut up about how strong she is.
Plus, while Mina Holmes constantly talks about how brilliant her mind and deductions are, when it actually comes down to it, her brilliant reasoning isn't all that impressive. Not to mention Mina constantly does idiotic things, contrary to how "smart" she is. I mean, inviting a guy you barely know, whom you just bailed out of jail, to stay with you alone at your house? Not only wildly inappropriate for the supposedly Victorian era, but downright stupid. Then, she has the nerve to act surprised when he sneaks out and steals back his cell phone from her bedroom. You're lucky he didn't murder you in your sleep, you idiot.
Then, we come to Evaline. A vampire hunter. Her POV was slightly more bearable than Mina's for two main reasons.
1. She doesn't give lengthy explanations for every tiny detail and why it is or isn't important.
2. She doesn't pretend to be smarter than she is.
Also, when she does stupid and impulsive things, it's more believable, because she is characterized as being impulsive, unlike Mina.
Which brings me to my next annoyance. The characterizing. There was so much potential everywhere that wasn't properly seized. Evaline is supposed to be this super awesome vamp hunter, but she's never actually killed a vampire. She's squeamish about blood. Her mentor up and disappeared. Why is none of this taken any further than a couple of lines? Mina's father is never around, and her mother just up and left one day. At the risk of sounding like a TV therapist, "how does she feel about that?" And it can't just be sad. Duh, she's sad, but WHAT ELSE? Is that why Mina acts like such a know it all, because her mother left and she's trying to prove her independence? Beats me. It's not like the author ever gives us any insight. Every time it seemed like the characters were given some depth, the author dismisses it and moves on to more important things like how much it rains in London (um...duh).
Next order of business, the relationships between characters. Or lack thereof. At no point during the story did I feel like Mina and Evaline were a team. Sure, at first, they're supposed to be at each other's throats, having just met and all, but at no point did their friendship actually feel like it became a friendship. It felt like they went from acquaintances to... slightly warmer acquaintances. And don't even get me started about the love interests. Emphasis on the plural. How many more love triangles can I handle? Not many more, I can tell you that. They are SO old and tired. Luckily the two main characters didn't fight over the same guy, but they did turn into complete idiots whenever any of these guys were around. It's annoying when women talk about how they want to prove their worth in a world where men are in charge, and then fall to pieces whenever men are around.
Anyways, this leads nicely into my next topic to pick on: Dylan. WTF????!!!!! What is the point of him? No seriously, What is the point?! At no point was he in any way important to the character development in the story, the worldbuilding, the plot, or the mystery solving process. He literally falls out of the sky, jumps around a few pages, and causes general confusion because OMG he's a time traveler! He does absolutely nothing for the story. If he weren't there, there would be no difference, except the plot would've been less confusing. I kept waiting for him to be relevant, distracting myself from everything else that was going on, but IT NEVER HAPPENED!!! The only reason he's there is to provide a love triangle for Mina, which btw, also would've been better to leave out. I honestly think I've discovered one of the most pointless characters in a book ever. Nothing about Dylan is resolved at the end of the book.
Let's talk about worldbuilding, shall we? It was pitiful. It's got all the modern conveniences, but steam powered. I thought there would be more conflict later on with the whole electricity vs. steam thing, but guess what? It wasn't important. Just another point the author dropped in and never explored.
Also pitiful? The plot itself. The mystery could have been good, but there were no secret twists and turns. At no point during the story did I say, "Wow, I wonder what happens next!" It was all very linear and not at all clever or intriguing like a certain detective I could mention, or even the Enola Holmes series. The only thing that I couldn't figure out was the gender of the villain. Which was SO important that it seemed like one of the only things the main characters could think about at any given time.
So to sum it all up, the book wasn't that good. The mystery was tepid at best, the characters were flat, the world wasn't explored properly, Dylan existed, and the love triangles were laughable at best. Not one I'd recommend.
There was steampunk, there was mystery, there was Sherlock Holmes, there were vampires, there was time travel. And all this left me thinking: WTF?!
First of all, the characters. The POV switches between the two main characters, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker. They literally sound almost exactly alike except Mina won't shut up about how smart she is, and Evaline won't shut up about how strong she is.
Plus, while Mina Holmes constantly talks about how brilliant her mind and deductions are, when it actually comes down to it, her brilliant reasoning isn't all that impressive. Not to mention Mina constantly does idiotic things, contrary to how "smart" she is. I mean, inviting a guy you barely know, whom you just bailed out of jail, to stay with you alone at your house? Not only wildly inappropriate for the supposedly Victorian era, but downright stupid. Then, she has the nerve to act surprised when he sneaks out and steals back his cell phone from her bedroom. You're lucky he didn't murder you in your sleep, you idiot.
Then, we come to Evaline. A vampire hunter. Her POV was slightly more bearable than Mina's for two main reasons.
1. She doesn't give lengthy explanations for every tiny detail and why it is or isn't important.
2. She doesn't pretend to be smarter than she is.
Also, when she does stupid and impulsive things, it's more believable, because she is characterized as being impulsive, unlike Mina.
Which brings me to my next annoyance. The characterizing. There was so much potential everywhere that wasn't properly seized. Evaline is supposed to be this super awesome vamp hunter, but she's never actually killed a vampire. She's squeamish about blood. Her mentor up and disappeared. Why is none of this taken any further than a couple of lines? Mina's father is never around, and her mother just up and left one day. At the risk of sounding like a TV therapist, "how does she feel about that?" And it can't just be sad. Duh, she's sad, but WHAT ELSE? Is that why Mina acts like such a know it all, because her mother left and she's trying to prove her independence? Beats me. It's not like the author ever gives us any insight. Every time it seemed like the characters were given some depth, the author dismisses it and moves on to more important things like how much it rains in London (um...duh).
Next order of business, the relationships between characters. Or lack thereof. At no point during the story did I feel like Mina and Evaline were a team. Sure, at first, they're supposed to be at each other's throats, having just met and all, but at no point did their friendship actually feel like it became a friendship. It felt like they went from acquaintances to... slightly warmer acquaintances. And don't even get me started about the love interests. Emphasis on the plural. How many more love triangles can I handle? Not many more, I can tell you that. They are SO old and tired. Luckily the two main characters didn't fight over the same guy, but they did turn into complete idiots whenever any of these guys were around. It's annoying when women talk about how they want to prove their worth in a world where men are in charge, and then fall to pieces whenever men are around.
Anyways, this leads nicely into my next topic to pick on: Dylan. WTF????!!!!! What is the point of him? No seriously, What is the point?! At no point was he in any way important to the character development in the story, the worldbuilding, the plot, or the mystery solving process. He literally falls out of the sky, jumps around a few pages, and causes general confusion because OMG he's a time traveler! He does absolutely nothing for the story. If he weren't there, there would be no difference, except the plot would've been less confusing. I kept waiting for him to be relevant, distracting myself from everything else that was going on, but IT NEVER HAPPENED!!! The only reason he's there is to provide a love triangle for Mina, which btw, also would've been better to leave out. I honestly think I've discovered one of the most pointless characters in a book ever. Nothing about Dylan is resolved at the end of the book.
Let's talk about worldbuilding, shall we? It was pitiful. It's got all the modern conveniences, but steam powered. I thought there would be more conflict later on with the whole electricity vs. steam thing, but guess what? It wasn't important. Just another point the author dropped in and never explored.
Also pitiful? The plot itself. The mystery could have been good, but there were no secret twists and turns. At no point during the story did I say, "Wow, I wonder what happens next!" It was all very linear and not at all clever or intriguing like a certain detective I could mention, or even the Enola Holmes series. The only thing that I couldn't figure out was the gender of the villain. Which was SO important that it seemed like one of the only things the main characters could think about at any given time.
So to sum it all up, the book wasn't that good. The mystery was tepid at best, the characters were flat, the world wasn't explored properly, Dylan existed, and the love triangles were laughable at best. Not one I'd recommend.
January 6, 2014
I'm afraid that Colleen Gleason was trying just too hard with this book. The Clockwork Scarab was Gleason's first venture into YA and it seems that she wanted to put in all her great ideas for YA but it didn't work out that well. The Clockwork Scarab is a bookish chimera; with vampires, Sherlock, steampunk, time travelers, and cults centered on ancient Egyptian goddesses.
Most of the aspects blended fairly well, except for the time traveling. It felt like it was slapped in because it had no real impact on the story. Dylan, the time traveler, wasn't even a major character. He had maybe one major plot changing appearance and that's it. He was really only in the novel for comedic effect.
There was one time where Dylan was explaining to Mina that he plays hockey and how it works. In the book, Mina had absolutely no idea what hockey was. I'm sorry but hockey was invented in the early 1800s and it would have been popular already by 1889.
The Clockwork Scarab is set in a (subtle) steampunk London, which was really interesting and unique. Most steampunk Londons are vastly different from the original London but here, it's barely altered. London is still as Victorian as ever, except not there are steam-powered robots to help dress people.
The main characters, Mina and Evaline, were not really my favourite characters. Neither of them were interesting at all. I found Mina to be too much of the classic 'smart girl' trope (aka poor social skills, unable to get friends). She had very little actual originality. Not to mention, despite her 'intelligence', I didn't really find her all that smart.
Evaline was somehow even less interesting than Mina. I don't know what to say about her because she wasn't really anything. At least Mina had some emotion and personality, while Evaline had pretty much nothing going for her.
The story was incredibly interesting. I know I say that a lot in this review but it's really just that. It's just really entertaining and interesting (here's a new drinking game: take a shot every time I say the word interesting). The mystery was one that I actually felt interested in, instead of only reading because I have to. I don't often feel like that lately so it was a welcome surprise.
The Clockwork Scarab was aninteresting enjoyable read, which kept me going. It was definitely a fun book to read and I would recommend it to someone looking for a nice, light read.
Most of the aspects blended fairly well, except for the time traveling. It felt like it was slapped in because it had no real impact on the story. Dylan, the time traveler, wasn't even a major character. He had maybe one major plot changing appearance and that's it. He was really only in the novel for comedic effect.
There was one time where Dylan was explaining to Mina that he plays hockey and how it works. In the book, Mina had absolutely no idea what hockey was. I'm sorry but hockey was invented in the early 1800s and it would have been popular already by 1889.
The Clockwork Scarab is set in a (subtle) steampunk London, which was really interesting and unique. Most steampunk Londons are vastly different from the original London but here, it's barely altered. London is still as Victorian as ever, except not there are steam-powered robots to help dress people.
The main characters, Mina and Evaline, were not really my favourite characters. Neither of them were interesting at all. I found Mina to be too much of the classic 'smart girl' trope (aka poor social skills, unable to get friends). She had very little actual originality. Not to mention, despite her 'intelligence', I didn't really find her all that smart.
Evaline was somehow even less interesting than Mina. I don't know what to say about her because she wasn't really anything. At least Mina had some emotion and personality, while Evaline had pretty much nothing going for her.
The story was incredibly interesting. I know I say that a lot in this review but it's really just that. It's just really entertaining and interesting (here's a new drinking game: take a shot every time I say the word interesting). The mystery was one that I actually felt interested in, instead of only reading because I have to. I don't often feel like that lately so it was a welcome surprise.
The Clockwork Scarab was an
July 13, 2021
I thought this was a fun and a good choice to read in my little vacation in a cottage. It had some slight cozy vibes. Enjoyed it but its not a new favorite and not as a strong 4 stars as other books. But very entertaining nevertheless.
Read
May 22, 2021When two teenage girls, Mina Holmes (niece of Sherlock Holmes) and Evaline Stoker (sister of Bram Stoker), are brought together to investigate the deaths surrounding young, society girls, tempers and egos clash. Mina is used to careful planning and deduction, while Evaline would rather charge into action. They soon find out though that in order to solve the murder mystery, they must put aside differences and begin to work together.
Despite some overly descriptive passages, this first book in a new series is a promising start. Mina and Evaline are two wonderfully distinct heroines, while the three main leading men all have unique personalities as well. The steampunk, alternate London setting is different from many YA books and very well detailed.
The ending is open ended, and the murder mystery is never fully solved (which may annoy some readers) but I'm hopeful that a satisfying conclusion will be reached in later books.
-Jennifer W.O.
Despite some overly descriptive passages, this first book in a new series is a promising start. Mina and Evaline are two wonderfully distinct heroines, while the three main leading men all have unique personalities as well. The steampunk, alternate London setting is different from many YA books and very well detailed.
The ending is open ended, and the murder mystery is never fully solved (which may annoy some readers) but I'm hopeful that a satisfying conclusion will be reached in later books.
-Jennifer W.O.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 29, 2020If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan and like steampunk, then pick up this one. It mixes up Egypt, vampires, steampunk, and a who-done-it. I've had it on my TBR list for a while and finally got around to it.
January 27, 2016
Al leer la sinopsis de esta historia, lo primero que llamó mi atencón fue el hecho de que la autora uniera los linajes de Sherlock Holmes (personaje ficticio creado por Conan Doyle) con el de Stoker (escritor irlandés, autor de Drácula).
Me sorprendió más aún que fueran chicas adolescentes las que protagonizan esta historia y que todo estuviera situado en un Londres steampunk. Hasta aquí, todo suena como un combo ganador.
Reseña completa: https://vikingalectora.wordpress.com/...
Me sorprendió más aún que fueran chicas adolescentes las que protagonizan esta historia y que todo estuviera situado en un Londres steampunk. Hasta aquí, todo suena como un combo ganador.
Reseña completa: https://vikingalectora.wordpress.com/...
June 21, 2018
5/5 stars
That was when I realized that, somewhere along the way, she’d ceased
being Miss Stoker and had become Evaline.
FRIENDSHIPS BETWEEN WOMEN ARE A FEW OF THE MOST TOUCHING LOVE STORIES
END OF STORY
I read Clockwork Scarab pretty early on, as it was one of my first books for my challenge. I remember that back in January, I had this huge craving fo everything Victorian and Steampunk as I was working on a new story idea. And this book totally satisfied that craving to some level. It had so many things that I love in books, with a few mentions being strong female friendships, romance, unlimited action and mystery, thoughts and beliefs on feminism and woman rights, and a wonderful, era appropriate and utterly cognoggin writing.
I don't know if I loved Mina or Evaline the most, although in truth, I probably loved both equally. Each one inspired me in a different way, Mina to always be witty and strive for the best and Evaline to be quick, patient and never give up. As for the boys, I absolutely loved sassy, clumsy and cute Dylan but not at all Pix, because it is common knowledge that 'perfect bad boy' characters get on my nerves, although I know a lot of people love them. I thought Evaline deserves so much better, someone to match her bossy attitude and careful but also emotion filled thinking.
Another thing I really liked was the research the author did (I seem to check the research too often the last months), not only story wise, and background wise for the Stoker family, but also in the way Victorian people talked and acted. The mythological and fantastical elements absolutely blew my mind, and if we exclude one minor Dylan related detail that I had seen coming from miles away, I found myself eager to turn the pages one by one, excited about what would happen.
The writing was quick, careful and the plot flew by very quickly, but that is to be expected in a story about cults, mysterious disappearances and the niece of Sherlock Holmes and the sister of Bram Stoker in a badass female dynamic. Εgyptian myths, hidden objects, balls and crypted invitations, gun fights and crazy plans are only a few of the things that appear in this book, and if you are looking for more, it also features vampires, time travelling and thieves.
Overall, I totally recommend this both for people who want to start reading steampunk and for people who want a fast paced and very clever story. It's a new fandom, I have nothing more to say.
It would be a little bit pitiful if I said "Please read it", but please read it :D
Have a great summer ♥
Mine just started, actually ♥
Stay strong and beautiful ♥
~Mary
That was when I realized that, somewhere along the way, she’d ceased
being Miss Stoker and had become Evaline.
FRIENDSHIPS BETWEEN WOMEN ARE A FEW OF THE MOST TOUCHING LOVE STORIES
END OF STORY
I read Clockwork Scarab pretty early on, as it was one of my first books for my challenge. I remember that back in January, I had this huge craving fo everything Victorian and Steampunk as I was working on a new story idea. And this book totally satisfied that craving to some level. It had so many things that I love in books, with a few mentions being strong female friendships, romance, unlimited action and mystery, thoughts and beliefs on feminism and woman rights, and a wonderful, era appropriate and utterly cognoggin writing.
I don't know if I loved Mina or Evaline the most, although in truth, I probably loved both equally. Each one inspired me in a different way, Mina to always be witty and strive for the best and Evaline to be quick, patient and never give up. As for the boys, I absolutely loved sassy, clumsy and cute Dylan but not at all Pix, because it is common knowledge that 'perfect bad boy' characters get on my nerves, although I know a lot of people love them. I thought Evaline deserves so much better, someone to match her bossy attitude and careful but also emotion filled thinking.
Another thing I really liked was the research the author did (I seem to check the research too often the last months), not only story wise, and background wise for the Stoker family, but also in the way Victorian people talked and acted. The mythological and fantastical elements absolutely blew my mind, and if we exclude one minor Dylan related detail that I had seen coming from miles away, I found myself eager to turn the pages one by one, excited about what would happen.
The writing was quick, careful and the plot flew by very quickly, but that is to be expected in a story about cults, mysterious disappearances and the niece of Sherlock Holmes and the sister of Bram Stoker in a badass female dynamic. Εgyptian myths, hidden objects, balls and crypted invitations, gun fights and crazy plans are only a few of the things that appear in this book, and if you are looking for more, it also features vampires, time travelling and thieves.
Overall, I totally recommend this both for people who want to start reading steampunk and for people who want a fast paced and very clever story. It's a new fandom, I have nothing more to say.
It would be a little bit pitiful if I said "Please read it", but please read it :D
Have a great summer ♥
Mine just started, actually ♥
Stay strong and beautiful ♥
~Mary
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2013
To put it simply, this book was a perfect fit for me it had steampunk, science fiction, paranormal, classic book crossover characters, ancient gods, time travel and 2 very strong female protagonists...all a win, win for me. I am very happy to say I was NOT disappointed by my high expectations.
Miss Holmes and Miss Stoker (yes, Sherlock's niece and Bram's sister) are an unlikely duo called upon by the Princess of England to unravel the murders of young society women. The corresponding clue to all these murders is a clockwork scarab. It will take all of Miss Stoker's extraordinary vampire fighting strength and Miss Holmes fabulous reasoning and observations to stop these heinous crimes.
From start to finish I was pulled into this unusual caper, trying to sleuth the mystery for myself.
The Clockwork Scarab provides a brilliantly written plot with twists and turns that will leave you guessing till the end and even then you will still want more.
This ARC of The Clockwork Scarab was given to me by Chronicle Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication September 17, 2013.
Series: A Stoker & Holmes Novel
Sequence in Series: 1
Hardcover: 356 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
ISBN-10: 1452110700
ISBN-13: 978-1452110707
Rating: 5
Genre: Steampunk and so much more...
Age Recommendation: Young Adult +
Colleen Gleason's Website
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Miss Holmes and Miss Stoker (yes, Sherlock's niece and Bram's sister) are an unlikely duo called upon by the Princess of England to unravel the murders of young society women. The corresponding clue to all these murders is a clockwork scarab. It will take all of Miss Stoker's extraordinary vampire fighting strength and Miss Holmes fabulous reasoning and observations to stop these heinous crimes.
From start to finish I was pulled into this unusual caper, trying to sleuth the mystery for myself.
The Clockwork Scarab provides a brilliantly written plot with twists and turns that will leave you guessing till the end and even then you will still want more.
This ARC of The Clockwork Scarab was given to me by Chronicle Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication September 17, 2013.
Series: A Stoker & Holmes Novel
Sequence in Series: 1
Hardcover: 356 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
ISBN-10: 1452110700
ISBN-13: 978-1452110707
Rating: 5
Genre: Steampunk and so much more...
Age Recommendation: Young Adult +
Colleen Gleason's Website
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
October 10, 2014
"Miss Alvermina Holmes, Niece of the famous Sherlock and daughter of the indispensable Sir Mycroft Holmes."
"Miss Evaline Stoker, granddaughter of the famous Yancey Gardella Stoker, great-grandniece of Victoria Gardella-both vampire hunters of excellent repute. Her elder brother, Bram happened to be an acquantance of my uncles, and I understood Mr. Stoker was writing a novel about a vampire name Count Dracula."
Oh, I really enjoyed this one. I think this is fluff read but at its best. I have this guilty pleasure, I watch cheesy British TV and love it, so reading this was like watching those shows, but with a little history mixed in and strong minded MCs.
"Miss Holmes, Miss Stoker. There are many young men your age who are called into the service of their country. Who risk like and limb for their queen, their countrymen, and the Empire. Tonight, I as, on behalf of Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales: will you do what no other young women are called to do, and place your lives and honor at the feet of your country?"
Its London 1889 and these two young women are brought together to find missing young women, specifically socialites. Mina and Evaline together makes me laugh and want to cheer them on. They live in a time of oppression of women and the way they are to lead their lives and they make the best of it. They get into all kinds of trouble, encounter dangerous situations but always have each others back. There were times I did roll my eyes but I put it to the time period.
A dozen young women were seated or half reclined on the cushions. They were arranged in lounging, unladylike poses. Florence would have fainted at such an improper display: loose hair falling over their shoulders, missing gloves, and stockinged feet. But it was the bare ankles exposed by their bunched up skirts that was the worst offense.
I think this is a good beginning to an interesting series. I'm recommending this one to my cousins daughter. On to the next one.
P.S. Bram Stoker and Sherlock Holmes make an appearance!
also, loved the narrator!
December 9, 2013
WOW!!! I really don't know where to start here. This book was one of those perfect reads...escapism at its very best. Its a page turner, and its one of those books that make me feel as though I could become a mystery fan after all. The juxtaposition of chapters (Gleason writes one chapter from Ms. Holmes' viewpoint, and another as Stoker's, back and forth as needed for the story to rip along) is absolutely stunning. I found myself reliving my youth, curled up with this book on a cold winter's night with a cup of hot chocolate. I was reminded of my love affair with Nancy Drew as a child. I know time travel, steampunk, Victorian balls & soirees, vampire hunters, and 'real life' literary characters seems as convoluted as can be, but Gleason manages to pull it ALL together flawlessly. This dust jacket HAS GOT to be one of the most beautiful book covers I have ever seen. It has the coolest Steampunk scarab on the front! It makes me wish so badly to be a 'cognoggin'! If you are a fan of Steampunk, you need to read this. If you are a fan of Y.A., you need to read this. If you are a mystery fan, you need to read this. Basically, everyone just needs to read this!
February 18, 2019
The clockwork scarab
We follow Sherlock Holmes niece and she is almost as wonderful as the real Sherlock.
We follow Sherlock Holmes niece and she is almost as wonderful as the real Sherlock.
August 29, 2017
THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB is a mixture of steampunk history, mystery and adventure. This sounded like a very promising premise, especially with the intriguing idea of introducing Sherlock Holmes' niece and Bram Stoker's sister as the heroines. However, maybe this was just too tall an order, because the book never really managed to arrive where I hoped it would. The protagonists' rapport seemed too contrived, the friendship not solid, the romances very predictable, and the ending unfortunately, unsatisfying(unresolved and setting up the sequel-actually a clever selling point...)
That said, this was the first steampunk book I have read, and though it took a little getting used to, it added an element of inventiveness,
The story centers around the murder and disappearances of society girls in 1889 in London. For a somewhat vague reason, the two seventeen year-olds, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker, are called in to solve the mystery. This made no sense to me, since the police was already involved and the police officer seemed competent enough. Anyway, then we're given a weird cult obsessed with Egyptology, which our genius detectives deduce must be connected to the girls going missing. Further, an element of time travel is thrown into the equation, adding yet another complication. There was a lot of telling, not showing, which sometimes felt odd and not necessary, because this was really a book where the reader could have used their imagination to draw up their own images of this version of London.
I think this story could have been charming and clever, a real stand-out even, if Gleason hadn't thrown in quite so much and forced it to fit together. Still, the story did hold my attention, hence the three stars. Beyond these issues, the reason I couldn't really connect to this book was that the characters felt very one-dimensional and considering the fact that they were meant to be partners, they hardly spent any time together!
For me, even if the plot of a book is so-so, if the characters are strong or intriguing or I just really like them, the book is a worthwhile read. I was so hoping that would be the case here, because the characters sounded so interesting. Maybe they will be more fleshed out in the sequel, but I'm not quite sure I'm committed enough to read it. Possibly, I just had the wrong expectations for this book. In any case, I'm glad to have been given the opportunity to read this First-Reads Giveaway copy, and hope to have provided a fair and fitting review.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
That said, this was the first steampunk book I have read, and though it took a little getting used to, it added an element of inventiveness,
The story centers around the murder and disappearances of society girls in 1889 in London. For a somewhat vague reason, the two seventeen year-olds, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker, are called in to solve the mystery. This made no sense to me, since the police was already involved and the police officer seemed competent enough. Anyway, then we're given a weird cult obsessed with Egyptology, which our genius detectives deduce must be connected to the girls going missing. Further, an element of time travel is thrown into the equation, adding yet another complication. There was a lot of telling, not showing, which sometimes felt odd and not necessary, because this was really a book where the reader could have used their imagination to draw up their own images of this version of London.
I think this story could have been charming and clever, a real stand-out even, if Gleason hadn't thrown in quite so much and forced it to fit together. Still, the story did hold my attention, hence the three stars. Beyond these issues, the reason I couldn't really connect to this book was that the characters felt very one-dimensional and considering the fact that they were meant to be partners, they hardly spent any time together!
For me, even if the plot of a book is so-so, if the characters are strong or intriguing or I just really like them, the book is a worthwhile read. I was so hoping that would be the case here, because the characters sounded so interesting. Maybe they will be more fleshed out in the sequel, but I'm not quite sure I'm committed enough to read it. Possibly, I just had the wrong expectations for this book. In any case, I'm glad to have been given the opportunity to read this First-Reads Giveaway copy, and hope to have provided a fair and fitting review.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 10, 2021
You know, I was seriously questioning my decision to take a copy of the third book in this series from BEA. I mean I’d only read the first book, and I was sort of eh on it anyway. Nonetheless, since I took it, I decided to reread The Clockwork Scarab before embarking on the series.
The first time, I listened to the audiobook, because it was one of the nominees for the Audies. I was not impressed. You see, The Clockwork Scarab has dual female narration by Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes, but the audiobook was narrated by one woman. I could not tell the two women apart in the audiobook version, which is a damn shame since the voices are actually quite well done in the print. Miss Holmes’ narration has a certain precision and prissiness to it that makes her and Miss Stoker quite distinct in their voices.
I had a blast rereading, and the book went by so fast. I’m really excited to carry on with the series and see how my ships turn out. I’m very much on board both the ship Pix/Evaline and the frigate Mina/Grayling. I’m just concerned about Dylan, and what Gleason’s plan is for him. DON’T MESS WITH MY SHIPS, DYLAN.
The first time, I listened to the audiobook, because it was one of the nominees for the Audies. I was not impressed. You see, The Clockwork Scarab has dual female narration by Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes, but the audiobook was narrated by one woman. I could not tell the two women apart in the audiobook version, which is a damn shame since the voices are actually quite well done in the print. Miss Holmes’ narration has a certain precision and prissiness to it that makes her and Miss Stoker quite distinct in their voices.
I had a blast rereading, and the book went by so fast. I’m really excited to carry on with the series and see how my ships turn out. I’m very much on board both the ship Pix/Evaline and the frigate Mina/Grayling. I’m just concerned about Dylan, and what Gleason’s plan is for him. DON’T MESS WITH MY SHIPS, DYLAN.
May 30, 2020
Interesting location. I do wish they did the full Scooby doo and unmasked the villain.
I started to suspect Irene but why involve the girls if so?
I started to suspect Irene but why involve the girls if so?
February 24, 2024
Once in a while my Sherlock mood strikes. I've never read the original series, although I have two collection editions on my shelves, but I love all kinds of retellings related to Sherlock. So, when dad presented me with a finished miniature of Sherlock's office I knew the mood would come again and I searched for some new series related to Sherlock Holmes. I stumbled upon this one. Not entirely sure what to expect I ordered my copy and as soon as it arrived I started reading.
After three chapters I also ordered the rest of the series. In a way I wished I had discovered this series sooner, because it combines so many elements I love in books. However, it's also nice to discover this series now. I'm not having the easiest time at the moment, but this series really gave me something to look forward to everyday. Detectiving, Sherlock's niece, Stoker's sister, some supernatural elements, a little time travel. I'm hooked and can't wait for the other books to arrive!
I also really enjoyed the setting of the book. The setting is very Sherlockian and yet it also has something unique. The elements of steampunk are enriching the world and so are the supernatural elements. Especially because both of those elements never completely overshadow the story or characters. The steampunk elements are there, but just like cars and motorcycles would be in our world. The supernatural elements are also there, but somehow they also feel very natural.
The true stars of this book were the two heroines though. I like how different they are. I also like how their personalities fit their upbringing and what we know about their family members. And yet, in a way, they're also struggling with their heritage and the expectations they have of themselves based on the achievements of their family members. Most of all I loved how these girls had some issues working together. It will be nice to see their progress in the upcoming books!
After three chapters I also ordered the rest of the series. In a way I wished I had discovered this series sooner, because it combines so many elements I love in books. However, it's also nice to discover this series now. I'm not having the easiest time at the moment, but this series really gave me something to look forward to everyday. Detectiving, Sherlock's niece, Stoker's sister, some supernatural elements, a little time travel. I'm hooked and can't wait for the other books to arrive!
I also really enjoyed the setting of the book. The setting is very Sherlockian and yet it also has something unique. The elements of steampunk are enriching the world and so are the supernatural elements. Especially because both of those elements never completely overshadow the story or characters. The steampunk elements are there, but just like cars and motorcycles would be in our world. The supernatural elements are also there, but somehow they also feel very natural.
The true stars of this book were the two heroines though. I like how different they are. I also like how their personalities fit their upbringing and what we know about their family members. And yet, in a way, they're also struggling with their heritage and the expectations they have of themselves based on the achievements of their family members. Most of all I loved how these girls had some issues working together. It will be nice to see their progress in the upcoming books!
January 19, 2020
You know, you’d never think that two teenage girls, one related to Bram Stoker from Dracula, the other related to Sherlock Holmes, could ever manage to work together to solve mysteries and save the day. And you’d be pretty much right. These two ladies definitely did not like each other and were not above making sure the other one knew it.
First, we have Alvermina Holmes, who unsurprisingly goes by Mina, a young lady who was abandoned by her mother, lives with a brilliant father who is never home, and is known to mostly because of her crime-solving uncle, Sherlock Holmes. She is headstrong, just as brilliant as her uncle, unfortunately not very fashionable, and definitely socially awkward. Mina brings the brains and determination, the logical side to the duo. She is also my favorite of the two. I loved seeing how her brain works, working out clues and determining all of the possible explanations. But I could still relate to her because she wasn’t just a robot, she was still an awkward teenage girl. And I loved how she had kind of the feminist streak in a time where women aren’t really supposed to do anything improper. She didn’t care about propriety, she just wanted to use her brains and help people and was constantly annoyed when people underestimated her because she is a woman.
Evaline Stoker was a bit more difficult for me to like. She was beautiful, had super speed and strength, and had never killed a vampire despite her abilities. She made a few rash decisions in the book that she obviously didn’t think out, nearly getting both girls killed, and that annoyed me. I also didn’t like how she kind of seemed to put herself up on a pedestal because she was prettier and had more gentlemen interested in her than Mina. But I did like how she still tried her best to be a good addition to the team and use the strengths she had to help. I can appreciate when a character knows their strengths and weaknesses and can admit when they are a bit out of their league. I also found the whole vampire slaying thing to be really interesting, although we don’t get any of it since there are no vampires in London anymore, but I did like the few bits we got on her family history when vampires were still around.
As far as the romance goes, we have several cases of forced insta-infatuation and even a love triangle. Yep, the dreaded love triangle. Evaline falls for some guy that I can barely understand because he uses a strong Cockney accent, and wears a barrage of disguises. But the best part is that he is named Pix. Like a pixie. Don’t ask because I really don’t know. Then we have Mina who is getting all swoony over some Irish detective, but who could blame her with an accent like that? But she is also panting over some boy that is from the future of a parallel world. When she first sees the future boy, she immediately gasps over how attractive he is. Two seconds later the detective walks in, and she again gasps at how attractive he is. I’m pretty sure Mina is just going to become obsessed and insert herself into the lives of every eligible bachelor she meets. Really, with both girls, their relationships don’t really get to in-depth, it’s mostly just a steamy attraction sort of thing, so it was of little to no interest to me.
I was actually really pleasantly surprised to see that this is a steampunk book. Very light steampunk for sure, but it’s still there and adds a little unexpected fun to this story. So this book looks kind of like a hot mess, considering just in the first few chapters we already have steampunk, vampires, time travel, and evil Egyptian society, among other things. But I actually found that the author did a fairly good job of making things flow together well. She didn’t shove the steampunk stuff in your face or make it feel forced, so the little mentions we got of it were very intriguing.
The plot itself was pretty fast-paced and fun. The mystery wasn’t anything amazing, especially since it really didn’t even get solved in the end, which I’m sure will tie into a later book. But I did really enjoy the world, the steampunk parts were very interesting and I loved the more traditional historical London feel too. I did enjoy seeing the girls kind of dance around each other, not wanting to work together or cooperate, only to become a bit closer by the end. Their banter was really entertaining, as well as seeing their different lifestyles and how they were both kind of jealous of each other, even though they would never admit it. As for the time travel part, that mystery wasn’t figured out, a pretty stereotypical explanation was given and that was that. I’m convinced that time travel is only in the book so the author could bring a ridiculously attractive boy from the future for Mina to fall in love with, only for there to be a huge amount of drama once they find a way to get him back to his own time.
While this book wasn’t anything amazing, I would consider it to be a light, entertaining sort of read. If you just want to settle down with a fun mystery, attractive young men, witty banter, and a hint of supernatural stuff, this would be the book for you. Just don’t expect to have your mind blown by an ingenious plot or character development. I’m pretty sure you’d be rather disappointed.
First, we have Alvermina Holmes, who unsurprisingly goes by Mina, a young lady who was abandoned by her mother, lives with a brilliant father who is never home, and is known to mostly because of her crime-solving uncle, Sherlock Holmes. She is headstrong, just as brilliant as her uncle, unfortunately not very fashionable, and definitely socially awkward. Mina brings the brains and determination, the logical side to the duo. She is also my favorite of the two. I loved seeing how her brain works, working out clues and determining all of the possible explanations. But I could still relate to her because she wasn’t just a robot, she was still an awkward teenage girl. And I loved how she had kind of the feminist streak in a time where women aren’t really supposed to do anything improper. She didn’t care about propriety, she just wanted to use her brains and help people and was constantly annoyed when people underestimated her because she is a woman.
Evaline Stoker was a bit more difficult for me to like. She was beautiful, had super speed and strength, and had never killed a vampire despite her abilities. She made a few rash decisions in the book that she obviously didn’t think out, nearly getting both girls killed, and that annoyed me. I also didn’t like how she kind of seemed to put herself up on a pedestal because she was prettier and had more gentlemen interested in her than Mina. But I did like how she still tried her best to be a good addition to the team and use the strengths she had to help. I can appreciate when a character knows their strengths and weaknesses and can admit when they are a bit out of their league. I also found the whole vampire slaying thing to be really interesting, although we don’t get any of it since there are no vampires in London anymore, but I did like the few bits we got on her family history when vampires were still around.
As far as the romance goes, we have several cases of forced insta-infatuation and even a love triangle. Yep, the dreaded love triangle. Evaline falls for some guy that I can barely understand because he uses a strong Cockney accent, and wears a barrage of disguises. But the best part is that he is named Pix. Like a pixie. Don’t ask because I really don’t know. Then we have Mina who is getting all swoony over some Irish detective, but who could blame her with an accent like that? But she is also panting over some boy that is from the future of a parallel world. When she first sees the future boy, she immediately gasps over how attractive he is. Two seconds later the detective walks in, and she again gasps at how attractive he is. I’m pretty sure Mina is just going to become obsessed and insert herself into the lives of every eligible bachelor she meets. Really, with both girls, their relationships don’t really get to in-depth, it’s mostly just a steamy attraction sort of thing, so it was of little to no interest to me.
I was actually really pleasantly surprised to see that this is a steampunk book. Very light steampunk for sure, but it’s still there and adds a little unexpected fun to this story. So this book looks kind of like a hot mess, considering just in the first few chapters we already have steampunk, vampires, time travel, and evil Egyptian society, among other things. But I actually found that the author did a fairly good job of making things flow together well. She didn’t shove the steampunk stuff in your face or make it feel forced, so the little mentions we got of it were very intriguing.
The plot itself was pretty fast-paced and fun. The mystery wasn’t anything amazing, especially since it really didn’t even get solved in the end, which I’m sure will tie into a later book. But I did really enjoy the world, the steampunk parts were very interesting and I loved the more traditional historical London feel too. I did enjoy seeing the girls kind of dance around each other, not wanting to work together or cooperate, only to become a bit closer by the end. Their banter was really entertaining, as well as seeing their different lifestyles and how they were both kind of jealous of each other, even though they would never admit it. As for the time travel part, that mystery wasn’t figured out, a pretty stereotypical explanation was given and that was that. I’m convinced that time travel is only in the book so the author could bring a ridiculously attractive boy from the future for Mina to fall in love with, only for there to be a huge amount of drama once they find a way to get him back to his own time.
While this book wasn’t anything amazing, I would consider it to be a light, entertaining sort of read. If you just want to settle down with a fun mystery, attractive young men, witty banter, and a hint of supernatural stuff, this would be the book for you. Just don’t expect to have your mind blown by an ingenious plot or character development. I’m pretty sure you’d be rather disappointed.
September 5, 2013
Steampunk continues to intrigue me. I see it as kind of like a puzzle – taking everyday items and imagining how they would work if they were powered by steam. I’m so impressed by authors’ creativity and how these contraptions are incorporated into their narrative so seamlessly so that the steampunk gadgets are part of the world, not just as last minute accessories.
In The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason, the author combines an enthralling steampunk London with Egyptian mythology, a touch of time travel, and two main characters with extraordinary family pedigrees.
Evaline Stoker is Bram Stoker’s half-sister. She has inherited her family’s vampire hunting skills. As a Venator, Evaline is charged with dispatching the UnDead. Evaline has superior strength and accelerated healing capabilities. There’s also a nice tie-in to the author’s Gardella Vampire series – Evaline is the great grand-niece of Victoria Gardella. Then there’s Mina Holmes, Sherlock’s niece. Mina takes after her uncle. She has an excellent memory and amazing deductive skills.
Evaline and Mina are called to the British Museum where they are instructed by Irene Adler that they are to go on a top secret mission for Princess Alexandra. They are to find out who has been killing society’s young ladies and leaving scarabs behind.
The story is told in alternating first person points of view of Evaline and Mina. It was interesting being in their heads and seeing the world from their eyes. I did feel a preference for Evaline as Mina struck me as a little too proper and stoic. I did like the combination of these two characters as sleuths, they were kind of like a Victorian Odd Couple.
The book is set in an alternate London in the late 19th century. All electricity has been banned as dangerous, so things are powered by steam. The city is built in layers and the upper levels are usually cleaner and “safer.” Lifts provide a way for people to walk on the upper levels. Airships roam the spaces between buildings and mechanical contraptions move people and things below.
The mystery was enjoyable and I liked how the author incorporated the Egyptian god Sekhmet into the story. The story flowed well, however, there were spots where the story slowed down a little. The time travel element was a nice touch, though it was kind of left out until the end. I would have liked to have seen more of that character.
The steampunk gadgets were so cool. Inspector Grayling’s steamcycle was a cross between a hovercraft and motorcycle and super-fast. I loved Evaline’s Mechanized Mentor, a mechanized dance and fighting instructor. Mina’s Steam Stream gun was really neat as well. The author spares no details: even Mina’s ball gown was decorated with little clockwork gears.
I was a little disappointed by the ending. I was hoping that all the loose ends would be tied up, but they weren’t. Now I’ll have to wait for book 2 coming soon in 2014. Overall, The Clockwork Scarab was an entertaining read for me. I’ll have to start reading the Gardella Vampire series while I am waiting for the next book in this series.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Chronicle books for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
In The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason, the author combines an enthralling steampunk London with Egyptian mythology, a touch of time travel, and two main characters with extraordinary family pedigrees.
Evaline Stoker is Bram Stoker’s half-sister. She has inherited her family’s vampire hunting skills. As a Venator, Evaline is charged with dispatching the UnDead. Evaline has superior strength and accelerated healing capabilities. There’s also a nice tie-in to the author’s Gardella Vampire series – Evaline is the great grand-niece of Victoria Gardella. Then there’s Mina Holmes, Sherlock’s niece. Mina takes after her uncle. She has an excellent memory and amazing deductive skills.
Evaline and Mina are called to the British Museum where they are instructed by Irene Adler that they are to go on a top secret mission for Princess Alexandra. They are to find out who has been killing society’s young ladies and leaving scarabs behind.
The story is told in alternating first person points of view of Evaline and Mina. It was interesting being in their heads and seeing the world from their eyes. I did feel a preference for Evaline as Mina struck me as a little too proper and stoic. I did like the combination of these two characters as sleuths, they were kind of like a Victorian Odd Couple.
The book is set in an alternate London in the late 19th century. All electricity has been banned as dangerous, so things are powered by steam. The city is built in layers and the upper levels are usually cleaner and “safer.” Lifts provide a way for people to walk on the upper levels. Airships roam the spaces between buildings and mechanical contraptions move people and things below.
The mystery was enjoyable and I liked how the author incorporated the Egyptian god Sekhmet into the story. The story flowed well, however, there were spots where the story slowed down a little. The time travel element was a nice touch, though it was kind of left out until the end. I would have liked to have seen more of that character.
The steampunk gadgets were so cool. Inspector Grayling’s steamcycle was a cross between a hovercraft and motorcycle and super-fast. I loved Evaline’s Mechanized Mentor, a mechanized dance and fighting instructor. Mina’s Steam Stream gun was really neat as well. The author spares no details: even Mina’s ball gown was decorated with little clockwork gears.
I was a little disappointed by the ending. I was hoping that all the loose ends would be tied up, but they weren’t. Now I’ll have to wait for book 2 coming soon in 2014. Overall, The Clockwork Scarab was an entertaining read for me. I’ll have to start reading the Gardella Vampire series while I am waiting for the next book in this series.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Chronicle books for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
May 8, 2016
1.5 stars
I'm sorry, but I have to DNF this book at 44%. The concept sounds great and the book started off with the promise of a whizz-bang steampunk adventure. After all, you've got a novel in which the daughter of Mycroft Holmes and the half-sister of Bram Stoker team up to work alongside Irene Adler. They've been tasked by Princess Alexandra to solve the mystery of who's murdering aristocratic young ladies in an alternate-reality Victorian London. Sounds great. However, we then find out Evaline Stoker hunts actual vampires. Yes, in this world, vampires exist. Sure, why not.
(Apparently, Evaline is a Venator, which ties into one of Gleason's other books or series, which makes sense if you've read those books; I haven't.) Next we have a secret society formed around the ancient Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, which somehow ties into the missing girls and seems to exist in order to promote a nascent Equal Rights for Women movement. Um, okay. I'm always up for ancient Egyptian references. This society and its use of the scarab symbol, though, seems to be responsible for the sudden appearance in the British Museum of a strange young man who's wearing unusual clothing, speaking with a strange accent, and holding a flat glass-like item he calls a phone. As you might guess, this character is a time traveler from the future. But... wait. how does that work? Because we're talking about Sherlock Holmes and vampires, completely fictional creations, right? So, this future the boy comes from, are fictional characters real there, too? If not, why does he completely accept a reality in which Sherlock Holmes is a real person? It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Unless he's from a future alternate reality.
And this is why I DNF'd the book. Because it was just too much.* It was as if the author decided, "You know, I don't have enough trends going on here, so let's throw in [insert next trend here]." As I read, I was struck by the busyness of the book--it was overwhelmingly busy, busy, busy--yet the story didn't seem to actually move forward. The characters kept doing things, but never in service of the plot.
Which is such a shame because, stripped of all the extraneous stuff, the steampunk nature of the book was quite good, quite well done. Gleason obviously put a lot of effort into creating this alternate London and it was easy to imagine this foggy, smelly, clanky city from the evocative, yet restrained descriptions. And if Gleason had kept the Stoker & Holmes angle without the idiotic time travel/alternate dimension plot point, the story could've been so much more streamlined and entertaining. Certainly easier to read.
*I didn't even mention the fact that there was not one, but two freaking love triangles, one for each female character. Because we can't have YA novel without a love triangle and we certainly can't have a YA novel featuring two female protagonists and leave one of them out in the cold, can we? Gag me with a goddamn wooden spoon, people.
I'm sorry, but I have to DNF this book at 44%. The concept sounds great and the book started off with the promise of a whizz-bang steampunk adventure. After all, you've got a novel in which the daughter of Mycroft Holmes and the half-sister of Bram Stoker team up to work alongside Irene Adler. They've been tasked by Princess Alexandra to solve the mystery of who's murdering aristocratic young ladies in an alternate-reality Victorian London. Sounds great. However, we then find out Evaline Stoker hunts actual vampires. Yes, in this world, vampires exist. Sure, why not.
(Apparently, Evaline is a Venator, which ties into one of Gleason's other books or series, which makes sense if you've read those books; I haven't.) Next we have a secret society formed around the ancient Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, which somehow ties into the missing girls and seems to exist in order to promote a nascent Equal Rights for Women movement. Um, okay. I'm always up for ancient Egyptian references. This society and its use of the scarab symbol, though, seems to be responsible for the sudden appearance in the British Museum of a strange young man who's wearing unusual clothing, speaking with a strange accent, and holding a flat glass-like item he calls a phone. As you might guess, this character is a time traveler from the future. But... wait. how does that work? Because we're talking about Sherlock Holmes and vampires, completely fictional creations, right? So, this future the boy comes from, are fictional characters real there, too? If not, why does he completely accept a reality in which Sherlock Holmes is a real person? It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Unless he's from a future alternate reality.
And this is why I DNF'd the book. Because it was just too much.* It was as if the author decided, "You know, I don't have enough trends going on here, so let's throw in [insert next trend here]." As I read, I was struck by the busyness of the book--it was overwhelmingly busy, busy, busy--yet the story didn't seem to actually move forward. The characters kept doing things, but never in service of the plot.
Which is such a shame because, stripped of all the extraneous stuff, the steampunk nature of the book was quite good, quite well done. Gleason obviously put a lot of effort into creating this alternate London and it was easy to imagine this foggy, smelly, clanky city from the evocative, yet restrained descriptions. And if Gleason had kept the Stoker & Holmes angle without the idiotic time travel/alternate dimension plot point, the story could've been so much more streamlined and entertaining. Certainly easier to read.
*I didn't even mention the fact that there was not one, but two freaking love triangles, one for each female character. Because we can't have YA novel without a love triangle and we certainly can't have a YA novel featuring two female protagonists and leave one of them out in the cold, can we? Gag me with a goddamn wooden spoon, people.
April 17, 2018
This story is set in 1889 London. A steam punk version of it at least, where motorcycles and guns can run on steam and electricity is forbidden. Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker are asked by Irene Adler (The Woman) to serve the crown and find out where the society girls have gone. This brings them to a mysterious (feminist) group lead by the Ankh. A group of girls who don’t want to have to be chaperoned and always look pretty to be married off to some rich man. Who want adventure and be with the guy They like. But the Ankh has a bigger plan. Oh, and did I mention time travel yet?
“Miss Holmes, Miss Stoker. There are many young men your age who are called into the service of their country. Who risk like and limb for their queen, their countrymen, and the Empire. Tonight, I as, on behalf of Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales: will you do what no other young women are called to do, and place your lives and honor at the feet of your country?"
How could I not pick up this book? I adore Sherlock Holmes, and Dracula is just amazing! Bram Stoker’s Mina is one of my all-time favorite characters (no, the name Mina Holmes is not a coincidence). And I am so glad I did. This book is so much fun! It is fast paced and hard to put down. There are so many different elements (the steam punk, the mystery, Holmes, vampires, time travel, Egyptology…), but they are all combined well into one good story.
We have some kickass ladies. Both very different, but both not fitting well in their time period. Evaline comes from a family of vampire hunters, but has actually never really slain a vampire herself. It’s very handy she has a problem with blood though. She is stronger and faster than any man, but who would ever believe she can do the things she does. She is ‘only’ a woman. And then there is Mina Holmes. She is an absolute genius, but it’s difficult to get out of the shadow of her famous uncle and father. Two ladies who want to prove themselves worthy of the family name, even though they are young woman. This book switches between the povs of the two ladies. This is in general very nicely done and both have a very distinct voice. They are not necessarily likeable people (and they are definitely not friends of one another), but they grow on you and make you care about them. They are not perfect, make some stupid mistake, but they also overcome some fears and embarrassments.
This is a great start to, what I hope to be, a great series. The story is nicely wrapped up, but enough questions remain for me to be curious for the rest of the books.
“Miss Holmes, Miss Stoker. There are many young men your age who are called into the service of their country. Who risk like and limb for their queen, their countrymen, and the Empire. Tonight, I as, on behalf of Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales: will you do what no other young women are called to do, and place your lives and honor at the feet of your country?"
How could I not pick up this book? I adore Sherlock Holmes, and Dracula is just amazing! Bram Stoker’s Mina is one of my all-time favorite characters (no, the name Mina Holmes is not a coincidence). And I am so glad I did. This book is so much fun! It is fast paced and hard to put down. There are so many different elements (the steam punk, the mystery, Holmes, vampires, time travel, Egyptology…), but they are all combined well into one good story.
We have some kickass ladies. Both very different, but both not fitting well in their time period. Evaline comes from a family of vampire hunters, but has actually never really slain a vampire herself. It’s very handy she has a problem with blood though. She is stronger and faster than any man, but who would ever believe she can do the things she does. She is ‘only’ a woman. And then there is Mina Holmes. She is an absolute genius, but it’s difficult to get out of the shadow of her famous uncle and father. Two ladies who want to prove themselves worthy of the family name, even though they are young woman. This book switches between the povs of the two ladies. This is in general very nicely done and both have a very distinct voice. They are not necessarily likeable people (and they are definitely not friends of one another), but they grow on you and make you care about them. They are not perfect, make some stupid mistake, but they also overcome some fears and embarrassments.
This is a great start to, what I hope to be, a great series. The story is nicely wrapped up, but enough questions remain for me to be curious for the rest of the books.
March 9, 2017
*facepalm*
(May be a bit of spoils that didn't get tagged in the heat of writing.)
Probably more like 1.5 stars.
Well, maybe y'all would've been more effective crime fighters if you weren't swooning over every male character and worrying about "omg, what if people see me with my hair all messy." I understand it's Victorian times (very poorly done steampunk Victorian, I may add) and modesty and social acceptability and all that good stuff is important. But also, if you were truly invested in fighting crime you wouldn't have worried about all that BS until after you actually accomplished and, you know, SOLVED THE MYSTERY. Which leads me to how anti-climactic and "wut" the ending was. Soooo, what happened?
Both Mina and Evaline were vague and interchangeable (aside from their obvious skills and fears differences) and just annoyingly sooooooooooooo "omg, what is wrong with me, I'm so much better than emotions, but what is this feeling I get when these stereotypically "sexy" guys are around, teehee." And did I mention Pix, who isn't even a stereotypical "sexy" guy, was A FREAKING STALKER AND I ALMOST JUST STOPPED READING THERE BECAUSE NOPE. Evaline pretty much got zero points after oohing and ahhing over a stalker kissing her WITHOUT ANY CONSENT.
I don't read much YA, so maybe I'm oblivious to a possibly obvious trope, but are guys really just introduced in order to sway the MCs from actually following through with the main plot, and ending it with the side romance plot now front and center (or at least the main reason why the main plot failed)? How stupid.
The main mystery was intriguing enough to warrant a two-star rating, and I did enjoy the museum exploration and secret societies--who wouldn't? But it was just buried under so many layers of "oh dear space monkeys" moments of romantic stupidity that 1 star will have to do.
UGHHHHHHHH *headdesk*
(May be a bit of spoils that didn't get tagged in the heat of writing.)
Probably more like 1.5 stars.
Well, maybe y'all would've been more effective crime fighters if you weren't swooning over every male character and worrying about "omg, what if people see me with my hair all messy." I understand it's Victorian times (very poorly done steampunk Victorian, I may add) and modesty and social acceptability and all that good stuff is important. But also, if you were truly invested in fighting crime you wouldn't have worried about all that BS until after you actually accomplished and, you know, SOLVED THE MYSTERY. Which leads me to how anti-climactic and "wut" the ending was. Soooo, what happened?
Both Mina and Evaline were vague and interchangeable (aside from their obvious skills and fears differences) and just annoyingly sooooooooooooo "omg, what is wrong with me, I'm so much better than emotions, but what is this feeling I get when these stereotypically "sexy" guys are around, teehee." And did I mention Pix, who isn't even a stereotypical "sexy" guy, was A FREAKING STALKER AND I ALMOST JUST STOPPED READING THERE BECAUSE NOPE. Evaline pretty much got zero points after oohing and ahhing over a stalker kissing her WITHOUT ANY CONSENT.
I don't read much YA, so maybe I'm oblivious to a possibly obvious trope, but are guys really just introduced in order to sway the MCs from actually following through with the main plot, and ending it with the side romance plot now front and center (or at least the main reason why the main plot failed)? How stupid.
The main mystery was intriguing enough to warrant a two-star rating, and I did enjoy the museum exploration and secret societies--who wouldn't? But it was just buried under so many layers of "oh dear space monkeys" moments of romantic stupidity that 1 star will have to do.
UGHHHHHHHH *headdesk*
December 13, 2014
An average YA book. To tell the truth, I expected much more from it than it delivered. The story is interesting though: a murder mystery (kind of) set in an alternative London circa 1889 in a steampunk-ish milieu. There are murdered girls there, a secret Egyptian cult, time travels, and two intrepid heroines. Well, not very intrepid but a little bit for certain.
The protagonists are two teenage girls: Mina Holmes, a niece of Sherlock Holmes, and Evaline Stoker, a younger half-sister of Bram Stoker. The crazy mix of real and imaginary personages and situations continues from there, making this fictional world a fascinating one. There are gadgets galore in this world but electricity is illegal. There are society balls and corsets, but a policeman rides a flying motorcycle. There are airships and multiple walking levels on any street, but the plumbing seems as rudimentary as it was in reality of that time. Absurdities pile up on top of one another plot-wise, as our protagonists investigate.
Why do they investigate? Because of their stupidity – I don’t have any other explanation. And here lies the root of the problem with this book. While the story is a fun romp across urban fantasy tropes, the characters are flat and boring, totally artificial. I couldn’t bring myself to care for either of them. They behave like silly girls more often than not. Their flaws and quirks seem to be sewn to their dull, colorless silhouettes by an inept seamstress. Nothing is organic, and nobody is alive. The same is true for the secondary characters as well.
It was a struggle to finish this book, but because of the promise of the story and the kooky world the author created, I’m giving it 3 stars.
The protagonists are two teenage girls: Mina Holmes, a niece of Sherlock Holmes, and Evaline Stoker, a younger half-sister of Bram Stoker. The crazy mix of real and imaginary personages and situations continues from there, making this fictional world a fascinating one. There are gadgets galore in this world but electricity is illegal. There are society balls and corsets, but a policeman rides a flying motorcycle. There are airships and multiple walking levels on any street, but the plumbing seems as rudimentary as it was in reality of that time. Absurdities pile up on top of one another plot-wise, as our protagonists investigate.
Why do they investigate? Because of their stupidity – I don’t have any other explanation. And here lies the root of the problem with this book. While the story is a fun romp across urban fantasy tropes, the characters are flat and boring, totally artificial. I couldn’t bring myself to care for either of them. They behave like silly girls more often than not. Their flaws and quirks seem to be sewn to their dull, colorless silhouettes by an inept seamstress. Nothing is organic, and nobody is alive. The same is true for the secondary characters as well.
It was a struggle to finish this book, but because of the promise of the story and the kooky world the author created, I’m giving it 3 stars.
January 2, 2016
What do you get when you combine steampunk, mystery, vampires, and time travel? This book, of course! The many different elements may seem clumsy, but I thought Gleason pulled it off wonderfully. I was a bit unsatisfied that the time-travel part wasn't further explained and the other characters just somehow automatically accepted that Dylan was from the future, but I know there is a second book in which I hope it will be further explored.
I loved the writing style. So often I find in YA, that yeah, the story is fine, the characters are okay, but man, this writer sounds like they are really bored with their own story. The Clockwork Scarab actually kept me awake and on my feet.
The main characters were a little dull, I have to admit. The narrator switching every chapter threw me off sometimes because Evaline's and Mina's voices sounded so similar. Just when I thought I had their personalities pinned down, they did or said something to make me go "Whhaaaa-?"
I actually really, really loved this book- way more than what you get from my review (see the five stars?). It's not perfect, but the story is so original and has so much character. It was just a really fun read!
I loved the writing style. So often I find in YA, that yeah, the story is fine, the characters are okay, but man, this writer sounds like they are really bored with their own story. The Clockwork Scarab actually kept me awake and on my feet.
The main characters were a little dull, I have to admit. The narrator switching every chapter threw me off sometimes because Evaline's and Mina's voices sounded so similar. Just when I thought I had their personalities pinned down, they did or said something to make me go "Whhaaaa-?"
I actually really, really loved this book- way more than what you get from my review (see the five stars?). It's not perfect, but the story is so original and has so much character. It was just a really fun read!
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