Review: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

Goodreads Summary:

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

This is the second book in the Steampunk Chronicles by Kady Cross. Like many a second novel, it was a bit of a let down. It's perfectly understandable, really. Most authors probably spend years writing their first novel- polishing it and making it as perfect as they can. Once they get published, I guess, the pressure is on to produce a novel a year. Especially true, it seems, of YA series. 


On the plus side, Cross seems to have ironed out some of the wrinkles I found in the first novel. Especially in the area of pacing- I thought sections of the first novel dragged. This novel does seem to move quickly and stuff is constantly happening. On the negative side, it's a second novel which means that the whole idea of YA steampunk "superheroes" (À la The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1) is no longer fresh and novel. The way it is when you encounter it in the first book. But, the book does compensate by giving you more details about the characters (past) lives. Overall, I'd say if you don't expect a perfect book and you enjoyed the first in this series, this book is probably worth reading.


Overall rating: 3 stars


Genre Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Interview with Kady Cross about steampunk and The Girl in the Steel Corset