The Alchemy of Stone - Book Review

The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia

What is it about:
Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new, Mattie discovers powerful and dangerous secrets - secrets that can completely alter the balance of power in the city of Ayona. However, this doesn't sit well with Loharri, the Mechanic who created Mattie and still has the key to her heart - literally!

What did I think about it:
A well written, intriguing Steampunk story with lifelike characters, even those who aren't technically alive. The most memorable characters for me were Loharri (Mattie didn't appreciate him enough in my opinion) and the Soul-Smoker, who rids the city of wandering ghosts. I must admit I did find the world Sedia builds a bit depressing and bleak from time to time and I must say you shouldn't read this book if you're looking for a feel good story. That being said this book is a great and thought provoking read and I hope Sedia will write more Steampunk books.

Why should you read it:
If you're interested in Steampunk you will most probably love this book.

Teaser Tuesdays - The Alchemy of Stone

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

He examined her damaged hand, tisking to himself, and brought out the soldering iron. "I'll disconnect your sensors while I work," he said. "You'll lose all sensation in this arm - don't be alarmed."
(page 60, The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia)