"Finley didn't court trouble, but part of her - the part that was going to keep her safe, yet get her fired - hoped he'd try something. It was horribly delighted at the prospect of the violence to come." - from The Girl in the Steel Corset
She's been called `the very spawn of Satan.' And the worst part about it is, Finley Jayne is beginning to believe it might be true. She can think of no other explanation for her `other self,' the part of her personality that takes control whenever Finley feels frightened or threatened. It's that dark self - rather like the beastly Mr. Hyde in the novel Mr. Stevenson published ten years ago - that gives Finley extraordinary strength and speed, makes it possible for her to see in the dark and hear things across great distances. When her dark self takes control, even Finley is afraid. Afraid of what she'll do or whom she will harm.
When the arrogant son of her employer tries to force himself on Finley, her dark self rears its head, determined to teach him a lesson he'll not soon forget. Once the threat has passed, however, Finley is horrified. If Lord Felix, scion of the August-Raynes household, decides to go to the authorities, no one will care that he assaulted her first. He is the honored son of a peer of the realm and Finley, well she's merely his sister's lady's maid. Finley refuses to be locked up (and possibly committed to Bedlam, should her secret be discovered) for defending herself, so she decides to run. Her flight, it turns out, takes her directly into the path of Griffin King, the Duke of Greythorne.
Only two years older than Finley's sixteen years, Griff assumed his title following the murder of his parents three years ago. Although young, he has a natural aptitude for leadership, which he has used to gather a unique group of young people - all with very special talents. From the moment Finley appears in front of his velocycle, Griff knows she belongs with them. For her own part, Finley dares to hope she has finally landed somewhere she can fit in, but she knows the Duke's friends are not convinced it's safe to have her around.
If Griffin is fascinated by Finley and what she can do, Finley is intrigued by both his offer to teach her how to gain control of her darker nature AND by the very unusual members of his household. There's Emily O'Brien, a truly brilliant scientist and mechanic who can build or repair virtually anything - or anyone. Emily might even become a friend to Finley, although the same can not be said of the boy Emily secretly loves, Sam Morgan. Sam and Griffin grew up together and each possesses abilities that are far from normal. Griffin can direct and control the energy of the Aether while Sam's talents lie on a more earthly plane. He is physically ten times stronger than any normal man, stronger even than Finley, in fact. Protective by nature, Sam is suspicious of Finley's sudden appearance and her motives. Also amongst Griff's friends is the taciturn American cowboy, Jasper Renn - a man with a mysterious past and preternatural speed. Griffin's Aunt Cordelia, the only adult (other than the servants) in the household, is a frighteningly strong telepath.
Together, the members of Griffin's band of strays and outcasts use their abilities to investigate unusual crimes and occasionally to help defend the Realm. Right now, they are investigating a shadowy criminal known as the Machinist. Somehow, the Machinist is causing automatons to override their programs and perpetrate crimes although as yet, no one has been able to figure out just how he is doing it or why. Finley wants to help with the investigation, but several strange events will put Griffin's trust in her to the test. With the Duke's extraordinary group tearing itself apart from within, they may not be able to stop the Machinist from carrying out an audacious and terrifying crime.
This book was just so much fun, it's hard to know where to start as I sing its praises. Kady Cross created a steampunk version of 1897 London to serve as the setting for The Girl in the Steel Corset, and she describes it so magnificently that you can smell the smoke, see the metal and hear the hiss of steam and the clanking of gears. I loved the addition of the Aether, the Organites and the Cradle of Life expedition to the advanced mechanics we've come to expect in steampunk. Those extra elements really made the world unique and the story engrossing. Finley, with her Hyde-like inner self, makes a wonderful heroine - strong enough to kick ass but still intensely vulnerable. Griffin is also complex and multi-layered, a confident, almost cocky leader but also a lonely orphan. Really, all of the characters in this novel are interesting. The plot is fast-paced, twisty and fun and the villain, when he is finally uncovered, is suitably evil. In the acknowledgements at the end of The Girl in the Steel Corset, Ms. Cross says that the idea behind this new series was to cross The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with teen X-Men. She certainly accomplished that, but she's also created something that is so much more than that - a true steampunk original. I cannot wait to see what Griffin, Finley and the gang get up to next.
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Reviews with images
Great for those who love Steampunk
I loved it from page one, reading the description you think it will have the two main characters meeting one another right away. But I was totally wrong it had you on the edge of your seat waiting for them to meet. They have that slow built romance where they acknowledge their mutual interest but fight against it knowing that it might end badly. And even at the end of the book, they are still not actually together.
Top reviews from other countries
Johanna
Great YA steampunk with wonderfully complex characters
Reviewed in Germany on May 5, 2014Kirsty
Great for first timers into the world of Steam punk
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2013
