The Clockwork Crown

March 9, 2015
Dire circumstances and an unsettling sense of inevitable heartache make Cato’s sequel to The Clockwork Dagger a more somber affair, grounded in earth magic rather than the high-flying razzle-dazzle of steampunk. Magical healer Octavia Leander is alarmed by the scope of her new powers and slightly dispirited as she and Alonzo Garrett, the dashing assassin turned love interest, try to uncover information about the Lady, whose mysterious tree is the source of Octavia’s powers. An unexpected source of menace moves the story into fresh territory, while the escalating hostilities between the corrupt kingdom of Caskentia and its even more violent rebel province, the Dallows, put the vigorously determined Octavia in more than enough danger to satisfy her fans. Cato continues to defy expectations, moving the saga toward an unexpected, heartfelt conclusion, and the revelations about Octavia’s abilities are amply rewarding. Agent: Rebecca Strauss, DeFiore and Co.

April 15, 2015
In a return to the steampunk-flavored world of her first novel, Cato (The Clockwork Dagger, 2014) sends her likable cast of characters on a more tightly written, higher stakes fantasy adventure. After evading the dangers, both magical and political, of The Clockwork Dagger, Octavia Leander finds herself fleeing from assassination and in search of an explanation for the sudden, frightening intensification of her powers as a healer. Her traveling companion is the handsome, devoted Alonzo Garret, a former assassin and spy-turned-diligent protector who provides Octavia with a bluntly appealing romantic interest and bantering partner. Their search for safety and knowledge takes them from the familiar but conflict-ravaged country of Caskentia to the southern nation of Tamarania, where education and invention are prized and magic is looked upon with distaste. Unsurprisingly, danger and intrigue soon follow, and Octavia and Alonzo run an engaging, if predictable, series of adventures that involve murder attempts, kidnapping, battling mecha matches, and a host of the endearing, human-created chimeras known as "gremlins." Octavia's powers continue to change, growing ever stronger, stranger, and more unsettling. Her reaction to the transformation of her magic, and her fear of what it means for herself and her beliefs, gives the pleasant entertainment of the novel a welcome jolt of human disquiet. The story often rides on the appeal of well-trodden territory-the characters and magic system feel like variations on familiar fantasy types; the trappings and accessories of steampunk serve as unexamined decoration-but its ingenuous fondness for those comfortable elements and the occasional sacrifice it requires from its characters gives it a charming energy that keeps the pages turning. A satisfying follow-up that sticks to the comforts of familiar fantasy elements but still offers an entertaining, swiftly moving adventure in the company of Cato's appealing characters.

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 15, 2015

After escaping from Wasters in The Clockwork Dagger, Octavia Leander and Alonzo Garrett have made their way to the tech-savvy Southern states. People there sneer at Octavia's belief in the Lady and the Tree, but her powers of healing and her affinity with the Tree are growing to an alarming degree. Everything leads to a search for the original Tree, deep in the Wastes, and Alonzo and Octavia face opposition from all sides as they struggle to reach the Tree and figure out what's happening to Octavia. VERDICT Romantic and full of nonstop adventure, this latest series entry will satisfy fans of both steampunk and more traditional fantasy. Cato doesn't stint on the worldbuilding but always keeps the focus on her richly developed characters. Besides the immensely appealing central couple, there is a full cast of allies and villains who keep things moving.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.