Goodreads Blurb
A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.
Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy.
Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy.
I had very, very mixed feelings about Legacy of the Clockwork Key! As much as I wanted to love it, I couldn't really get into it until we're well into it--about halfway maybe?
My biggest issues with the book: the main character and the romance.
But in order to understand why Meg was such a big issue, I'll start with the romance: It was basically insta-love at it's finest. Will is supposed to be cold and dangerous, but somehow he warms up to Meg almost immediately and suddenly he's risking almost everything for her--after knowing her for only two weeks. That's where I started to cringe a bit. And then, suddenly, Will is using the l-word after one kiss, and maybe three weeks of knowing her, tops. When done right, I'll fall in love with the romance, but the way it was written just irked me.
Bringing me to Meg. She was...well. She acted like a DID (Damsel in Distress) throughout the first 75% of the book until suddenly becoming a half-decent character. She's described as clever and witty, but in all honesty, it felt like she was more reliant and dependent than anything else. She was so easy to trust someone and maybe that's okay, but what definitely annoyed me was how she was (mostly) always right: she would get a "bad feeling" about this character and then "In my heart, I knew(...)", etc. She trusted basic strangers when there was a murderer out there! What's also annoying is that she almost killed herself, Lucinda, and Will because she was jealous and wanted to prove something--then had the nerve to say it wasn't her fault! Oh, my rage monster is rising!
But this was a clever book at least. One clue led to another and I was surprised by how complicated these machines seemed to be--and how familiar others were. Night vision goggles, a hidden passage behind a bookshelf, and a few others were invented--a century before though! The Amusementists were definitely clever people and I loved how Meg's grandfather laid out clues so nicely--and convenient. Her grandfather really thought of everything!
I loved the dialect that was so convincing. It definitely felt like I was back in the Victorian era and I loved seeing all these plot twists just jump out at you. The ending was what really shocked me even though I'm pretty sure I should've expected it. It's a fantastic book that's creative in the most subtle ways.
I'd recommend this for people who are just getting into steampunk since it introduces you to the world nicely (this is probably only my second steampunk book!) and isn't as confusing as some of the steampunks sound!
Pages: 403
Genre: Steampunk
Series: Secret Order of Modern Amusements #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Rating: 2.5--->3 stars
Author Bio
Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers.
Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with some really plump little fish and a pair of snails who are secretly ninja assassins. In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does.
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Welcome all! I'd love to hear what you think, even if they're lies saying that my reviews are fantastic. I take flattery in all forms ;D