On reflection, given the buzz around this book, I was expecting more. On the other hand, it was the publisher that sought to raise my expectation not the author. Congratulations to him on this his first novel. Steampunk too. Yum.

The plot was packed with action and galloped along. Pretty exciting stuff. On the downside, I found the dialogue a little flat in places and often it didn't seem to reflect the character's age, gender or status within the story. However, having just finished the first three books of the Edge Chronicles, and observed the same thing there, it might be something that is more noticeable to me as an adult reader than to lower MG readers - the target audience of this book.

If you like the steampunk setting, if you like your protagonists young and feisty and if you like your antagonists evil. This could be your book.