The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato
Reviewed by: Joscelyn Lockwood, Children’s Department
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Octavia Leander was orphaned by a never ending war, her parents killed in a bombing. Raised to embrace her gifts as medician by Miss Percival, she’s about to leave on her first real mission to heal a town ravaged by plague. However, she soon finds out upon boarding the airship that not everything is as clear cut as it seems. Political intrigue and secrets abound, and before the ship embarks, Octavia finds herself starting to doubt everything she thought she knew to be true.
My Review: The weaving of magic and science was remarkable compared to a lot of other magic-forward novels. I also enjoyed the amount of secrecy between characters, which runs alongside the overlying war plot. There were some negatives as well, namely how oblivious Octavia could be even when faced with overwhelming evidence toward a fact. Overall, I was left feeling like the character development was lacking compared to the great development of the world as a whole.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Mild, Underwhelming, Awkward
Give This a Try if You Like… Steampunk, Quick reads, Magic and Science Mixing.
Rating: 3/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!