I finished this book Friday morning while I was at school, kinda depressing actually because then I had to go the entire school day without something to read because my school library has no budget ergo no books, bah what is this world coming to.
I really liked this book, even though the separation between Finley and her “Shadow-self” was never really that differentiated, the predator side of her would just mention in passing what she thought of herself while she had feelings.
The copy I was reading had the prequel to the book in the front, “The Strange Case of Finley Jayne,” I didn’t think it was that great, there were a few mentions towards Griff, but the story in general added nothing to the actual book, and the book added nothing to the prequel, it was just there and it was kind of awkward. Since the prequel was placed before the real story, after I finished it and started “The Girl in the Steel Corset” I kept expecting there to be bits of “The Strange Case of Finley Jayne” mentioned in it and there wasn’t. The two had absolutely nothing to do with each other.
The Girl in the Steel Corset, however was majorly better. I loved the mixing of Steampunk and Fantasy. Automatons and steam carriages, yay, and I’m not usually a steampunk fan.
The book starts off with Finley beating the shit out of her employer because he was trying to take her virtue *teehee* I just really wanted to say virtue. After running away she accidently jumps in front of Griffin’s “velocycle” (Cross did a really good job creating her own vocab.) Griffin feels responsible for Finley, as well he should because he ran her over, and takes her back to his mansion with his other group of misfit friends, Emily (tech/engineer genius who can talk to machines), Sam (Super strong with the ability to heal quickly and more than half machine), and Jasper (an American who’s quick with his guns and can move super fast).
The gang had been looking into a mysterious set of circumstances where automatons have been attacking and killing people, presumed to be because of a man they call The Machinist. Finley jumps right in, especially after learning that her own parents use to know Griff’s, and Griffin tries to help her balance herself with her darker nature side. Along the way, Griffin of course falls for Finley, but it wouldn’t be a YA without a love triangle, our third party being Jack Dandy, notorious criminal overlord, and of course Finley can’t choose which guy she likes, she’s definitely pulling an Elena Gilbert on this. (I’m rooting for Jack, he is way more awesome than Griffin).
Anyways, after a few ups and downs Finley gets her soul? balanced out and they all fight The Machinist, Griff bringing down a building and getting stabbed in the process. The Machinist’s body, though, is never recovered from the wreckage and is presumed dead, like anyone actually believes that.
At the very end of the novel, however, Jasper is taken in by two American policemen for murder and then cue giant cliffhanger.
I really did live the novel, Kady Cross did really well in weaving her world of gears and steam. I rate the book 4/5.
Out of Boredom 