Author: Shanna Swendson
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)
Series: Rebel Mechanics # 1
A
sixteen-year-old governess becomes a spy in this alternative U.S. history where
the British control with magic and the colonists rebel by inventing.
It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family—but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister—but it seems like the children's young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause—but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.
It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family—but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister—but it seems like the children's young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause—but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.
“Welcome aboard, Verity. And be prepared to make
history.”
Even as a governess, I’d fell like a princess whenever
I came down that staircase.
His ice-blue eyes
flecked with gray and rimmed in dark blue were the same as those of the bandit
from the train.
I told myself
that I had nothing to fear as long as I exhibited no sign of having magical
powers. I’d spent a lifetime keeping that secret, so it was second nature for
me.
A historical fiction steampunk was just what I needed
this week! I was so impressed with Shanna Swendson’s new YA series and I was so
easily reminded of why I adore steampunk books. The world in which Rebel
Mechanics was set was fun and invigorating, even though I could have used a bit
more back story, but that’s just me. We get the pleasure of following Verity
Newton as she is hired on by one of the richest families as their governess.
Verity lives in a world separated by classes: the magisters and the non-magical
folk. Verity soon gets mixed up in this world and loses her place. She turns
into a rebel spy without even really realizing that she was doing so. This book
goes by so fast and only took me a few hours to finish. I loved the difference
in classes and how the rebel mechanics were trying to make a way for themselves
in the world that was ruled by magic.
This book has a little bit of everything from
romance, mystery, awesome characters, and of course, steampunk elements! I must
say that my two favorite characters were Verity and Lord Henry, her employer.
Lord Henry is quirky and fun and not like I expected he would be. I fell easily
into the world of steampunk and I quickly became a sympathizer with the rebel
mechanics and what they stood for. They had a worthy cause and it was easy to
follow them, especially because Verity did. Verity was young and still naïve in
many ways, but this story was an excellent start for her character; I cannot
wait to see how she changes in the next books in the series.
***A free copy of this book was provided to me
by the publishers at FSG Books for Young Readers in exchange for my honest
review***
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