Due to a perfect storm of gin & tonics, cabin-visitation, and general slovenliness, I read roughly eleventy million pulp steampunk books this summer. Before they disappear into an undifferentiated stew of plucky scientist's daughters and clockwork corsets, I mean to write up just a little about each one.

 

Most of the titles I've read for my Summer of Steampunk come from the recommend feature at my public library, because I can't be arsed to do actual research or pay for anything. Now I love my library, but it's true that their database is terrible and the search function worse. Which is how come I came to read the second in a series without knowing that was the case. I think it's generally true that you have to read the first in any series, even if you then decide to skip around. So much important exposition -- especially when one is dealing with an alternate history -- takes place in the first, and then is assumed knowledge. While some of this can come down to the skill of the writer, I think we need to be realistic about our expectations when it comes to pulp. Which is my longwinded way of saying, this book was dumb and confusing in places, but some of that could be my fault for reading like a slob. 

 

The plot of Clockwork Mafia is fairly perfunctory. Like at least two other titles I read, the main character is a plucky middle class lady whose mad scientist father has just died. She, of  course, is also into the mad scientry, and evil Dickensian villains are now after either her or her dad's formula/device/whatnot. I did not understand the alternate history at all. Apparently, the East Coast is still some kind of British colony, complete with the peerage? But then there's a country in the Midwest which is run by some kind of bandit queen? Just, whatever. Main character girl somehow both works as a mechanic on a long haul airship and is a lady of society, and extremely silly false dichotomies pop up all over the place. Altogether, this book is below average.

 

But the cock-up involving book order ended up amusing me. It eventually becomes clear that no one from the first book likes this character: they think she's a two-faced social climber. Even though I didn't see any evidence of said duplicitous cattiness, the girl spends just an inordinate amount of time apologizing to the leads from the previous book. Before I figured out why this was the case -- book two! duh -- I thought the choice to make one of these cookie-cutter virgin ingenues apologize to everyone for just existing completely charming. Sorry I'm such a dishrag! Pardon my dreariness! That the leads from the other book appear to be violent sociopaths made me occasionally feel bad about her apologetics -- seriously, girl, those people are wack -- but not often enough to spoil my fun. I will not be reading the first to determine the exact psychosis of the original leads. 

 

Oh, and I was hugely disappointed that it wasn't a literal Clockwork Mafia, like one where automata are made up like stereotypical mobsters in zoot suits and pomade. I would read the shit out of that. 

 

 

So that happened. 

Even better than Badlands, I loved how Clockwork Mafia really delved into the world and the characters more, providing more depth. I also love to see a character who readers previously didn't really like become sympathetic and lovable. Plus, I just love Seleste's writing :)

Find more reviews at The Demon Librarian.Steam but no sizzle.I find myself slightly frustrated after finishing CLOCKWORK MAFIA. Like I've been short changed somehow. You see, its synopsis reads like that of any other romance novel—albeit a steampunk one—with a bit about the heroine and a bit about the hero. So I was kind of expecting a full on romance. You know, with heated kisses and intimate scenes and stuff like that. But, nope it was sadly lacking in that department. Only a couple of smooches which had little impact. And, you know, I can happily read a book with no sex in it just fine, so it's not like I'm some insatiable smutmonster or anything. But it's all about expectations. I expected more romance, I didn't get it, so I'm disappointed. So on the romance front, it gets a very low score.However, on the Steampunk side of things, I really enjoyed it. I loved that Henrietta was so skilled with machines and clockworks, even if it did land her in hot water more often than not thanks to her late father's dealings with the mafia. I also loved that the hero, Carson, was still amiable despite being a man hell-bent on vengeance for his murdered fiance these last eight years. And the descriptions of all the various instruments were great, and the plot in general was entertaining, if fairly short. Hey, maybe they could have made it longer with some sex scenes! Just a thought.So, all in all an entertaining steampunk, but a disappointing romance3 Stars ★★★ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, short, intriguing and left me hungry for more. Ironically for Carina Press title, the romance is not what keeps you hanging in this book. The romance is just there like an afterthought.

What fascinates you is Henrietta's formidable character as a doctor and an inventor, and one pretty wicked villain made of clockwork and pure evil, - Gambini.

The rest, although interesting, - the kingdom of Badlands; the mafia headed by Don Lupo; larger than life, fierce Ever; the array of inventions by Henrietta and her father... fades a bit into the background.

I'd like to know more about Henri's father for example. How did he become this evil inventor and yet helped Carson's fiance's medical condition? What's Gambini's background? Why so much interest in St.Clair?

I'm pretty sure it's my own fault in missing out on the first book of this series, Badlands, which would have probably answered my questions. So make sure you read book one before you start Clockwork Mafia for a more satisfying experience. Otherwise it's a very engaging and easy read!