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clarabooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Torture
huntress's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
lilbookbee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Hooooooly shit. T Kingfisher has my heart. The second half of the Clocktaur Wars duology was so damn good. Everything about this book felt perfectly timed and the characters continued to pull me in. This story was unique and I was completely surprised by the ending. I had no idea how this story could be wrapped up, and it's end was fascinating, and heartache worthy.
Caliban is honestly a dream. His love and adoration and respect for Slate is staggering. And this book finally brought them together, and the release of their tension was gratifying. I love the two of them together. I truly enjoyed seeing both POVs and getting to experience what both think about each other.
I don't wanna talk spoilers, so I will just say that I feel a bit bruised following the ending of this Clocktaur Wars journey. I dunno if I even want to discuss my heartache about it. Just even the happiest ending here felt a little bittersweet.
Caliban is honestly a dream. His love and adoration and respect for Slate is staggering. And this book finally brought them together, and the release of their tension was gratifying. I love the two of them together. I truly enjoyed seeing both POVs and getting to experience what both think about each other.
I don't wanna talk spoilers, so I will just say that I feel a bit bruised following the ending of this Clocktaur Wars journey. I dunno if I even want to discuss my heartache about it. Just even the happiest ending here felt a little bittersweet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, and Violence
teaxmillions's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
skl_hcn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Unlike the first book, the romantic plot was a huge part and it was not done well. The plot was fantastic, the romance ruined it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Alcohol
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
booksthatburn's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THE WONDER ENGINE is a perfect sequel to THE CLOCKWORK BOYS, full of wit and care between a small group of people expecting to spend the rest of their extremely brief lives in one another's company against long odds and in great danger.
Grimehug plays more more central role here, but specifically not as one of the heroes. He's accompanying the humans so that some gnole is keeping track of them, much as other gnoles accompany the clocktaurs. Learned Edmund's change of character is gradual enough to feel reasonable, but is a complete transformation from his first appearance in THE CLOCKWORK BOYS. I love Slate and Caliban, and I like finding out a bit more of Slate's former life in Anuket City. Brenner continues to be a lurky assassin and an excellent character.
This does a tremendous amount of worldbuilding related to gnoles as their society intersects with humans in Anuket City. It also shows much of Anuket City's underworld, which is highly involved in most other parts of the city's functioning.
As the second book in a duology, this shows the crew’s whole stay in Anuket City and briefly addresses the aftermath. It addresses Slate and Caliban’s feelings for each other, the mystery of the Clocktaurs, Gnole society, and Learned Edmund’s personal growth. It doesn’t leave anything for later, while other books are set in this same world, these particular characters’ story seems wrapped up for now. Slate and Caliban are the main point-of-view characters, just like in the first book, with a brief section or two from other characters. I don’t think anything is both introduced and resolved here, but this is literally part two of two books and it has its own storyline by being specific to a place while the first book was the journey there.
If someone read just this book without the first one it might make enough sense to be interesting, but several parts of the finale and a lot of the character growth depends on seeing how they started out, which is contained in CLOCKWORK BOYS. While it might still be enjoyable on its own, I definitely recommend reading both books as they are much better together.
If you enjoyed THE CLOCKWORK BOYS then don't skip THE WONDER ENGINE!
Grimehug plays more more central role here, but specifically not as one of the heroes. He's accompanying the humans so that some gnole is keeping track of them, much as other gnoles accompany the clocktaurs. Learned Edmund's change of character is gradual enough to feel reasonable, but is a complete transformation from his first appearance in THE CLOCKWORK BOYS. I love Slate and Caliban, and I like finding out a bit more of Slate's former life in Anuket City. Brenner continues to be a lurky assassin and an excellent character.
This does a tremendous amount of worldbuilding related to gnoles as their society intersects with humans in Anuket City. It also shows much of Anuket City's underworld, which is highly involved in most other parts of the city's functioning.
As the second book in a duology, this shows the crew’s whole stay in Anuket City and briefly addresses the aftermath. It addresses Slate and Caliban’s feelings for each other, the mystery of the Clocktaurs, Gnole society, and Learned Edmund’s personal growth. It doesn’t leave anything for later, while other books are set in this same world, these particular characters’ story seems wrapped up for now. Slate and Caliban are the main point-of-view characters, just like in the first book, with a brief section or two from other characters. I don’t think anything is both introduced and resolved here, but this is literally part two of two books and it has its own storyline by being specific to a place while the first book was the journey there.
If someone read just this book without the first one it might make enough sense to be interesting, but several parts of the finale and a lot of the character growth depends on seeing how they started out, which is contained in CLOCKWORK BOYS. While it might still be enjoyable on its own, I definitely recommend reading both books as they are much better together.
If you enjoyed THE CLOCKWORK BOYS then don't skip THE WONDER ENGINE!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Excrement, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Well, as expected being the continuation of the first half of the story, almost all my questions were answered.
I do think that the split between books one and two should have been at a different point (if not non-existent) since it was very abrupt but not in a way that built tension or really ended on a cliffhanger which would have been remedied by moving that cut off point by a few chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. It was definitely the most adult-ish book I've read from Kingfisher thus far and I still think it was easy to read and tame enough that I would give it to a young teenager with zero qualms.
I wouldn't consider this series to be in the "heist" genre since the main goal wasn't to necessarily steal anything but a quest to end a war (by whatever means). There was no real master plan to do it either beyond to get into the city and find out what was going on. Lately it seems like if there exists a motley crew/rag-tag bunch etc. of unlikely people come together with a common cause that somehow equates a heist.
Either way, I liked it. The banter was fun, Grimehug was a gem, and an implied happily ever after which is all anyone can ask for.
I do think that the split between books one and two should have been at a different point (if not non-existent) since it was very abrupt but not in a way that built tension or really ended on a cliffhanger which would have been remedied by moving that cut off point by a few chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. It was definitely the most adult-ish book I've read from Kingfisher thus far and I still think it was easy to read and tame enough that I would give it to a young teenager with zero qualms.
I wouldn't consider this series to be in the "heist" genre since the main goal wasn't to necessarily steal anything but a quest to end a war (by whatever means). There was no real master plan to do it either beyond to get into the city and find out what was going on. Lately it seems like if there exists a motley crew/rag-tag bunch etc. of unlikely people come together with a common cause that somehow equates a heist.
Either way, I liked it. The banter was fun, Grimehug was a gem, and an implied happily ever after which is all anyone can ask for.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lotten4's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It had more romance than clockwork boys. It was almost as funny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
kamreadsandrecs's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CO39hvvBjcT/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, and Violence