Reviews

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

bookhussy's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ejdecoster's review

3.0

Could have done without some of the romantic elements of the story, but a sort of fun plot.

tarinid's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Suicide

Minor: Abandonment and Sexism

httpsyana's review

adventurous challenging informative mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

musshel's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.0

mculpep's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

andrealage's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

cnohero's review

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

 A very fun reimagining of sherlock Holmes' setting featuring his niece and Bram Stoker's sister who form a mystery solving duo. 

omnombailey's review

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

 This book was a headache to slog through. Now that I'm finally done, I don't even know where to begin with my dislike for this story. The one-too-many tropes shoved into the same book? The barely-there steampunk that makes no efforts to address the criticisms most steampunk stories are known for, thus making it a pretty ornament as a replacement for actual worldbuilding? The love triangle (was that what it was? I don't even know)? The horrible accents written out that just make this already painful prose even more excruciating? The dangling time travel thread that only cropped up when convenient to the plot and yet continued to be an eyesore? The lack of character development in any sense of the word? The force-fed sexism and misogyny that I'm sure is done so under the guise of ~historical accuracy~ yet also introduced steampunk, supernatural, and time travel elements? THAT APPARENTLY ONE'S GENDER CAN EASILY BE REVEALED FROM THEIR HANDWRITING???????

Maybe if this was actually written during the late 1800s, then I could excuse some of this bullshit. But considering it's a more recent novel, the fact that so many little details and asides are squeezed in there makes it feel like it was a conscious decision and I kind of want to throw up.

The only thing that got me through this was imagining that Mina and Evaline were actually secretly gay for each other. Why else would they spend paragraphs upon paragraphs obsessing over each other? 

sarahshoo's review

2.0

I'm waffling between a two and three. Engaging story, but so many issues with the voice and the "strong" female characters.