A review by nkmeyers
Camera Obscura by Lavie Tidhar

3.0

[b:Camera Obscura|9280057|Camera Obscura (The Bookman Histories, #2)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301906823s/9280057.jpg|13326028]
Liked it.

Didn't love it like [b:The Bookman|6922360|The Bookman (The Bookman Histories, #1)|Lavie Tidhar|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1258686290s/6922360.jpg|7150817], but it was kinda fun anyway.

Spoiler

A heroine with a Gatling gun integrated prosthetic is hard not to enjoy. But if you sprinkle with some kinky sex, add zombie pirates and a few dashes of literary references you've got the basic ingredients of a hell of a story.

The book starts in a Paris with a brothel dominated nightlife
and includes a visit to an alternative future America

Spoiler

and cameo appearances by [a:Henri De Toulouse Lautrec], the [a:Marquis de Sade|3190746|Marquis de Sade|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1262081435p2/3190746.jpg], Buffalo Bill, and Sherlock Holmes.

A false climax recalls the story of serial murder told more thoroughly in [b:The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America|21996|The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America|Erik Larson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167325045s/21996.jpg|3486041] (Guess here's where I have to admit I liked the Chicago of [b:Fair Weather|548194|Fair Weather|Richard Peck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309201817s/548194.jpg|535450] a bit better than the Devil book?)

But, however you look at it, the Chicago world's fair venue charged with Tesla's gyrating energy and the exposition's position in history are ripe territory for re-imagining.

I'm putting my copy up on swap if you want to explore this world for yourself!