Book Review - The Girl in the Steel Corset

Written by: Kady Cross
Published by: Harlequin Teen

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Publishing Date: May 24, 2011

4.5 stars - Whirr, click, bang, this book is a must have for steampunk fans or historical fantasy readers.

Synopsis (from Harlequin): In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

I adore steampunk stories and Kady Cross has written one that in her own words combines her love of "X Men" with the "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". Well, she's succeeded and done so in spades.

For readers of historical fantasy, the characters will be familiar and yet, in the capable hands of Kady they will be presented with a twist. The protagonist, Finley Jayne, is a strong heroine who is struggling with her darker impulses. She meets the hero, Griffin King, and they discover they have a shared background which explains their peculiar talents. And while their romantic plot is interesting what truly held my interest was the love triangle which Kady set up so masterfully. While I adored Griffin,  the other part of the triangle, Jack Dandy, kept me smiling throughout the book. You see, Jack's that character you can never be quite sure of -- is he a good guy or does he just manipulate things to his advantage?  Simply put, I loved him and eagerly waited for his impeccably timed appearances.

The plot is a fun, adventurous ride through an automaton-filled London. Historical details and even the unexpected appearance of Queen Victoria make the setting come alive and add a depth which I thoroughly enjoyed. And you guys, the villain is a true baddie.

If you're looking for romance, adventure and a reason to attend a masked ball, pick up The Girl in the Steel Corset. Before you know it, you'll be dancing with London's naughtiest and finest men and you just may get to solve a crime spree that has puzzled the highest levels of London society.

Harlequin has provided an excerpt so click over and get a taste of the world that Kady created. Also, there's a free download of a prequel e-novella, The Strange Case of Finley Jayne, which I highly recommend downloading because it provides some wonderful details about Finley.