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Barry's Reviews > Boneshaker
Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century, #1)
by
by
At first I wrote this as a response to the review of someone whom greatly disliked this book; however, as you'll soon see, I came to have a lot to say - enough for my official review!
You all know enough about the book, between the synopsis and other reviews, as it is; as such, I'll jump right i to the heart of what triggered my thoughts.
I loved it, personally.
A lot of people disliked Briar Wilkes's som, whose rebellion and subsequent sojurn into the city of death is the triggering event of the verall plot. Her son is a teenager, after all - that tedious age in which one knows that they have no longer the forgiveness, ease, and innocent misunderstandings of childhood, yet they are still so very far from the knowledge and security of adulthood - and with the whole world around them and all its mysteries and dangers waiting, it feels like taking control of one's fate is the only way to successfully seize maturity. Of course he seems self-absorbed and rebellious! He doesn't know what else to do but to prove his way into being taken seriously as an independent adult.
And as for the overall narrative, a lot of people find it too slow for their liking, sometimes calling it "tedious." To such New York Times critic wannabes, I have this to say: Cherie Priest very deliberately paced it exactly as she, its composer and its conductor, knew it had to be. If she had wanted it to be a rollicking, cracking steam-filled shootup and zombiefest, she would have written it that way; but this is what she set out to write, and this is what we have. I for one am a fan of such pacing and rich, honest, logical characterization - and as such, I was greatly taken with the results.
Finally, if "that infernal son" is really such a bother to you, well--don't we all run into people we dislike all the time? They all have/had mothers and fathers, and they all have their faults and their choices in life which lead to them. Just like the jerk on the street, if reading about her son is such a bother, keep in mind...he will pass, and you will move on.
Bravo, Mrs. Priest.
You all know enough about the book, between the synopsis and other reviews, as it is; as such, I'll jump right i to the heart of what triggered my thoughts.
I loved it, personally.
A lot of people disliked Briar Wilkes's som, whose rebellion and subsequent sojurn into the city of death is the triggering event of the verall plot. Her son is a teenager, after all - that tedious age in which one knows that they have no longer the forgiveness, ease, and innocent misunderstandings of childhood, yet they are still so very far from the knowledge and security of adulthood - and with the whole world around them and all its mysteries and dangers waiting, it feels like taking control of one's fate is the only way to successfully seize maturity. Of course he seems self-absorbed and rebellious! He doesn't know what else to do but to prove his way into being taken seriously as an independent adult.
And as for the overall narrative, a lot of people find it too slow for their liking, sometimes calling it "tedious." To such New York Times critic wannabes, I have this to say: Cherie Priest very deliberately paced it exactly as she, its composer and its conductor, knew it had to be. If she had wanted it to be a rollicking, cracking steam-filled shootup and zombiefest, she would have written it that way; but this is what she set out to write, and this is what we have. I for one am a fan of such pacing and rich, honest, logical characterization - and as such, I was greatly taken with the results.
Finally, if "that infernal son" is really such a bother to you, well--don't we all run into people we dislike all the time? They all have/had mothers and fathers, and they all have their faults and their choices in life which lead to them. Just like the jerk on the street, if reading about her son is such a bother, keep in mind...he will pass, and you will move on.
Bravo, Mrs. Priest.
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Reading Progress
December 4, 2010
– Shelved
December 10, 2011
–
Started Reading
December 28, 2011
–
80.77%
"This WILL be the last book I FINISH reading this year! So there."
page
336
December 30, 2011
–
Finished Reading
although if you are talking about my review, i definitely did not "greatly dislike" it. i really believe in the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ star system, so for me 2 stars means "it was okay". it was diverting. a pleasant experience overall. outside of the character of the son, i had no big complaints.