Coldstone and Ivy has heart - a clockwork heart

While Coldstone and Ivy may not be the most innovative steampunk mystery, it is entertaining and the vast array of historical and literary cameos are sure to bring a chuckle. Like many of the steampunk mysteries I've read, Jack the Ripper plays a central role, but Dickson's approach is somewhat different. The Mad Lord of Lasingstoke has a terrible gift, the ability to see and understand the dead, who seek him out so that their deaths may be avenged. Ivy Savage is a young woman who dreams of living an adventurous life, while penning "Penny Dreadfuls" in which her heroine solves mysteries. But surprisingly, it is the Christien, the Mad Lord's brother, and her erstwhile suitor, a medical student plagued by blackouts. His plight draws the most empathy at least in the first half of the novel. The second half of the novel is far more emotionally charged, and Sebastien and Ivy show much more depth and complexity.

Don't be discouraged by the slow beginning. The novel picks up in pace and quality in the second half, culminating in a thrilling ending that leaves many possibilities for a follow up.

On the whole, reading Coldstone and Ivy is a pleasure. I can definitely recommend the novel to fans of steampunk, particularly those who like a light touch of romance thrown in.

4/5

I received a copy of Coldstone and Ivy from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Description

Jack the Ripper gave her his heart. Now he wants it back.

The year is 1888, the clockwork British Empire is crumbling and young writer Ivy Savage has literally received a heart in the post. Terrified, her father sends her north to a strange sanitarium in Lancashire where the brilliant but unpredictable “Mad Lord of Lasingstoke” makes his home.

Here, Ivy finds the dead are as dangerous as the living and she is immediately swept into a world of manners, mystery, and supernatural intrigue, uncovering a secret that will lead both her and the Mad Lord back to London and the dark streets of Whitechapel.