Clockwork Samurai (The Gunpowder Chronicles, #2)

by Jeannie Lin

[kimbacaffeinate]

Clockwork Samurai is such a wonderful tale. While not quite as strong as its predecessor I could not help but get lost in the vivid world Lin creates. I absolutely love the setting and the descriptive and authentic feel Lin brings to the story and characters. Jeannie Lin weaves in steampunk elements and danger as our heroine Jin Soling and her former intended Chen Chang-Wei embark on a mission to Japan.

When the story begins, Jin Soling is a physician for the Emperor’s concubines. Events force her to seek another position and she is astonished when she finds herself on board a ship accompanying Chen to Japan.

The characters have depth, and Lin pays particular attention to their behavior providing an authentic portrayal of characters from 1852 right down to mannerisms. I love getting inside Jin’s head. I have come to respect her wit, loyalty and quest for knowledge.

The plot unfolds slowly but I was so busy absorbing the world and catching up with Jin Soling that I did not mind the slower pace. As we enter, Japan things get interesting as the suspense and danger increase the further we travel into forbidden areas. I loved the karakuri automatons and the detail will delight fans of steampunk. Danger, new friendships and a wonderful look at Japan made this tale a worthy read.

There is a subtle romance and despite the lack of page time, I found it to be a powerful one. Lin has a wonderful “show not tell” approach giving scenes weight. It delivered all the feels despite the low-heat level. I am eager to see how the romance will progress.

Opium issues, and concerns for Western evasion along with the Emperor’s refusal to accept there is actually a threat are mentioned throughout. The ending completed the journey to Japan, strengthened our characters relationship and set us up for the next novel.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer