Full of magic, mystery, and romance, an enchanting steampunk fantasy debut in the bestselling vein of Trudi Canavan and Gail Carriger. Orphaned as a child, Octavia Leander was doomed to grow up on the streets until Miss Percival saved her and taught her to become a medician. Gifted with incredible powers, the young healer is about to embark on her first mission, visiting suffering cities in the far reaches of the war-scarred realm. But the airship on which she is traveling is plagued by a series of strange and disturbing occurrences, including murder, and Octavia herself is threatened. Suddenly, she is caught up in a flurry of intrigue: the dashingly attractive steward may be one of the infamous Clockwork Daggers-the Queen's spies and assassins-and her cabin-mate harbors disturbing secrets. But the danger is only beginning, for Octavia discovers that the deadly conspiracy aboard the airship may reach the crown itself.
I am ashamed to say I actually finished this a long time ago...as in two days after I started reading it. The first thing I wanted to do was come give it a rave review.
Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way.
The joy is, Beth Cato did her job so well that months after I read The Clockwork Dagger I am just as enthralled with this story and its characters. I have not lost one thing that I enjoyed, from the rich, unique characterization, the quirky and delightful world building that did not detract even where it got dark and grim and detailed, and the original take on magic and the divine.
If you love steampunk, if you love fantasy and historicals, or even if you just love great fiction whatever it's classified as, this is a book you need to pick up.
I can tell you one other thing. Before I even flipped the last page I was already groaning about how I have to wait until June for [b:The Clockwork Crown|22888800|The Clockwork Crown (Clockwork Dagger Duology, #2)|Beth Cato|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421785854s/22888800.jpg|42458791].
Reading updates
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Started reading
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19 December, 2014:
Finished reading
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19 December, 2014:
Reviewed