K. M. Alexander
Engines of the Broken World is a hard book to pin down. It skillfully resists classification, and that's why I loved it. There are elements of rural fiction, coupled with horror, and post-apocalyptic fiction. Throw in a chunk of theology and some alternate-reality, and you'll find a book that is as engaging as it is thoughtful. The prose is sharp, the world well constructed, and the characters captivating. Jason Vanhee is a talented author and a fresh voice in the new weird movement. There is a palpable sense of dread that carries the story, amplified by Merciful Truth's wide-eyed innocence and her outlook on a world that is crumbling at its edges.I'm a little disappointed that Engines was marketed as YA because it never felt young-adult to me. Sure, it's told from the perspective of a young girl who is struggling with her relationship with her brother. But the constant struggles that befall Merciful Truth over the course of the tale quickly moves beyond YA. Make no mistake; this is a tragic story of fallible people and difficult choices. While it addresses concepts of family and faith, this is ultimately a book about truth. Who is to be believed? What is real and what isn't? The truth is the crux of the matter, and it's a heady concept that that lingers long after the final page is turned and the cover closed.
Engines of the Broken World is a hard book to pin down. It skillfully resists classification, and that's why I loved it. There are elements of rural fiction, coupled with horror, and post-apocalyptic fiction. Throw in a chunk of theology and some alternate-reality, and you'll find a book that is as engaging as it is thoughtful. The prose is sharp, the world well constructed, and the characters captivating. Jason Vanhee is a talented author and a fresh voice in the new weird movement. There is a palpable sense of dread that carries the story, amplified by Merciful Truth's wide-eyed innocence and her outlook on a world that is crumbling at its edges.I'm a little disappointed that Engines was marketed as YA because it never felt young-adult to me. Sure, it's told from the perspective of a young girl who is struggling with her relationship with her brother. But the constant struggles that befall Merciful Truth over the course of the tale quickly moves beyond YA. Make no mistake; this is a tragic story of fallible people and difficult choices. While it addresses concepts of family and faith, this is ultimately a book about truth. Who is to be believed? What is real and what isn't? The truth is the crux of the matter, and it's a heady concept that that lingers long after the final page is turned and the cover closed.
