In nineteenth-century England, a boy is about to discover a mysterious mechanical world he may never escape. Ten-year-old Jack Foster has stepped through a doorway and into quite a different London. Londinium is a smoky, dark, and dangerous place, home to mischievous metal fairies and fearsome clockwork dragons that breathe scalding steam. The people wear goggles to protect their eyes, brass grill insets in their nostrils to filter air, or mechanical limbs to replace missing ones. Over it all rules the Lady, and the Lady has demanded a new son -- a perfect flesh-and-blood child. She has chosen Jack. His only hope of escape lies with a legendary clockwork bird. The Gearwing grants wishes -- or it did, before it was broken -- before it was killed. But some things don't stay dead forever. Fans of books like Splendors and Glooms and Goblin Secrets will find Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times irresistible! - Publisher.
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Is it ironic that the best Steampunk novels I have read are all kids books? Probably not, as only through the eyes of a child protagonist does the wonder of a steampunk world really come to life. Here we have a story of a young man who's curiosity leads him through a door to another London, one with airships, clockwork, and steampowered transit. A little bit Alice in Wonderland, and a little bit Neverwhere...and there you go. It's nonstop action, but just when it began to wear on me a bit, a character would reveal a charming personality trait that would almost feel like a story within a story. I adored Beth, the windup girl, and even the big bad Lorcan is humanized by a backstory that is rather heartbreaking. There is so much more story to tell here, too. From where does the Lady originate (my guess is she is Queen Elizabeth the first)? What will happen now?
Very enjoyable read. My only complaint is the illustrations which I felt were too dark and smeary and not detailed enough. They added nada to the story. I found one (pg 192) to be especially disappointing after a rather upsetting scene, the illustration was too abstract and ripped me right out of the story-because I was wondering what the hell it was. Not kid friendly at all.
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