Hello Bookworms!

Today I’m taking a step into the unknown with my first steampunk book review of The Eye of the North by Sinead O’Hart.

I didn’t know much about this book up front, only that it was for middle grade readers, so I thought this might be a nice light introduction to the genre.

Let’s see how things went!

Blurb

For fans of Karen Foxlee’s Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy comes a rollicking debut about a young girl’s adventures in the far reaches of the icy north.

When Emmeline’s scientist parents mysteriously disappear, she finds herself heading for a safe house, where allies have pledged to protect her. But along the way, she is kidnapped by the villainous Doctor Siegfried Bauer, who is bound for the ice fields of Greenland. There he hopes to summon a mystical creature from the depths of the ancient glaciers, a creature said to be so powerful that whoever controls it can control the world. Unfortunately, Bauer isn’t the only one determined to unleash the creature. The North Witch has laid claim to the mythical beast, too, and Emmeline–along with a scrappy stowaway named Thing–may be the only one with the power to save the world as we know it. Can Emmeline face one of the greatest legends of all time–and live to tell the tale?

GoodReads

Amazon

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I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

This is my first steampunk fantasy read, and while I didn’t quite love it, it had some endearing takeaways.

In this tale we follow young Emmeline. Her parents have mysteriously vanished (presumed dead), and her butler sends her away to Paris to be taken care of. However, things are not as they seem, and on a boat ride to the foreign country Emmeline is whisked away on a fantastical adventure to find her parents and stop the forces hunting her down.

The premise of this book was interesting, and I found each chapter unpredictable, fast-paced, and exciting. I didn’t really see the steampunk and fantasy elements early on in the novel, but that changes quickly and was worth the wait. Each chapter was nice and short, perfect for any MG reader or adult who wants to blaze through the material.

Emmeline herself had a unique background. Her parents are zoologists, and she’s spent much of her life indoors, where she reads any factual book she can get her hands on. I liked her personal journey, as it taught her how the outside world worked and challenged her existing knowledge and social skills. I absolutely love scrappy characters, and her friend Thing fit the bill and was fun and engaging. Even the villains were well thought out and evil to the core.

The plot picks up in the latter half of the novel, and while I enjoyed all of the fantasy action, near the climax of the story it fell apart for me. The pace went full throttle and I think it could have been extended to reflect the pacing the rest of the book had.

While this book wasn’t quite a knockout for me, I think other readers might love the high stakes, fast pace, and unique blend of steampunk and fantasy.

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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