I‘m always looking for something new to read and I’m always hoping it will be something that I can recommend to others. I’ve got one for you! YAY!! I saw this book, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast, on my Overdrive app and decided to give it a try. I’d never heard of Steampunk genre before. I actually didn’t realize it was a genre until after I’d read the whole book and did some investigating. And a Steampunk Proper Romance? Sounds a little crazy. It took me a couple chapters to figure it out. And I have to tell you- I really enjoyed it! So I’m going to help you out a little by giving you the lowdown on Steampunk.
I never thought I’d see the day when I went to Urban Dictionary to find answers to a question. But, here I am! Steampunk is defined as, “a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan ‘What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.’ It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.” Such an interesting idea, if you ask me. I think the key phrase there is the slogan- “what the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.” That’s exactly how I saw this book. It had such a Victorian feel… except the heroine had her own ray gun. Huh? I know it sounds crazy, but I promise it works!
The Steampunk genre goes as far back as H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, according to Wikipedia. And it’s not just a genre of writing! There’s a whole following of art, style of dress, movies, video games, and even music. I made the mistake of searching #steampunk on Instagram, which was a little weird for my taste. The clothing is a little too racy for me, but it was fun to see the inventive side of Steampunk. Nothing but a great imagination could create some of the items I saw.
This book by Nancy Campbell Allen is a great literary find. I loved the mystery that weaved through the plot and accompanied this “romance novel.” The story also had its share of fantasy- a vampire lurking among the living, a predatory shape shifter trying to go undetected. It was fun trying to figure out what would happen next and who was behind the mayhem.
If you want an even greater experience with this book, grab the audio version for free from your local library or on Overdrive. That’s actually how I “read” it first- brief snippets while running around in the car. The english accent from the reader completely adds to the effect of the book! Let me know your thoughts if you’ve already read this one!
