Steampunk Chronicles #2 The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Steampunk Chronicles #2 The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

Friendship, trust and love are the most basal emotions or feelings in this universe and that is what forms the center of Griffin, Finley, Emily, Sam and Jasper's next adventure. Presenting Steampunk Chronicles #2 The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross.

Here is the summary of the book:

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

The Girl in the Steel Corset ended with Jasper being taken to New York for some crime he had committed. Now Griffin values friendship very much and Jasper's case seems very peculiar, so him, Finley, Emily and Sam set out to New York to get some answers...and also get Jasper back. But the situation is much more different than that. Turns out that Jasper had stolen some device from this underworld guy called Reno Dalton and dismantled it all across New York to keep Dalton from finding it again.

Dalton wants it back and holds his....love, Mei's life as leverage. If Jasper doesn't do as asked then Dalton would tighten the Clockwork Collar around Mei's neck and strangle her to death. Add to the mix Griffin and the gang, they are trying all they can to get Jasper out of Dalton's house and decide to infiltrate Dalton's gang and find out what Dalton wants from Jasper and why does he want that dangerous machine. But if things are not how they seem to be...will Jasper, Griffin, Finley, Emily and Sam be able to figure it out or will it be too late.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, sheds new light on the life and times of all our main characters. The multiple perspective is also a plus in this case. While Girl in the Steel Corset was all about Finely finding and coming to terms with her dark side, this one is Jasper's story with Griffin and the gang playing a secondary role. All Jasper wants to do is keep his friends safe and keep Dalton from killing Mei, even if it would mean that he'd loose his life.

Griffin and Finley on the other hand.....well now they are a case of their own....too much sexual tension there. It is clear enough they have strong feeling for one another. Their social status in Finley's case and jealousy in Griffin's seems to be what is stopping them to do anything about it. God throughout the book you'd want to bang your head and yell at them to get their acts together. Sam and Emily again pretty much remain the secondary characters.....maybe we'll see them more in a future book of the series. Just like the previous books this one can also be seen as a standalone book and very interesting read, dynamic and action packed. Great work done by Ms. Kady Cross. Hope we'll see more in the Steampunk Chronicles and this was not the end.