The Vitruvian Mask

by B.J. Sikes

1881: The electric lights of Paris have been extinguished.
The Naturalist revolution is over. Adelaide was on the losing side. Once the Royal Scientist Doctor for the now-dead cyborg monarchs of France, she's now a fugitive, hiding from the new king's Police Sécrète.
Pregnant and alone, she seeks refuge in a Parisian hospital but things have changed there too. What was once a cathedral of Science is now a bastion of ignorance and superstition.
The battlefield veterans whose Augmented prosthetics she once created are shunned by the new regime and come to the hospital for her help. But her nemesis, the father of her child, has returned to France and threatens to reveal her illegal activities to the authorities.
Can Adelaide repair her Augmented patients without losing her freedom ... or her life?
The Vitruvian Mask continues the story of Adelaide Coumain, the Roboticist of Versailles, that began in The Archimedean Heart.

Genres: Fiction, Steampunk

292 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2023

About the author

I am a 5'6" ape descendant who is inordinately fond of a good strong cup of tea, Doc Marten boots & fancy dress.

I write fantastical history with a modern feminist lens, a touch of heartbreak, and a little bit of steampunk.
My debut novel, The Archimedean Heart begins the Roboticist of Versailles series.
A novella that follows the events of The Archimedean Heart appears in the 2017 anthology The Clockwork Oracle. The full-length sequel, The Vitruvian Mask continues Adelaide's story.
My third full-length novel, The Cultist's Wife is a gothic horror inspired by a childhood experience.

I was also the chief editor and contributor of a triad of short story anthologies: Twelve Hours Later: 24 Tales of Myth and Mystery, Thirty Days Later, Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, and Some Time Later: Fantastic Voyages Through Alternate Worlds.

Reviews

[Catalin Negru · Rating 3 out of 5]

It could have been better.
The plot is simple and interesting. It is the first time I read such a genre, fantasy punk, and it feels as if I'm consuming the text version of Dali's paintings.
However, there are some things I did not like. First of all, I made no connection between what is in the book and the title of the book. Second, the characters are quite monotonous and faded. And third, the ending is quite dry; in fact, the book woudl have been better with more/harder action. It feels very static.
Overall, the idea behind it was good, but it was not well executed.

[E.K. Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging Read

The Vitruvian Mask follows the story of Adelaide Coumain, a Scientist in an 1881 France where Science has been forbidden, and Henri, an artist and supporter of the new regime. The story is fast-paced and exciting, with Adelaide working secretly on science projects and Henri resettling in Paris after living in exile in England. Both main characters are relatable, although I didn’t really like Henri, (and even Adelaide at times).

Overall, a well written book and I enjoyed the world-building. I thought the ending was a little rushed but other than that it was a great, engaging read.

The Vitruvian Mask is book two in the series but works fine as a standalone.

Content warning:There is a scene just after Adelaide gives birth which may be distressing if you are squeamish.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked “The Vitruvian Mask” by B J Sikes. It was well written and entertaining. I particularly liked the setting. Most steampunk novels are set in Victorian Britain usually London, but these was set in France. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what period it was as I’m assuming it’s an alternate timeline where the French Revolution never happened although I could be wrong. That’s one thing I would have liked a little more of – some historical background.

I thought the author showed the dangers of a society where fanatics have gained power. In the case, the new king is a Naturalist and hates machines and science, so he has banned Weather Machines even though they ensure that there are no bad harvests.

I liked the main character Adelaide and sympathised with her situation. Pregnant, unwed and in danger because of her profession. I also liked that Adelaide still wanted to help the Augmented soldiers despite the risk to herself.

I really disliked Henri, he came across as arrogant, selfish, and self-centred. The fact that he wanted to take Agatha’s child away and expected his pregnant wife to help raise him was unbelievable. Except, of course, for those days, it wasn’t. He only redeemed himself by trying to protest to the king.

I wondered how the author was going to resolve Adelaide’s problems and was satisfied with the way that it was handled. I assume there’s going to be more in the series and would be happy to read more. I could do without Henri though.

I received a free copy of The Vitruvian Mask and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shweta · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is only one word which describes my reading experience of this book and that is its just 'Awesome' ! Yes, the simplest but apt word to express the feeling of reading such a great book. It's truly an awesome book and the kind of story that's gonna stay with me for a long time.

The narrative of this book transports you to 18th century Paris where there has been a revolution against science. The new king had created a wave of naturalism and science was abhorred. All the scientists were treated as outlaws and, worse, they were executed. In the midst of this turmoil is our protagonist, Adelaide, a female scientist doctor. She lived in an era when being a woman with ambition was already viewed as something against the societal norms, but here is Adelaide, a passionate roboticist, pregnant out of wedlock and living in hiding to save her neck in revolutionary times. 

Adelaide, who was once a royal scientist doctor, was running around as a fugitive and was walking on a thin rope to save her life, her work and her child. But her passion towards science never dies down and eventually, after going thru many challenges, she finds a way not only to survive but also thrive in the newer, uncertain times of Paris.

The entire story and Adelaide's character are so profound and the author has done a commendable job of creating such a brilliant view of 18th century Paris caught in political turmoil and the lives of its people entangled in it. There is thrill, suspense, love, passion, drama and all those essential ingredients which makes for a perfect, receipe of such an excellent book! Do grab a copy of this book and get ready to immerse yourself in the marvellous journey of - The Vitruvian Mask.

[Stacey Faubion · Rating 5 out of 5]

An age old question: nature vs. science. How far is too far in terms of technology?

I loved Adelaide’s struggle. She finds herself pregnant, alone, on the wrong side of power, and in possession of valuable skills that could get her killed. Yet her compassion for the augmented beings she helped create will compel her to risk her life & a life with her child.

I was completely drawn into this story & this alternate world of 1800’s Paris. I drew many similarities to our problems today regarding power, science, & two conflicting visions for a more perfect country. Kudos to the author for creating a vivid picture & compelling story arc.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's full of imagination, and pulls the reader into the world its set in. I want to know more about the world. I think it could benefit from more show than tell, however, and if it slowed down its pace and really described scenes through a camera lens watching each moment, it would benefit greatly. It improved on this as the novel progressed, so adding more rounds of editing may help as well.

[W.A. Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of The Vitruvian Mask for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

It’s far easier to tell a story where the focus is on one side, fighting for what’s right… or what the author wants the reader to believe is right. It can also result in a satisfying read that doesn’t get bogged down by presenting all sides of the argument in equal measure. The Vitruvian Maskthe follow-up to the fantastic The Archimedean Heart does a wonderful job of telling the other side of the story without becoming the least bit bogged down.

In shifting the story’s focus, this gives Adelaide, the Physician Scientist introduced in the previous book, a more prominent role. Henri and his half-brother John have smaller roles(particularly John). As much as I adored Adelaide in the prequel, I’ll admit to not being particularly sympathetic towards her. That changed from this book’s first chapter.

Catching up with Adelaide less than a year after the events of the first book, and seeing what has become of her life, is a sucker punch. For everything I felt for her in these moments, I was delighted to be back in the character’s company. She’s a wonderful character, and this novel does a fantastic job of expanding her story and providing more insight into who she is. Adelaide is still a flawed human being, but one with a resolute belief in doing what she sees as the right thing, despite it being illegal. As the story’s twists and turns imperil Adelaide further, the strength she displays is wonderful. Henri, too, is an imperfect character, yet circumstances lead him to showing some wonderful humanity. John, and the characters with less space dedicated to them—both returning and new, with a particular mention for the delightful Mireille—are all fully formed characters that you’ll love, hate, or find yourself somewhere in between with.

The author has wasted no space in this book, packing it full of story, heart wrenching moments, and glorious character beatts. Adelaide is heavily pregnant, living in a France that no longer celebrates science, but has outlawed it. Forced to struggle to fit into a world that has criminalised her gift and targeted by an extremist nun obsessed with her sinful ways, Adelaide is shaken by the appearance of Henri and John.

The argument could be made that this book isn't steampunk. I'd argue it tells a steampunk tale, albeit one set in a post-steampunk world where technology has been banned. A steampunk setting where technology is rare is going to mean the book features fewer of the genre’s elements. If you’re a steampunk fan concerned by this, you shouldn’t be, as it provides a wonderful examination of the impact technology has on the people of Victorian times.

This ban on technology is exemplified through Adelaide’s struggles. While this is about a character who sits on the opposite side of the Naturalist/Scientist divide than the more prominent characters of that book, it serves as a wonderful juxtaposition. While there are broad science fiction elements represented in this shift, France is suddenly a country where doctors are now unqualified faith healers. Despite its post-steampunk setting and sci-fi elements, the world feels entirely grounded. These themes are resonant, and the author does a wonderful job of exploring them. While it doesn’t have the same sense of urgency as its predecessor, the pacing moves effectively. It's a more personal story than the first, written with true heart.

Having read these books back to back, it’s interesting to see how the author’s writing has evolved . I thoroughly enjoyed the prose in the first book, but it now takes a little more time to explore its surroundings, and transports the reader to its world. The dialogue is wonderful, with all the characters feeling perfectly natural. The conversations flow incredibly well, ensuring they’re a joy to follow.

If you’re considering picking this up and haven’t read the first book, you won’t feel lost. The writing manages to touch upon that novel, and does so gradually as the story calls for it. New readers will likely see it as background to this story, while it won’t get in the way of returning reader’s enjoyment. With that said, I wouldn’t recommend reading The Vitruvian Mask in isolation. While both stand well enough alone, together, they form beautiful companion pieces.

If you enjoy steampunk, historical or sci-fi, this tells a wonderful story. If you’re not a fan, this book may convince you otherwise.

My full review will be available on my website from Tuesday, 29 May 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews, including The Arcimedean Heart, click here.

[Dave Saari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alternate History / Sci Fi Story of 19th Century France

B.J. Sikes’s novel, “The Vitruvian Mask,” is the second in her series featuring Adelaide Coumain, known as the Roboticist of Versailles. I haven’t read the first book, “The Archimedean Heart,” which didn’t diminish my enjoyment of “The Vitruvian Mask,” but I suspect that I would have gotten a better understanding of the series premise had I read the books in order. This story takes place in France during the latter 19th century during a period of backlash against a highly advanced scientific culture that had flourished until a few years before the story begins. During that earlier period, Adelaide was the Royal Scientist Doctor for the ruling monarchs, who were actually cyborgs. Now a new king has taken over with the backing of the so-called Naturalists, an anti-science group rebelling against the advanced technology of the prior period. The new king has not only outlawed all technology (including electricity, robots, weather machines and even running water but not, oddly enough, gas lighting) but also arrested and executed all but a few of the prominent scientists who developed the new technologies.

The story begins with Adelaide and a handful of remaining scientists hiding out in a remote village, trying to repair some of the equipment damaged by the new regime in the hopes of restoring the people’s trust and returning France to its former glory. Adelaide is pregnant after a single encounter with a roguish painter named Henri, who escaped to England after being imprisoned by the prior regime. The book follows Adelaide as she tries to make her way in this new society, evading capture by the secret police with the help of Mireille, a hospital director, while surreptitiously repairing now-failing robotic body parts for downtrodden army veterans. In parallel with Adelaide’s story, Henri returns to France with a young bride and tries to reestablish himself as the favorite portraitist for the king and the palace courtiers while hiding the facts of his past imprisonment. Adelaide and Henri inevitably cross paths and each subsequently attempts to exact revenge on the other while not drawing attention to their own situations.

The book is fast-paced and features an interesting cast of characters. The anti-science backlash is especially interesting, perhaps drawing comparisons to certain groups of our own modern world, but the book never really explained how and why the backlash came about. (Perhaps that was told in “The Archimedean Heart” – I don’t know at this time but I’d recommend reading that book first.) My main complaint is that the characters are all very quick to jump to conclusions without making any effort to discover facts, which seems especially off for Adelaide, the scientist. It also seemed off that Adelaide is one of only two scientists not captured by the secret police, despite being a very famous person and still using her real name, until almost the end of the book.

All in all though, I found the book interesting and easy to read, and I give it a rating of four stars.

NOTE: I see that some other reviewers are referring to the book as “steampunk,” but I don’t think that is an accurate description. Sikes’s France is not an advanced society that still uses some anachronistic technologies, but rather a 19th century society that somehow developed very advanced technologies – more like a Jules Verne sci-fi tale in some ways.

[Sotto Voce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book.

Vitruvian Mask starts strongly, readers are presented with an interesting world where the timeline is set in the past, yet we learn about modern technology exceeding current time. We follow the journey of a heavily pregnant scientist, Adelaide Coumain, in a trying time when science has been outlawed, and she has to endure the man-dominated world without certainty in the future for her and her baby.

We learn about the father of the baby, snippets of her work and how she survives after the collapse of her working world. She is unable to keep her newborn and practice science. She has to resort to lowly work to escape the law and poverty because of the new regime that annihilates everything that resembles science. By everything, I mean everything. Except, cough, a lift in an artist's home, is mentioned clearly in the story as something that can help disabled veterans move between storeys. If running water is considered a sin, lift sounds like something very mechanical and doesn't fit as well into the world familiar with prosthetics and weather machines but not architectural advancements. I could be wrong, but it would be good to clear this up as it sticks out.

However, while I enjoy the story, the plot gets stagnant and goes almost nowhere for most of the book's middle part. There are repeating scenes that would be powerful to emphasize the story if everything else is on good balance. Imho, there are way too many redundant scenes like her colleague's mocking, her daily activities, her inner repetitive thoughts and questionable judgements, while there are other neglected stories that scream attention. The plot barely moves, and readers are none the wiser about the potentially very interesting world. Besides some brief mentions here and there, I don't know much about this thing she has been fussing about, The Automated Dauphin, of why she thinks it is something great because it's such a drastic concept even in the current world. I don't know much about the real impact out there when everything has turned abruptly to 'natural', and the motivation of the regime (and blind commoners who buy into what it is selling despite their obvious needs) is very questionable at best. And I also know nothing about the other side of the non-science healing properties.

To me, the ending feels unsatisfactory, but maybe I have kept my expectation very high at the start of the story because it has a lot of potential. I guess it could work for now if it's not presented as the unrealistic best resolution for everyone.
As said, the world is interesting, and the story is very well-written. I just wish for a better balance with other interesting ideas and a more realistic build to the ending involving important roles from barely seen characters.

[Rik Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mild spoilers

Well, let’s see, what can I say about this book?
It’s a nice smooth read, with a good pace throughout.
I hadn’t read the first book in the series, but that didn’t turn out to be much of an issue. I was able to follow this easily. I did have one regret in not having read the first book—Adelaide has a child from Henri—there is animosity in this book between the two, and I don’t fully know what to make of it because I don’t know how the two came to get together in the first book. Both characters seem like fairly decent people in this novel, at least to me, so I think I did miss something.
I haven’t read “The Handmaid’s Tale”, but my guess is that readers who loved that book might love this one too. I myself have read one Margret Atwood book, and I had a much better time reading this book, The Vitruvian Mask.
This book does feel like a middle novel. It’s main point is transitioning—its cast has returned to France, France has just lived through an upheaval that has seen science outlawed, and Adelaide, for one, ends the novel in a radically different position than she starts it in.
I found Adelaide to be a clunky hero—she’s strident when she should be sly, she’s calm when, by rights, she should be distraught—BUT she is beautifully set up for the next novel, with just enough recourse to repair her life, and if she plays her cards just right, maybe her world. We’ll have to see what happens.
The name of this series is “The Roboticist of Versailles” —which I absolutely love, and I also loved the very, very last sentence of the publication, where the author thanks an emperor of China for the invention of tea.
If you are thinking about reading this series — sure. Absolutely. Jump right in!

[Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first venture into the Roboticist of Versailles. I was blown away how I was immediately sucked into the fantastical world of a steampunk turn of the century Paris. Sikes does a stellar job of world building in a subtle but complete manner. Within a few pages you are fully immersed even with no prior knowledge.

Wrought with political unrest in a war on science by naturalists, we join the main character Adelaide in her struggles to survive in a new world that took a giant step backwards in progress. Hospitals that were once meccas of progress in their field are now run by religious sects that believe prayer supersedes the need for any scientific precautions like basic sanitation. Knowledge, activities, skill sets, and basic technologies that were highly prized and integral to everyday life are now illegal, punishable by execution. This is all too fitting in the current political climate of America.

Without being politically divisive in the least, this book allows you to process some of the rather insane backsteps over some of the most basic things and human rights we started to take for granted. Sikes also subtly explores the ever present nature of systemic patriarchy. This serves to ground this incredible fantasy in a bit of reality, making it easy to relate to and understand.

With excellent twists and turns in the plot line, this book has you on the edge of your seat. It leaves you perfectly satiated yet eagerly wanting more of this incredible world. I can’t wait to read the first book, The Archimedean Heart, and truly hope Sikes has more in store for our heroine Adelaide.

[Alex Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Vitruvian Mask, the second book in BJ Sikes’ Roboticist of Versailles series, though not for the reasons I initially thought I would. Billed as a steampunk reimagining of late 19th century France, I imagined cybertronic monstrosities, deep worldbuilding, and, well, some steam. BJ Sikes has eschewed all of this and decided instead to devote this tome to the scientist Adelaide.

I was sceptical at first, but this actually turned out to be the right choice. France and its politics become the backdrop to the very human story of a pregnant single mother struggling to bring a child into a world that she no longer recognises, and that has turned its back on her.

Most technology had been banned here (save for the occasional gas lamp or other electrical appliance), and those who have been “augmented” under the previous regime have been left to die as their mechanical limbs slowly fall into disrepair. Through a series of events, Adelaide ends up working at a hospital caring for war veterans, under the watchful eye of the sympathetic Director Mireille. As the secret police close in, Adelaide must stay true to herself and her convictions, using what skills she has to alleviate the veterans’ pain.

The story zips along at an impressive pace, but nothing feels forced or rushed (apart, perhaps, for the chapters involving Henri and John who never evolve into anything more than audience surrogates for the King and his court). The prose is also light and breezy which I appreciated and the ending was enticing enough to leave me wanting to read more.

[P.L. Tavormina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lush and atmospheric.

This story picks up where “The Archimidean Heart” left off, but I had no trouble jumping into the world on this installment.

Adelaide Coumain is a strong character circa 1890 overcoming one superstitious challenge after another, using her wits and wiles to persevere. That's always nice to see. In broad terms, I appreciated the emphasis on Adelaide’s (and other character’s) “inner life” throughout the story. The characters are balanced, with feminine and masculine qualities throughout. Having just come off several male-power-fantasy-type stories (Lord of the Rings-esque), this story really cleansed my readerly palette.

Kudos to BJ Sikes on alternate cyborg history in Europe, one with a splash of the robotic fantastical alongside the onerous weight of misogyny that we struggle against in our present day. I felt welcome to stroll the drizzle of Paris on an afternoon, to lean against a balustrade and gaze upon the city or dally in a café and linger over a pastry, all the while wondering what our history would be if weather machines and such robotic devices had appeared a century and a half before their time. Would we still have such bias baked into our daily interactions?

In a word, fun.

If I have any advice to the author, it’s to watch your reliance on action tags in starting off new paragraphs. They pulled me out of the story. Great job on avoiding dialog tags oturight, but you might start to push beyond the simple action tags that many use as a first crutch to get past those.

But more than that, thank you author. This is a great story.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED The Vitruvian Mask. This was a book where I was sucked right in to the story from page one and just binge read. So good! Adelaide Coumain is a roboticist and scientist working in historical France during a time when the Naturalists are persecuting scientists. I loved the steampunk vibe of this book! She’s also about to give birth, and won’t reveal the father of her baby. Henri is an artist and Naturalist, and he and his brother John have been living in exile in England for the past year. We slowly learn more of their story and why they were in exile and how they and Adelaide are connected over the course of the book. Adelaide eventually comes to stay at a hospital and to work with veteran soldiers in need of mechanical adjustments to their robotic prosthetic limbs. I really loved what a strong character she was portrayed as. There are some neat surprises and twists in store all the way to the end in this one. Highly enjoyed it! 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from the author for review purposes.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating novel and revelatory. I don't know if Sikes wrote purely from imagination, had a background knowledge of the novel's time and place, or did lots of research (lots! of research).
The Virtruvian Mask is a novel of tremendous world-building. I was caught up in the first few pages. The characters are a bit weak (more told than shown) and I had trouble engaging with them for the first quarter of the book, at which point I was "in" the novel's setting and environment (again, kudos to Sikes for amazing world-building) and the character weaknesses didn't bother me.
What does stand out for the characters is the dialogue. Again, Sikes does an excellent job revealing character via language and action (not an easy task for most authors). I didn't quite feel sympathy for the heroine/protagonist (she was deserving but I needed more development) and definitely disliked the antagonist, and much of good storycrafting is getting your villains sufficiently villainous the reader can understand them, want to know more about them, and still want them to fail is a horrible way.

[Amber Daulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steampunk books are a rare treat for me. I love the time period, the science, and the “what if” feel to them, but so few grab my attention.
Adelaide is a brilliant scientist who once lived and worked at the palace to create automation (cyborgs). Now, she’s pregnant and in hiding after being on the losing side of the Naturalist war that wreaked havoc in Paris. The father of her child is her enemy, but she’s not one to cower in the face of adversity.
I loved Adelaide. She’s such a strong, focused woman who thrived in a male-oriented career (or thrived as much as she could since science was outlawed for preference to faith and natural living).
Although it’s book 2 in The Roboticist of Versailles series and I haven’t read the 1st, there was enough backstory was given, so I wasn’t confused. There were several parallels to our modern society—the power struggle between nations and classes, the use of science and technology, etc. This was an intriguing read.

[Ann Birdgenaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vitruvian Mask is book 2 in the Roboticist of Versailles series, but works well as a stand-alone. Set in a fantastical steampunk view of 19th century Paris, France. The naturalist era is over and Adelaide Coumain is now persona non-grata. She was once a Royal Scientist Doctor for the upper echelons of cyborg society, but finds herself alone, pregnant and on the wrong side of the law. However, her skills are still much sought after for the many soldiers who need help with their robotic parts. She works in secret and in hiding at the hospital where she risks her life and that of her unborn child to help the exiled and excommunicated. But what will she do when her pursuer and the father of her child threatens to turn her in to the authorities? Enjoyable, fast-paced story with credible characters and unexpected twists. Recommended reading.

[Yves Fey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought B. J. Sikes’s novel "The Vitruvian Mask" had a very interesting premise with a Steampunk theme set in France instead of the more usual Victorian England. I haven’t read "The Archimedean Heart," the first book of the series. I never felt lost – Sike’s gave me adequate information for setting me down in the middle of the story, but I would really have loved more backstory of the “science” of the world, how it all came about. I’ve read both darker and lighter Steampunk worlds, and found this populated with very realistic, flawed but interesting characters. And it also seemed relevant to modern politics with the extreme, irrational anti-scientific stance which the current “Naturalist” ruler of France takes against the scientist heroine and her colleagues.

[Gene Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read the first volume, but didn't feel as if I'd been left in the dark. The author establishes the steampunk reality of the story quickly, and gives the protagonist life within the first few pages. The story is set in an alternate Paris of 1881, where Adelaide lives as a fugitive from a naturalist-extremist regime. Debates about the nature of life and the morality of creating proto-robotic beings are blended with suspense and character drama. The conflict of "science vs. faith" might come across as overly simplified, but generally, this is a well-told tale that steampunk fans will enjoy.

[Lois Strachan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A second fun installment in this steampunk/alternative history world. An enjoyable and entertaining read although I found myself a little confused by what happened between the end of the first book and the start of the second. And the choice of title for this book, which didn’t appear to relate to the story as I read it. Oh well, I guess I will just have to hop onto the author’s website to see if there is a short story that fills in the gaps. Curious to see where the story will go next.

[Virginia Babcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

charming alternative

If you like steam punk or alternate history, this book is for you. If you like 1880s France seen in a new way, you’ll like it too. Adelaide is an awesome character. She follows her passions despite her limitations. The ending was deeply satisfying. The science vs. faith or naturalism was interesting to explore. But what I liked best about this book was the complex characters and how human they were. Here’s to science, technology, clean running water, other sanitation, and opportunities for independent females.

[Shh I am Reading Leticia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to Come.

[Alex Canna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Formatting issues aside, this is an engaging story about a talented female scientist, the innovator of various kinds of ‘augmentations’, who has to ply her trade in secrecy when the French king bans the use of technology. Things look bad for her in the beginning and simply get more and more fraught, with layer upon layer of setbacks that look almost impossible to overcome.

I found the characters believable, both the decent ones and the awful ones (although I think they could have been given more rein to explore their natures), but there’s a fair amount that’s not quite wrapped up by the end, perhaps the answers lie in the earlier book in the series. For instance, I’m left wondering why the book is called The Vitruvian Mask.

I don’t know if it’s intentional, but I found the book relevant as an interesting comment on the current hysteria about vaccines.