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Magnificent Devices #2
Her Own Devices
Book two in the bestselling Magnificent Devices steampunk series!Escaped lunatics, lost children, vengeful lords, and love. Really, the situation is becoming quite impossible.Lady Claire Trevelyan, left alone after the Arabian Bubble financial disaster claims home and family, now leads the cleverest group of gamblers and reformed cutpurses in the London underworld. She discovers that the lightning rifle she took from a rival gang contains a unique source of energy—and its inventor has been locked up in Bedlam by powerful men in order to suppress its very existence. In order for Lady Claire to understand it, she must consult with the mad scientist ... even if it means breaking her out of the most frightening institution in London.Then, in a moment of madness, she becomes engaged to Lord James Selwyn, who knows nothing of her double life. He expects her to be decorative and the perfect hostess to the rich investors interested in his and Andrew Malvern's Kinetick Carbonator. But how can the engagement survive his insistence on withholding the patent for her work? And how can Andrew stand by and watch Claire marry someone she does not love?"This is one of those books that gets it right. Through dialogue, through actions, through carefully described settings, through attitudes and appropriate, non-overdone references, we have a great sense of time and place that’s really immersive and fun." —Fangs for the The latest in urban fantasy from a social justice perspective
284 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2011
109 people are currently reading
1609 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Adina
91 books628 followersShelley Adina is the author of 24 novels published by Harlequin, Warner, and Hachette, and a dozen more published by Moonshell Books, Inc., her own independent press. She writes steampunk and contemporary romance as Shelley Adina, and as Adina Senft, writes Amish women’s fiction. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, where she teaches as adjunct faculty. She won RWA’s RITA Award® in 2005, and was a finalist in 2006. When she’s not writing, Shelley is usually quilting, sewing historical costumes, or hanging out in the garden with her flock of rescued chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
June 23, 2018
Continues to be entertaining and very easy to read
August 8, 2012
Sometimes there are series where the subsequent books aren't as good or as addicting as the first. You know, the series where you only finish it just to find closure so you can put the whole mess behind you and find a new book that you'll like better.
This is most definitely NOT one of those.
I didn't think it was possible for me to be more disappointed that the next book wasn't out yet than I was with LADY OF DEVICES, but Ms. Adina has trumped herself. My only complaint about these books is that they are too short. Okay, maybe not my only complaint. I would also add that it is torture to have to wait until October for the next one. To make matters even worse, I noted on her website that there are a total of SIX planned for this series. Which means three more years of whining WHY ISN'T THE NEXT ONE OUT YET ARRRRRGGGGHHH.
These books are super quick reads, which is great when you have a toddler running around. I think I finished this one in maybe four hours total. You would think with a story of this length it would be difficult to include such a great amount of action AND character development, but both are accomplished beautifully. I wasn't expecting one of the initial characters from book 1 to turn into so much of a villain in book 2. It was quite the surprising turn. Can't wait to see how that develops in future books.
So congratulations, Ms. Adina. I am officially an addict. :)
This is most definitely NOT one of those.
I didn't think it was possible for me to be more disappointed that the next book wasn't out yet than I was with LADY OF DEVICES, but Ms. Adina has trumped herself. My only complaint about these books is that they are too short. Okay, maybe not my only complaint. I would also add that it is torture to have to wait until October for the next one. To make matters even worse, I noted on her website that there are a total of SIX planned for this series. Which means three more years of whining WHY ISN'T THE NEXT ONE OUT YET ARRRRRGGGGHHH.
These books are super quick reads, which is great when you have a toddler running around. I think I finished this one in maybe four hours total. You would think with a story of this length it would be difficult to include such a great amount of action AND character development, but both are accomplished beautifully. I wasn't expecting one of the initial characters from book 1 to turn into so much of a villain in book 2. It was quite the surprising turn. Can't wait to see how that develops in future books.
So congratulations, Ms. Adina. I am officially an addict. :)
December 26, 2017
3 stars
Lady Claire Trevelyan, who's family was ruined financially, lost her father to suicide and her home to a riot. At a young age, 17, to keep her mother from marrying her off, Lady Claire took to the streets of London. In this very male dominated Victorian era of adversity in 1889, Lady Claire has taken a whole tribe of orphan children under her wing, establishing herself as the leader of the most cunning gang in the London underworld.
Claire is smart and has no intention of being married off, as Ladies should be, with Lord James still vying for her hand in marriage. Her intent is to further her education and her dream is to study engineering at the university. Science and "device" creation is her future. Her passion for engineering is strong and she has decided to ignore Lord James’s threats and accept Andrew Malvern’s offer of becoming his lab assistant.
This is book number 2 in the Magnificent Devices series. Very interesting for anyone liking the Victorian era and a good choice to break up routine reading. This is a lively steampunk series.
Lady Claire Trevelyan, who's family was ruined financially, lost her father to suicide and her home to a riot. At a young age, 17, to keep her mother from marrying her off, Lady Claire took to the streets of London. In this very male dominated Victorian era of adversity in 1889, Lady Claire has taken a whole tribe of orphan children under her wing, establishing herself as the leader of the most cunning gang in the London underworld.
Claire is smart and has no intention of being married off, as Ladies should be, with Lord James still vying for her hand in marriage. Her intent is to further her education and her dream is to study engineering at the university. Science and "device" creation is her future. Her passion for engineering is strong and she has decided to ignore Lord James’s threats and accept Andrew Malvern’s offer of becoming his lab assistant.
This is book number 2 in the Magnificent Devices series. Very interesting for anyone liking the Victorian era and a good choice to break up routine reading. This is a lively steampunk series.
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January 1, 2016
Rating: 4.3 stars. (What can i say, i like it)
I'll admit to liking the book, and even more. It made for a good start for 2016. I hope that staring the year with a good book will mean great books and stories for this year. Never hurt anybody to hope, in my case.
Back to the book. It was short, so i read it after my champagne. Even though it was short, it got a point across, and it was written wonderfully, and after every unladylike action, Claire would... I'll give you an example.
Overall, Claire grew up to be a marvelous young, smart lady. Why, she even caught the attention of Albert! She is my idol, and i wish be like her when i reach my 50's.
And i'm going to read the next book, because, watching the new Years concert isn't my Cup of Tea.
And if you ever feel like reading Steampunk adventure... this book, or series, is always here. (unless in the future the government bans steampunk, which will be my death, and downfall)
I'll admit to liking the book, and even more. It made for a good start for 2016. I hope that staring the year with a good book will mean great books and stories for this year. Never hurt anybody to hope, in my case.
Back to the book. It was short, so i read it after my champagne. Even though it was short, it got a point across, and it was written wonderfully, and after every unladylike action, Claire would... I'll give you an example.
She had never stolen a coach before. It was much easier than she thought.
Overall, Claire grew up to be a marvelous young, smart lady. Why, she even caught the attention of Albert! She is my idol, and i wish be like her when i reach my 50's.
And i'm going to read the next book, because, watching the new Years concert isn't my Cup of Tea.
And if you ever feel like reading Steampunk adventure... this book, or series, is always here. (unless in the future the government bans steampunk, which will be my death, and downfall)
“A brave and talented author who looks at the darkness as well as the light.” — Mary Jo Putney “Adina manages to lure us into the steampunk era with joy and excitement. Her plotline is strong and the cast of characters are well interwoven. It’s Adina’s vivid descriptions of Victorian London that make you turn the pages.” — Novel Chatter “A cautionary tale, demonstrating why young ladies should be taught neither chemistry nor mechanics. Not proper for well-bred young persons to read.” — Timons Esaias
Mentally, she waved farewell to Lady Selwyn, Baroness, that fictional being who had never had any more substance than smoke. She had never really liked her anyway. *
March 10, 2017
I'm having so much fun reading this series!
February 3, 2014
For as much as I berate myself for filling up my ereader with cheap or free YA books, when I find one that’s really good and defies my expectations of self-published ebooks makes me happy. I first picked up Lady of Devices shortly after a post-Gail Carriger binge and going “I need more, I can’t wait until November.” And going into it, I was a bit apprehensive about how things were going to turn out, and if it was just going to be taking up space that I really don’t want wasted. And thank God I was wrong about this.
As with the first book, the thing that I really like about this series is that we have a heroine who has to deal with just barely managing to provide for herself and her charges. Sure, they live fairly comfortable for their class, but Claire’s always worrying about finances and how she’s supposed to pay for her things as well as the children’s. I really don’t see this mindset in a lot of the steampunk books that I’ve read—either the financial situation is nonexistent, or if the main characters start off lower class, they’re suddenly swept up into the upper society set and shoved in Victorian finery. And even though the Magnificent Devices series has its fair share of having Claire still maintaining her ‘rightful’ place in society (heck, the climax of this book has her interacting with Prince Albert), it’s framed with her financial situation in mind and Claire trying to figure out how to look reasonably fashionable while still being able to provide for her charges.
This is a series that’s really not about the awesomely cool gadgets (though there are plenty of those), but rather about the societal expectations and mores, even when the Victorian period has suddenly gained better technology. It’s one thing for Claire to take on a job as not only as a governess (*gasp*), but as a governess to orphans (*gaspshock*). And she still intends on attending the Royal College for Engineering. (*faints*) Again, it’s very easy for a lot of authors to sit there and go “Oh, these silly, backwards thinking Victorians and their stupid misogyny! Girl power in a corset!” But what I like that Adina does frame this thinking as a mindsight largely held by the noble classes and the society upstarts, whereas female scientists and explorers do exist and are held in some esteem (albeit also as aberrations, but I’ll come back to Dr. Craig) by members of the lower class.
And I like that Claire being caught in this situation is the main plot of this book. She wants to reach her own goals, but she knows she can’t achieve them on her own. And even though her loveless engagement to Lord James had me yelling at the ereader, I really liked that Claire was ready to undermine James whenever he tried to block her from taking any recognition in her development of the moveable truss. I really love Claire essentially because when she’s pushed so far, she’s out of fucks to give and she’s awesome because of it. (Case in point: she goes to a fancy dress ball in her Lady of Devices get-up, says she’s a sky pirate, and cleans out most of the attending gentlemen’s pockets. Oh, and that’s just the start of her awesomeness.)
Honestly, I’ve been apprehensive about a potential love triangle since I read the first book. What I really like here is that Claire doesn’t think she’s in a love triangle—sure, she’s infuriated and confused that Lord James would say he respects her and then turns around and undermines Claire’s actions; she’s infatuated with Andrew, but she can’t do anything because the societal rules would cast even more shade her way if they knew she kissed a man who wasn’t her fiancé. Andrew and Lord James are definitely aware that they’re in a love triangle (well, Andrew is; I think Lord James has his head shoved up too far his own ass to notice that Andrew likes a ~girl~, much less his fiancée), but it’s never shown to the reader as “Oh, no! How shall poor Claire ever choose?” Which, again, is so refreshing to read when I’ve been expecting to mark off the trope checklist.
There’s a lot more going on in this book than the first one in terms of plot and development. I really liked that we get to see Claire moving around in society and dealing with how people see her and her charges. The group of orphans is really more developed than they were in the first book, and not even in that certain kids fulfill certain roles, but also how they’re growing up as well. Again, the inclusion of the kid characters could have been handled really wrong, but I like that Adina fleshes out the kids, not only in terms of personality, but also in how they’re finding their own strengths. I really loved Tigg’s and Snouts’ respective developments over the book, in that they’re the most worried that Claire’s planning on up and leaving them some day. I love Tigg, and how much he’s learning how to do mechanics with Claire and Andrew’s help. I absolutely loved the flock’s trip to Claire’s seaside estate, and how the kids would rib Lord James endlessly. Oh, and the Mopsies are precious and vicious and I kinda adore them both. I think the only one who doesn’t get as much development is Willie, but given what we learn about him, I think that’s going to be saved for the next book.
Oh, so Dr. Rosemary Craig. For the minor amount of screentime that she appears, she really makes an impression in those pages, despite only being there to help Claire out with the device MacGuffin. As I mentioned earlier, despite the presence of lady scientists and adventurers in this universe, they’re still treated as curiosities and not universally respected. For Dr. Craig, this means that her development of incredibly deadly weapons (including Claire’s preferred weapon of choice) lands her in Bedlam with very little hope of being released. I do think that Dr. Craig does disappear from the book a bit too quickly, but I like how she manages to help Claire with managing the lightning gun and its properties.
(I also really like the Dr. Craig plotline because this is one of the few times I’ve read a Victorian-set sci-fi/fantasy book that doesn’t gloss over Bedlam’s treatment of its patients. Claire’s outright horrified by some of the treatment rooms, and quickly realizes how easy it would be to break someone out from the outside. But the best part is that there’s a one-off female patient who may accidentally give Claire’s plan away, and basically the patient is in there for “delusions” of parental abuse (and implied that the nurses are doing the same). Claire tries to comfort her, gets yelled at by Dr. Craig for encouraging the poor girl’s delusions. Claire responds to this by blowing away one of the nurses, and telling the girl that she’s going to be safe now.
Lady Claire Trevelyan: zero fucks given.)
It’s not a one hundred percent perfect series, in that I do think there’s a lot of character and plot development that suffers because of a big pay-off in a later book, and there’s a lot of tropes that Adina does stick to because they’re somewhat expected in a YA steampunk novel. But I like that she doesn’t treat the lower class as merely background noise to only somewhat impede the main characters, and that Claire has to struggle with living in her current means, plus balancing what society still expects of her. (Even if it’s something as simple as maintaining her social life.) And I really love that we have a strong, intelligent female character and that we’re given so much evidence to back that up as well. And that it’s not just that Claire’s clever with machines; we’re shown how she has to maneuver socially and keep a step ahead of James. And the fact that this is kinda of anti-love triangle in that it’s all set up to force Claire into making a choice, but she doesn’t really care about which boy she has feelings for, she has her integrity to worry about.
However, this is an incredibly delightful little series that I discovered, and as usual, I’m sitting here and smacking myself for not having picked this up last year when I read the first book. (To be fair, I only have so much money—yes I know most of the books are like, three bucks, but I have a tendency to go “BUY ALL THE THINGS.” I’ve also resigned myself to the fact that I have to schedule my reading list.) BUT as far as discoveries go, this is one of the best that I’ve come across. It’s a fun read, but there’s a lot more going on in this series than dressing up a historical romance with a few gears and clockwork. I absolutely loved this, and can’t wait to read Book 3.
As with the first book, the thing that I really like about this series is that we have a heroine who has to deal with just barely managing to provide for herself and her charges. Sure, they live fairly comfortable for their class, but Claire’s always worrying about finances and how she’s supposed to pay for her things as well as the children’s. I really don’t see this mindset in a lot of the steampunk books that I’ve read—either the financial situation is nonexistent, or if the main characters start off lower class, they’re suddenly swept up into the upper society set and shoved in Victorian finery. And even though the Magnificent Devices series has its fair share of having Claire still maintaining her ‘rightful’ place in society (heck, the climax of this book has her interacting with Prince Albert), it’s framed with her financial situation in mind and Claire trying to figure out how to look reasonably fashionable while still being able to provide for her charges.
This is a series that’s really not about the awesomely cool gadgets (though there are plenty of those), but rather about the societal expectations and mores, even when the Victorian period has suddenly gained better technology. It’s one thing for Claire to take on a job as not only as a governess (*gasp*), but as a governess to orphans (*gaspshock*). And she still intends on attending the Royal College for Engineering. (*faints*) Again, it’s very easy for a lot of authors to sit there and go “Oh, these silly, backwards thinking Victorians and their stupid misogyny! Girl power in a corset!” But what I like that Adina does frame this thinking as a mindsight largely held by the noble classes and the society upstarts, whereas female scientists and explorers do exist and are held in some esteem (albeit also as aberrations, but I’ll come back to Dr. Craig) by members of the lower class.
And I like that Claire being caught in this situation is the main plot of this book. She wants to reach her own goals, but she knows she can’t achieve them on her own. And even though her loveless engagement to Lord James had me yelling at the ereader, I really liked that Claire was ready to undermine James whenever he tried to block her from taking any recognition in her development of the moveable truss. I really love Claire essentially because when she’s pushed so far, she’s out of fucks to give and she’s awesome because of it. (Case in point: she goes to a fancy dress ball in her Lady of Devices get-up, says she’s a sky pirate, and cleans out most of the attending gentlemen’s pockets. Oh, and that’s just the start of her awesomeness.)
Honestly, I’ve been apprehensive about a potential love triangle since I read the first book. What I really like here is that Claire doesn’t think she’s in a love triangle—sure, she’s infuriated and confused that Lord James would say he respects her and then turns around and undermines Claire’s actions; she’s infatuated with Andrew, but she can’t do anything because the societal rules would cast even more shade her way if they knew she kissed a man who wasn’t her fiancé. Andrew and Lord James are definitely aware that they’re in a love triangle (well, Andrew is; I think Lord James has his head shoved up too far his own ass to notice that Andrew likes a ~girl~, much less his fiancée), but it’s never shown to the reader as “Oh, no! How shall poor Claire ever choose?” Which, again, is so refreshing to read when I’ve been expecting to mark off the trope checklist.
There’s a lot more going on in this book than the first one in terms of plot and development. I really liked that we get to see Claire moving around in society and dealing with how people see her and her charges. The group of orphans is really more developed than they were in the first book, and not even in that certain kids fulfill certain roles, but also how they’re growing up as well. Again, the inclusion of the kid characters could have been handled really wrong, but I like that Adina fleshes out the kids, not only in terms of personality, but also in how they’re finding their own strengths. I really loved Tigg’s and Snouts’ respective developments over the book, in that they’re the most worried that Claire’s planning on up and leaving them some day. I love Tigg, and how much he’s learning how to do mechanics with Claire and Andrew’s help. I absolutely loved the flock’s trip to Claire’s seaside estate, and how the kids would rib Lord James endlessly. Oh, and the Mopsies are precious and vicious and I kinda adore them both. I think the only one who doesn’t get as much development is Willie, but given what we learn about him, I think that’s going to be saved for the next book.
Oh, so Dr. Rosemary Craig. For the minor amount of screentime that she appears, she really makes an impression in those pages, despite only being there to help Claire out with the device MacGuffin. As I mentioned earlier, despite the presence of lady scientists and adventurers in this universe, they’re still treated as curiosities and not universally respected. For Dr. Craig, this means that her development of incredibly deadly weapons (including Claire’s preferred weapon of choice) lands her in Bedlam with very little hope of being released. I do think that Dr. Craig does disappear from the book a bit too quickly, but I like how she manages to help Claire with managing the lightning gun and its properties.
(I also really like the Dr. Craig plotline because this is one of the few times I’ve read a Victorian-set sci-fi/fantasy book that doesn’t gloss over Bedlam’s treatment of its patients. Claire’s outright horrified by some of the treatment rooms, and quickly realizes how easy it would be to break someone out from the outside. But the best part is that there’s a one-off female patient who may accidentally give Claire’s plan away, and basically the patient is in there for “delusions” of parental abuse (and implied that the nurses are doing the same). Claire tries to comfort her, gets yelled at by Dr. Craig for encouraging the poor girl’s delusions. Claire responds to this by blowing away one of the nurses, and telling the girl that she’s going to be safe now.
Lady Claire Trevelyan: zero fucks given.)
It’s not a one hundred percent perfect series, in that I do think there’s a lot of character and plot development that suffers because of a big pay-off in a later book, and there’s a lot of tropes that Adina does stick to because they’re somewhat expected in a YA steampunk novel. But I like that she doesn’t treat the lower class as merely background noise to only somewhat impede the main characters, and that Claire has to struggle with living in her current means, plus balancing what society still expects of her. (Even if it’s something as simple as maintaining her social life.) And I really love that we have a strong, intelligent female character and that we’re given so much evidence to back that up as well. And that it’s not just that Claire’s clever with machines; we’re shown how she has to maneuver socially and keep a step ahead of James. And the fact that this is kinda of anti-love triangle in that it’s all set up to force Claire into making a choice, but she doesn’t really care about which boy she has feelings for, she has her integrity to worry about.
However, this is an incredibly delightful little series that I discovered, and as usual, I’m sitting here and smacking myself for not having picked this up last year when I read the first book. (To be fair, I only have so much money—yes I know most of the books are like, three bucks, but I have a tendency to go “BUY ALL THE THINGS.” I’ve also resigned myself to the fact that I have to schedule my reading list.) BUT as far as discoveries go, this is one of the best that I’ve come across. It’s a fun read, but there’s a lot more going on in this series than dressing up a historical romance with a few gears and clockwork. I absolutely loved this, and can’t wait to read Book 3.
June 9, 2017
This was a wonderful continuation of the Magnificent Devices series. I have been listening to these books on audiobook and really enjoy them.
I really enjoy the characters, alternate history, and story in these books. Lady Claire is a wonderful heroine and I love reading about her struggles to become her own woman and defend her inventions in this very male dominated Victorian era.
I also enjoy all the orphan children Lady Claire has taken under her wing. They are all entertaining and very solid characters with a lot of depth. I love how this heroine is portrayed as independent and intelligent, but still has a very caring side to her as well.
I am excited to accompany Lady Claire on more of her adventures and curious to see what happens with the invention created in this second book.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot, it was a wonderful steampunk read. I am really looking forward to future books. I would recommend to steampunk fans who enjoy a strong heroine, adventures, and crazy contraptions.
February 14, 2020
Thoroughly delightful second installment in the author's Magnificent Devices series. Once again, this does not stand alone; you should read the first book first. And as with the first, we are left with much undone at the end. But I'm really loving the characters in this series.
December 30, 2012
I think that part of the reason so many writers and their readers are drawn to 19th Century settings for their stories is the fact that roles in that society seem very definitive compared with our "post-modern" time. We like the feeling of having boundaries if only for the chance to go beyond them.
This is apparent to me in the Magnificent Devices> series created by Shelley Adina. I have had the pleasure of reading the first two books in the series: Lady of Devices and Her Own Devices. The protagonist of the series, Lady Claire Trevelyan, is a brilliant, resourceful, and highly focused 17 year old woman who lives in an alternative Britain divided between the titled Bloods, represented in the novel by Lord James Selwyn, and the Wits, represent by the engineer Andrew Malvern. In Claire, James sees a bride who can compliment his house and bear him children while Andrew, who employs Claire as his assistant, sees a equal partner who can help his technological discoveries.
In addition to sorting out affairs of the heart, Claire must try to keep a promise she had made to a group of orphans and, reformed, cut purses who she fell in with in the course of her adventures in the first book in the series. Steam cars, carriages, steam locomotive trains, and dirigibles are the main mode of transportation. (The internal combustion engine was a failure.)
Steampunk fans will find all the devices and props that make that they enjoy in the genre. Science fiction fans will enjoy the alternative history aspects of the book. (America is referred to as "The Territories.)
Romance lovers will enjoy how Claire works through the problem of having two men love her when she is uncertain that she wants to fall in love with anyone.
In sort, this is a good, quick read and a great introduction to Steampunk writing if one has not yet been introduced to its joys.
This is apparent to me in the Magnificent Devices> series created by Shelley Adina. I have had the pleasure of reading the first two books in the series: Lady of Devices and Her Own Devices. The protagonist of the series, Lady Claire Trevelyan, is a brilliant, resourceful, and highly focused 17 year old woman who lives in an alternative Britain divided between the titled Bloods, represented in the novel by Lord James Selwyn, and the Wits, represent by the engineer Andrew Malvern. In Claire, James sees a bride who can compliment his house and bear him children while Andrew, who employs Claire as his assistant, sees a equal partner who can help his technological discoveries.
In addition to sorting out affairs of the heart, Claire must try to keep a promise she had made to a group of orphans and, reformed, cut purses who she fell in with in the course of her adventures in the first book in the series. Steam cars, carriages, steam locomotive trains, and dirigibles are the main mode of transportation. (The internal combustion engine was a failure.)
Steampunk fans will find all the devices and props that make that they enjoy in the genre. Science fiction fans will enjoy the alternative history aspects of the book. (America is referred to as "The Territories.)
Romance lovers will enjoy how Claire works through the problem of having two men love her when she is uncertain that she wants to fall in love with anyone.
In sort, this is a good, quick read and a great introduction to Steampunk writing if one has not yet been introduced to its joys.
January 8, 2018
This book is even more full of adventure than the first - which I wasn't sure was possible! - with mischievous children, escaping lunatics, mad scientists, snobby bloods.. A fantastic array of characters, events and - of course! - devices! I cannot recommend these books enough to steampunk adventure story lovers of all ages. I read it from beginning to end in one sitting, and I'm going to read the next straight after too!
I also loved listening to the audiobook of the story, and with Fiona Hardingham narrating it was full of character and really brought the story to life. I'd definitely recommend it to all Magnificent Devices fans.
I also loved listening to the audiobook of the story, and with Fiona Hardingham narrating it was full of character and really brought the story to life. I'd definitely recommend it to all Magnificent Devices fans.
September 9, 2017
I read a few other books between the first and second book of this series. I was a bit worried that I was not in the right frame of mind, after reading a completely different series. But the book reeled me right back in. While I was completely annoyed with Claire's decision to engage herself to Lord James, I suppose it did create a good villain and conflict for the story. Moving on to the third book immediately, and hoping it brings about the ruin of James and a reunion between Claire and Andrew, Rosemary Craig, and Peony.
May 28, 2020
Lady Claire, known as the Lady by her band of child card sharps, is learning to live without money or status. She has a great job working for a Society Engineer, what she wants to become after finishing her college education. Can she achieve her goals or will she be side-tracked by societal expectations?
August 20, 2025
This book isn't going win any literary awards but it is a super fun read and I enjoy the characters and plot. Reading The Magnificent Devices series is like returning to an old sweater you had packed away in the attic at the end of summer, you don't really know why you like it so much but it feels comfortable and familiar in a way that's hard to describe.
June 15, 2022
This is a very enjoyable series with well-drawn characters. There's never a dull moment. I loved the first book and this second one is even better.
November 8, 2021
I realize my expectations may be off, but I wanted a bit more on the consequences front for our heroine's actions, notably busting a supposedly deranged scientist out of Bedlam. Overall still fun, but I would have liked a little more depth and repercussions.
May 17, 2019
Magnificent Devices 4-book Bundle by Shelley Adina
I initially obtained the first book Lady of Devices free and thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters to the point of not being able to pass up the great bargain of the 4 book bundle. I thought if they were even only half as well done as the first I couldn't go wrong. I set them aside for a bit before getting to them, but when I started I couldn't put the whole group down until I finished.
Lady Claire or Claire Trevelyan daughter of Viscount St. Ives is one of the most remarkable female protagonists to come along. At the age of 17 she has been brought up proper to become a lady who will soon be offering her hand to the most eligible gentleman she can snare. The problem for Lady Claire is that despite all the efforts to cow and mold her into a pleasant perfect petticoat-ed proper lady she has other plans that can't include that gentlemen under her societies present circumstances. She wants to go to college to obtain a degree in engineering so that she can continue to pursue the passion she already has for designing and improving upon the steam driven technology that are emerging into the present era. Of course her goals are simply absurd in her day and age and she has an uphill battle, although the hill looks more like a cliff.
A dreadful event changes her life and perhaps is what catapults her into having to use her wits to survive. Her father fails in a desperate gamble with combustion engines and ruins not only himself but a large number of investors. His subsequent suicide leaves his family trying to scramble up from the ashes to avoid poverty. Despite her mothers protests and preaching Lady Claire manages to free herself from tradition long enough to attempt to find a temporary job that will help her put herself through college. Because everything that Claire proposes to do is against the grain of societies rules she has a hard battle before her.
Early on we discover one of Lady Claire's most prized possessions is her father's steam landau, which she uses to get around the city. It is through the theft of the landau, while she's wandered into an unsavory part of the city, that she begins to really show her mettle. Not knowing what she is facing she attempts to recover her landau from the thieves. This leads to the discovery that the thieves are mostly children. Perhaps it's a bit of that ingrained mother instinct that ultimately leads to Lady Claire taking over the 'gang'. The gang has since passed her landau off to another more dangerous gang and in exchange for Lady Claire teaching them how to make gaseous explosive devices they promise to help her gain back the landau. In the end Lady Claire ends up killing a man (Lightning Jackson) and beginning her life of crime.
Lady Claire continues to search for a job while she rides herd over the gang of youths and spends her free time teaching them mathematics, chemistry, reading, writing, mechanical engineering, various poker hands and all the essentials including bomb building. Her search for a job intersects with an old family friend James Selwyn who has a business colleague Andrew Malvern who is designing a new way to make coal more efficient. James Selwyn immediately comes off as a bit of a stuffy self-involved character who has only one vision of what a woman's place in society is. This is so narrow that it precludes the probability that his efforts will damage his chances of completing the project of creating Hyper-efficient coal. Despite James effort Claire and Andrew must work around James to succeed.
Eventually Lady Claire will find herself torn between the professed affections of these two men.
The second book has a spot that I found to be a point of epiphany for Claire. Claire knows that if she wanted to make many things in her life easier she could Marry James as he keeps insisting he wants her to do. James has gone as far as to manipulate things in his favor despite his seeming distaste for most of what Claire represents. Because of James's cruel and insensitive nature she know that his final goal is to separate her from her life goals and from her new found family of the children she has been sheltering. She has made the children a promise and James intends on forcing her to break that promise and at this point of the book Lady Claire has a moment of clarity where she realizes that her first commitment is to the children, her new family, and that anyone who comes into her life has to be able to accept them. Clearly the children are as important to her as her goal to go to a university and become an engineer. Lady Claire seems to be more than willing and capable of handling the requirements of the average woman while still striving to obtain something that far surpasses every woman.
Lady Claire is the Lady of Devices but more appropriately she is later described as the Lady of Resources which defines her much better. Lady Claire does have a mind and a inclination for devices but she seems less the inventor and more the innovator of other inventions. She surrounds herself with others with valuable skills and has set herself up as a leader of a small army that includes several other ladies of resources. James can't tolerate this and Andrew can only marvel at it all (and they only know the half of it). That does not mean that these two men are weak or less than men. James typifies everything that Lady Claire had to fight and overcome while Andrew is more tolerant and finds himself puzzling over the old paradigm of social order and this new vision that he sees working not only with Lady Claire but in the children she has in her charge. Even Lady Claire struggles with the whole new paradigm when she finds herself stifling the twins more often than not. It is hard to let go and realize that these young girls and all of her children are no longer ordinary.
A majority of the successes of Lady Claire and her charges stems from not weak and inept male characters, but more so from a real existing mental attitude ingrained in the minds of those men. I've met many that exist today that have this same blind spot when trying to judge the capability of some women. It's such a powerful influence that they teach their own wives to live within the same blind spot; helping to affirm and fulfill their own skewed expectation of woman's abilities. James is a strong male character on one side of the blind spot and Andrew is a strong male character on the other side. Andrew's strength only becomes less evident to anyone looking at him from that blind spot, which is going to include a majority of those typical strong male types.
And now for quibbles. Shelley Adina writes well and is a magnificent story teller and as always I tend not to downgrade the work for common errors in the understanding that I have my own problems ferreting out all the straggling errors that hide amongst my own writing. I am not one who thinks that every published manuscript must be totally error free or it becomes invalid. It is insanity for authors to attempt to edit their own work especially when there is proof that even many so called professional editors have left enough errors intact for the author too find, forcing the author to attempt the insane. Errors happen. My present quibble is not addressed directly at Ms. Adina as it is at a number of authors who seem to find the use of a particular somewhat poetic word necessary at least once within their work. I'm referring to that beautiful word susurrus. In this instance it shows up as susurration. I just want to point out that susurrus is spelled S-U-S-U-R-R-U-S note two r's together not two s's. I'm beginning to love/hate this word. It's pronunciation is almost a clear clue to it definition and I am certain that at the very least in literary circles (particularly poetic) it is a well known word. But if I were to include it within my own narrative I would suspect that in my venue it might not be so well known, so I would be extra careful to be sure I was spelling it correctly. Of the last four times I've seen this in someones work it has shown up as sussurus and in this instance as sussuration. Those two words as they are spelled don't exist and anyone looking them up or using the dictionary within kindle is going to be disappointed.
On a side note; had it not been for the few authors who have used and so often misspelled this word I would likely have lived the rest of my life without being acquainted with it.
Make no mistake; I loved this series of books and will be looking into the 5th book soon. I love Ms. Adina's writing style and suspect I will be tempted into reaching out of my genre preferences once again to peruse a few more of her works.
Anyone who loves SteamPunk or even SFF (and is not ultra picky about the science or strict adherence to history) should love these books.
For those who are picky I'd like to point out the disclaimer at the beginning which includes.
[Quote] This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real.[/Quote]
J.L. Dobias
I initially obtained the first book Lady of Devices free and thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters to the point of not being able to pass up the great bargain of the 4 book bundle. I thought if they were even only half as well done as the first I couldn't go wrong. I set them aside for a bit before getting to them, but when I started I couldn't put the whole group down until I finished.
Lady Claire or Claire Trevelyan daughter of Viscount St. Ives is one of the most remarkable female protagonists to come along. At the age of 17 she has been brought up proper to become a lady who will soon be offering her hand to the most eligible gentleman she can snare. The problem for Lady Claire is that despite all the efforts to cow and mold her into a pleasant perfect petticoat-ed proper lady she has other plans that can't include that gentlemen under her societies present circumstances. She wants to go to college to obtain a degree in engineering so that she can continue to pursue the passion she already has for designing and improving upon the steam driven technology that are emerging into the present era. Of course her goals are simply absurd in her day and age and she has an uphill battle, although the hill looks more like a cliff.
A dreadful event changes her life and perhaps is what catapults her into having to use her wits to survive. Her father fails in a desperate gamble with combustion engines and ruins not only himself but a large number of investors. His subsequent suicide leaves his family trying to scramble up from the ashes to avoid poverty. Despite her mothers protests and preaching Lady Claire manages to free herself from tradition long enough to attempt to find a temporary job that will help her put herself through college. Because everything that Claire proposes to do is against the grain of societies rules she has a hard battle before her.
Early on we discover one of Lady Claire's most prized possessions is her father's steam landau, which she uses to get around the city. It is through the theft of the landau, while she's wandered into an unsavory part of the city, that she begins to really show her mettle. Not knowing what she is facing she attempts to recover her landau from the thieves. This leads to the discovery that the thieves are mostly children. Perhaps it's a bit of that ingrained mother instinct that ultimately leads to Lady Claire taking over the 'gang'. The gang has since passed her landau off to another more dangerous gang and in exchange for Lady Claire teaching them how to make gaseous explosive devices they promise to help her gain back the landau. In the end Lady Claire ends up killing a man (Lightning Jackson) and beginning her life of crime.
Lady Claire continues to search for a job while she rides herd over the gang of youths and spends her free time teaching them mathematics, chemistry, reading, writing, mechanical engineering, various poker hands and all the essentials including bomb building. Her search for a job intersects with an old family friend James Selwyn who has a business colleague Andrew Malvern who is designing a new way to make coal more efficient. James Selwyn immediately comes off as a bit of a stuffy self-involved character who has only one vision of what a woman's place in society is. This is so narrow that it precludes the probability that his efforts will damage his chances of completing the project of creating Hyper-efficient coal. Despite James effort Claire and Andrew must work around James to succeed.
Eventually Lady Claire will find herself torn between the professed affections of these two men.
The second book has a spot that I found to be a point of epiphany for Claire. Claire knows that if she wanted to make many things in her life easier she could Marry James as he keeps insisting he wants her to do. James has gone as far as to manipulate things in his favor despite his seeming distaste for most of what Claire represents. Because of James's cruel and insensitive nature she know that his final goal is to separate her from her life goals and from her new found family of the children she has been sheltering. She has made the children a promise and James intends on forcing her to break that promise and at this point of the book Lady Claire has a moment of clarity where she realizes that her first commitment is to the children, her new family, and that anyone who comes into her life has to be able to accept them. Clearly the children are as important to her as her goal to go to a university and become an engineer. Lady Claire seems to be more than willing and capable of handling the requirements of the average woman while still striving to obtain something that far surpasses every woman.
Lady Claire is the Lady of Devices but more appropriately she is later described as the Lady of Resources which defines her much better. Lady Claire does have a mind and a inclination for devices but she seems less the inventor and more the innovator of other inventions. She surrounds herself with others with valuable skills and has set herself up as a leader of a small army that includes several other ladies of resources. James can't tolerate this and Andrew can only marvel at it all (and they only know the half of it). That does not mean that these two men are weak or less than men. James typifies everything that Lady Claire had to fight and overcome while Andrew is more tolerant and finds himself puzzling over the old paradigm of social order and this new vision that he sees working not only with Lady Claire but in the children she has in her charge. Even Lady Claire struggles with the whole new paradigm when she finds herself stifling the twins more often than not. It is hard to let go and realize that these young girls and all of her children are no longer ordinary.
A majority of the successes of Lady Claire and her charges stems from not weak and inept male characters, but more so from a real existing mental attitude ingrained in the minds of those men. I've met many that exist today that have this same blind spot when trying to judge the capability of some women. It's such a powerful influence that they teach their own wives to live within the same blind spot; helping to affirm and fulfill their own skewed expectation of woman's abilities. James is a strong male character on one side of the blind spot and Andrew is a strong male character on the other side. Andrew's strength only becomes less evident to anyone looking at him from that blind spot, which is going to include a majority of those typical strong male types.
And now for quibbles. Shelley Adina writes well and is a magnificent story teller and as always I tend not to downgrade the work for common errors in the understanding that I have my own problems ferreting out all the straggling errors that hide amongst my own writing. I am not one who thinks that every published manuscript must be totally error free or it becomes invalid. It is insanity for authors to attempt to edit their own work especially when there is proof that even many so called professional editors have left enough errors intact for the author too find, forcing the author to attempt the insane. Errors happen. My present quibble is not addressed directly at Ms. Adina as it is at a number of authors who seem to find the use of a particular somewhat poetic word necessary at least once within their work. I'm referring to that beautiful word susurrus. In this instance it shows up as susurration. I just want to point out that susurrus is spelled S-U-S-U-R-R-U-S note two r's together not two s's. I'm beginning to love/hate this word. It's pronunciation is almost a clear clue to it definition and I am certain that at the very least in literary circles (particularly poetic) it is a well known word. But if I were to include it within my own narrative I would suspect that in my venue it might not be so well known, so I would be extra careful to be sure I was spelling it correctly. Of the last four times I've seen this in someones work it has shown up as sussurus and in this instance as sussuration. Those two words as they are spelled don't exist and anyone looking them up or using the dictionary within kindle is going to be disappointed.
On a side note; had it not been for the few authors who have used and so often misspelled this word I would likely have lived the rest of my life without being acquainted with it.
Make no mistake; I loved this series of books and will be looking into the 5th book soon. I love Ms. Adina's writing style and suspect I will be tempted into reaching out of my genre preferences once again to peruse a few more of her works.
Anyone who loves SteamPunk or even SFF (and is not ultra picky about the science or strict adherence to history) should love these books.
For those who are picky I'd like to point out the disclaimer at the beginning which includes.
[Quote] This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real.[/Quote]
J.L. Dobias
March 21, 2020
Just charming
August 24, 2012
Lady Claire Trevelyan took matters into her own hands after her family was ruined financially. Two months have passed since then, and now she’s known as the Lady of Devices, leader of a gang of smart orphans who she’s taken under her tutelage. Claire’s passion for engineering is strong and she has decided to ignore Lord James’s threats and accept Andrew Malvern’s offer of becoming his lab assistant. Work, the children, James’s advances and her mother’s schemes, all make for a very hectic life, but the Lady of Devices knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it.
Shelley Adina’s Her Own Devices grabbed me from page one and demanded to be read in one sitting!
Lady Claire has definitely stepped in and taken charge as a gang leader. This time around, Claire’s story has drive; she’s courageous and is more sure of herself and what she wants in life. She won’t let herself be cowed by Lord James, her mother, or any other insufferable person who thinks women have no place in the world. Busting out lunatics, manipulating people…now that’s the potential I knew Claire had. I couldn’t help but fume at every attempt her mother and James made to get Claire to settle down. They want her to get rid of the children! How cruel is that!?
I hated Lord James with a burning passion. He sees Claire’s extraordinary qualities and likes her for them, yet still believes women should be controlled! Whatever promises and agreements he makes with Claire, he breaks in the end. He just doesn’t deserve her. At all! Now Andrew is another story altogether. He’s kind and values Claire’s input every single time. Finally, Claire takes notice of him and realizes her mistake. Sadly, she can’t act on it because of a previous arrangement.
The story still doesn’t have as many steampunk elements as I would like, but those it has are marvelous. The landau is still my favorite and the chicken coop is hilarious. The major invention is one they’re trying to build and the plot revolves around this. I loved that another woman engineer comes into play to help. It motivates Claire’s goal of studying engineering one day.
The ending was a nice surprise! Claire might have ceded power for a second there, but she takes charge again. This time around she has help as she strikes out on another adventure. Now, Andrew’s letter just melted my brain. I can’t wait for book 3, Magnificent Devices!
Shelley Adina’s Her Own Devices grabbed me from page one and demanded to be read in one sitting!
Lady Claire has definitely stepped in and taken charge as a gang leader. This time around, Claire’s story has drive; she’s courageous and is more sure of herself and what she wants in life. She won’t let herself be cowed by Lord James, her mother, or any other insufferable person who thinks women have no place in the world. Busting out lunatics, manipulating people…now that’s the potential I knew Claire had. I couldn’t help but fume at every attempt her mother and James made to get Claire to settle down. They want her to get rid of the children! How cruel is that!?
I hated Lord James with a burning passion. He sees Claire’s extraordinary qualities and likes her for them, yet still believes women should be controlled! Whatever promises and agreements he makes with Claire, he breaks in the end. He just doesn’t deserve her. At all! Now Andrew is another story altogether. He’s kind and values Claire’s input every single time. Finally, Claire takes notice of him and realizes her mistake. Sadly, she can’t act on it because of a previous arrangement.
The story still doesn’t have as many steampunk elements as I would like, but those it has are marvelous. The landau is still my favorite and the chicken coop is hilarious. The major invention is one they’re trying to build and the plot revolves around this. I loved that another woman engineer comes into play to help. It motivates Claire’s goal of studying engineering one day.
The ending was a nice surprise! Claire might have ceded power for a second there, but she takes charge again. This time around she has help as she strikes out on another adventure. Now, Andrew’s letter just melted my brain. I can’t wait for book 3, Magnificent Devices!
May 28, 2013
How I loved it! The dialogue; the use of large, uncommon yet befitting words; the Austen-like witty exchanges; everything! I loved how Adina wrote accents. It made it very easy to hear the various characters speak, to take note of their individual dialects as well as show their station in society.
Building on the first book, this novel definitely felt like it had more meat to it, now that the starring roles had been introduced and established. Things definitely picked up with the introduction of Dr. Craig. The science experimentation aspect was quite intriguing & tastefully done. Enough was detailed to inspire interest but not too much so as to bore the readers with technobabble.
As for the characters, Claire was as likable as ever. Her various lifestyles were expanded on, though her being the Lady of Devices was understandably kept to a minimum in this novel. I wished we saw more of Emilie but since they no longer were in the same circles, I could see why there was no much interaction. I loved how Andrew expressed his feelings in the most ungentlemanly manner. That scene was quite cute!
James was a bit better at first. His moment of honesty on the beach made me realize he might have a heart underneath it all. He just might not be very good at expressing it, or as a baron was very used to getting his way with no conflict. The fact that he agreed to all of Claire's demands no matter how much he disagreed with them showed he might actually care for her in his own way. We'll see what the rest of the quartet reveal about his character.
All in all, I already started recommending this series to friends. If this sequel is any indication, I'm sure the last 2 books will not disappoint!
Building on the first book, this novel definitely felt like it had more meat to it, now that the starring roles had been introduced and established. Things definitely picked up with the introduction of Dr. Craig. The science experimentation aspect was quite intriguing & tastefully done. Enough was detailed to inspire interest but not too much so as to bore the readers with technobabble.
As for the characters, Claire was as likable as ever. Her various lifestyles were expanded on, though her being the Lady of Devices was understandably kept to a minimum in this novel. I wished we saw more of Emilie but since they no longer were in the same circles, I could see why there was no much interaction. I loved how Andrew expressed his feelings in the most ungentlemanly manner. That scene was quite cute!
James was a bit better at first. His moment of honesty on the beach made me realize he might have a heart underneath it all. He just might not be very good at expressing it, or as a baron was very used to getting his way with no conflict. The fact that he agreed to all of Claire's demands no matter how much he disagreed with them showed he might actually care for her in his own way. We'll see what the rest of the quartet reveal about his character.
All in all, I already started recommending this series to friends. If this sequel is any indication, I'm sure the last 2 books will not disappoint!
June 9, 2015
The story just get better and better!
Here the story picks up where we left off - with Claire settling down with her newfound "family" of orphans. We've got Lord James still vying for her hand in marriage and Andrew Malvern still not having the guts to really tell her that he's in love with her.
Yeay:
1) the story! The adventure! I know i was complaining the lack of romance in the first book but who cares? The story itself is amazingly well crafted. The descriptions clear you can almost smell the steam and smoke, the colours, the tention between the two men wanting Claire and her determination in our heroine. I love a heroine who's smart, resourceful and very practical. No hysterics, no drama.
2) the suspenseful parts of the story will keep you at the edge of your seat. I know there were many times when i grimaced and sighed and rejoiced when our heroes and heroines won the day, lost, double-crossed and still moved on. Some stories you can just skim through, this is to be savoured.
3) love the kids. Talented, smart cunning and yet very adorable. But can be deadly too.
4) the villain is really a villain. Sneaky, smart, good-looking. The bad guy you will still love to hate.
5) the bedlam escape is cool and hillariously awesome
6) the message that skin colour is not a determinant of intelligence and opportunity. An anti-racism message clearly made.
7) loads of sciency theories and experiments that comes across as very believable.
8) how to blackmail a person into marrying you. So many classy ways.
Meh:
1) Claire.....why did you fall for pride? You wanted to be the first amongst the girls to be engaged and look what happened? Wrong guy! But it proves to show that although our heroine is a Lady of Devices, she is still a young girl who will get her priorities mixed up.
2) cliffhanger ending. Now you cannot not read the next book.
3) really tiny bit of romance. Bungling yet rather sweet. But our heroine is speechless and clueless as to how to react.
I am now hooked on the adventure and suspense. And on to the next book!
Here the story picks up where we left off - with Claire settling down with her newfound "family" of orphans. We've got Lord James still vying for her hand in marriage and Andrew Malvern still not having the guts to really tell her that he's in love with her.
Yeay:
1) the story! The adventure! I know i was complaining the lack of romance in the first book but who cares? The story itself is amazingly well crafted. The descriptions clear you can almost smell the steam and smoke, the colours, the tention between the two men wanting Claire and her determination in our heroine. I love a heroine who's smart, resourceful and very practical. No hysterics, no drama.
2) the suspenseful parts of the story will keep you at the edge of your seat. I know there were many times when i grimaced and sighed and rejoiced when our heroes and heroines won the day, lost, double-crossed and still moved on. Some stories you can just skim through, this is to be savoured.
3) love the kids. Talented, smart cunning and yet very adorable. But can be deadly too.
4) the villain is really a villain. Sneaky, smart, good-looking. The bad guy you will still love to hate.
5) the bedlam escape is cool and hillariously awesome
6) the message that skin colour is not a determinant of intelligence and opportunity. An anti-racism message clearly made.
7) loads of sciency theories and experiments that comes across as very believable.
8) how to blackmail a person into marrying you. So many classy ways.
Meh:
1) Claire.....why did you fall for pride? You wanted to be the first amongst the girls to be engaged and look what happened? Wrong guy! But it proves to show that although our heroine is a Lady of Devices, she is still a young girl who will get her priorities mixed up.
2) cliffhanger ending. Now you cannot not read the next book.
3) really tiny bit of romance. Bungling yet rather sweet. But our heroine is speechless and clueless as to how to react.
I am now hooked on the adventure and suspense. And on to the next book!
February 3, 2015
"The last man who had said You must to her was no doubt still nursing his burns and mourning the loss of his future progeny" p 117.
Lady Claire Trevelyan 17 lost her father to suicide and London home to riot. Now she leads the cleverest Underworld gang who win at Cowboy Poker in drawing rooms. She blasts rivals with late Luke's Lightning Gun. Dr Rosemary Craig, put in Bedlam ten years ago, holds key to Gun and device Claire and "blackamoor" p 111 Tigg 13 build with engineer Andrew Malvern, funded by Lord James Selwyn.
James "don't even like her" p 57, but wants to marry her. Lady St Ives in Cornwall, with best of motherly intentions, accepts his suit with wedding deadline before minor Claire's next birthday. Claire wants University and deserves her name on their invention patent. Does he intend to destroy all her ambitions?
Claire stands by 'Mopsies' 10 p 105, Maggie and Lizzie, who warms up and becomes same voice as her twin, mute Weeping Willie 5, and other orphans. James "don't like us" p 105 "alley mice" p 117, so they "don't like his nibs"p 105. When Andrew's mother, retired cook to titled Dunsmuirs, relates loss two years ago of their "Lord Wilberforce Albert John Dunsmuir, Viscount Hatley, and Baron Craigdarroch" p 146 from his pram -- hmm, we wonder. Imprisoned Rose -- hmm. Yet the author surprises. Big.
Lady Claire Trevelyan 17 lost her father to suicide and London home to riot. Now she leads the cleverest Underworld gang who win at Cowboy Poker in drawing rooms. She blasts rivals with late Luke's Lightning Gun. Dr Rosemary Craig, put in Bedlam ten years ago, holds key to Gun and device Claire and "blackamoor" p 111 Tigg 13 build with engineer Andrew Malvern, funded by Lord James Selwyn.
James "don't even like her" p 57, but wants to marry her. Lady St Ives in Cornwall, with best of motherly intentions, accepts his suit with wedding deadline before minor Claire's next birthday. Claire wants University and deserves her name on their invention patent. Does he intend to destroy all her ambitions?
Claire stands by 'Mopsies' 10 p 105, Maggie and Lizzie, who warms up and becomes same voice as her twin, mute Weeping Willie 5, and other orphans. James "don't like us" p 105 "alley mice" p 117, so they "don't like his nibs"p 105. When Andrew's mother, retired cook to titled Dunsmuirs, relates loss two years ago of their "Lord Wilberforce Albert John Dunsmuir, Viscount Hatley, and Baron Craigdarroch" p 146 from his pram -- hmm, we wonder. Imprisoned Rose -- hmm. Yet the author surprises. Big.
October 22, 2013
Lady of Devices (book 1)
After her father's death, Lady Claire found herself with nothing to live on except her wits. With intelligence and a knack for understanding machines, she manages to land on her feet and takes up residence with a band of street children who call her The Lady of Devices.
Her Own Devices
After accepting a job as assistant to Andrew, Lady Claire seems to have all she wants. A job where her skills are valued, an opportunity to study engineering at university, a roof over her head, and a family of sorts.
But when her mother starts putting pressure on her to marry, and the chauvinism she sees all around her she begins to see her dreams start to slip away. She needs to find the enigmatic inventor of the lightning rifle if she is to have any chance of avoiding the strictures being placed upon her.
Her Own Devices is book two in the Magnificent Devices series. Reading it on it's own I would say it's a much stronger book than book one, Lady of Devices. But personally I think the first two books in this series should be read together. Together they would make one very good (5 Star) book. I won't go that far with them separated.
After her father's death, Lady Claire found herself with nothing to live on except her wits. With intelligence and a knack for understanding machines, she manages to land on her feet and takes up residence with a band of street children who call her The Lady of Devices.
Her Own Devices
After accepting a job as assistant to Andrew, Lady Claire seems to have all she wants. A job where her skills are valued, an opportunity to study engineering at university, a roof over her head, and a family of sorts.
But when her mother starts putting pressure on her to marry, and the chauvinism she sees all around her she begins to see her dreams start to slip away. She needs to find the enigmatic inventor of the lightning rifle if she is to have any chance of avoiding the strictures being placed upon her.
Her Own Devices is book two in the Magnificent Devices series. Reading it on it's own I would say it's a much stronger book than book one, Lady of Devices. But personally I think the first two books in this series should be read together. Together they would make one very good (5 Star) book. I won't go that far with them separated.
January 6, 2016
Much better then the first book! The first entry in the series felt like "an extended prologue" to quote another reviewer and they are exactly right. It was still good but took far too long to get into the deeper substance of the story.
Not so with this book! James of course is even more of a chauvinistic pin head then he was in the first book. By the time this novel comes to an end his true colors have shown through bright and clear! Lady Claire has certainly grown up and has developed quite a backbone as well as an unshakeable loyalty to the children she took in (or who took her in rather) off the streets. Action packed, heart warming, calculated, and with some nice well developed characters too. Amazing book! I can't wait too see how this series ends!
Not so with this book! James of course is even more of a chauvinistic pin head then he was in the first book. By the time this novel comes to an end his true colors have shown through bright and clear! Lady Claire has certainly grown up and has developed quite a backbone as well as an unshakeable loyalty to the children she took in (or who took her in rather) off the streets. Action packed, heart warming, calculated, and with some nice well developed characters too. Amazing book! I can't wait too see how this series ends!
February 11, 2013
After securing her position amongst London's criminals, Lady Claire is able to turn to her real interest: science. As assistant to a smart young inventor, she's able to work on the edge of current science. But after a breakthrough, Claire is horrified to find that no one will acknowledge her contribution to the work.
This is one of my favorite steampunk series out there, with a lot of verve and wit. The dialog never feels forced and theatrical, and the science is only a bit fantastic--it never feels like magic. Claire has to *work* for her scientific progress, and the sexism and racism she encounters feels all the more poisonous because it's so low-key and pervasive.
This is one of my favorite steampunk series out there, with a lot of verve and wit. The dialog never feels forced and theatrical, and the science is only a bit fantastic--it never feels like magic. Claire has to *work* for her scientific progress, and the sexism and racism she encounters feels all the more poisonous because it's so low-key and pervasive.
May 26, 2020
And Lady Claire with her band of gangsters continues to be thoroughly interesting ...
April 12, 2012
The Magnificent Devices continue to impress! Even though it often happens that the quality of book series diminishes with every number, I thought this number 2 very much held on to the bar Lady of Devices set - so much so that it leads me to believe that they were probably written as one and only split up later (maybe by the publishers since one novel on its own would have been too long).
In any case, Lady Claire's story continues to be enthralling and exciting and I cannot wait for the third volume to be published.
In any case, Lady Claire's story continues to be enthralling and exciting and I cannot wait for the third volume to be published.
January 30, 2017
This second part in the series is a worthy follow-up. #2 offers some surprising revelations and some satisfying conclusions, but don't expect things to wrap up too neatly. The main character gets herself in plenty of scrapes and sometimes manages to extricate herself...sometimes. The author skillfully drops clues to where the characters will end up next and she leaves the ending wide open for further adventure. Many more sci-fi developments in this volume and a few very inventive tweaks to history. Great fun.
May 31, 2019
I had a lot of difficulty getting through this book. It was not until the last 20% of the book that I enjoyed it. The love angle with James and then Andrew was excruciating to bear. I love the kids and I love the steampunk but the love triangle over shadowed that enjoyment. I wanted more 'lady of devices' action not this, will she or won't she and bearing society romance and pomp.
That said, I enjoyed the parts with Dr. Craig and the revelation with Willie. The found family aspect was good as before. Hesitant about whether I will try the 3rd book or not.
That said, I enjoyed the parts with Dr. Craig and the revelation with Willie. The found family aspect was good as before. Hesitant about whether I will try the 3rd book or not.
February 9, 2012
I really enjoyed this second installment much more than the first. Much better flow, plot elements were explored more, you got to know the characters better. The romance element is sweet and I just love all the orphans to pieces. Lady Claire is a fantastic heroine. While I still think books 1 and 2 should have been combined, I am looking forward to the next installment with great anticipation.
March 17, 2012
I liked the first book better, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy this book immensely. I just preferred the gadgetry and character development that we had which focused on Lady rather than the love triangle that is forming. If I have to pick a side, however, count me in with the Wits!
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