What do you think?
Rate this book
The Vitruvian Heir
Welcome to Vitruvia.
In a nightmarish future, one girl holds the key – to rebellion. Society has regressed to Victorian standards and patriarchal dominion. Women have slowly lost their rights. And Lorelei Fetherston, an aristocrat with a forbidden talent for writing, inherits a powerful legacy that can set her free. Though running from her wedding to gentle Gideon, a childhood confidante, is a risk that may not be worth taking.
But this isn’t her only dilemma. Her heart has always been with Fallon, the brooding ward of the current emperor and heir to the Vitruvian throne, and she’s finding it harder to resist his melancholy charms.
Will she escape to carve out a new life or accept her role as a dutiful wife? When her free-spirited friend, Sawyer, comes to her one night in grave danger, Lore is forced to make a fateful choice. In the bordering nation of Hopespoke, women are free. And, according to legend, an enigmatic woman runs a squadron of lethal debutantes and is always on the lookout for new recruits.
From mysterious woodland strangers and underground clubs to spectacular fêtes and a clandestine rebellion, discover what happens when their worlds collide.
In a nightmarish future, one girl holds the key – to rebellion. Society has regressed to Victorian standards and patriarchal dominion. Women have slowly lost their rights. And Lorelei Fetherston, an aristocrat with a forbidden talent for writing, inherits a powerful legacy that can set her free. Though running from her wedding to gentle Gideon, a childhood confidante, is a risk that may not be worth taking.
But this isn’t her only dilemma. Her heart has always been with Fallon, the brooding ward of the current emperor and heir to the Vitruvian throne, and she’s finding it harder to resist his melancholy charms.
Will she escape to carve out a new life or accept her role as a dutiful wife? When her free-spirited friend, Sawyer, comes to her one night in grave danger, Lore is forced to make a fateful choice. In the bordering nation of Hopespoke, women are free. And, according to legend, an enigmatic woman runs a squadron of lethal debutantes and is always on the lookout for new recruits.
From mysterious woodland strangers and underground clubs to spectacular fêtes and a clandestine rebellion, discover what happens when their worlds collide.
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2014
About the author
L.S. Kilroy
4 books27 followers"The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue." - Dorothy Parker
L.S. Kilroy is an irreverent sort of person who likes to write about things. Growing up an asthmatic only child in a neighborhood of geriatrics, she made friends with books at a young age because she had to – luckily, she also really liked them. Early exposure to the classics fueled her own writing. At fifteen, a man in a bookstore asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she replied, “Writer,” without hesitation.
Writer is a title that has driven her both personally and professionally. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Merrimack College and a Master’s degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College. By day, she’s a communications professional; by night, she’s an award-winning indie author.
She lives in a rural community in Massachusetts with her husband, stepson, and three naughty cats. Aside from writing, she loves being creative in the kitchen, belting out show tunes, traveling, throwing epic dinner parties, reading, and scouting out vintage finds at consignment shops.
L.S. Kilroy is an irreverent sort of person who likes to write about things. Growing up an asthmatic only child in a neighborhood of geriatrics, she made friends with books at a young age because she had to – luckily, she also really liked them. Early exposure to the classics fueled her own writing. At fifteen, a man in a bookstore asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she replied, “Writer,” without hesitation.
Writer is a title that has driven her both personally and professionally. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Merrimack College and a Master’s degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College. By day, she’s a communications professional; by night, she’s an award-winning indie author.
She lives in a rural community in Massachusetts with her husband, stepson, and three naughty cats. Aside from writing, she loves being creative in the kitchen, belting out show tunes, traveling, throwing epic dinner parties, reading, and scouting out vintage finds at consignment shops.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 29, 2015
I'd give this book a 3.5 on the star front probably, but because it's a first novel I'm rounding up a bit more.
My review for this book originally showed up on Minerva Mag (http://minervamag.com/2015/11/the-vit...)
The Virtruvian Heir by L.S. Kilroy* is a quirky little book that covers courtesan spies, Victorian stuffiness, and futuristic technology in one fell swoop. Kilroy was inspired to write this book by history class, of all things, which introduced her to Catherine de’ Medici and her group of female spies during the reign of Henry II. Rather than take the whole historical context, Kilroy has based the society in her book on the Victorian era. The setting and inspiration for the book could fool you into thinking it’s historical fiction, but it actually falls into the speculative genre. Set in the United States hundreds of years after a buttload of conflict, The Vitruvian Heir serves up a comfortable premise for lovers of dystopian YA—there was war, people screwed up, and now they are stuck in an unfair, messed-up society.
For all that the set up is familiar, I appreciated the story’s unique elements. The society lives according to Victorian standards because some weirdo king decided he liked the setup of the Victorians best, which I find oddly endearing. I also thought the twist on classic steampunk worked quite well—instead of machinery powered by steam, there are creatures powered by yoctosteam, which is actually tiny nanobots. Hints like that let you know you’re rooted in the future even if it seems like the past.
Overall, the Victorian setting works. I liked that the main character, Lore, quickly realizes that her position of privilege doesn’t mean she has many freedoms, but is more concerned with the indignities against her friends. She doesn’t mope around on the “woe is me” train but fights to ensure the women around her are protected and happy. The main plot of oppressed women fighting for their freedom is a one that unsurprisingly appealed to me and probably would work for most Minerva readers as well. I appreciated that the story tried to dig a little deeper than just “women can’t own property” by exploring some of the horrific violence that can occur when society is so firmly rooted in sexist ideals. For all that the Victorians tried to be pure sexless creatures, you know that the cruelty and sexual violence men heartlessly bestow on women in this novel must have happened to some degree in our history as well.
The story does sometimes strike the wrong notes. The amount of intrigue and secrets that fill this book would be enough to pack full a novel twice the length, and to make sure they’re all revealed in the story, some characters all too willingly reveal deeply personal information. I thought the use of flashbacks in the second half of the novel sometimes worked well and sometimes distracted from the present action. When someone gets into a gunfight, I do not want to read ten pages of memories before the gunfight starts back up again. I would have also liked the love interests to be fleshed out more. Avery seems to appear out of nowhere, and while I think I could have been onboard with him, I never really understood why Lore had fallen for him in the first place.
Really, when I think about this book, my main complaint is that I like everything going on, but I want it to tease out its intricacies more. I’d like if more characters spent more time withholding their secrets to build the suspense. I want the characters to have more room to breathe. I rarely recommend books get longer—and god knows it’s nice to see a science-fiction fantasy type story that isn’t 1,000 pages long and the first book in a 12-book series—but I think The Vitruvian Heir could be 100 pages longer and still tell an interesting tale of intrigue.
What does that ultimately mean for the book? As a first-time author, I think L.S. Kilroy shows a lot of promise. I like her themes, I like most of the characters, and I like a lot of the setting. The pacing issues and some of the unresolved or underdeveloped subplots make the book read at times like it’s a first novel. But then again, most authors’ first novels read like a first novel. What I recommend is that if you like themes of female empowerment, odd dystopias, and a whole mess of intrigue, secrets, and lies, you’ll probably enjoy this book. Personally, I’ll be interested to see how Kilroy continues to hone and improve her writing abilities for future books.
My review for this book originally showed up on Minerva Mag (http://minervamag.com/2015/11/the-vit...)
The Virtruvian Heir by L.S. Kilroy* is a quirky little book that covers courtesan spies, Victorian stuffiness, and futuristic technology in one fell swoop. Kilroy was inspired to write this book by history class, of all things, which introduced her to Catherine de’ Medici and her group of female spies during the reign of Henry II. Rather than take the whole historical context, Kilroy has based the society in her book on the Victorian era. The setting and inspiration for the book could fool you into thinking it’s historical fiction, but it actually falls into the speculative genre. Set in the United States hundreds of years after a buttload of conflict, The Vitruvian Heir serves up a comfortable premise for lovers of dystopian YA—there was war, people screwed up, and now they are stuck in an unfair, messed-up society.
For all that the set up is familiar, I appreciated the story’s unique elements. The society lives according to Victorian standards because some weirdo king decided he liked the setup of the Victorians best, which I find oddly endearing. I also thought the twist on classic steampunk worked quite well—instead of machinery powered by steam, there are creatures powered by yoctosteam, which is actually tiny nanobots. Hints like that let you know you’re rooted in the future even if it seems like the past.
Overall, the Victorian setting works. I liked that the main character, Lore, quickly realizes that her position of privilege doesn’t mean she has many freedoms, but is more concerned with the indignities against her friends. She doesn’t mope around on the “woe is me” train but fights to ensure the women around her are protected and happy. The main plot of oppressed women fighting for their freedom is a one that unsurprisingly appealed to me and probably would work for most Minerva readers as well. I appreciated that the story tried to dig a little deeper than just “women can’t own property” by exploring some of the horrific violence that can occur when society is so firmly rooted in sexist ideals. For all that the Victorians tried to be pure sexless creatures, you know that the cruelty and sexual violence men heartlessly bestow on women in this novel must have happened to some degree in our history as well.
The story does sometimes strike the wrong notes. The amount of intrigue and secrets that fill this book would be enough to pack full a novel twice the length, and to make sure they’re all revealed in the story, some characters all too willingly reveal deeply personal information. I thought the use of flashbacks in the second half of the novel sometimes worked well and sometimes distracted from the present action. When someone gets into a gunfight, I do not want to read ten pages of memories before the gunfight starts back up again. I would have also liked the love interests to be fleshed out more. Avery seems to appear out of nowhere, and while I think I could have been onboard with him, I never really understood why Lore had fallen for him in the first place.
Really, when I think about this book, my main complaint is that I like everything going on, but I want it to tease out its intricacies more. I’d like if more characters spent more time withholding their secrets to build the suspense. I want the characters to have more room to breathe. I rarely recommend books get longer—and god knows it’s nice to see a science-fiction fantasy type story that isn’t 1,000 pages long and the first book in a 12-book series—but I think The Vitruvian Heir could be 100 pages longer and still tell an interesting tale of intrigue.
What does that ultimately mean for the book? As a first-time author, I think L.S. Kilroy shows a lot of promise. I like her themes, I like most of the characters, and I like a lot of the setting. The pacing issues and some of the unresolved or underdeveloped subplots make the book read at times like it’s a first novel. But then again, most authors’ first novels read like a first novel. What I recommend is that if you like themes of female empowerment, odd dystopias, and a whole mess of intrigue, secrets, and lies, you’ll probably enjoy this book. Personally, I’ll be interested to see how Kilroy continues to hone and improve her writing abilities for future books.
September 5, 2023
“I want everyone who reads this book to become a rebel.” L S KIlroy
The Vitruvian Heir: The Unraveling (The Vitruvian Heir Trilogy, Book I) by L S Kilroy is one of those books that gets my heart pumping and my blood boiling. I love a book that gets me wound up, wanting to reach through my ereader and punch someone. LOL
We have wonderful illustrations.
L S Kilroy released an enhanced version of The Vitruvian Heir, Book I in 2020, the original was released in 2015. She made it a trilogy because current events made her characters demand it.
It may seem like we have a triangle going on, but as I read on, everything became clear and I saw the true relationship between Lore, Gideon and Fallon. It’s complicated is an apt description.
I love how L S Kilroy wove current events into her book, rolling freedoms back, making women second class citizens…or worse…Victorian standards that have people giving up any decision making they had, towing the line, becoming robots, fearing for their lives.
I had wondered if The Vitruvian Heir by L S Kilroy would be a good fit for me, but decided to give it a try. I never know where I will find that hidden gem, and I found it in The Vitruvian Heir. I quickly became involved in Lore’s life, feeling her desires and confusion. Her need to be herself. Of course, I knew she would have to be part of the rebellion, but how it would come about was the mystery.
Lore wondered how things could have went so backwards, and I think we only have to look at current events to see how. Vitruvian is what used to be the United States in 2164. Their were brutal wars, famines, illness, tornadoes, decimated crops, endless natural disasters and an emperor.
There are book discussions questions at the end and we have a fabulous epilogue that makes me eager to get my hands on Book II, The Vitruvian Heir: The Awakening.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Vitruvian Heir by L S Kilroy.
The Vitruvian Heir: The Unraveling (The Vitruvian Heir Trilogy, Book I) by L S Kilroy is one of those books that gets my heart pumping and my blood boiling. I love a book that gets me wound up, wanting to reach through my ereader and punch someone. LOL
We have wonderful illustrations.
L S Kilroy released an enhanced version of The Vitruvian Heir, Book I in 2020, the original was released in 2015. She made it a trilogy because current events made her characters demand it.
It may seem like we have a triangle going on, but as I read on, everything became clear and I saw the true relationship between Lore, Gideon and Fallon. It’s complicated is an apt description.
I love how L S Kilroy wove current events into her book, rolling freedoms back, making women second class citizens…or worse…Victorian standards that have people giving up any decision making they had, towing the line, becoming robots, fearing for their lives.
I had wondered if The Vitruvian Heir by L S Kilroy would be a good fit for me, but decided to give it a try. I never know where I will find that hidden gem, and I found it in The Vitruvian Heir. I quickly became involved in Lore’s life, feeling her desires and confusion. Her need to be herself. Of course, I knew she would have to be part of the rebellion, but how it would come about was the mystery.
Lore wondered how things could have went so backwards, and I think we only have to look at current events to see how. Vitruvian is what used to be the United States in 2164. Their were brutal wars, famines, illness, tornadoes, decimated crops, endless natural disasters and an emperor.
There are book discussions questions at the end and we have a fabulous epilogue that makes me eager to get my hands on Book II, The Vitruvian Heir: The Awakening.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Vitruvian Heir by L S Kilroy.
January 11, 2015
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Disclosure: Please note that this book was given to the reviewer in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
The setting is in a future time after several disasters, both natural and man made have reshaped the planet. The United States is no more and is now the Vitruvian Empire. Reestablished in a Victorian style, the hard won rights that women have gained over the centuries are gone. There lives are dictated by men and any tentative attempt at self determination is severely punished.
Lorelei (Lore) Fetherston is a daughter of the aristocracy. Her great ambition is to write, but writing among women is strictly controlled. She must marry a friend whom she loves but isn’t in love with. The alternative is escaping to the border nation of Hopespoke (formerly Texas). Here people are free, and there is an organization run by an enigmatic woman who is training women in black operations. When an even more rebellious friend is in danger of prison or worse, Lore has no choice but to cross the boarder. However, the intrigues of Hopespoke’s parliament and the Vitruvian empire are more intertwined than anyone realizes.
Review:
L. S. Kilroy has written an exciting steampunk novel full of action and intrigue. Lore has to help her friend Sawyer escape potential punishment by the religious sect that is the power behind the throne. She touches off an adventure that takes her far outside her safe world as a Victorian/Vitruvian lady. She is trained as an agent and is taught to protect herself with deadly force. The end result is a heroine who is appealing for spunk, courage, and gumption.
The pacing of the book is good for an action packed novel. The dialogue is reminiscent of Victorian literature. The story flashes back to something that occurred earlier but was not covered. I found this a hinderance to the forward progress of the story and something of a distraction. Still, for fans of dystopian steampunk, it is a great read.
Disclosure: Please note that this book was given to the reviewer in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
The setting is in a future time after several disasters, both natural and man made have reshaped the planet. The United States is no more and is now the Vitruvian Empire. Reestablished in a Victorian style, the hard won rights that women have gained over the centuries are gone. There lives are dictated by men and any tentative attempt at self determination is severely punished.
Lorelei (Lore) Fetherston is a daughter of the aristocracy. Her great ambition is to write, but writing among women is strictly controlled. She must marry a friend whom she loves but isn’t in love with. The alternative is escaping to the border nation of Hopespoke (formerly Texas). Here people are free, and there is an organization run by an enigmatic woman who is training women in black operations. When an even more rebellious friend is in danger of prison or worse, Lore has no choice but to cross the boarder. However, the intrigues of Hopespoke’s parliament and the Vitruvian empire are more intertwined than anyone realizes.
Review:
L. S. Kilroy has written an exciting steampunk novel full of action and intrigue. Lore has to help her friend Sawyer escape potential punishment by the religious sect that is the power behind the throne. She touches off an adventure that takes her far outside her safe world as a Victorian/Vitruvian lady. She is trained as an agent and is taught to protect herself with deadly force. The end result is a heroine who is appealing for spunk, courage, and gumption.
The pacing of the book is good for an action packed novel. The dialogue is reminiscent of Victorian literature. The story flashes back to something that occurred earlier but was not covered. I found this a hinderance to the forward progress of the story and something of a distraction. Still, for fans of dystopian steampunk, it is a great read.
August 3, 2015
I am a big fan of novels of the dystopian future variety. This book is an entertaining combination of a teenage girl trying to survive a difficult world with confusing love interests (e.g., Hunger Games, Divergent) and a more sophisticated social commentary on the role of women in society (e.g., The Handmaid's Tale). Throw in a steampunk twist and you've got The Vitruvian Heir. If you enjoy any of the aforementioned novels and/or steampunk this novel is for you. And if you like women who rise above and kick some butt you will definitely enjoy it!!
January 10, 2015
Great read! Love the steampunk influence! Lore is a wonderful protagonist, fighting in a futurist neo-Victorian world where women are considered lesser citizens.
January 27, 2017
I read this book I think last year, before I was active in Goodreads. Despite all the time that has passed, I still think about this story all the time, which is why I gave it 5 stars. Dystopian, but different. The characters and the stories were just amazing. I don't remember their names, but I remember what happened. I remember the girls' stories. The plot twists. This book really stuck with me. I'm happy I read it.
September 24, 2016
I reviewed this book for Steampunk Journal (http://steampunkjournal.org/2016/06/2...) and it received a 7/10 award.
The Vitruvian Heir is a novel written by K.S. Kilroy. Set in a future America where natural disasters followed by famine have decimated the population allowing for an Empire to rise. Now ruled by an elite upper class and heartless emperor, history is rewritten to forget the fair and just past and it now exists with a repressive Victorian ideology. Women’s Rights are slowly repealed and religion has once again become the corrupt, dark powerful entity it was in the past.
Priced at £6.38 for a paperback from Amazon, this is the first novel of the Boston based author.
Overview
The premise of The Vitruvian Heir is an interesting one. We follow Lorelei Featherston (Lore to her friends) – a daughter of an aristocracy controlling a future set America – as she embarks on a journey of duty while harbouring rebellious thoughts thanks to her grandmother who remembers some of the old life before the regression to the past values of the late 19th century.
In fact, the story could be mistaken as being set in the late 19th century along an alternate timeline, such is the realism of Kilroy’s descriptions. But then there comes the occasional remark about the past along with some of the fanciful futuristic technology, such as Yoctosteam (clouds of tiny microorganisms that provide a multitude of uses) and carriages pulled by Spiders. At least I think the Spider is a machine and not an actual giant arachnid.
The starting pace is slow but with the occasional nugget to keep you interested. The beginning and through to the centre of the story covers a multitude of areas such as puberty and friendship within the protagonist’s protective life bubble, taboo homosexual relationships and the rise of the Church through fear and intimidation.
Inspiration for the various areas of the book seem to be plucked from different time periods and locations. The iron fist rule of an Emperor could be related to ancient Japan while the Bishop and his pleasure in seeking out the pain and suffering of others could be taken from medieval Europe.
The writing style reminds me of how I felt when I first watched Star Wars because it throws you straight in discussing the world and amazing inventions within it as though you already live there and that they’re common knowledge. Some of this can be quite confusing such as the aforementioned “Formidable Spider” that pulls the carriage. Is this a real giant Spider? Are Vitruvians a futuristic version of the Borrowers? Is the Spider a mechanical monstrosity with eight legs? It’s not really known and where stories such as Star Wars have expanded universes and other contributors to give you this knowledge, the book doesn’t.
Lore embarks on an adventure, finding a secluded sanctuary where women are treated as equals. Eventually she realises that she has to return back home as she is destined to marry the new Emperor of Vitruvia. There’s an interesting twist at the end and some of the scenes border on gory; which is no bad thing.
The book is exceptionally well written with no clear spelling errors or grammatical issues. It’s certainly an original story with only light steampunk themes and few science fiction mentions.
Conclusion
The Vitruvian Heir is a deeply political book. It’s a great way for an author to discuss various elements of Earth’s history such as crushing Emperors, the suppression of women and the wickedness of the Church of old.
It’s interesting to think that in the days following a series of natural distasters that we would look to the past for our salvation while still retaining technology of the day. In this way I’m reminded of the 2012 television programme Revolution. It was a post apocalyptic future-set America and in that they go back to the Revolution era military camps. I used to think that was unusual, but maybe people just act on what they know?
I found it intriguing to learn how a future Earth would cope with the events of natural disaster and how fear would play such a large part of our lives even in a time period that today we hope will be more enlightened. It shows humanity up for what it is; an unchanging, scared beast that can only lash out at what it is afraid of. I like the way the author has covered corners to explain how the world got to this stage, such as the rewriting of history.
If you like science fiction, steampunk and political dramas, then this is definitely a book to read.
The Vitruvian Heir is a novel written by K.S. Kilroy. Set in a future America where natural disasters followed by famine have decimated the population allowing for an Empire to rise. Now ruled by an elite upper class and heartless emperor, history is rewritten to forget the fair and just past and it now exists with a repressive Victorian ideology. Women’s Rights are slowly repealed and religion has once again become the corrupt, dark powerful entity it was in the past.
Priced at £6.38 for a paperback from Amazon, this is the first novel of the Boston based author.
Overview
The premise of The Vitruvian Heir is an interesting one. We follow Lorelei Featherston (Lore to her friends) – a daughter of an aristocracy controlling a future set America – as she embarks on a journey of duty while harbouring rebellious thoughts thanks to her grandmother who remembers some of the old life before the regression to the past values of the late 19th century.
In fact, the story could be mistaken as being set in the late 19th century along an alternate timeline, such is the realism of Kilroy’s descriptions. But then there comes the occasional remark about the past along with some of the fanciful futuristic technology, such as Yoctosteam (clouds of tiny microorganisms that provide a multitude of uses) and carriages pulled by Spiders. At least I think the Spider is a machine and not an actual giant arachnid.
The starting pace is slow but with the occasional nugget to keep you interested. The beginning and through to the centre of the story covers a multitude of areas such as puberty and friendship within the protagonist’s protective life bubble, taboo homosexual relationships and the rise of the Church through fear and intimidation.
Inspiration for the various areas of the book seem to be plucked from different time periods and locations. The iron fist rule of an Emperor could be related to ancient Japan while the Bishop and his pleasure in seeking out the pain and suffering of others could be taken from medieval Europe.
The writing style reminds me of how I felt when I first watched Star Wars because it throws you straight in discussing the world and amazing inventions within it as though you already live there and that they’re common knowledge. Some of this can be quite confusing such as the aforementioned “Formidable Spider” that pulls the carriage. Is this a real giant Spider? Are Vitruvians a futuristic version of the Borrowers? Is the Spider a mechanical monstrosity with eight legs? It’s not really known and where stories such as Star Wars have expanded universes and other contributors to give you this knowledge, the book doesn’t.
Lore embarks on an adventure, finding a secluded sanctuary where women are treated as equals. Eventually she realises that she has to return back home as she is destined to marry the new Emperor of Vitruvia. There’s an interesting twist at the end and some of the scenes border on gory; which is no bad thing.
The book is exceptionally well written with no clear spelling errors or grammatical issues. It’s certainly an original story with only light steampunk themes and few science fiction mentions.
Conclusion
The Vitruvian Heir is a deeply political book. It’s a great way for an author to discuss various elements of Earth’s history such as crushing Emperors, the suppression of women and the wickedness of the Church of old.
It’s interesting to think that in the days following a series of natural distasters that we would look to the past for our salvation while still retaining technology of the day. In this way I’m reminded of the 2012 television programme Revolution. It was a post apocalyptic future-set America and in that they go back to the Revolution era military camps. I used to think that was unusual, but maybe people just act on what they know?
I found it intriguing to learn how a future Earth would cope with the events of natural disaster and how fear would play such a large part of our lives even in a time period that today we hope will be more enlightened. It shows humanity up for what it is; an unchanging, scared beast that can only lash out at what it is afraid of. I like the way the author has covered corners to explain how the world got to this stage, such as the rewriting of history.
If you like science fiction, steampunk and political dramas, then this is definitely a book to read.
June 8, 2015
Actual Rating 4.5 stars
Review:
Protagonist: Lore lives in the female repressed and culturally regressed country of Vitruvia. As a woman she has little to no rights and once she's married, she'll essentially become a prisoner inside her husband's home, but after discovering her grandmother's secret rebellious nature, something sparks within her, a knowledge that the world she lives in is unjust and she longs to be free to be herself. While Lore has a bit of rebellion in her heart from the beginning, it's not until a bit further into the book that her true self and character comes out. Her development, while a tad sporadic at times, is pretty solid and probably only seems so because of the irregular storytelling.
Romance: To say that this romance is unconventional and unique is an understatement. So while there seems to be a love triangle judging by the synopsis, that's not entirely true. There is a love triangle of sorts, but it doesn't subscribe to typical love triangle tropes. Instead I was confused at quite what would happen with the romance. It's hard to explain, but it was very compelling and entertaining to read.
Story Structure: So first I want to start of by mentioning that this book is told in three parts, that really felt like a trilogy of novellas rather than three parts of one novel, this wasn't bad, just something that I noticed. This story is told rather unevenly. For the first part it's more or less told chronologically, however after that there are time jumps with flashbacks to fill in the missing pieces. I don't think it would have made much of a difference if it was told chronologically, maybe less confusing as the flashbacks were sometimes quite lengthy and so jumping right back into the present would be jarring. As well as flashbacks there are also stories that Lore collects from the girls she meets, of their trials and tribulations. These I found very entertaining as I'm always a sucker for character backstory.
World-Building: This world of Victorian, mixed with a bit of Edwardian, Steampunk was very well crafted. There is a feminist message in this story, but it's not preachy and it's not pushing anything upon the reader, in fact I quite enjoyed it. The various stories Lore collects give various views on this world and help round it out. If I had to compare this book, at least with tone and perhaps writing style wise, I'd say it reminded me a lot of the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, except with a much more wrapped up ending.
Predictability: I'd say on the whole this book was very hard to predict. Maybe a few things here or there, maybe a suspicion turned out to be right. However since this book strays from classic YA tropes and cliches it was very hard to see quite where the story was going to turn. This made for some awesome twists, certain characters that were putting on acts to seem nicer or even meaner were very convincing, There weren't too many large twists, things that made me drop my jaw in surprise, but the story was nonetheless entertaining.
Ending: So while I wouldn't say that every single one of my questions concerning these characters and this world were answered, I would say that I was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable I felt with this ending. Would I love to see more of this world and these characters, of course I would, but all the same if I were to never see beyond the epilogue, I'd be okay with that as well.
Rating:
So this wasn't all that hard to rate. The story was spectacular, my only real complaint is the abundance of flashbacks and time jumps which due to flashback length could be jarring after being thrust back into the present, Overall however I highly recommend this book to lovers of steampunk, fierce and strong heroines, and the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver.
Review:
Protagonist: Lore lives in the female repressed and culturally regressed country of Vitruvia. As a woman she has little to no rights and once she's married, she'll essentially become a prisoner inside her husband's home, but after discovering her grandmother's secret rebellious nature, something sparks within her, a knowledge that the world she lives in is unjust and she longs to be free to be herself. While Lore has a bit of rebellion in her heart from the beginning, it's not until a bit further into the book that her true self and character comes out. Her development, while a tad sporadic at times, is pretty solid and probably only seems so because of the irregular storytelling.
Romance: To say that this romance is unconventional and unique is an understatement. So while there seems to be a love triangle judging by the synopsis, that's not entirely true. There is a love triangle of sorts, but it doesn't subscribe to typical love triangle tropes. Instead I was confused at quite what would happen with the romance. It's hard to explain, but it was very compelling and entertaining to read.
Story Structure: So first I want to start of by mentioning that this book is told in three parts, that really felt like a trilogy of novellas rather than three parts of one novel, this wasn't bad, just something that I noticed. This story is told rather unevenly. For the first part it's more or less told chronologically, however after that there are time jumps with flashbacks to fill in the missing pieces. I don't think it would have made much of a difference if it was told chronologically, maybe less confusing as the flashbacks were sometimes quite lengthy and so jumping right back into the present would be jarring. As well as flashbacks there are also stories that Lore collects from the girls she meets, of their trials and tribulations. These I found very entertaining as I'm always a sucker for character backstory.
World-Building: This world of Victorian, mixed with a bit of Edwardian, Steampunk was very well crafted. There is a feminist message in this story, but it's not preachy and it's not pushing anything upon the reader, in fact I quite enjoyed it. The various stories Lore collects give various views on this world and help round it out. If I had to compare this book, at least with tone and perhaps writing style wise, I'd say it reminded me a lot of the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, except with a much more wrapped up ending.
Predictability: I'd say on the whole this book was very hard to predict. Maybe a few things here or there, maybe a suspicion turned out to be right. However since this book strays from classic YA tropes and cliches it was very hard to see quite where the story was going to turn. This made for some awesome twists, certain characters that were putting on acts to seem nicer or even meaner were very convincing, There weren't too many large twists, things that made me drop my jaw in surprise, but the story was nonetheless entertaining.
Ending: So while I wouldn't say that every single one of my questions concerning these characters and this world were answered, I would say that I was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable I felt with this ending. Would I love to see more of this world and these characters, of course I would, but all the same if I were to never see beyond the epilogue, I'd be okay with that as well.
Rating:
So this wasn't all that hard to rate. The story was spectacular, my only real complaint is the abundance of flashbacks and time jumps which due to flashback length could be jarring after being thrust back into the present, Overall however I highly recommend this book to lovers of steampunk, fierce and strong heroines, and the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver.
August 8, 2015
Take a deranged ruler with a passion for the lifestyle, morality, and values of the bygone Victorian era, add a dash of some futuristic scientific elements, mix thoroughly with a dollop of Steampunk, and add some arse-kicking femme-fatales.
Our protagonist, Lore, is trapped within a society which covets stature and wealth while oppressing its women. Born in to nobility, she is privileged, in a way - but she learns that there are those who remember before, when both sexes were equal and gender wasn't a definition.
The events which take place in The Vitruvian Heir set her on a difficult path, forcing her to choose between what is expected of her, and what her heart is telling her is right.
I very much enjoyed The Vitruvian Heir - I'd classify it as a YA/NA crossover, as there is some content which may not be for the faint of heart. There are some excellent morals within the tale, and the story itself is very engaging, but I did feel that some parts of the story were too convenient to be thoroughly convincing. I would have liked to know more about how Lore transformed herself from a well-off girl on the run to an assassin extraordinaire, for example.
Normally, I find myself guessing how a book will unfold, but The Vitruvian Heir had twists and turns aplenty to keep me guessing right up to its conclusion. A well crafted tale indeed, and an author to keep your eye on.
Our protagonist, Lore, is trapped within a society which covets stature and wealth while oppressing its women. Born in to nobility, she is privileged, in a way - but she learns that there are those who remember before, when both sexes were equal and gender wasn't a definition.
The events which take place in The Vitruvian Heir set her on a difficult path, forcing her to choose between what is expected of her, and what her heart is telling her is right.
I very much enjoyed The Vitruvian Heir - I'd classify it as a YA/NA crossover, as there is some content which may not be for the faint of heart. There are some excellent morals within the tale, and the story itself is very engaging, but I did feel that some parts of the story were too convenient to be thoroughly convincing. I would have liked to know more about how Lore transformed herself from a well-off girl on the run to an assassin extraordinaire, for example.
Normally, I find myself guessing how a book will unfold, but The Vitruvian Heir had twists and turns aplenty to keep me guessing right up to its conclusion. A well crafted tale indeed, and an author to keep your eye on.
July 24, 2017
2.7 Stars✨
After receiving a copy of this book for the author herself, I was dying to jump right in!
As I began the book, I was startled by how quickly the story moved along and did become rather annoyed as to how many areas were skipped. Nevertheless, the novel is exciting by how fast-paced it moves along and you never feel as though you're being dragged through the novel.
I really loved the characters too, especially Artemis, Jesseny and Clementine! Avery and Gideon are so sweet too and I just wanted them all to be happy as who they were.
When we are introduced to this new world of Vitruvia, we begin to understand that women are seen as lower class and that a dictatorial leader is ruining the country and enforcing brutal punishments if someone breaks the law!
All the characters are lovely and the premise was great, however, the story did lack substance. Areas were left blank and some conversations that were supposed to pack-a-punch just didn't deliver.😕Also, a lot of the content is of a mature nature and I would recommend that no one under the age of 14 should read this, for some topics are sensitive and need to be handled with care😊
Overall, this book was ok and I enjoyed a lot of it, but some parts just didn’t work. L.S. Kilroy has a lot of talent and if you are a lover of Steampunk Dystopia then this novel is the one for you❤️
ENJOY X
After receiving a copy of this book for the author herself, I was dying to jump right in!
As I began the book, I was startled by how quickly the story moved along and did become rather annoyed as to how many areas were skipped. Nevertheless, the novel is exciting by how fast-paced it moves along and you never feel as though you're being dragged through the novel.
I really loved the characters too, especially Artemis, Jesseny and Clementine! Avery and Gideon are so sweet too and I just wanted them all to be happy as who they were.
When we are introduced to this new world of Vitruvia, we begin to understand that women are seen as lower class and that a dictatorial leader is ruining the country and enforcing brutal punishments if someone breaks the law!
All the characters are lovely and the premise was great, however, the story did lack substance. Areas were left blank and some conversations that were supposed to pack-a-punch just didn't deliver.😕Also, a lot of the content is of a mature nature and I would recommend that no one under the age of 14 should read this, for some topics are sensitive and need to be handled with care😊
Overall, this book was ok and I enjoyed a lot of it, but some parts just didn’t work. L.S. Kilroy has a lot of talent and if you are a lover of Steampunk Dystopia then this novel is the one for you❤️
ENJOY X
May 26, 2016
The Vitruvian Heir was a fantastic read. I happened upon the book because the author was scheduled to speak at the Watch City Steampunk Festival. After seeing the announcement and reading the synopsis of the story, I knew that it was a must read.
I enjoy reading stories that are set in a dystopian future, but some can be hit or miss. This one is absolutely a hit, and I would encourage anyone to pick it up and read it for yourself. From the beginning you can feel yourself becoming attached to the characters, rooting for them to both find themselves in this overly oppressed world, and wishing that they can find a way to bring about real change and equality.
Lore is born into a family that has wealth and title, but in this world she has no freedom and neither will her future daughters. She begins questioning her reality shortly after her grandmother is mysteriously silenced, but not before she can pass along a secret message to Lore. This begins her journey to gaining a real education, a warrior fighting for a cause, and a person still able to find love even in the most volatile world.
I enjoy reading stories that are set in a dystopian future, but some can be hit or miss. This one is absolutely a hit, and I would encourage anyone to pick it up and read it for yourself. From the beginning you can feel yourself becoming attached to the characters, rooting for them to both find themselves in this overly oppressed world, and wishing that they can find a way to bring about real change and equality.
Lore is born into a family that has wealth and title, but in this world she has no freedom and neither will her future daughters. She begins questioning her reality shortly after her grandmother is mysteriously silenced, but not before she can pass along a secret message to Lore. This begins her journey to gaining a real education, a warrior fighting for a cause, and a person still able to find love even in the most volatile world.
May 15, 2015
I don't have a lot of time to read, but someone recommended this book because I am a fan of dystopian works. L.S. Kilroy's debut does not disappoint! The writing is fluid and includes rich details of her imagined Neo-Victorian U.S. without overshadowing the characters. The characters themselves are wholly relatable, especially the protagonist, Lore. She is willful without being reckless, brave and loyal, and the way she fights for what she believes in and handles every situation with an honest and rational mind makes her an amazing role model for young women. This book has definite feminist undertones, but I wouldn't say it's just for women. It's totally original, dark, witty, action-packed, and fast-paced storytelling artfully done that will leave you dreaming of this uniquely elegant glimpse into a frightening future long after you've read it. I think this will become a very important work on par with works like Huxley's Brave New World, Orwell's 1984, and Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.
November 23, 2015
The Vitruvian Heir is packed with suspense at every twist and turn. I'm always looking for stories with dynamic female characters and this certainly did not disappoint! Lore is brave, bold and full of heart. Sawyer is tenacious, appealing to the free spirit in all of us. As I'm not particularly familiar with the steam punk genre, I had no idea what to expect. The post-apocalyptic setting laid ground for a perfect fantasy, the kind that sweeps you away and sticks with you long after you put it down. Loved it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to spice up their bookshelf with an adventurous and energetic read.
February 27, 2015
So I found a promotional bookmark for this book on the bus home from work, and after look it up was intrigued enough that I wanted to read it. And I LOVED it! A fascinating dystopian world and badass women all over the place - yes please. So thanks, whoever left that bookmark on the bus, for a really great summer reading!
April 1, 2015
I loved this book. The time jumps got a little frustrating, simply because it'd bring you right up to finding something out and skip forward, but I think it worked well in the end. Very good book. Highly recommend.
**i received this book via a goodreads giveaway**
**i received this book via a goodreads giveaway**
July 30, 2015
Won a copy of this book in a give a way. The book cover could be better, looks like there are things in her hair. Didn't like the lower case j's put on the first letters at the start of a new paragraph.
October 26, 2015
Our Book Club read this book and every person loved it! It is not easy to get a group of women all to agree on liking a book. This book has a little bit of everything in it for every person. We are looking forward to your next book.
May 5, 2025
bridgerton meets the roaring 20s meets an epic battle???
i mean this book has it all! disclosure: this was sent to me by the author.
i loved it either way tho! it was above my typical reading level and took more concentration but the story kept me interested all the way through
i understand how the backstories are important and ultimately all tied in but that was where i was trying to push through the most
overall i was shocked at every twist and am excited to read the next two
i mean this book has it all! disclosure: this was sent to me by the author.
i loved it either way tho! it was above my typical reading level and took more concentration but the story kept me interested all the way through
i understand how the backstories are important and ultimately all tied in but that was where i was trying to push through the most
overall i was shocked at every twist and am excited to read the next two
December 30, 2024
I read this in ONE DAY! I couldn’t put it down. It is so well written. I felt like I was there with the main characters - a fly on the wall…I love the strong females and people wanting to live their own lives.
This book is fast-paced and a great read. Now on to book 2. I can’t wait!!!
This book is fast-paced and a great read. Now on to book 2. I can’t wait!!!
March 30, 2015
Liked it well enough, but more on the side of "meh"
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews