EPBOT Readers discussion

This is the place to put your final thoughts on The Brass Queen. I'll add some specific questions later on, once I finish! Spoilers allowed here, so don't read until you're finished.

I finished this book this week. I gave it 2 stars here. This was my first time reading steampunk. I have no idea if this is representative of it but this book was not my vibe.

I felt the main characters were not all that likable. Constance felt a bit petulant many times as was Trusdale. Their chemistry was not deeply felt by me although you could see that part coming from the start.

The book felt overly long. Sometimes the descriptions went off for too long and I'd be skimming just to get past it. There was a jump for me from the garden party to the cave climax ending a chapter and then turning the page in the next chapter she's back at her estate. I stopped at that chapter break and I have no idea how that all happened even going back. Maybe it was bad editing.

Much of the steampunk stuff felt really gratuitous. Being set in the 19th century but with advances of some technology but others so primitive didn't sit that well for me. I just didn't really believe a lot of it.

After finishing I took a look at the reviews on GR and the vast majority are 4s&5s. So my opinion is clearly the minority.

I may add more in response to others or the questions.

I gave it three stars. It was just okay. I enjoyed some of the humor but overall I found Constance too willfully obtuse about everything happening around her. I knew it was going to be a story with a romance plot, but it almost feels like the romance was barely there at the end, like the author didn't know what kind of story she wanted to write and never fully committed.