Review – A Reflection of Shadows (Elemental Steampunk Tales, Book 3) by Anne Renwick (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 334 pages
Publisher: Anne Renwick
Release Date: May 9, 2019
ASIN: B07PGHNY55
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Elemental Steampunk Tales
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Shunned for her odd eyes and an unnerving habit of slipping into shadows, Lady Colleen Stewart refuses to be caged–should she decide to marry, it’ll be for love and to a man of her choice. After all, she’d rather be racing over rooftops than waltzing across ballroom floors. So when the only man to ever tempt her heart invites her on a covert mission, she leaps into danger.
Nicholas Torrington, Queen’s agent, is running out of time. While work has him chasing his tail, his sister grows increasingly ill, and Colleen, the woman he would make his bride, has acquired another, determined suitor. To coax his favorite thief back into his arms, he’ll break every rule and lead her through the underbelly of London on a hunt for a mad scientist and a cure for his sister.
But the discovery of a burned-out laboratory provides more questions than answers, and they find themselves caught in a deadly game where they have become the prey. Surviving the ambitions of their pursuers will bring everything into sharp focus as they risk their very lives.”
Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Elemental Steampunk Tales series. I bought this for my Kindle.
Story (4/5): This was another story set in the same world as the previous story but featuring two new characters, Lady Colleen Stewart and Nicholas Torrington. Lady Colleen has been working secretly as a sneak thief in hopes of getting enough money to support her lands in Scotland. These lands will be granted to her shortly (they are in care of her rather awful Uncle).
Nick is a Queen’s agent and is desperately trying to find a cure for his sister’s weak heart. The two have a lot of history together because of their night-time stealthy jobs. When one of Lady Colleen’s suitors ends up being a bit bonkers, she takes on a risky job to finally be rid of both her unwanted suitor and her uncle. In the course of this job she finds out that things link up with some research Nick was following up on about therapies for weak hearts.
I really enjoyed this story. There is a lot of adventure and action. My only complaint is that it feels like we are missing a lot of Colleen and Nick’s background. As with previous books there is a lot of steampunkish medical science in here that is great fun to read about; I really enjoy this aspect of these stories.
Characters (4/5): Colleen and Nick were both wonderfully fun characters; I really enjoyed reading about them. They both trust each other and have very strong senses of self. Again, my largest complaint is that I felt like they got to know each other and have adventures together largely before this story takes place. There are some well done side characters as well.
Setting (4/5): This book takes place in the same world as all the other books in this series. Unlike the previous books, this book is set mainly in London. I enjoy the historical setting and all the steampunk elements a lot.
Writing Style (4/5): No complaints about the writing style here, it’s very engaging and easy to read. If you’ve enjoyed previous books by Renwick you’ll enjoy this one as well. This Elemental Steampunk Tale was a bit longer than the first two in the series. I continue to really enjoy how Renwick weaves medical and scientific terms into the story, it keeps things interesting. I also love the balance of science, steampunk elements, adventure, magic, and romance in these stories.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was on par with Renwick’s previous books in this series. This was a bit longer than the previous books and I enjoyed the characters a bit more (I just like more action and daring). I would recommend this book to those who have enjoyed previous books by Renwick or who enjoy steampunk adventure with some romance.
