Review – The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia (4/5 stars)

Reading Level:Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 304 pages
Publisher:‎ Prime Books
Release Date: November 15, 2009
ASIN: ‎B003AU4S3W
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed ebook from library
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new, Mattie discovers powerful and dangerous secrets – secrets that can completely alter the balance of power in the city of Ayona. This doesn’t sit well with Loharri, the Mechanic who created Mattie and still has the key to her heart – literally.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed a copy of this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book but found the plot to be a bit messy and poorly paced. The story follows Mattie, an intelligent automaton who has gained independence from her maker to become an alchemist. Mattie is approached by the gargoyles to help them find a cure to their slow demise. Then Mattie is unfortunately drawn into a political conflict between the gargoyles, the alchemists, and the mechanics that is tearing the city of Ayona apart.

I enjoyed Mattie as a character, she was unique with a very unique set of concerns. Watching her struggle between hating her creator and still wanting to obey and support him was both tough and intriguing. She also wanted to form connections with other humans but her dreams would be dashed when the humans didn’t recognize her need for connection.

I really loved the gargoyles who built this stone city and watching them try to adjust to the changes in their world. The city of Ayona itself was another aspect I loved about this

Where the story fell short was the plot. There are a few different plot threads going on here. Mattie’s search for an alchemical cure for the gargoyles, Mattie’s struggle to leave her creator behind, and then the turmoil between the different factions of the city. These storylines weren’t woven together very well and would get dropped and then picked back up. It made the story feel fractured.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. It was heartfelt, unique, and engaging. I loved Mattie, the city, and the gargoyles. I did struggle with how fractured the storyline felt. It is hard to find decent steampunk reads and this is one I would definitely recommend if you enjoy reading steampunk themed books. I do plan to check out additional books by Sedia in the future; there were some very unique ideas in here.