Steampunk Novella Review: The Mysterious Case of Mr.Strangeway by Karina Cooper

The Mysterious Case of Mr. Strangeway by Karina Cooper (The St. Croix Chronicles #0.5)

Egalley thanks to Carina Press

Synopsis from Goodreads
Although I have only been part of Society for two years, I am already desperate to escape its confines and eager for adventure. The world my deceased parents have left me is nothing more than a gilded prison, and I will do anything to escape the boredom, even become a collector of bounties.

My name is Cherry St. Croix, and I may be young, but I am old enough to know when I am in over my head. My first collection seemed easy: Mr. Strangeway’s debts have come due, and the purse for his capture is hefty. Yet the wastrel remains one step ahead of me, and my efforts are hampered by another collector after the same coin. What’s more, a simple hunt becomes the forefront of a conspiracy that leads me on a chase through London’s low-class streets.

Not only does my pride demand success, but the well-being of many rest upon the choices I make—failure is not an outcome I can live with.
Amazon  US | Amazon kindle US($1.99)/UK(£1.33)

7.5/10

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This is a very nice and very short novella from a fabulous steampunk series which I can't help but recommend to anyone I know. If you haven't read Tarnished or Gilded yet, you must do it!

There are couple of reasons why my rating is lower than 9 out of 10 - which is what I rate this series in general.



First of all, I dislike the nature of novella itself as it's short enough to prevent any good plot development or character depth, so my ratings of novellas are generally not higher than ratings of the same author's full books.

The second reason is specific to The Mysterious Case of Mr. Strangeway. The chosen narration is particularly awkward, because it reads like something told from Cherry's memories and with a lot of hindsight. The reader gets distracted by "if only I knew" and "after this job I learnt to", and for me specifically this didn't work at all.

Otherwise it's a pleasant story of a 15-year old Cherry trying to make her first collection, her many silly mistakes and her propensity to get into more trouble than she can deal with. Delightful!

For fans of Hawke (RAWR!): you have to read this, because it shows how they met for the first time, and I absolutely loved his derision for the snooty girl and his unexpected acknowledge of what she managed to accomplish in the end :) Recommended with slight reservations.

* * *

Я, как вы знаете, новеллы не люблю и читаю их очень редко. Однако Карина Купер пишет одну из моих самых любимых серий стимпанка и от прочтения её новеллы я удержаться не смогла. Если вы кстати не знаете о её первой и второй книге о Черри Сент-Круа, я их очень вам рекомендую! Они просто прекрасны.

Таинственное Дело Мистера Стрэнжвэя рассказывает о первой коллекции Черри, которую она решила совершить в 15-летнем возрасте. Новелла начинается медленно и раздражает количеством размышлений вспоминающей о том, что произошло, Черри. Читателю постоянно приходится читать "если бы я только знала" и "в последующие годы я научилась", что мне ну очень не нравилось.

С середины новеллы сюжет набирает силу и становится интересным, и я особенно советую эту историю поклонникам Хоука (ваша покорная слуга в их числе), так как здесь описывается его первая встреча с Черри, и читала я о ней с огромном удовольствием.

В общем, рекомендую, но довольно сдержанно.