This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf. 
 I am not really a steampunk reader and this is actually my first steampunk novel. And as I figured out I actually do like this genre, this novel failed to impress me. What I was expecting is a book full of thrilling and surprising clues, but instead I got a quite simple and predictable storyline. 
 It's not that I didn't like the story, I just couldn't get into it as much as I would have liked. I found myself wishing to be done with Legacy of the Clockwork Key just so I could read another book. 
 Legacy of the Clockwork Key is set in Victorian London. After Meg's parents died in a fire, Lord Rathford took her in as a maid. The only thing she had left from her family is a pocket watch. Only later she discovered it's not a pocket watch but a key, a key only she could use. Slowly the story untangled itself and she found out about the Secret Order of Modern Amusmentists and about a machine she was supposed to destroy. Along with a few other acquaintances, she tries to solve the clues and find a way to destroy a dangerous machine. 
 As I already said, I was expecting it to be mysterious, but it was quite predictable. You could see how it would end as soon as you started the book. I am not an experienced steampunk reader, but I had a hard time visualizing all the inventions and what really bothered me is that it was never explained how they worked. For Victorian Era, they weren't your everyday inventions, they were odd and I wanted to know on what principles they worked. 
 The characters were plain and quite forgettable. There wasn't much depth to them, and as I found myself wanting to know more about them and about their past, I never did found out the things I was curious about. At times, I was frustrated with Meg. She'd jump headless into some dangerous situations and then she'd fear the others not so dangerous situations. Meg and Will's relationship was sweet, but I enjoyed Lucinda and Oliver more as a couple. 
 While I did enjoy Legacy of the Clockwork Key to some point, I'm not sure yet about reading the sequel. If you're a steampunk novel fan, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one as there is a lot of machinery and interesting inventions. 
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