Dubiously. Squick. Ninny. Blisters! And Barking Spiders! All these are some of Westerfeld's favorite words. Fortunately, I grew to like them as well and they fit well with the fun tone of the book. 
 Although it took a while for me to get invested in the characters (especially Alek), I found myself a bit giddy when the two leads met for the first time. That's when I knew that I really cared about what happened to them. For me, that's a necessary part of any book, I have to feel that connection in order to keep my attention focused. 
 Up until the point where they met for the first time, I found my mind wandering every once in a while, curious about if they ever would meet or under what circumstances and how it would all come together. But it was worth the wait. It's unusual for the characters to be so separated for so long especially in a young adult book, but in this instance it worked. 
 The action scenes that happen after the big crash seemed somewhat contrived. One in particular was very hard to follow (the stormwalker and the chain thing). 
 Overall, great characters and world building. I love Deryn. She is hilarious and she has a crush! That's adorable. I can't wait to find out how everyone will respond when they find out her big secret, too. 
 This was actually my first official alternate history read. I expected to like it, but I ended up loving it. I'm not sure whether I'm frustrated or thrilled with the wanna-be cliffhanger ending, though. But I'm excited for the next one!