From the very start I was hooked. This is steampunk world building at it's best. The writing is great, the characters are great and the sense of mystery is entrancing. 
 A superb, complex and believable Steampunk world comes to life on these pages. The technologies are inspiring, the world a dark, dark place, especially if you fall foul of the steam barons. The author has taken inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and really made it work, weaving it wonderfully into this story - the result is quite splendid. 
 The characters have depth, with flaws all round, and they grow and change so much throughout this book. It was slightly infuriating knowing more than each of the characters at times but the narrative really works for this story. 
 The ending was not what I expected, which is actually excellent. It kept me thinking, wondering... And what a twist! It left me quite sad and surprisingly bereft. Is it any wonder I picked up the second book straight away? 
 A splendid steampunk tale infused with magic and darkness.