I barking love this book. 
 While my darling sister read this book for the first time, I felt the intense need to re-read it. I had forgotten half of what happened. I have to say, it was better the second time than it was the first. I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't stop grinning the whole time I was reading it. 
 Scott Westerfeld is fantastic! I'd say this is his best work yet. First of all, it's alternate history, which is always enjoyable. Second of all, the characters are brilliant. Thirdly, the machines and the beasties are fascinating. Fourthly, Keith Thompson's illustration are the icing on the cake. 
 I repeat, Scott Westerfeld is barking brilliant. 
 (I think I'm going to start using Deryn's vocabulary. Barking spiders just has such a ring to it.)