actual rating: 3.5 stars 
 BUDDY-READING WITH AICHA / CLOCKWORK READER 
 The beggining of the story was very VERY slow. Etta, the main female character, was very bratty and obnoxious; a bit full of herself too. And yes, I took a month to read this book because that half of the book was really really boring. Also, I wasn't really into the insta-love between Nicholas, the main male character, and Etta. 
 But then at the middle of the book, Etta's personality makes a 180 degree turn and BAM the story got so much better, dynamic and so intriguing!!! 
 If you love art, history & the sea this is the story for you! warning, you need a LOT of patience to get to the first half of the book. So people who DNF this book, grab it again and keep going!!!!! It is worth it! Also, the insta-love turns into something else and they are actually really cute together. The couple turns out to be "normal" and go with the flow (get the pun? haha) 
 the amount of research that had to be done to make this book is astonishing. However, the description overload made it a bit slower but it had to be done so you could understand the settings. 
 And the end OMG OMG OMG. so many things happened in the last few chapters!!! 
 (view spoiler)[ I was absolutely NOT expecting that Etta would just dissapear like that and now I have to wait for the second book to see what happens to her!!!!! And Julian!!!! AND ALICE (I can't believe Rose killed her best friend)!!!! AND OMG POOR NICHOLAS!!! Also, I thought it was so funny that just when Etta is gone, BAM! her mom appears! Karma's a bitch, Etta. (hide spoiler)] 
 Will I be reading the second book? OF COURSE!!!!!!!! So many unanswered questions!!!! (view spoiler)[ Are Etta and Julian okay? Will Nicholas and Etta end up together? Who are the real traitors? What will happen with the astrolabe? What will happen with Rose? (hide spoiler)]