Das Mädchen mit dem Stahlkorsett

I feel like I am missing something with this novel. Every time I tried to pick up this book and read it, I am reminded of the main problem with this book: it feels like this should be the 2nd book in the series. It is written in such a way that it feels like we should know these characters already. Exposition is told to us in such a manner as that we should know it already, and that is very annoying. I looked this book up, and, indeed, this is the first book in the series and it isn't a continuation of a previous series or anything. This is the first thing this author has ever published in the steampunk chronicles. All that comes before this is a short story that seems to have little to do with the overall plot of the series.

What this means is that we are thrust into the story with little idea of what is going on, and the exposition that is here does not help, simply adding to my confusion as opposed to alleviating it. I have tried to look everywhere for another book, but this is indeed the first and it taints my view of everything in this novel. Events happen to certain characters that I'm sure should be a big reveal, instead fall flat because I don't care about any of the characters. The characters themselves are nothing special, given how the book is written, and there are no memorable aspects to this book that I can think of that this book does well. If you want a book about a girl with a darker split personality, go with The Young Elites by Marie Lu. If you want a tale about a girl who joins a society of people against a man using machines to take over the world, go for The infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare. All of these series do these aspects better than this book, which is a shame.I had hopes that this book was going to be some Steampunk awesomeness, but all it did was be some weezy bit of steam. a Two out of five.