The Brass Giant

The Clockwork Giant is an interesting tale of a steam punk Victorian city consumed by engineering, divided classes, and a girl trying to navigate it all. Petra is an interesting character with a mysterious background that draws you in pretty quick. Brooke Johnson's visuals and world building are fantastic and I could easily picture the city as a real place.

While I found the plot a little thin for a novel-length work, I do keep in mind that this book is aimed at younger readers and that's where it's ideal audience can be found. Each character felt real and they were interesting enough to care about. I would've liked to see more of the mysterious guild or an exploration of the engineers, but this is a love story more than a technical story.

The Clockwork Giant may not be for everyone, but it's an original idea with good characters and a lot of promise. I can see younger readers loving this, while it's entertaining enough for adults.