The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter

i had trouble connecting with this story from the start, and I think it's honestly just a case of too many references. The concept of women taking back early science fiction literature is a very appealing idea, and I think if Goss had chosen one of her characters, or even just Mary and Diana, I would have enjoyed it more. However, the epic cast from four monster novels plus Sherlock and Watson plus a bunch of Dracula references which only seem to be there to lead the readers in the sequel, left it feeling contrived. Additionally, none of the characters really feel like real people, all a little too perfect even in their flaws. It's especially hard to believe when it comes to Diana Hyde, who only seems to listen to her id when it comes to eating and precocious banter. i like references, but in the end this book was just fine. It never really pulled me in any emotional direction.