The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex, #1)

Mar 11, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's a good thing this has a little over 500 pages, otherwise it would have been too much. The author throws in everything! And surprise of surprises, I enjoyed it! I am not saying it was perfect. In fact, there is a specific clump of pages I could have just done without. But all in all, IRON THORN was quite satisfying.

One complaint though: the reader shouldn’t be tasked with having to figure out how to say the lead’s name. I mean, “Aoife”. It took me several tries to figure out how to roll my t...more It's a good thing this has a little over 500 pages, otherwise it would have been too much. The author throws in everything! And surprise of surprises, I enjoyed it! I am not saying it was perfect. In fact, there is a specific clump of pages I could have just done without. But all in all, IRON THORN was quite satisfying.

One complaint though: the reader shouldn’t be tasked with having to figure out how to say the lead’s name. I mean, “Aoife”. It took me several tries to figure out how to roll my tongue to come up with a believable/right sounding name… and I’m still not sure I was/am saying it right.

Let me just say that the first fifty pages were AWESOME. There is no other way to describe why page after page after page just flew by! To bad the awesomeness stalled around page fifty... only to kick back into gear around p 160!

I really enjoyed the characters in this one. They are, all of them, not as they seem (And I really do mean all of tnem.) Then there's the world that they live in. I also enjoyed all the twists in it (and there are a lot.) So here goes,

She's is a ward of the state. With her mother is in a madhouse, she goes to a school where she disagrees with half the things taught (re: Heretics.) In her blood, it is said, lies madness. A madness that drives her away from her mother. A madness that caused her brother to almost kill her. In a few, she turns sixteen when her madness might be triggered. Madness being just the first step to being virally decimated. Those infected devolve. Add on the fact that Her world is one divided between Rationalists and heretics. The former look down on the latter as “those who reject reality and substituted the fantastical lie of magic and conjuring for science and logic…” Cool, right?

The problem is by the time her world and its background had settled enough in my head she started sounding like a drip: (a.) she is like a lot of teenagers has a love/hate thing going on with her mother. (b.) She hates her situation, complains (to herself) about how everyone sees her in a certain light, but does nothing about it! That is, until her absentee brother pops in the picture. (c.) Then there’s the way she treated her BFF, Cal and later on Dean(!)

Once they get to where they need to go, things get much better (or different?). One, I was expecting a Leviathan/Behemoth i.e. a lack of romance compensated for by other aspects like action or mystery, but that was not the case here. The change in relationship between the characters took me by surprise. It seemed contrived. As if the author felt something absent and decided to plunk the girl into more trouble… (Let’s put them in the impossible situation of having ~~him~~ them like her!) THANKFULLY, that was not the focus of IRON THORN.

I had a Clockwork Angel moment too when Conrad’s role became clear. A girl in search of her missing brother in a steampunk-ish novel. Sounding familiar yet? With nothing held against CA, I am thankful (again) that the similarities are superficial! IRON THORN is so much more. It’s darker and edgier. So dark in fact, that I could practically hear the moans of those in Doctor Portnoy’s care, and the shrieks of those falling from the bridge. So edgy, I could practically imagine the mist around her.

And if steampunk and a missing brother ala-Clockwork Angel aren’t enough to convince you, well, why don’t we throw in some Fey. Apparently her life wasn’t complicated enough… BUT I loved it! The fey aspect in this one raised the creepy factor up a couple of notches (if that's possible.)

With so many things going on, some might be tempted to chuck it. I would have done so, but after page 160 the story just flows. Reading on, I found myself liking the characters more, curious about what they would do and what would happen to them. So, the length of the book makes sense. Nothing short of 500 could fairly contain all the details in the book. In the end, IRON THORN worked for me. The boring part (pp 50ish-150ish) was mind numbingly boring… but that was offset by the good parts which were absolutely just that~ good!

I am looking forward to the rest of this series.(less)

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Jun 02, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

My first steampunk! And it was AWESOME!

It took me a little while to get into it. I'll admit the world itself took me a while to get used to, the lingo and what-not. (I can't really say if it was just this novel, or if it's steampunk related.) But once I was enraptured by the story, there was no turning back!

What a complex world! Magic, machines, Kindly Folk..... I can honestly say I never knew what to expect next! I was blown away by the complexity and innovation of this novel. Kittredge is a ve...more

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Dec 15, 2011 ◕ ◡ ◕ Arooj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covers-to-die-for, favorites, books-i-fell-hard-for

The unexpected has happened.

I have read a historical/steampunk novel about faeries.

And actually liked it. A lot. So much that it even made it to my "books I fell hard for" list.

*dun dun DUUUUUUN*

Every time someone asks me what my least favourite type of books to read are, I always say historical. And faeries. You see, historical just isn't something I'm interested in. I find it boring. The only other historical book I actually like is The Infernal Devices series, but that's because I already lov...more The unexpected has happened.

I have read a historical/steampunk novel about faeries.

And actually liked it. A lot. So much that it even made it to my "books I fell hard for" list.

*dun dun DUUUUUUN*

Every time someone asks me what my least favourite type of books to read are, I always say historical. And faeries. You see, historical just isn't something I'm interested in. I find it boring. The only other historical book I actually like is The Infernal Devices series, but that's because I already love Cassandra Clare and her books. And faeries are just...blah. Besides The Iron Fey series, there aren't many novels about faeries that I like. I'm very iffy about them. As for steampunk, it just sounds very confusing to me so I never tried to learn more about it. So the fact that I loved The Iron Thorn, which has all these three things, totally shocked me.

This book made me see steampunk and faeries in a whole new way. I actually searched steampunk to better understand what it is and found out a lot. The best way to describe it is by this slogan I found, "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner". Basically, a dystopian world set in historical times. And I love dystopian. How cool is that?

The Iron Thorn is full of magic, adventure, and some pretty scary stuff. I loved it ALL. The beginning instantly pulls you in and you just can't help but keep turning the pages. At first it's very fast paced, but towards the middle, it slows down. This is a pretty heavy book. Do not expect a quick, light read. It's the kind of book you should read when you have a lot of time on your hands to settle down and absorb all the information. It's not the kind of book you'd want to read in the 5 minute breaks you have in between work, or a quick chapter before you go to bed. (Though I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't help yourself!) I read this book at the worst possible time. I had end of term school work to do while I was reading this and I could only read about a chapter at a time. My mind was always on the book and at times I couldn't even focus! See what this book does to you? You need to be fully alert when reading this because since the pace is slow, you might get tired at times. However, this book is NOT boring. At all. The romance takes some time to emerge. It slowly builds up from the start keeps you guessing just when it will happen, but when it does, you'll be swooning over and over again like me. It wasn't the main focus of the story, but I didn't mind that one bit. In my opinion, this book is sort of a mix of The Infernal Devices and The Iron Fey series. All in all, Caitlin Kittredge has created an amazing novel with a twist on the usual faerie theme that'll have you wanting to devour the whole book up in one sitting. If that's even possible!

Before I began the novel, I made sure to learn how to properly pronounce Aoife's name (it's ee-fah) otherwise I would have gone mad trying to figure it out. Aoife is a badass. She takes crap from no one. She isn't the noble, order following good girl like others around her. She thinks and speaks for herself. I loved her immediately from the start and that love just grew when I learned about her admiration for books. Anyone who knows how to appreciate books is immediately awesome in my mind! Dean was by far my favourite character. Totally hot, a little bad, and a charm that can melt any girl's heart. I loved him! Cal was adorable, but a bit annoying, however he turned out to surprise me the most. Why? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out then won't you?

Thanks to this book, I have a new determination to read more steampunk books. If anyone knows of any like The Iron Thorn, feel free to recommend some to me!

Thank you Caitlin Kittredge, for writing such an amazing book.

4.5/5(less)

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Oct 21, 2011 Mandy at Blythes & Books rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everybody, steampunk-lovers, fantasy-lovers, dark-fantasy-lovers

Shelves: 5-stars-wowzers-my-kind-o-book, faeries-pixies-elves, fav-books-and-or-authors, gorgeous-cover-art, other-worlds, read-in-2011, series-in-progress, steampunk, supernatural-romance, dystopian

The Iron Thorn (The Iron Codex #1), by Caitlin Kittredge

This book is a Must-Read! It’s got something for everyone: steampunk, romance, adventure, dystopian, secrets, mysteries, great characters, monsters, strange worlds, faeries, a beautiful written story, a plot with unexpected twists…

Here’s the short(ish) version of the review:
* The cover seems very fitting, it projects the grim feeling of dark fantasy in the story, while bringing across the lonely feeling Aoife must have had many times, surr...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, ya

I just recently finished this. I read it in Kindle format, the first of the Kindle books my library was offering. I honestly didn't realize it was a YA book - I picked it because the excerpt on the library's website was so intriguing. I don't normally read YA because I'm an adult, but based on this, there's some pretty amazing stuff out there.

I really enjoyed this. The author really excelled in the worldbuilding, in my opinion. I think the story managed to pretty much use any stereotypical facet...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-decent-shelf-of-meh, take-your-sexism-and-get-out

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Aoife (pronounced EE-fa) Grayson is a ward of the state and has been so since her mother was committed. Enrolled in the School of Engines so she can become an engineer, she hopes that the necrovirus that drove her mother and brother to insanity won't strike her down too. Weeks before her sixteenth birthday, a letter arrives from her brother Conrad, who ran away when he turned sixteen, asking for help. Accompanied by her friend Cal and a flirtatious guide n...more Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Aoife (pronounced EE-fa) Grayson is a ward of the state and has been so since her mother was committed. Enrolled in the School of Engines so she can become an engineer, she hopes that the necrovirus that drove her mother and brother to insanity won't strike her down too. Weeks before her sixteenth birthday, a letter arrives from her brother Conrad, who ran away when he turned sixteen, asking for help. Accompanied by her friend Cal and a flirtatious guide named Dean, Aoife sets out for her father's home, the only place she can imagine Conrad going. What she learns will expose her to a truth the Proctors have been keeping from the public and force her to make a terrible choice.

I... Quite frankly, I don't know what to think of this book. My head's pounding from trying to make sense of it, so I don't think that's a good thing.

The characters all had their flaws, and none of them ever tried to be anything but perfect. Aoife isn't exactly a sweetheart to the people around her and Cal... I can't even begin to talk about Cal. I'll leave it at "I don't like him." Aoife's fear of insanity felt real to me, and it had me wondering sometimes if she were already insane and being an unreliable narrator. The strongest point overall was the development of Dean and Aoife's relationship. The way their friendship grew into attraction and took its sweet time rocked, and it made sense when I asked why they liked each other! I wish more couples could trust each other the way these two do.

Sometimes, that characterization gets kind of inconsistent, though instances of this are few. For example, Aoife calls herself clumsy when she's been nothing of the sort throughout all the book before it. Then she'll flip-flop between "I'm not a proper girl, so stop trying to make me be one!" and "I'm a proper girl and I can't like him because that's not what proper girls do!" She gets over this quickly, thank goodness.

This was my first voyage into steampunk and I'm not so sure this was a good place for me to start. No pains are made to explain about aether or dirigibles or anything like that; that's good for previous steampunk readers, but it's confusing for complete newbies like me. Though a lot of the elements are there, the story isn't completely steampunk. I would call it equal parts dystopia, steampunk, and paranormal for the fairies that come in later in the book. Pretty much everything you start with at the beginning of the book has been turned upside-down by the end by progression of the plot and nothing about it--what the right choice is, how to fix what went wrong, figuring out what just happened--is easy.

Sometimes the prose is pretty, sometimes it's not ("My stomach closed like a fist" (p. 2)), but the book itself feels overwritten most of the time. Heavily descriptive and full of metaphors and similes, the scenes get bogged down and slows down the entire book as a result. Description and lovely turns of prose are great, but they stop being great when they come at a cost to the novel as a whole. Multiple descriptions could have been axed altogether and when your character is getting so specific after getting bit by a monster and barely being conscious, you're definitely overwriting it.

But I feel it necessary to warn anyone planning to read this book that there is sexism in it. There are remarks like "You're smart for a girl, but..." (p. 128) and "We won't always be schoolkids, Aoife. What will a husband think of this bookwork habit? (p. 298) thrown around. Women are considered unfit to do certain jobs and go to certain schools, such as an aerodynamics school, just because they're women. Considering that this takes place both in the 1950s and in an alternate universe, some may make an allowance for that despite a dislike of it. On one hand, it would be realistic for the times (though the different universe may offset that). On the other hand, sexism isn't okay period. In the end, I'll just make people aware that it's here in case it's something a reader feels they can't tolerate for any reason in a book.

This isn't the kind of book I would hurry to press on others. If you are absolutely confident that you can take it and you want to read The Iron Thorn, I say go for it. If you have doubts, you might not want to buy it and if you still want to read it, borrow a copy instead. I'm not sure whether or not I'll be staying around for The Nightmare Garden, book two of the trilogy, though I'm interested in whether or not Aoife can fix her mistakes.(less)

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Feb 15, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm honestly not sure how to explain how much I love this book! I mean, really. It blew me away in all the best ways possible. I'm a huge fan of Fantasy and of Steampunk. Caitlin Kitteredge takes these two genres, throws in a bit of dystopia, and blends it together into something beautifully unique and wonderful. Looking for something to chase those reading blues away? Take this for a spin!

The Iron Thorn follows Aoife through a tough time in her life. Her family has a history of madness, and it...more I'm honestly not sure how to explain how much I love this book! I mean, really. It blew me away in all the best ways possible. I'm a huge fan of Fantasy and of Steampunk. Caitlin Kitteredge takes these two genres, throws in a bit of dystopia, and blends it together into something beautifully unique and wonderful. Looking for something to chase those reading blues away? Take this for a spin!

The Iron Thorn follows Aoife through a tough time in her life. Her family has a history of madness, and it seems to hit them each around their 16th birthday. Unfortunately for Aoife....that's just weeks away. The reader watches as Aoife is swept up in a whirlwind adventure to figure out her past, her present, and her future all at once. This is a dark and epic quest, that is filled with some of the most intriguing and disturbing creatures imaginable. I don't know if these characters live in Kitteredge's brain, but if they do I'd love to talk creepiness with her! I love that there is an underlying link to fae here as well. Keep a look out, it's hidden wonderfully well.

It is really the world building that brings this book to life. The city of Lovecraft is built from bits and pieces of H.P. Lovecraft's writing, with other elements thrown in. As I mentioned above, this isn't just a Fantasy novel. There is so much more to it. Lovecraft and it's surrounding areas are gorgeously dismal. There is a sense of fear and darkness that lays over everything. The atmosphere that is built makes you want to crawl under a blanket and read by lamplight, even if it is daytime outside. No kidding, there were descriptions in this book that made me shudder visibly. However it's not all dark if you're worried about that. Underneath everything is that fantastical sense of adventure and camaraderie. I won't spoil anything, but it's fantastic.

The characters, even besides just Aoife, burn off the page! Aoife is fierce, brave and utterly loyal. Her friend Cal is very rooted in what is right, normal and "proper" but is also an extremely loyal friend to Aoife. Then there is Dean, sweet Dean. The vagabond boy who turns guide, and just so happens to be the apple of Aoife's eye. Brave to a fault, and more than what he seems, he was absolutely my favorite character in the book. Each one of them has their own beautiful personality and wit. Add in the colorful characters that they encounter as they travel and I was completely swept away into the world of Lovecraft.

I can't say anything more. I just don't know what else to write. If you can't already tell, The Iron Thorn was everything I was looking for in a book. It pulled me out of my reading slump, and back into a love of the written world.

I wouldn't quite call this High Fantasy, since it still has one foot in reality, but definitely do your research if you aren't generally a fan of this genre. The Iron Thorn might not appeal to you. However, if you are a lover of Fantasy, of Steampunk, or even of Dystopian fiction, pick up a copy stat! I promise that if you allow yourself to get lost in the words, lost in the world, you'll experience something so amazingly unique it might just make you drop your jaw. The next book is still so far away! (less)

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Dec 22, 2011 Turtles rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: yuck

I forget how long ago I had downloaded this. But I picked it up last night, not remembering the plot of the book. And Kindle doesn't give you a blurb. It takes place in an unknown, modern time period... there were several references to 19XX dates, as well as 18XX dates, but since the book was an alternate history type, it's unknown if people were using the same calendar as us. So, despite the Steampunky/Victorian flavor, it's not technically from then. But I was so confused through the half of t...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to rate this book higher, but there are so many little annoyances with it that really stopped me from enjoying it as much as I could have. The dystopian 'steampunkish' setting doesn't work well with the time period it's set in. While everyone else's name in the book is simple and pronounceable such as 'Dean', 'Cal', or 'Conrad', the main character's name is an unpronounceable and strange ''Aoife'. And the character of Cal will argue with EVERYTHING, no matter what it is, whether...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Holly Kench rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Iron Thorn is a really hard book for me to review. All the way through, I kept thinking I should be enjoying it, but wasn’t. It was only my third sample of steampunk, a genre for which I am still holding off judgement. I must admit that the world building was fantastic in a lot of ways. I liked the creature mythology, but struggled to feel comfortable with some of the alternate history aspects, which didn’t always seem to mesh well. This is probably my issue more than that of the book, but it ma...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Peter marked it as to-read

From

Steampunk fans will delight in this first title in the sure-to-be-popular Iron Codex series, featuring an alternate, Victorian-flavored America tightly controlled by Proctors and driven by the Engine, an underground power source. The only girl at the prestigious School of Engines of Lovecraft Academy, Aoife Grayson is terrified that she will follow her mother and brother into the hereditary madness that strikes on the sixteenth birthday, now just a few weeks away. Determined to escape that

...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 1 of 5 stars

Epic was my disappointment in The Iron Thorn, it was by turns boring, convoluted and confusing. I felt no real pull to any of the characters, and only loosely understood what was going on most of the time. All very bad traits in a book, but horrible traits in a book which you're hoping to entertain you for a four and half hour flight.

For starters, the blurb is not really truthful. I thought I was getting a steampunk book with madness. Not so much. The Iron Thorn is really a fairy book, with a to...more Epic was my disappointment in The Iron Thorn, it was by turns boring, convoluted and confusing. I felt no real pull to any of the characters, and only loosely understood what was going on most of the time. All very bad traits in a book, but horrible traits in a book which you're hoping to entertain you for a four and half hour flight.

For starters, the blurb is not really truthful. I thought I was getting a steampunk book with madness. Not so much. The Iron Thorn is really a fairy book, with a touch of steampunk, and some dabbling in madness. How do those three things fit together you ask? Such a good question! Not very well, would have to be my answer. At no point did I feel Kittredge took her seemingly endless supply of disparate story threads and worked them together to form a whole. More like they were pulled into a messy knot, and left to be sorted out in the next book.

One of the greatest issues I took with this story was how things tended to cycle back in repeats of a situation, with no advancement of the plot or development of characters. For instance, Tremaine, a sinister member of the Folk, kept cropping up and threatening but each of his appearances were just more of the same without any new reveals. What is especially strange about Tremaine's story arc, was that after his first appearance he lets Aoife know she has a week to live up to her end of their agreement, but then he crops up two more times in less than 24 hours just to repeat himself. Why? It was never clear to me, but I was starting to feel like there was a glitch in my Matrix.

A convoluted story can be both confusing and mind-numbingly boring, but somewhat excusable in a debut author if they redeem themselves with characters you can invest yourself in. There have certainly been authors I've given the benefit of the doubt to, and carried on to book two because I loved their characters and the relationships they had built. Sadly Kitteredge didn't sell me on this point either. Cal is patronizing and annoying, and I spent most of the story (even after his big reveal) wondering how desperate Aoife must have been to make him her best friend. Dean was simply uninteresting, I mean at least Cal evoked an emotion from me, but Dean was just there. And his cowboy talk was ridiculous, especially once it's discovered he's part mystical creature of some fairy-type descent. Cowboy/Steampunk/Fairy/Madness tale was just two too many combos for the story. I can only imagine how much fun it must have been to fit this baby into a genre.

Most shocking of all was the Acknowledgments at the end, where Kittredge goes on to thank an extensive list of authors I greatly respect, including: Cherie Priest, Mike Mignola, and Holly Black. Although it seems some of these she's just quoting as inspiration, Cherie Priest and Tiffany Trent seem to have helped her at points with the manuscript. How this is possible is one of the many, many mysteries of The Iron Thorn.

It was such an intense challenge, and downright pursuit of boredom to finish this book I am greatly relieved I didn't buy book two when I picked up book one. I can't see myself ever becoming desperate enough to give it a chance. Though I would be curious to know if any of you have read it and found it an improvement on The Iron Thorn.

So tell me, what did you think?
(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Zarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, steampunk, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. If you can get past the language--dear god, the way these characters speak is so annoying--this is not a bad book. Granted, there are some gaps, plenty of places where we could well do with a bit more exposition. And, somewhat oddly, while some things were quite predictable (in total, even if not in exact detail) there were also several other items that were thrown at us with absolutely no warning or indication that that would be the case. (Kittredge tries to make up for it by alluding to suppos...more If you can get past the language--dear god, the way these characters speak is so annoying--this is not a bad book. Granted, there are some gaps, plenty of places where we could well do with a bit more exposition. And, somewhat oddly, while some things were quite predictable (in total, even if not in exact detail) there were also several other items that were thrown at us with absolutely no warning or indication that that would be the case. (Kittredge tries to make up for it by alluding to supposed past events, having the narrator say, 'now that I thought about it, blah blah blah made total sense--how could I not have seen it?--except that I, the reader, never saw even the slightest hint of it, either, even when looking back.) Unfortunately, these revelations don't come in the form of surprising plot twists, but rather in the form of, 'Wait-what the hell? Really? We're supposed to believe that? There was absolutely no basis for that happening anywhere in the rest of the story.'

The ending is hugely, obviously, left open to a sequel, so maybe these things are explained properly in the future, but unless the next book is immediately way better than this one, I'm not sure I'll care to read on.

I do think this is an interesting idea. Kittredge melds steampunk (Iron Thorn is set in an alternate version of the 1950s, in an imagined (or possibly renamed) city in the northeastern United States) with fantasy of the evil faery type. (I would've added historical fiction, as well, but it doesn't really read like that.) It's not entirely successful--as I mentioned before, there are some gaps. I guess we're just supposed to accept that magic works in really mysterious ways.

Finally, I should mention, for those who judge books by their covers (I admit I am sometimes one)--the cover of this book has absolutely NOTHING to do with the story inside. In terms of accurately conveying what the story might be about, this cover is probably the worst I have seen in my entire life.

Okay that's enough now.(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Liz rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good concept, too bad it read like a first draft. I got about 350 pages into the book before I decided that the choppiness of the writing and numerous logical flaws were too much to keep suffering through.

Our heroine is a orphaned ward of the state (view spoiler) who has a state-provided scholarship to an academy for engineers (view spoiler)...more Good concept, too bad it read like a first draft. I got about 350 pages into the book before I decided that the choppiness of the writing and numerous logical flaws were too much to keep suffering through.

Our heroine is a orphaned ward of the state (view spoiler) who has a state-provided scholarship to an academy for engineers (view spoiler). She receives a message from her on-the-run brother and sets out to find him.

There's a lot going on in this novel - a virus that turns you into a flesh-eating ghoul, ghouls, fairies, steampunk elements, magic, Lovecraftian monsters, and so on. I enjoy a big sprawling novel, but I felt like this novel needed a trim. Elements that were emphasized in the first part of the novel soon faded and were replaced with new ones. Then we entered a great big boring stretch at the mansion, where a protracted infodump from some of these new elements caused me to finally give up.

This sloppiness persisted at all levels. There were pacing problems. There were things characters said or thoughts they had about other characters had little resemblence to how the characters acted. For instance, the Shoggoth incident: (view spoiler).

The characters were unlikeable, with Aiofe unable to decide if she is an unrefined commoner or hating them, Cal being a male chauvinist who just exists to "protect" Aiofe, and Dean serving the role of your typical bad boy (view spoiler). There was simile overload too (and the similes didn't even make sense), and an overuse of the word "felt". Overall, it seriously needed an editor. (less)

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May 26, 2012 CD rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

At first, I didn't put together this author with her adult urband fantasy titles (Night Life, which rated only 3 stars and was OK, but not interesting enough to make me want to go get the next one of the series). Let me tell you that i usually rate books by whether they make me transfer them around the house. I will have a bedroom book, a living room book and a family room book and whatever room I am in, if I have time, I pick up that book and start reading. If the book is super good, I carry th...more At first, I didn't put together this author with her adult urband fantasy titles (Night Life, which rated only 3 stars and was OK, but not interesting enough to make me want to go get the next one of the series). Let me tell you that i usually rate books by whether they make me transfer them around the house. I will have a bedroom book, a living room book and a family room book and whatever room I am in, if I have time, I pick up that book and start reading. If the book is super good, I carry that book from room to room and usurp all the other books and read it straight through.

That is what happened with this book. In fact, I stayed up until 2:23 am to read to the end because I just had to finishe the story. It is that compelling.

I loved this book. I loved the characters, and the way she builds the relationships between them. I love how she lays out the mystery and takes her time on making it play out. This is not an easy world to understand and she throws you in and lets you starts trying to swim without throwing you a rope, but there are little pieces of flotsam and jetsam around to aid you, and keep your interest flowing.

It isn't so difficult that it turns you off, it is just difficult enough that you are intrigued to read on and figure it out. What is going on? Will Aoife go mad? Was her brother Conrad mad? Is Dean trustworthy? What secrets are hiding at Arkham?

It is just so fabulous and surprising. I guess that is why I liked it so much. She takes material that is tried and true: steampunk, fairies, monsters, and she combines in such a novel way. She creates a strong girl lead and gives her freedom to explore her talent.

If there is one quibble it would be that she often makes sweeping emotional statements that really aren't close to reality, but then again, she's a teen. So, perhaps that isn't such a quibble.

I can't wait for the next book.

Highly recommended. Excellent for middle and high school. Brief kiss, light romance, nothing graphic. Some violence when monsters are killed. 7-12 grade. (less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban, young-adult, fantasy

First in the Iron Codex steampunk series that mixes the mechanical with magic with the steam side fighting it every step of the way. This story is based in Massachusetts in the late 1950s. Just not our 1950s.

My Take
A good story. Kittredge drags you in right from the beginning with her Master Builder religion and Aoife's mentally ill mother. The atmosphere in the cities is rather Big Brotherish and everyone is encouraged to inform on everyone else for heretical acts. Which are legion.

Aoife is pre...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

The Iron Thorn is the perfect book to start a series. Caitlin Kittredge’s Iron Codex series is destined to be a favorite for many. It already has presented a very riveting story plot filled with remarkable characters. I loved the setting with all of its machines, gears, clockwork, and iron bridges. It was even more fascinating reading all the details that Kittredge has put in this book.

This was my first venture in the world of steampunk and I was not a bit disappointed. I found this to be an inc...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Before I go on with the review I would just like to say that the main character's name is pronounced EE-fah. I had to look it up after a few pages because I knew without a doubt that I was pronouncing it wrong, so I figured I would save you the trouble. I had started out with something that sounded more like Oy-f.

This was my first venture into the steampunk world (and yet it still mixes in a little dystopia) and I have to say that I was quite impressed. At almost 500 pages long (hardback version...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Paradoxical rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-list, books-otherwise

The book starts off slowly and never seemed to pick up all that much steam for me until the 'great reveal', which was about 3/4ths of the way into the book. Until then I was rather bored and plodding through the book for no real reason. It's not that the book is poorly written or terrible, it was just rather--well, not flat, but a bit detached. A little too smooth and a little too bumpy in parts to make me fully immerse myself into it.

Aoife, the main character, leaves me a bit stymied. On one ha...more The book starts off slowly and never seemed to pick up all that much steam for me until the 'great reveal', which was about 3/4ths of the way into the book. Until then I was rather bored and plodding through the book for no real reason. It's not that the book is poorly written or terrible, it was just rather--well, not flat, but a bit detached. A little too smooth and a little too bumpy in parts to make me fully immerse myself into it.

Aoife, the main character, leaves me a bit stymied. On one hand she isn't a shrinking violet. I rather like the way she forges on ahead and how she is clever. On the other hand, sometimes she just pisses me off. Yeah. Part of it is the way she treats the people around her, and other parts of it is... I have no idea. I don't even have a great reason for my disquiet, other than the fact that something about her character bugs me more than it should have.

Cal was pretty much a lost cause. He was annoying me from the start and never improved throughout the book (except for near the end, when he finally got interesting). Well, all right, I appreciated him going with Aoife on this grand adventure, but mostly I want to smack him in the head. I like Dean a whole lot better, but at the same time (and I seem to have this dichotomy a lot when reading this book) I don't really believe or get why he helps Aoife so much. Other than, you know, the regular romance triangle hot interested guy bit that was obvious from the start. Also, the constant smoking references were annoying. Yeah, the guy is addicted, yay for him. I don't care if a character smokes, but must you (the author) and you (the character) mention it all the time?

The thing is, I don't really believe the events in the book. Ignoring all of the fantastical things, the rationalist things, and so on, the troubles that Aoife and company get into (and get out of), just seem a bit too easily done. Too easily thrown in, too easily gotten out of, too easily--well, you get the picture. Granted, Aoife isn't given everything on a silver platter, but events happen awfully conveniently (to the point where it's really noticeable), and things like that bother me.

I did like some bits. I'm a sucker for mysteries and omgosh, secret pasts! and whatnot, so it's not a surprise that I enjoyed that portion of the novel, even if it came at you at a snail's pace. The big reveal was moderately interesting, and the book did pick up from there. The only problem with that was that most of the book was already over, so when I really got interested in reading it, it was soon over. Ah well.

Not so bad, but definitely not great. I wavered between 2-3 stars, rounding up to 3 because the ending seemed promising. (less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Jackie Garlick rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm torn on this one. I was really really excited about it in the beginning. The first chapter had me hooked and enthralled and then as we steadily moved away from what I felt was the opening promise of the book, her life threatened by the harsh reality of her mother's condition and subsequent incarceration inside an insane asylum, into an adventure in another world to her own, chasing after her elusive awol brother,I felt a bit gypped. I kept wanting to go back to the creepy asylum sequence set...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: listened-to

I am listening to this book at the moment and I think it would be better with a different narrator...or if I had read it and not listened to it. The narrator's voices for some of the characters are awful.

Overall, though, Iron Thorn wasn't bad. This is Kittredge's first YA novel so I will cut her some slack, but she does have a ways to go before she becomes a good YA author. The characters, creatures, and worlds are one-sided. The Land of Thorn is a dark, scary, bad place; the Proctors are all e...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Faye rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Iron Thorn Drinking Game: Everytime the adjectives "clockwork," "steam" " brass" are used to ensure the reader is too aware this is a "steampunk" novel, drink. Anytime someone "scrabbles for purchase," " or mentions a dirigible, drink twice. DO NOT drink anytime a jitney is mentioned; we're tryng to have fun here, not get alcohol poisoning. Oh, wait, this is a YA book, we probably shouldn't be drinking... though this book would drive most people to it!

And how could you miss it being a YA boo...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Wings rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. (Warning - Spoilers)

Saw this on the new shelf and got it, thinking it would be a typical fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised.
I don't go into the steampunk genre often, but in my words I think I would best describe it as a mix of fantasy, steampunk, dystopia and horror. In my opinion, Kittredge did the mixing very well.

Loved the characters. Interesting and realistic, although Aoife's name was a mystery to pronounce and you might call her personality a bit common in teen fiction. Still, she's a f...more (Warning - Spoilers)

Saw this on the new shelf and got it, thinking it would be a typical fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised.
I don't go into the steampunk genre often, but in my words I think I would best describe it as a mix of fantasy, steampunk, dystopia and horror. In my opinion, Kittredge did the mixing very well.

Loved the characters. Interesting and realistic, although Aoife's name was a mystery to pronounce and you might call her personality a bit common in teen fiction. Still, she's a far cry from the damsel in distress that stamps her foot and screams for her twenty-six rugged boyfriends and charming princes to save her, so that's nice. Loved Dean's character - funny, charming laid-back guy. I thought it was hilarious how people assumed him to be dangerous. The only qualms I had with him was the revealing that he was a half-blood. Sure, that was cool, but the whole I'm an awesome thief that's a half blood and I resent it thing seems a bit overused in teen fiction. Towards the end I got a bit of the normal girl teams up with guys who both fall in love with her, finds out she has epic powers and that her friends are all mystical creatures feel. Still, I thought Kittredge handled it pretty well so I don't really mind.

Plot was good. I won't say it was very fresh because it's not the first time I heard the you're the only one who can save the world thing, but again she did it decently. Like I've said before she uses quite a few well-known tropes with characters, plot and setting, but they pieced together to create a great read without feeling annoyingly cliched. I got the feeling that the goal/quest wasn't very strong, which I didn't really like. At times I wasn't sure what her goal was and why she was doing it, but then again at times Aoife wasn't sure either. I also would've liked another deeper reason for her to go on this perilous journey that will change the worlds instead of saving an estranged brother and a fae guy is holding threats over her head. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against that, I personally just prefer something else - maybe with deeper connections, or more personal quest.

Another thing I loved was the overall mood and feel of the story. Her writing style was great, descriptive without being too heavy, and the story held a kind of dark, sad/despairing style I guess I like. Not to say the story itself is depressing, it has its happy points as well, but this was one of those darker books and Kittredge set the feeling well.

In summary, great read. Not terribly fresh and unique - if you look, you'll find familiar tropes and myths in there, but I loved the setting and the way the author put things together. Horror, dystopia, corrupt government, fantasy, steampunk, twists and turns all in one go. Long book, but in my opinion it's worth the page count and never lost my interest. I'll be watching for the sequel.

>Sorry for any inaccuracies or mistakes :P I'm an avid reader, but this is one of my first reviews. So, apologies if I messed something up!
(less)

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Jul 18, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-5-stars

Plot: 4 Stars
The Steampunk details the author brought to the table were my favorite part of this novel. Not only were all of the different vehicles and machines explained in detail, but also the social structure of the world that was built. The city of Lovecraft ran on steam and was controlled by order. There was a slight "Big Brother is watching" feel to the government agency. When Aoife makes it out of the city, on her quest to find her brother, she finds a totally different world out in the c...more Plot: 4 Stars
The Steampunk details the author brought to the table were my favorite part of this novel. Not only were all of the different vehicles and machines explained in detail, but also the social structure of the world that was built. The city of Lovecraft ran on steam and was controlled by order. There was a slight "Big Brother is watching" feel to the government agency. When Aoife makes it out of the city, on her quest to find her brother, she finds a totally different world out in the countryside. A world not so different from the magic and witchcraft the government is so against. The end of this novel was fantastic. There were a couple twists that threw me completely on my head, and now I can't wait for the next novel to be released. Dean, her other travelling partner, was the polar opposite of Cal, but I enjoyed him more.

Pace: 3 Stars
This was a large novel. It clocks in at a little over five hundred pages. And it felt a little over five hundred pages as I was reading it. Although I did enjoy the details of the book, they were a bit wordy at times. There was also a span in the middle of the novel where Aoife wasn't making much progress in the attempt to find her brother that really slowed the plot down. Even when the plot called for urgency, it didn't always come across as urgent due to the amount of details included in every explaination. But near then end, the twists and turns sucked me back in and the pace picked up for the last one hundred pages.

Characters: 4 Stars
Aoife was a fantastic leading lady. She was a bit of a tomboy and was studying to work with the machines of the city. Even though the government forbids heretics, Aoife never squashes those thoughts, she just learns what she can and cannot say out loud to stay out of trouble. Cal, Aoife's best friend, was really annoying for the majority of the journey. Between his whining and talking down to Aoife, I wanted to punch him in the face. But when he was needed most, he came through in a very surprising way. This information Aoife finds out about her brother and father was very interesting, and I hope it is expanded on in future novels.

Cover: 3 Stars
This cover stands out against it's fellow Young Adult novels, while still blending in a bit. Overall, the cover is a bit dark. I like that you see more of the cover model than just her face. But she looks a bit computer animated. Something about her eyes just doesn't seem real. I'm also a bit confused as to why her clothes are falling off, although her outfit does fit the time period. The birds in the background are a great touch. The curling design behind the title is a detail that is pretty prevelant within many Paranormal Young Adult covers, but it works well when paired with this font. The font chosen is severe and blocky, so the curling design softens it a bit and helps it blend into the rest of the image.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure. (less)

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Jul 05, 2011 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, fantasy, steampunk, ya

Caitlin Kittredge's The Iron Thorn is a YA steampunk/horror/fantasy set in the city of Lovecraft, where the Engine grinds all to dust and the necrovirus is blamed for the rampant madness and fantastical creatures that roam the nights. Aoife Grayson is about to turn sixteen, and everyone's watching to see if she'll succumb to the madness as her mother and brother did. Even her best friend Cal.

Then Aoife receives a letter from her brother Conrad, telling her to go to their father's estate in Arkha...more

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May 25, 2011 Jennifer (Books&Barks) rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Iron Thorn was my first step into the world of steampunk, and what a first step it was! I am not unfamiliar with the writings of Kittredge, as I’m a fan of her Nocturne City and Black London novels as well. Although the latter is adult paranormal/fantasy the former is a delight in young adult fiction that can be appreciated by young and old alike, and even us middle aged folk in between.

In a world of gears and clockwork, machines and iron bridges, Aoife Grayson is a young girl waiting for th...more The Iron Thorn was my first step into the world of steampunk, and what a first step it was! I am not unfamiliar with the writings of Kittredge, as I’m a fan of her Nocturne City and Black London novels as well. Although the latter is adult paranormal/fantasy the former is a delight in young adult fiction that can be appreciated by young and old alike, and even us middle aged folk in between.

In a world of gears and clockwork, machines and iron bridges, Aoife Grayson is a young girl waiting for the day the familiar madness of her mother and brother will take over her life. In the meantime, she occupies herself with studies at the School of Engines, using math to keep herself sane.

“Far from busywork, numbers are solid and steady. Numbers keep the mind orderly.
An orderly mind can’t fall into madness, become consumed by its dreams, get sick on
the fantastic and improbable nations that only the mad can visit.” (pg 21)

In this time and place, there is no God, no belief in the spiritual or magical. There is only the “rational” following of the Master Builder, of science and reason. Proctors roam the streets, and the believers in magic - the heretics - when found are kept in the Catacombs to be tortured and/or put to death. The people are afraid of the necrovirus that causes madness and feel safe behind their walls, in their city run by the Great Engine.

I found this to be an amazing novel, and I can’t wait for the continuation of the saga. The world-building was rich with details while still keeping with the mystery of the story. The reader will think they have a grasp of what is going on only to be thrown for a loop in the next chapter. There are twists and turns up until the very end. We are able to grow with Aoife as she discovers things about her family history, things that she could never have imagined to be true. Unfortunately for Aoife life is not going to be easy, and this path of discovery will lead her on a journey of a lifetime. Thankfully, she has a few friends willing to take the journey with her.

Many thanks to Caitlin Kittredge for writing this interesting and engaging adventure in steampunk. I think this novel would make an excellent addition to anyone’s shelves. Now that I’ve gotten a taste for it, I may just have to read some more steampunk adventures!(less)

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May 24, 2011 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: caitlin, fantasy, series, young-adult

I wanted to read this book for two reasons. 1. The author spells her name right. It’s so hard to find Caitlin’s that adhere to the correct spelling. 2. Steampunk. What more does a book need? I’m one of those nuts that will give anything Steampunk a try. That’s right, I watched Wild, Wild West. In theatres. You’re allowed to be disgusted by me.

There was a lot I loved about this book. The three lead characters, Aoife (pronounced “eefuh”…I had to ask the author…) Cal, and Dean, are delicious to rea...more I wanted to read this book for two reasons. 1. The author spells her name right. It’s so hard to find Caitlin’s that adhere to the correct spelling. 2. Steampunk. What more does a book need? I’m one of those nuts that will give anything Steampunk a try. That’s right, I watched Wild, Wild West. In theatres. You’re allowed to be disgusted by me.

There was a lot I loved about this book. The three lead characters, Aoife (pronounced “eefuh”…I had to ask the author…) Cal, and Dean, are delicious to read. At first they seem like the typical YA threesome, the main girl, the boy who likes her, and the REAL love interest of the piece. And, to an extent, that holds up, but each character has their own secrets and mysterious and they all surprised me at least once. And I love being surprised by characters. Aoife was smart, brave, and not afraid to take action. Cal was loyal and dependable…or was he? Dean was…well, I think “yummy” describes him best. And any romantic tension between Aoife and Dean built…over time…they had conversations and got to know one another and had a real relationship. This is like young adult gold.

The right balance of detail was found in this book. Generally, you want a lot of detail in steampunk books, and in all sci-fi to a point, because part of the joy of reading is the gadgets. The devices and how they work and why they work and how the author has decided to fit goggles into the story. But sometimes, I find, Steampunk can get bogged down with too many details. I didn’t feel like that at all in The Iron Thorn. My curiosity was sated but I wasn’t bored to tears.

I will say, I wasn’t expecting fairies, or “eldritch creatures.” I’m not sure why I wasn’t expecting them, the title has the word “iron” in it. This should’ve been a dead giveaway for me. And yet I was still startled. I thought I would warn anyone out there who is as blind as I am. I didn’t mind the presence of the fairies, despite fairie books not really being my thing, because they were all shrouded by the awesomeness of STEAMPUNK!

Every time a character put on a pair of goggles or used a Rube Goldberg machine I shivered in happiness. There’s a whole house in this one that is basically a Rube Goldberg machine. A whole HOUSE! This book was a playground for anyone who enjoys the steampunk genre.

Beyond the rose coloured goggles of steampunk awesome, I will say, I thought the plot moved along at a slow pace. This is covered up by well paced scenes, which I highly enjoyed, but I thought the entire book could have happened at a faster pace. And again, I’m not a fan of the fairies. But that one’s just me.

All in all, this was a STEAMPUNK (I wonder how many more times I can say it…) adventure, with awesome characters, cool gadgets, a race against time and enemies, and a house that IS a Rube Goldberg machine. What can go wrong?

Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on May 24, 2011.(less)

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May 04, 2011 Phoebe rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Deborah, Nanci B, Telesa, Cheryl, Lisa

15-year-old Aoife lives in dread of her next birthday, just a month away, when she knows the necrovirus will begin causing her to turn mad, just like her once-beautiful mother. When she gets a letter from her missing, insane brother Conrad, urging her to save herself, Aoife knows she has to get out of the city somehow and find him; this means a dangerous journey to her father's estate, Graystone. She and her best friend Cal are helped along their path by the attractive, rough-edged Dean Harrison...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Adrienne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-count-2011, fantasy

When Aoife turns 16, she's going to go crazy. She knows it will happen: her mother's in a sanitarium, her beloved brother disappeared awhile ago after he threatened her with a knife, and plenty of people have been struck down by the Necovirus (like the whole city of Seattle) which screws up human brains. Until then, Aoife has decided that she will learn everything she can about engineering, in the hope that maybe somehow she won't go crazy, and can spend her life working with machines like the g...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Julia Driscoll rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: appropriate-for-high-school, appropriate-for-middle-school, fantasy, friendship-school, science-fiction, steampunk, romance-dating

I really enjoyed this book. I liked it at first and it continued to grow on me in an organic way. One heads up to readers, the book reads more slowly than most YA fiction, though it's well worth the time spent on it. The premise of a girl destined to go mad due to the "necrovirus" in the great steam powered city of Lovecraft was enough to hook me into reading it. I saw this as purely steampunk at first (steampunk genre: older style technology & culture, but with that technology capable of do...more

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