Described as "gloriously retro literary steampunk" (Guardian), something like "what Jules Verne would write if woken from the dead and offered a dose of mushrooms" (National), Aurorarama captivated the critics from start to end. As it slowly unravels its secrets through Orsini's and d'Allier's alternating perspectives, the narrative "glides on silver skates from the surreal to the absurd to the languorously decadent" (Salon.com), balancing a stylish, suspenseful thriller with eccentric characters, sly humor, and a vivid and alluring setting. Salon.com bemoaned Valtat's flat female characters and the National cited some of the pitfalls of world building, but these complaints didn't diminish the charms of New Venice. A sophisticated and literate page-turner, Aurorarama should have a wide appeal among many readers. This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.