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Emilie #1
Emilie and the Hollow World
While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure.
Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father.
With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.
Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father.
With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.
301 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2013
30 people are currently reading
3699 people want to read
About the author
Martha Wells
98 books25.2k followersMartha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023). She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, Locus Awards, and a Dragon Award, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the British Science Fiction Association Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in twenty-five languages.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
March 25, 2013
I broke my own personal rule with Emilie and the Hollow World. I swore up and down to myself that I was going to pick up her Books of the Raksura, but then Emilie appeared, dangling a stand alone fantasy in front of my eyes, (Do you people realize how rare those are?! It’s like finding an elusive unicorn.) and I had to go for it first. Unfortunately, I’m not sure my gamble really paid off. What I found was a delightful adventure, quite a fun example of Gaslamp fantasy, but also a heroine who acted as a passive observer rather than an active participant in her own story for far too long, and writing tactics that have me throwing up all of my ‘DON’T WRITE DOWN TO YOUR AUDIENCE’ caution signs.
I’ll admit a certain amount of confusion when I began Emilie and the Hollow World. Partially due to my own assumptions, but partially due to the writing, I was under the impression that this was Middle Grade rather than YA. After having completed the book, I stick by my original impression and say Emilie and the Hollow World reads more like a Middle Grade than a Young Adult book. There’s nothing wrong with that, we all know I’m big on MG, but I fear many readers will be lost due to misplaced marketing. Yes, Emilie, the main character is 16, but honestly she came across as no older than 14 to me. Her age could easily be lowered and fit more appropriately with the writing.
Why did this read more like a Middle Grade? Because, unfortunately, I feel that Martha Wells wrote down to her audience. Now, I’m not saying authors should write down to a Middle Grade audience either (just look at my beloved Cat Valente for a remarkable example of putting faith in your young readers), but when you don’t trust your audience to make connections you’re putting them in a box. I saw regular examples of Emilie making connections for the reader–when he said B, Emilie remembered when he said A, and so Emilie understood that something was afoot–type thing. Now, this wasn’t an incredibly egregious offender (you know the type I can’t stand–the ones who like to beat children over the head with a MESSAGE), but it was hard for me to really fall into the plot as a result. I don’t know how much of this is just Martha Wells’ writing style, and how much was changing for the audience she was writing for. Still, I cannot emphasize it enough–you don’t need to change much when writing for different age groups! Yes, some content, complexity, and vocabulary can be shifted, but kids are smart, they get things, and when you forget this you’re not really writing for them.
My other big issue with Emilie and the Hollow World was that for at least the first half of the book, it was really just The Hollow World. Emilie was just this window through which we were seeing this adventure take place, but she wasn’t really a part of it herself. She followed people around, she said some things, but the story would have essentially remained unchanged had she not been there.
BUT (yes, there is a but), Emilie did grow. She got some real backbone, did some things, and finally became the heroine of her story. So let’s end this review talking about all of the really good bits of Emilie and the Hollow World, because there were just as many of them as the other type. First off, Emilie is one of the only PoC main characters in a YA fantasy I can think of, people from her area of the world being described as having darker skin than the pale northerners. Martha Wells uses not only diversity among the humans we know, but also introduces those beings from the Hollow World, who are incredibly different physically. She addresses the mistakes that can be made when one assumes another is less intelligent because of how they look, and also because of their gender. Emilie and the Hollow World is quite purposefully feminist, with not only Emilie, but the other women in the book proving their worth through cunning, action, planning, and physical feats. Come to think of it, the entire story is filled with women saving men, but in a natural sort of ‘they’re doing it because it needs done’ way and not just to make a statement. I appreciate that (hearken back to my not hitting readers over the head with a message–it’s certainly there, but it’s not aggressive).
Martha Wells’ Emilie and the Hollow World hits the ground running, and it’s a wonderfully paced plot that doesn’t let up till the very end. I kept questioning her ability to get everything done in less than 300 pages, and yet, I had no need for concern. Wells clearly recognizes what needs to be there, and what doesn’t. There’s no fat that needs trimming here, it is neat, tidy, and a wonderful example of just how much can happen in one short story if the author gets down to business.
Emilie and the Hollow World is fun. It is an adventurous journey akin to Jules Verne, bringing readers to a fantastical and frightening world within our own. It is a story that believes in its characters, even if it doesn’t always trust its reader, with no moony or angsty bits to slow it down. If you’re looking for a book with adventurers, exploits, and double dealings, Emilie of the Hollow World provides.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
I’ll admit a certain amount of confusion when I began Emilie and the Hollow World. Partially due to my own assumptions, but partially due to the writing, I was under the impression that this was Middle Grade rather than YA. After having completed the book, I stick by my original impression and say Emilie and the Hollow World reads more like a Middle Grade than a Young Adult book. There’s nothing wrong with that, we all know I’m big on MG, but I fear many readers will be lost due to misplaced marketing. Yes, Emilie, the main character is 16, but honestly she came across as no older than 14 to me. Her age could easily be lowered and fit more appropriately with the writing.
Why did this read more like a Middle Grade? Because, unfortunately, I feel that Martha Wells wrote down to her audience. Now, I’m not saying authors should write down to a Middle Grade audience either (just look at my beloved Cat Valente for a remarkable example of putting faith in your young readers), but when you don’t trust your audience to make connections you’re putting them in a box. I saw regular examples of Emilie making connections for the reader–when he said B, Emilie remembered when he said A, and so Emilie understood that something was afoot–type thing. Now, this wasn’t an incredibly egregious offender (you know the type I can’t stand–the ones who like to beat children over the head with a MESSAGE), but it was hard for me to really fall into the plot as a result. I don’t know how much of this is just Martha Wells’ writing style, and how much was changing for the audience she was writing for. Still, I cannot emphasize it enough–you don’t need to change much when writing for different age groups! Yes, some content, complexity, and vocabulary can be shifted, but kids are smart, they get things, and when you forget this you’re not really writing for them.
My other big issue with Emilie and the Hollow World was that for at least the first half of the book, it was really just The Hollow World. Emilie was just this window through which we were seeing this adventure take place, but she wasn’t really a part of it herself. She followed people around, she said some things, but the story would have essentially remained unchanged had she not been there.
BUT (yes, there is a but), Emilie did grow. She got some real backbone, did some things, and finally became the heroine of her story. So let’s end this review talking about all of the really good bits of Emilie and the Hollow World, because there were just as many of them as the other type. First off, Emilie is one of the only PoC main characters in a YA fantasy I can think of, people from her area of the world being described as having darker skin than the pale northerners. Martha Wells uses not only diversity among the humans we know, but also introduces those beings from the Hollow World, who are incredibly different physically. She addresses the mistakes that can be made when one assumes another is less intelligent because of how they look, and also because of their gender. Emilie and the Hollow World is quite purposefully feminist, with not only Emilie, but the other women in the book proving their worth through cunning, action, planning, and physical feats. Come to think of it, the entire story is filled with women saving men, but in a natural sort of ‘they’re doing it because it needs done’ way and not just to make a statement. I appreciate that (hearken back to my not hitting readers over the head with a message–it’s certainly there, but it’s not aggressive).
Martha Wells’ Emilie and the Hollow World hits the ground running, and it’s a wonderfully paced plot that doesn’t let up till the very end. I kept questioning her ability to get everything done in less than 300 pages, and yet, I had no need for concern. Wells clearly recognizes what needs to be there, and what doesn’t. There’s no fat that needs trimming here, it is neat, tidy, and a wonderful example of just how much can happen in one short story if the author gets down to business.
Emilie and the Hollow World is fun. It is an adventurous journey akin to Jules Verne, bringing readers to a fantastical and frightening world within our own. It is a story that believes in its characters, even if it doesn’t always trust its reader, with no moony or angsty bits to slow it down. If you’re looking for a book with adventurers, exploits, and double dealings, Emilie of the Hollow World provides.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
February 6, 2013
Serendipity, what a strange thing.
Jeffery and Trudie recently reviewed an Angry Robots book Dead Harvest, an imprint of which is Strange Chemistry. After finishing reading their reviews, what should pop up in my inbox but an invite from Strange Chemistry to review an ARC of Emilie and the Hollow World, which I accepted.
If you are a fan of steam-punk, this is a good, fast, light read that takes no risks with the formula nor sets new standards in the genre. The story reminds me strongly of the more memorable moments of Jacques Tardi's The Adventures of Adele Blanc Sec and the cover is quite an enticing eyeful.
My issues centred around the technical - the text would have benefited from both in-line and structural editing - some of the minor plot points don't bear too much scrutiny, commas incorrectly placed, incorrect speech attribution, redundant sentences and doubling up of description - if something is round, a young adult reader doesn't need to be told twice to grasp the picture. Some author ethics filtered through Emilie which strained belief in her as a character and Emilie's dialogue veered at times between ridiculously juvenile and suspiciously adult, not to mention including colloquialisms or epithets which simply don't fit in a the mouth of a character set in a squarely Victorian steam-punk world. A little more attention to the mechanics of Victorian society would have helped with the world building.
Plus points that bear mention: gently sarcastic nods in the direction of sexism in the genre; a assured and unobtrusive handling of the magic (aether) without any long-winded explanations for why it worked; zero gratuitous violence, and for the most part, a crisp and clean prose style (which emphasised the sub-par editing, but as this is an ARC, I presuming these issues will be remedied before going to press) that rendered description of Emilie's Hollow World, as well as her home, readily imaginable.
Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines is the more in-depth read, but this book is worth attention, too.
July 19, 2013
4 Stars
This is a very good young adult oriented fantasy adventure that is steeped in steampunk style and in the vein of the classic adventure.
This is a fantastic start to an adventure series starring a very brave and capable young heroine named Emilie. Martha Wells does a great job at making her characters feel real to life. They make up the typical diverse cast that one would expect in a YA novel.
The story and the pacing are swift and enjoyable. This is thankfully not a romance series. It is a story about a girl on the run who stumbles to the center of the earth. She is incredibly brave and strong headed, and makes for a great lead character.
I enjoyed this fast summer read. I will definitely continue reading this series as Wells puts out more. I recommend this to adventure readers and to the YA crowd.
This is a very good young adult oriented fantasy adventure that is steeped in steampunk style and in the vein of the classic adventure.
This is a fantastic start to an adventure series starring a very brave and capable young heroine named Emilie. Martha Wells does a great job at making her characters feel real to life. They make up the typical diverse cast that one would expect in a YA novel.
The story and the pacing are swift and enjoyable. This is thankfully not a romance series. It is a story about a girl on the run who stumbles to the center of the earth. She is incredibly brave and strong headed, and makes for a great lead character.
I enjoyed this fast summer read. I will definitely continue reading this series as Wells puts out more. I recommend this to adventure readers and to the YA crowd.
January 18, 2014
I've only read one of Martha Wells' books before, but that was enough to make me a fan. Compared to that one, City of Bones, Emilie and the Hollow World is a much more simplistic story, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Someone described it as a "girl's own adventure" story, which I think is pretty accurate. The main character Emilie is resourceful: I don't understand people who are criticising it saying she spends the first half of the book just following people around. She runs away from home, stows on board a ship, saves someone's life with impulsive action, and immediately starts making sensible suggestions to the crew of said ship.
Now, if you were to say she's a bit wish-fulfillmenty, well yeah, maybe. But heck, I loved Emilie's adventures and her resourcefulness; I don't see why it should be odder for a girl to be plucky and resourceful than for a boy. There's also people complaining that she doesn't act like a Victorian girl, but... this isn't meant to be set in the Victorian period? It's plainly another world entirely, for all that the vaguely steampunkish trappings might make you think it's just alternate Victoriana, and there's a hint of Victorian-ish morals around Emilie's family. Still, those're parallels; that doesn't mean Wells has to stick with it.
Which brings me to another point I really liked -- the world-building. I expected that, from the standard City of Bones set, and while this is lighter, that imagination is still there. I loved, for example, the half-underwater city. I don't think I've ever come across anything quite like that before. There's other stuff to appreciate, too, like the casual flipping of gender roles where Rani talks about Kenar pining for her, and when they reunite, she spins him around in her arms!
Overall, very much looking forward to my ARC of Emilie & The Sky World.
Now, if you were to say she's a bit wish-fulfillmenty, well yeah, maybe. But heck, I loved Emilie's adventures and her resourcefulness; I don't see why it should be odder for a girl to be plucky and resourceful than for a boy. There's also people complaining that she doesn't act like a Victorian girl, but... this isn't meant to be set in the Victorian period? It's plainly another world entirely, for all that the vaguely steampunkish trappings might make you think it's just alternate Victoriana, and there's a hint of Victorian-ish morals around Emilie's family. Still, those're parallels; that doesn't mean Wells has to stick with it.
Which brings me to another point I really liked -- the world-building. I expected that, from the standard City of Bones set, and while this is lighter, that imagination is still there. I loved, for example, the half-underwater city. I don't think I've ever come across anything quite like that before. There's other stuff to appreciate, too, like the casual flipping of gender roles where Rani talks about Kenar pining for her, and when they reunite, she spins him around in her arms!
Overall, very much looking forward to my ARC of Emilie & The Sky World.
April 20, 2013
I adored this book and ate it in one sitting. Emilie is the sort of resourceful protagonist that you wish you had as a friend. She gets scared when it's appropriate, then pulls herself together and does what needs doing anyway.
In addition to that, Martha Wells has created a wonderful secondary world with strong steampunk elements that should appeal to anyone who likes adventure fantasy. This is a swashbuckling tale that would sit nicely alongside Jules Verne, but with all the boring bits cut out. It's so refreshing to see characters making intelligent choices in difficult situations.
Buy this book.
In addition to that, Martha Wells has created a wonderful secondary world with strong steampunk elements that should appeal to anyone who likes adventure fantasy. This is a swashbuckling tale that would sit nicely alongside Jules Verne, but with all the boring bits cut out. It's so refreshing to see characters making intelligent choices in difficult situations.
Buy this book.
October 26, 2023
The two Emilie books are in some ways outliers from Martha Wells' oeuvre. They're YA , and a bit light and softer as a result, compared to her occasionally rather dark adult novels. But the other elements are there. Unusual but highly realistic fantasy worlds worlds, an emphasis on exploration and cross-cultural contact, lots of very memorable characters, and a good eye for pacing.
I'd put these somewhere in the middle of Wells's work. Not quite the tour-de-force that is Murderbot or City of Bones, but still a pair of pleasant reads, and one I expect I'll be rereading in due time.
I'd put these somewhere in the middle of Wells's work. Not quite the tour-de-force that is Murderbot or City of Bones, but still a pair of pleasant reads, and one I expect I'll be rereading in due time.
Read
May 29, 2013Great title! Though I'd be reading whatever it was called, of course.
Lot of nice descriptions of the underwater world and the world itself is typically well-done, but this hasn't the solidity and nuance I'd been hoping for. As others have said, this is much more for younger readers than YA, which is only a problem because it was marketed YA. Still, I enjoyed it and hope that further instalments may be stronger.
Lot of nice descriptions of the underwater world and the world itself is typically well-done, but this hasn't the solidity and nuance I'd been hoping for. As others have said, this is much more for younger readers than YA, which is only a problem because it was marketed YA. Still, I enjoyed it and hope that further instalments may be stronger.
April 28, 2013
Originally published at Risingshadow.
I admit that I'm difficult to please when it comes to young adult fantasy fiction, because most new YA fantasy books tend to be boring and full of annoying descriptions about teenage love affairs between humans and supernatural beings etc, but fortunately there are books like Emilie and the Hollow World out there. Emilie and the Hollow World is one of the few recent books that have restored my faith in YA fantasy fiction.
Martha Wells is an amazingly versatile and talented author, because she writes all kinds of fantasy books. With Emilie and the Hollow World she proves that no matter what she writes about she always does it well. Emilie and the Hollow World is her first young adult book, and in my opinion it's an excellent achievement, because it's an old-fashioned adventure story which will be of interest to young adults and adults alike. I have to confess that I was impressed by this book.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Emilie is a sixteen year old girl who escapes from her uncle Yeric and aunt Helena, because she doesn't want to live the life that has been planned for her. She wants to go to live with her cousin. Emilie wants to stow away on the steampship Merry Bell to Silk Harbour, but things don't go as she planned and she finds herself on the The Sovereign, which is headed to the centre of the planet, the Hollow World. The passengers and the crew of Sovereign search for Lady Marlende's father who ran into trouble when he visited the Hollow World...
And here's information and my thoughts about some of the characters:
- Emilie is an easily likeable character, who's just as stubborn as she is clever. She easily makes new friends and doesn't give up. She reminded me of the resourceful and courageous children and teenagers in Enid Blyton's books.
- Lady Marlende is a fascinating character, because she takes Emilie under her protection. She's an important role model for Emilie. It was interesting to read how she tried to search for her father and what she thought about several things.
- Kenar and Rani are also interesting characters, because they're a reptilian-like Cirathi who live in the Hollow World. It was intriguing to read about them.
There are also other characters, but I won't write about them, because I want to avoid writing spoilers.
I think it's brave of Martha Wells to write this kind of a fantasy adventure and tell the happenings through the eyes of a teenaged girl. Most adventure stories feature boys as main characters, so reading about the wondrous adventures of a teenaged girl felt refreshing.
Worldbuilding works well, because the author has created a wonderful fantasy world. The surface world is an alternate Victorian world, which is a bit similar to the world in the Ile-Rien books (the author has created a wonderfully steampunk flavoured world where science and magic exist in harmony). The inner world, the Hollow World, is a richly imagined fantasy world, which reminded me of The Three Worlds in Books of the Raksura trilogy (the author wrote about merpeople, Cirathi and plant-creatures etc. in a similar way as she did about the Raksura - the only difference was that she wrote about these things for young adults). This was a fantastic combination for me, because I like both series. I'm sure that other readers, who are familiar with the author's adult books, will be fascinated by this combination.
The Hollow World offers lots of lush landscapes for the readers. The author writes captivatingly about ancient ruins, oceans, civilizations and beings. The Hollow World is a totally different kind of a world than the surface world, because its inhabitants are different from humans (I have to mention that the matriarchal culture and civilization of the merpeople is simply compelling in its strangeness).
One of the best things about Emilie and the Hollow World is that the author doesn't underestimate the intelligence of her readership, but writes vividly about science, aether currents, engines and magic. She doesn't overwhelm her readers with too many details and descriptions about these things, but keeps everything interesting. She writes fascinatingly about scientific discoveries and inventions. I enjoyed reading about the aether currents and engines that are used to travel to the Hollow World. These marvels will be of interest to several readers who appreciate old-fashioned steampunk and sciece fiction stories.
I also enjoyed reading about The Sovereign and its crew. The author wrote fascinatingly about the ship, because it was almost like a combination of a submarine and a normal ship that has been converted to an aether-ship that can travel the aether currents.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that Martha Wells writes fluently about a woman's place and social structure in the Victorian society and how difficult it is for women to be who they want to be. It was interesting to read what Emilie thought about her situation and her aunt and uncle, because she couldn't tolerate the life they wanted her to live.
Martha Wells has a good sense of humour. She knows how to lighten the mood with witty and sarcastic comments. I enjoyed reading about Emilie's thoughts about several things, because her observations were often funny.
I think it's good that the author has written a fast-paced story that contains plenty of happenings from the first page to the last page. The first half of the book is fun to read, but things really get going in the second half of the book and it's almost impossible to stop reading the story, because you have to find out what's going to happen to the characters.
In my opinion Emilie and the Hollow World is almost like a tribute to Jules Verne. I've always liked Jules Verne's books, so I was very pleased to find out that the author had written this book in the vein of Jules Verne. I think that especially Verne's The Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Voyage au centre de la Terre) has been a source of inspiration to her. (I'll also mention that Jules Verne wasn't the only author that came to my mind when I read this book. It's possible that the author may also have been inspired by Enid Blyton and other similar authors.)
If I'm not mistaken, there will be a sequel, Emilie and the Sky World, which will be published next year, so fans of Emilie will soon have more to read. I can hardly wait to read it, because I enjoyed reading Emilie and the Hollow World.
Emilie and the Hollow World is one of the best and most entertaining YA books I've ever read, because it's a charming old-fashioned adventure book. It's been a long time since I've read anything like this. It's a shame that there aren't more this kind of books out there on the market.
If you expect adventure, danger, science and magic from your young adult fantasy, you'll love Emilie and the Hollow World, because it contains all of these elements in an entertaining format. It's an exciting adventure story with lots of heart and imagination.
Highly recommended for readers of all ages who enjoy good adventure stories!
I admit that I'm difficult to please when it comes to young adult fantasy fiction, because most new YA fantasy books tend to be boring and full of annoying descriptions about teenage love affairs between humans and supernatural beings etc, but fortunately there are books like Emilie and the Hollow World out there. Emilie and the Hollow World is one of the few recent books that have restored my faith in YA fantasy fiction.
Martha Wells is an amazingly versatile and talented author, because she writes all kinds of fantasy books. With Emilie and the Hollow World she proves that no matter what she writes about she always does it well. Emilie and the Hollow World is her first young adult book, and in my opinion it's an excellent achievement, because it's an old-fashioned adventure story which will be of interest to young adults and adults alike. I have to confess that I was impressed by this book.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Emilie is a sixteen year old girl who escapes from her uncle Yeric and aunt Helena, because she doesn't want to live the life that has been planned for her. She wants to go to live with her cousin. Emilie wants to stow away on the steampship Merry Bell to Silk Harbour, but things don't go as she planned and she finds herself on the The Sovereign, which is headed to the centre of the planet, the Hollow World. The passengers and the crew of Sovereign search for Lady Marlende's father who ran into trouble when he visited the Hollow World...
And here's information and my thoughts about some of the characters:
- Emilie is an easily likeable character, who's just as stubborn as she is clever. She easily makes new friends and doesn't give up. She reminded me of the resourceful and courageous children and teenagers in Enid Blyton's books.
- Lady Marlende is a fascinating character, because she takes Emilie under her protection. She's an important role model for Emilie. It was interesting to read how she tried to search for her father and what she thought about several things.
- Kenar and Rani are also interesting characters, because they're a reptilian-like Cirathi who live in the Hollow World. It was intriguing to read about them.
There are also other characters, but I won't write about them, because I want to avoid writing spoilers.
I think it's brave of Martha Wells to write this kind of a fantasy adventure and tell the happenings through the eyes of a teenaged girl. Most adventure stories feature boys as main characters, so reading about the wondrous adventures of a teenaged girl felt refreshing.
Worldbuilding works well, because the author has created a wonderful fantasy world. The surface world is an alternate Victorian world, which is a bit similar to the world in the Ile-Rien books (the author has created a wonderfully steampunk flavoured world where science and magic exist in harmony). The inner world, the Hollow World, is a richly imagined fantasy world, which reminded me of The Three Worlds in Books of the Raksura trilogy (the author wrote about merpeople, Cirathi and plant-creatures etc. in a similar way as she did about the Raksura - the only difference was that she wrote about these things for young adults). This was a fantastic combination for me, because I like both series. I'm sure that other readers, who are familiar with the author's adult books, will be fascinated by this combination.
The Hollow World offers lots of lush landscapes for the readers. The author writes captivatingly about ancient ruins, oceans, civilizations and beings. The Hollow World is a totally different kind of a world than the surface world, because its inhabitants are different from humans (I have to mention that the matriarchal culture and civilization of the merpeople is simply compelling in its strangeness).
One of the best things about Emilie and the Hollow World is that the author doesn't underestimate the intelligence of her readership, but writes vividly about science, aether currents, engines and magic. She doesn't overwhelm her readers with too many details and descriptions about these things, but keeps everything interesting. She writes fascinatingly about scientific discoveries and inventions. I enjoyed reading about the aether currents and engines that are used to travel to the Hollow World. These marvels will be of interest to several readers who appreciate old-fashioned steampunk and sciece fiction stories.
I also enjoyed reading about The Sovereign and its crew. The author wrote fascinatingly about the ship, because it was almost like a combination of a submarine and a normal ship that has been converted to an aether-ship that can travel the aether currents.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that Martha Wells writes fluently about a woman's place and social structure in the Victorian society and how difficult it is for women to be who they want to be. It was interesting to read what Emilie thought about her situation and her aunt and uncle, because she couldn't tolerate the life they wanted her to live.
Martha Wells has a good sense of humour. She knows how to lighten the mood with witty and sarcastic comments. I enjoyed reading about Emilie's thoughts about several things, because her observations were often funny.
I think it's good that the author has written a fast-paced story that contains plenty of happenings from the first page to the last page. The first half of the book is fun to read, but things really get going in the second half of the book and it's almost impossible to stop reading the story, because you have to find out what's going to happen to the characters.
In my opinion Emilie and the Hollow World is almost like a tribute to Jules Verne. I've always liked Jules Verne's books, so I was very pleased to find out that the author had written this book in the vein of Jules Verne. I think that especially Verne's The Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Voyage au centre de la Terre) has been a source of inspiration to her. (I'll also mention that Jules Verne wasn't the only author that came to my mind when I read this book. It's possible that the author may also have been inspired by Enid Blyton and other similar authors.)
If I'm not mistaken, there will be a sequel, Emilie and the Sky World, which will be published next year, so fans of Emilie will soon have more to read. I can hardly wait to read it, because I enjoyed reading Emilie and the Hollow World.
Emilie and the Hollow World is one of the best and most entertaining YA books I've ever read, because it's a charming old-fashioned adventure book. It's been a long time since I've read anything like this. It's a shame that there aren't more this kind of books out there on the market.
If you expect adventure, danger, science and magic from your young adult fantasy, you'll love Emilie and the Hollow World, because it contains all of these elements in an entertaining format. It's an exciting adventure story with lots of heart and imagination.
Highly recommended for readers of all ages who enjoy good adventure stories!
April 10, 2013
Original review posted on The Book Smugglers
Martha Wells is one of my favourite writers. I have loved her Books of the Raksura series as well as Wheel of the Infinite and, based on the strength of those books, I also plan on reading more from her backlist soon. Needless to say, I was very interested to read Emilie and the Hollow World, Wells’ first foray into YA territory.
The story follows main character Emilie as she runs away from home to join her cousin in the big city, but ends stowing away on the wrong ship. Here, Emilie meets Lady Marlende, who is about to embark on a wondrous adventure to the centre of the planet in order to rescue Marlende’s missing father.
Emilie is Science Fiction reminiscent of Jules Verne with a side of Fantasy (i.e. when something cannot be explained with Science, Magic comes to the rescue). It is also an adventure romp and a non-stop thrill-ride that includes different peoples (including non-humans), dastardly villains, sabotage, daring rescues, and fun escapades.
The book contains some of Wells’ signature traits, including diverse and memorable world-building, thanks to the fascinating “hollow world” setting. The novel also features astute, thought-provoking observations of gender roles and expectations, especially as Emilie’s new adventures and ensuing realisation about how she can effectively engage with the world are juxtaposed against the lower expectations and teachings of her relatives, who expect the worst of her because Emilie’s mother ran away from home:
As if all her life she had thought her world was one thing: closed-in and solid with carefully defined boundaries; so much so that running away to a relative with a respectable girls’ school in Silk Harbor was almost unimaginably daring. Now the boundaries had fallen away, leave a broad vista that was stranger than anything she had read in a gothic novel.
This is probably the best thing about the book and what kept me reading.
Unfortunately – and it pains me to say this – Emilie and the Hollow World is not up to par with what I have come to expect from this author. The story jumps from plot point to plot point without much in the way of development. Emilie is for the most part a subject of this story, almost a standby character who merely observes and reacts to events. Even taking into consideration the quote above and the fact that in the end she learns she can do more with her life, this lesson almost seems to have been learned by rote rather than a result of actual character development. This goes beyond a mere distinction between a plot-driven novel and a character-driven one, simply because there was just not enough of either vital element here. In fact all signs – from the plot elements that appear to some moments of epic badassery – point to the potential here for a meatier book. In other words: in order to be a better book, it needed more complexity.
Which brings me to my final point: the sinking feeling that this lack of complexity is a result of the book having been written down because it is intended for a younger audience. This is very clear in the way that Emilie acts and thinks – her thought processes, manner of speaking and naivete make Emilie sound like a much younger character. For most of the book, Emilie sounds as though she could be as young as 11-12 which basically coloured my perception of the entire book. There is even one character that addresses Emily thusly: “you are one brave little person.” This simply does not jive with a teenage character and there is nothing, to me, that can justify Emilie as a teen. In a way, Emilie and the Hollow World actually sounds much more like a Middle Grade novel than a YA one – but still one that is frustratingly lacking in complexity.
In my opinion, Emilie and the Hollow World is not a good example of how good MG or YA can be. It definitely is not a good example of the usually exemplary SFF of Martha Wells.
Martha Wells is one of my favourite writers. I have loved her Books of the Raksura series as well as Wheel of the Infinite and, based on the strength of those books, I also plan on reading more from her backlist soon. Needless to say, I was very interested to read Emilie and the Hollow World, Wells’ first foray into YA territory.
The story follows main character Emilie as she runs away from home to join her cousin in the big city, but ends stowing away on the wrong ship. Here, Emilie meets Lady Marlende, who is about to embark on a wondrous adventure to the centre of the planet in order to rescue Marlende’s missing father.
Emilie is Science Fiction reminiscent of Jules Verne with a side of Fantasy (i.e. when something cannot be explained with Science, Magic comes to the rescue). It is also an adventure romp and a non-stop thrill-ride that includes different peoples (including non-humans), dastardly villains, sabotage, daring rescues, and fun escapades.
The book contains some of Wells’ signature traits, including diverse and memorable world-building, thanks to the fascinating “hollow world” setting. The novel also features astute, thought-provoking observations of gender roles and expectations, especially as Emilie’s new adventures and ensuing realisation about how she can effectively engage with the world are juxtaposed against the lower expectations and teachings of her relatives, who expect the worst of her because Emilie’s mother ran away from home:
As if all her life she had thought her world was one thing: closed-in and solid with carefully defined boundaries; so much so that running away to a relative with a respectable girls’ school in Silk Harbor was almost unimaginably daring. Now the boundaries had fallen away, leave a broad vista that was stranger than anything she had read in a gothic novel.
This is probably the best thing about the book and what kept me reading.
Unfortunately – and it pains me to say this – Emilie and the Hollow World is not up to par with what I have come to expect from this author. The story jumps from plot point to plot point without much in the way of development. Emilie is for the most part a subject of this story, almost a standby character who merely observes and reacts to events. Even taking into consideration the quote above and the fact that in the end she learns she can do more with her life, this lesson almost seems to have been learned by rote rather than a result of actual character development. This goes beyond a mere distinction between a plot-driven novel and a character-driven one, simply because there was just not enough of either vital element here. In fact all signs – from the plot elements that appear to some moments of epic badassery – point to the potential here for a meatier book. In other words: in order to be a better book, it needed more complexity.
Which brings me to my final point: the sinking feeling that this lack of complexity is a result of the book having been written down because it is intended for a younger audience. This is very clear in the way that Emilie acts and thinks – her thought processes, manner of speaking and naivete make Emilie sound like a much younger character. For most of the book, Emilie sounds as though she could be as young as 11-12 which basically coloured my perception of the entire book. There is even one character that addresses Emily thusly: “you are one brave little person.” This simply does not jive with a teenage character and there is nothing, to me, that can justify Emilie as a teen. In a way, Emilie and the Hollow World actually sounds much more like a Middle Grade novel than a YA one – but still one that is frustratingly lacking in complexity.
In my opinion, Emilie and the Hollow World is not a good example of how good MG or YA can be. It definitely is not a good example of the usually exemplary SFF of Martha Wells.
April 5, 2014
My dad really enjoyed the Journey to the Center of the Earth film starring James Mason and Pat Boone so I watched it many (MANY) times as a child. I liked it - the idea of tunneling underground and finding a fantastical world, dangerous creatures, and lots of adventure. I just had one problem with it.
There was no girl character my age.
Blah, blah, social norms of the time, scandal, ruined future, blah, blah. I didn't care.
I largely still don't.
As I read Wells' Emilie & the Hollow World, I felt like my childhood fantasies had sprung to life. A strange world at the center of the earth? Check. Magic? Check. Fantastical beings and monsters? Check. A young, smart heroine? Check plus!
I was giddy with nostalgic joy. I wish I had this book when I was younger. I am buying the print version to go in my kids' library. I devoured this book and loved every second. I also obviously must read more books by Martha Wells.
Emilie has run away from home and is planning on stowing away on a ship so that she can try to start a new life at her cousin's school. Emilie's mother ran away and became an actress, but she and Emilie's father died, so our heroine was raised by her very disapproving uncle and aunt who believe Emilie is a ticking time bomb ready to become disreputable. Of course, things go awry and Emilie ends up stowing away on the wrong ship. It is under attack by nefarious types and soon is underway on a voyage to the center of the earth, with Emilie along for the ride. She meets and befriends new beings and an adventuress who leads the life Emilie dreams about, proves she has good instincts in a fight, is afraid but works through it, always keeps her head and is loyal throughout. This is a fast-paced book with lots of action and was just a lot of fun.
While I did draw some parallels between Verne's book and this one, Emilie is not a retelling of Journey to the Center of the Earth. It is set in a unique world, with magic and airships, and while the adventurous spirit is there, they are different books.
Emilie is published by Strange Chemistry, Angry Robot's YA imprint. I also think that this book would be fine for younger, middle-grade and even some tween readers. There is some violence, but nothing gory. This is also another YA with no romance. There is a bit of flirting with the seeds planted for something perhaps in the future, but that is just a tiny aside, to be honest.
This book does work as a standalone, but I do hope that someday we will get Emilie's next adventure.
[received an arc]
There was no girl character my age.
Blah, blah, social norms of the time, scandal, ruined future, blah, blah. I didn't care.
I largely still don't.
As I read Wells' Emilie & the Hollow World, I felt like my childhood fantasies had sprung to life. A strange world at the center of the earth? Check. Magic? Check. Fantastical beings and monsters? Check. A young, smart heroine? Check plus!
I was giddy with nostalgic joy. I wish I had this book when I was younger. I am buying the print version to go in my kids' library. I devoured this book and loved every second. I also obviously must read more books by Martha Wells.
Emilie has run away from home and is planning on stowing away on a ship so that she can try to start a new life at her cousin's school. Emilie's mother ran away and became an actress, but she and Emilie's father died, so our heroine was raised by her very disapproving uncle and aunt who believe Emilie is a ticking time bomb ready to become disreputable. Of course, things go awry and Emilie ends up stowing away on the wrong ship. It is under attack by nefarious types and soon is underway on a voyage to the center of the earth, with Emilie along for the ride. She meets and befriends new beings and an adventuress who leads the life Emilie dreams about, proves she has good instincts in a fight, is afraid but works through it, always keeps her head and is loyal throughout. This is a fast-paced book with lots of action and was just a lot of fun.
While I did draw some parallels between Verne's book and this one, Emilie is not a retelling of Journey to the Center of the Earth. It is set in a unique world, with magic and airships, and while the adventurous spirit is there, they are different books.
Emilie is published by Strange Chemistry, Angry Robot's YA imprint. I also think that this book would be fine for younger, middle-grade and even some tween readers. There is some violence, but nothing gory. This is also another YA with no romance. There is a bit of flirting with the seeds planted for something perhaps in the future, but that is just a tiny aside, to be honest.
This book does work as a standalone, but I do hope that someday we will get Emilie's next adventure.
[received an arc]
April 12, 2013
The good stuff: Martha Wells has always excelled at worldbuilding, and the alternate reality of this book is no exception. It's strongly reminiscent of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne's stories--obviously, since it's about a world that exists at the center of ours--and I think it's not a stretch to tag it as steampunk, though the substance powering the devices of that reality is aether, not steam. The story's sustained action keeps things moving; it reads very much like a Victorian adventure novel. And I like the "alien" races Wells creates, villainous and not.
The less good stuff: This is supposed to be a young adult novel, and in terms of content, it is, but stylistically, this is closer to being a juvenile novel. I had the hardest time remembering that Emilie was supposed to be 16; she acted and was treated as if she were closer to 12. I normally won't dismiss a book for being something other than what I wanted, but in this case, I think all the signs point to this being supposed to be a true YA title, so I think this is a valid criticism. A novel in this tradition (the Victorian action-adventure novel) is supposed to be light, but this is maybe too light. I enjoyed it well enough, but frankly, I expect more from Martha Wells.
The less good stuff: This is supposed to be a young adult novel, and in terms of content, it is, but stylistically, this is closer to being a juvenile novel. I had the hardest time remembering that Emilie was supposed to be 16; she acted and was treated as if she were closer to 12. I normally won't dismiss a book for being something other than what I wanted, but in this case, I think all the signs point to this being supposed to be a true YA title, so I think this is a valid criticism. A novel in this tradition (the Victorian action-adventure novel) is supposed to be light, but this is maybe too light. I enjoyed it well enough, but frankly, I expect more from Martha Wells.
July 6, 2015
Really fun adventure story about a young woman, Emilie, and her attempt to stow away and escape her guardians. Emilie's plan is to sneak on the ferry to Silk Harbor where her cousin runs a school for young ladies. Much to Emilie's dismay she ends up on a different ship with a destination that is not at all near her cousin. In fact, it is not at all near anything she has ever heard of in her life. This ship is bound for the Hollow World, the inhabited core of the world, and the only way to get there is through the use of magical currents found at the bottom of the ocean.
I understand this is the first in a series and I enjoyed it so much I am looking forward to the next one!
I understand this is the first in a series and I enjoyed it so much I am looking forward to the next one!
November 11, 2024
In this young adult homage to Jules Verne, sixteen-year-old Emilie runs away from her uncle’s toxic home environment. She plans to stowaway on a steamer headed toward her cousin’s place of residence. In attempting to board the steamer, she inadvertently ends up on a private ship belonging to a Lord. It is a ship with unusual properties that enables it to submerge into the sea and move through aetheric currents to a second world hidden in the core of Earth.
Emilie is a spirited, adventurous, and intelligent young woman. The world-building provides a picture of an alternate civilization with a variety of human-like species and bizarre creatures. Emilie, her new friends, and the ship’s crew encounter many perilous situations, and she has an opportunity to prove herself as quick-thinking, loyal, and courageous.
This is a fast-paced adventure that combines steampunk and magical elements. It also features a strong female lead character. It is a little more action packed than my usual preference and the ending is an obvious setup for a sequel. I think it would be a great choice for teenage readers but maybe a bit too predictable for adults.
3.5
Emilie is a spirited, adventurous, and intelligent young woman. The world-building provides a picture of an alternate civilization with a variety of human-like species and bizarre creatures. Emilie, her new friends, and the ship’s crew encounter many perilous situations, and she has an opportunity to prove herself as quick-thinking, loyal, and courageous.
This is a fast-paced adventure that combines steampunk and magical elements. It also features a strong female lead character. It is a little more action packed than my usual preference and the ending is an obvious setup for a sequel. I think it would be a great choice for teenage readers but maybe a bit too predictable for adults.
3.5
December 1, 2021
Read with the 9YO at bedtimes. Ugh, I did NOT like this book. We were hoping for something that would catch his imagination as much as The Hobbit had, but this ain't it. The story is clunky to read aloud, and hard to follow, and could really use an editor.
I thought for a while that we'd accidentally picked up a book that was the second in a series and had missed some previous world-building and explanation, but nope. I was SO BORED and would have put it down before even reaching halfway except my son wanted to keep going. But, even though he stuck with the story, he found it confusing, and would ask questions about why something was happening or where did this character come from or what exactly is going on.
Also there's a misogynistic undertone, even though Emilie is the de facto hero of the book. Women are shoved to the side and disregarded, or are only used as cooks, and for some reason women in this world who want to go into the arts become prostitutes?? Even Miss Marlende, who could have been written so much better than she was, is only along for the ride on the basis of whose daughter she is, not for any virtue or talent she might herself possess. And when we finally meet a queen, the men are shocked, SHOCKED that a woman is the leader, THEN she's set up as the bad guy. I don't get it. Will not be continuing on with the series, and will not be putting our copy of the book in the Little Free Library.
I thought for a while that we'd accidentally picked up a book that was the second in a series and had missed some previous world-building and explanation, but nope. I was SO BORED and would have put it down before even reaching halfway except my son wanted to keep going. But, even though he stuck with the story, he found it confusing, and would ask questions about why something was happening or where did this character come from or what exactly is going on.
Also there's a misogynistic undertone, even though Emilie is the de facto hero of the book. Women are shoved to the side and disregarded, or are only used as cooks, and for some reason women in this world who want to go into the arts become prostitutes?? Even Miss Marlende, who could have been written so much better than she was, is only along for the ride on the basis of whose daughter she is, not for any virtue or talent she might herself possess. And when we finally meet a queen, the men are shocked, SHOCKED that a woman is the leader, THEN she's set up as the bad guy. I don't get it. Will not be continuing on with the series, and will not be putting our copy of the book in the Little Free Library.
July 18, 2013
So, I'll just get the obvious out of the way first. A novel set in the interior of the Earth will inevitably invoke comparisons with Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Having read Verne's book I can sum up what they have in common pretty fast: They are both set in the interior of the Earth. That's it really, Although I must admit that loving Journey to the Centre of the Earth when I read it made me want to read this book, they are two totally different stories. -Not that invoking Verne is totally misplaced, this story is part of the same Adventure* tradition that most of Verne's work falls into. But enough about Verne, let's move on to Wells -Martha, not H.G.
Wells wastes no time in getting the story started. The first chapter is packed with action, and before you know it you have been pulled into the story and is invested in finding out what is going to happen. That you are thrown straight into the action is not a problem at all. We join the story at the same that Emilie does, and find out what is really happening along with her, this is very well done. Information is delivered in a non-intrusive manner and doesn't interrupt the flow of the story.
The flow of the story is certainly an important element, and it is a very fast flowing story. From the opening chapter until the penultimate chapter there is hardly any part where the story doesn't have something happening. There are quite a few passages with talking, but they are almost drowned out by all that is happening. This is by no means a bad thing, this is true Action-Adventure in the sense that there is always action and/or adventure waiting just around the corner.
The journey undertaken by the cast in this novel is in some ways a familiar one, but Wells has made it a very interesting one. And I can't honestly say that I felt that there was any lack of suspense at what was going to happen next.
The structure of the story lends itself very well to creating suspense. And there is absolutely no doubt that Wells is very accomplished at putting the reader (, me at least,) in the position of *having* to read "just a little bit more" to find out what is happening next, something which makes this book a quick read. There are several cliffhanger-type events in this story, and the way Wells has gotten the reader invested finding out the resolution to them isn't really something you feel like putting off. So my advice is to set aside the time to read this until the end when you begin.
Sometimes the characters can drown when there is this much happening in a relatively short novel, but Wells avoids that. We do get to learn quite a lot about the characters as we follow their, figurative and literal, journey through the Hollow Earth, and we get quite close to Emilie.
Emilie is really an interesting character in her own right. What we learn about her in the course of the story would make her an interesting person to follow in any setting. I especially like how she is resourceful and quick thinking, but without being "superhuman" or too sure of herself. She feels well rounded and realistic, not far off from someone you may meet in real life, and someone who's well worth spending some reading time on.
There is also some very good supporting characters in this story. Anyone who has more than a walk on role is presented in such a way that we get some insight into what makes them tick. And in all honesty, a couple of them would not be out of place as the main characters in their own stories.
For me this was really an enjoyable read. I like this type of Adventure, and there is an added Steampunk(y) element that makes it even better. There's really lots of action and suspense here, and combined with characters that are interesting to spend time with, it makes for a very good reading experience.
This will be an especially great read for anyone who likes "Hidden World" fiction, and it will be a great read for anyone who longs for some action and adventure in their stories.
NOTE: I got an e-ARC of this book from the publisher/NetGalley.
Review originally published on my blog: http://weirdmage.blogspot.com
Wells wastes no time in getting the story started. The first chapter is packed with action, and before you know it you have been pulled into the story and is invested in finding out what is going to happen. That you are thrown straight into the action is not a problem at all. We join the story at the same that Emilie does, and find out what is really happening along with her, this is very well done. Information is delivered in a non-intrusive manner and doesn't interrupt the flow of the story.
The flow of the story is certainly an important element, and it is a very fast flowing story. From the opening chapter until the penultimate chapter there is hardly any part where the story doesn't have something happening. There are quite a few passages with talking, but they are almost drowned out by all that is happening. This is by no means a bad thing, this is true Action-Adventure in the sense that there is always action and/or adventure waiting just around the corner.
The journey undertaken by the cast in this novel is in some ways a familiar one, but Wells has made it a very interesting one. And I can't honestly say that I felt that there was any lack of suspense at what was going to happen next.
The structure of the story lends itself very well to creating suspense. And there is absolutely no doubt that Wells is very accomplished at putting the reader (, me at least,) in the position of *having* to read "just a little bit more" to find out what is happening next, something which makes this book a quick read. There are several cliffhanger-type events in this story, and the way Wells has gotten the reader invested finding out the resolution to them isn't really something you feel like putting off. So my advice is to set aside the time to read this until the end when you begin.
Sometimes the characters can drown when there is this much happening in a relatively short novel, but Wells avoids that. We do get to learn quite a lot about the characters as we follow their, figurative and literal, journey through the Hollow Earth, and we get quite close to Emilie.
Emilie is really an interesting character in her own right. What we learn about her in the course of the story would make her an interesting person to follow in any setting. I especially like how she is resourceful and quick thinking, but without being "superhuman" or too sure of herself. She feels well rounded and realistic, not far off from someone you may meet in real life, and someone who's well worth spending some reading time on.
There is also some very good supporting characters in this story. Anyone who has more than a walk on role is presented in such a way that we get some insight into what makes them tick. And in all honesty, a couple of them would not be out of place as the main characters in their own stories.
For me this was really an enjoyable read. I like this type of Adventure, and there is an added Steampunk(y) element that makes it even better. There's really lots of action and suspense here, and combined with characters that are interesting to spend time with, it makes for a very good reading experience.
This will be an especially great read for anyone who likes "Hidden World" fiction, and it will be a great read for anyone who longs for some action and adventure in their stories.
NOTE: I got an e-ARC of this book from the publisher/NetGalley.
Review originally published on my blog: http://weirdmage.blogspot.com
May 12, 2016
I picked this up since I enjoy middlegrade/YA fiction but even more because I became a Martha Wells enthusiast after reading her utterly splendid Books of the Raksura series. No surprise, Wells doesn't disappoint in her first foray into youth lit though I think she's still working toward a more polished voice for younger readers. Still this is a worthy read if you enjoy youth fiction, or are an actual youth (chronologically that is: frankly we're all still 12 years old internally at some point in the day … some days I don't make it past 7!)
Wells is a brilliant world-builder, creating worlds that deserve far more attention in Our World than she gets (movie rights? some of her plots would make terrific blockbusters!); the world-building in Emilie and the Hollow World is top-notch Vernian gaslamp rip-roarin' adventure. 16 year old Emilie runs away from an unpleasant home life and ends up accidentally stowed away on a top secret trip to: DUM DUM DUM, the center of the earth! (not ours, some 'other' earthy world that has magic driving its steam-driven tech)
Emilie herself is described as a young woman of color from a nation where Southerners tend to be darker and Northerners paler, a novel touch in youth SF/Fantasy. She has the requisite intelligence, spunk and slight lack of foresight often found in youth in general and particularly in fiction, but she is a young person of true character: honest, courageous, loyal and clever. Wells does use Emilie to over-explain sometimes and it's that aspect of the writing that needs a bit more faith in her audience, although it's a fine line to walk (type?) even when writing 'straight' youth fiction. Something as different and intricate as Emilie's own Victoriana-steampunk surface world takes a deft touch to convey to readers, adding in the highly imaginative Hollow World makes the task that much harder. This book one is thickly yummy lasagna of plot & world, and yummy lasagnas sometimes take a lot of describing. ;)
The grown-up humans aren't as fleshed-out as in Wells' adult fiction but the adult Hollow Worlders who befriend Emilie are satisfyingly realized: this all feels right to me as we're seeing this through Emilie's eyes and the adage that children accept the unusual more easily than adults does apply (and they also, even at 16, almost need to slightly stereotype the adults around them to emotionally manage their lives.) I enjoyed this switch from many novels where alien characters aren't fully realized while humans are more realistic.
As a reader I'm content with magic as an element of technological activity, particularly when the laws of physics still apply to its practitioners as it does here: if one's magic powers something then that power needs to be accounted for somehow even if the mage is simply made tired by the practice or their talent isn't sufficient.
This first foray of Wells' into writing for the young is a fine read: young persons, especially middle-schoolers and YA's new to Verne-esque realities, should enjoy themselves immensely; adult readers will find plenty of Wellsian adventure and enough fantastic world-building to satisfy, and Emilie is a delightful young protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series soon.
Wells is a brilliant world-builder, creating worlds that deserve far more attention in Our World than she gets (movie rights? some of her plots would make terrific blockbusters!); the world-building in Emilie and the Hollow World is top-notch Vernian gaslamp rip-roarin' adventure. 16 year old Emilie runs away from an unpleasant home life and ends up accidentally stowed away on a top secret trip to: DUM DUM DUM, the center of the earth! (not ours, some 'other' earthy world that has magic driving its steam-driven tech)
Emilie herself is described as a young woman of color from a nation where Southerners tend to be darker and Northerners paler, a novel touch in youth SF/Fantasy. She has the requisite intelligence, spunk and slight lack of foresight often found in youth in general and particularly in fiction, but she is a young person of true character: honest, courageous, loyal and clever. Wells does use Emilie to over-explain sometimes and it's that aspect of the writing that needs a bit more faith in her audience, although it's a fine line to walk (type?) even when writing 'straight' youth fiction. Something as different and intricate as Emilie's own Victoriana-steampunk surface world takes a deft touch to convey to readers, adding in the highly imaginative Hollow World makes the task that much harder. This book one is thickly yummy lasagna of plot & world, and yummy lasagnas sometimes take a lot of describing. ;)
The grown-up humans aren't as fleshed-out as in Wells' adult fiction but the adult Hollow Worlders who befriend Emilie are satisfyingly realized: this all feels right to me as we're seeing this through Emilie's eyes and the adage that children accept the unusual more easily than adults does apply (and they also, even at 16, almost need to slightly stereotype the adults around them to emotionally manage their lives.) I enjoyed this switch from many novels where alien characters aren't fully realized while humans are more realistic.
As a reader I'm content with magic as an element of technological activity, particularly when the laws of physics still apply to its practitioners as it does here: if one's magic powers something then that power needs to be accounted for somehow even if the mage is simply made tired by the practice or their talent isn't sufficient.
This first foray of Wells' into writing for the young is a fine read: young persons, especially middle-schoolers and YA's new to Verne-esque realities, should enjoy themselves immensely; adult readers will find plenty of Wellsian adventure and enough fantastic world-building to satisfy, and Emilie is a delightful young protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series soon.
April 19, 2015
reviews.metaphorosis.com
3 stars
Sixteen year old Emilie has run away from an uncle and aunt with low expectations of her. Her adventure becomes much more exciting than expected when she is mistaken for a thief and ends up on a sorcerous aethership headed deep into the ocean and beyond.
Martha Wells seems to be struggling recently. While her early books were great, later offerings have been much weaker - not bad, but not up to the previous standard. Sadly, Emilie and Hollow World continues the trend.
Emilie is clearly written as a Young Adult novel, with a naive but plucky young heroine encountering the cruel world for the first time, and with many opportunities for her innate goodness to shine through. That's all well and good. What's disappointing is that Wells seems to be so consciously adhering to a formula. Every moment feels carefully scripted and targeted. The result is a book that's pleasant, but not especially interesting.
Despite the care, Wells seems to miss her target. We don't learn Emilie's age for a couple of chapters, and when we do, it's surprising. I had the feeling of a 10-12 year old, not an adolescent. Even when we learn Emilie is nearer being a young woman than a child, she doesn't feel like one. The introduction of a love interest is thus a bit offputting. Perhaps, in a world where most fictional teens face harsh dystopias at every turn, there's room for a return to starry-eyed childhood innocence, but it didn't work for me here.
Wells' world is a similar return to days of yore, with Emilie and crew visiting the hollow center of the Earth on aetheric currents. I assume this is in conscious homage to Verne and Burroughs, and took no issue with the sheer scientific improbability of the setting, though there's little attempt to explain it, and some of the background details are improbable even within the context.
Wells does better with characterization. She winks at historical stereotypes by quietly inverting some gender roles, but sets the story in an Elizabethan-era steampunk setting in which woman are meant to play a submissive role. This gives Emilie something to rebel against and overcome, but it feels a bit tired. Emilie herself is an active, intelligent protagonist. She worries and wonders, but takes action - not always in very credible ways. She faces and overcomes fairly predictable challenges.
Altogether, this is a quick, modest adventure for kids who haven't read too widely (and thus encountered most of the ideas already). There's nothing wrong with it, but also not anything particularly compelling. I don't feel any need to go on to the next book.
April 13, 2013
Prolific fantasy author Martha Wells ventures into young adult territory with EMILIE & THE HOLLOW WORLD, a steampunk adventure inspired by Jules Verne's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. When Emilie runs away from home, she ends up having to stow aboard a different ship - one headed to the world inside the world to save Lady Marlende's father.
Lady Marelende's father is an inventor and explorer, but he's fallen afoul of another scientific-minded lord who wants to be the first to journey to the hollow world and back. Her only hope is Lord Engal, another rival of her father's. Oh those scientists, always wanting to be the first to publish. Of course, things go awry and the explorers must accomplish their quest before they're able to return home safely.
I loved the way Wells described the strange people and places Emilie and the others discover. She's not besmirching the legacy of Verne by any means. In fact, I'm surprised there hasn't been more steampunk that ventures into his territory. Character-wise, Kenar, a Cirathi from the hollow world, is one of my favorites. I was a little disappointed that he was already in a happy relationship and not a love interest for Emilie. Not too disappointed, however, because Emilie is supposedly sixteen but reads younger. (And her actual love interest is perfectly nice.)
Emilie was a touch underdeveloped. She's definitely the character the reader is supposed to identify with, a complete outsider who knows less than everybody else. What the reader does learn about her is positive. She stands up for herself, she knows when to keep quiet and be sneaky, and she's good at coming up with a plan on the fly. But this is an adventure story and character development is secondary. Most of the characters are exactly who they appear to be on the surface.
It works because EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD is quite an adventure. I loved learning about the different societies of the hollow world along with Emilie and watching her attempt to prevent a war. (Or, at the very least, avoid being personally involved with the war.) The second novel, EMILIE AND THE SKY WORLD, should be available from Strange Chemistry in 2014. I'm excited to follow along with Emilie's future exploits.
Lady Marelende's father is an inventor and explorer, but he's fallen afoul of another scientific-minded lord who wants to be the first to journey to the hollow world and back. Her only hope is Lord Engal, another rival of her father's. Oh those scientists, always wanting to be the first to publish. Of course, things go awry and the explorers must accomplish their quest before they're able to return home safely.
I loved the way Wells described the strange people and places Emilie and the others discover. She's not besmirching the legacy of Verne by any means. In fact, I'm surprised there hasn't been more steampunk that ventures into his territory. Character-wise, Kenar, a Cirathi from the hollow world, is one of my favorites. I was a little disappointed that he was already in a happy relationship and not a love interest for Emilie. Not too disappointed, however, because Emilie is supposedly sixteen but reads younger. (And her actual love interest is perfectly nice.)
Emilie was a touch underdeveloped. She's definitely the character the reader is supposed to identify with, a complete outsider who knows less than everybody else. What the reader does learn about her is positive. She stands up for herself, she knows when to keep quiet and be sneaky, and she's good at coming up with a plan on the fly. But this is an adventure story and character development is secondary. Most of the characters are exactly who they appear to be on the surface.
It works because EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD is quite an adventure. I loved learning about the different societies of the hollow world along with Emilie and watching her attempt to prevent a war. (Or, at the very least, avoid being personally involved with the war.) The second novel, EMILIE AND THE SKY WORLD, should be available from Strange Chemistry in 2014. I'm excited to follow along with Emilie's future exploits.
January 17, 2019
Mysig. Påminner om Julius Vernes en resa till jordens medelpunkt.
January 26, 2022
An adventure with a fast and entertaining pace, from the hand of a heroine who does not fail in her role.
This world and its magic sound promising and although I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would, I think I'll go for the second part.
This world and its magic sound promising and although I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would, I think I'll go for the second part.
October 19, 2016
This review first appeared on Readers in Wonderland
INITIAL REACTION
5 THINGS ABOUT EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD
Let's go on a steampunk adventure
HELL YEAH STEAMPUNK! A genre I love and don’t get to read enough. EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD combines fantasy with steampunk. There are air ships and pistols and interesting gadgets combined with magic and parallel worlds. So many different concepts I love all together in one place!
I thought it was middle grade
For some reason I was under the impression that Emilie was 12-14 when I started this. NEK MINUT she’s actually 16. It was strange because the writing style reminded me more of a middle grade tone, but honestly it could also just be steampunk style that I’m not used to. Maybe.
Smart Girls
I just realised that in this entire book there are only three female characters. Boo. The only good thing is that they’re pretty awesome female characters. They’re all smart girls/ women who use their intellect to get the best of situations, rarely relying on brawn. I also appreciated the fact that Emilie didn’t miraculously gain new fighting skills or anything because that is a pet peeve of mine (Though I must admit there were some awfully convenient solutions to plot things). Oh and there was no romance for any of them (the hints of a future OTP were sown at the very end but they were tiny, miniscule hints).
Merpeople
The Hollow World is a world different to our own, filled with some pretty creepy sounding creatures. We only got to meet two of these creatures (Races? Species?), and we didn’t get to know their cultures as well as I would have liked unfortunately. Most of EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD is focused on a rescue mission and not world exploration.
The second half was much preferred
he first half of EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD was pretty meh. We were introduced the characters and some of the steampunk science/ magic, but I wasn’t fully invested, even when they first started exploring the Hollow World. The best part was by far the second half of the novel, where the pace picked up and the action began. It wasn’t insanely suspenseful but it moved nice and quickly.
In Summary
EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD was a fun little read. I didn’t fall head over heels for the story, but I appreciate its charm. The last half is full of action and suspense, and I really enjoyed the steampunk elements. I‘m interested in following Emilie’s path to becoming an adventuress at some point in the future, but I’m not going to be in a rush to get my hands on it.
INITIAL REACTION
5 THINGS ABOUT EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD
Let's go on a steampunk adventure
HELL YEAH STEAMPUNK! A genre I love and don’t get to read enough. EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD combines fantasy with steampunk. There are air ships and pistols and interesting gadgets combined with magic and parallel worlds. So many different concepts I love all together in one place!
I thought it was middle grade
For some reason I was under the impression that Emilie was 12-14 when I started this. NEK MINUT she’s actually 16. It was strange because the writing style reminded me more of a middle grade tone, but honestly it could also just be steampunk style that I’m not used to. Maybe.
Smart Girls
I just realised that in this entire book there are only three female characters. Boo. The only good thing is that they’re pretty awesome female characters. They’re all smart girls/ women who use their intellect to get the best of situations, rarely relying on brawn. I also appreciated the fact that Emilie didn’t miraculously gain new fighting skills or anything because that is a pet peeve of mine (Though I must admit there were some awfully convenient solutions to plot things). Oh and there was no romance for any of them (the hints of a future OTP were sown at the very end but they were tiny, miniscule hints).
Merpeople
The Hollow World is a world different to our own, filled with some pretty creepy sounding creatures. We only got to meet two of these creatures (Races? Species?), and we didn’t get to know their cultures as well as I would have liked unfortunately. Most of EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD is focused on a rescue mission and not world exploration.
The second half was much preferred
he first half of EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD was pretty meh. We were introduced the characters and some of the steampunk science/ magic, but I wasn’t fully invested, even when they first started exploring the Hollow World. The best part was by far the second half of the novel, where the pace picked up and the action began. It wasn’t insanely suspenseful but it moved nice and quickly.
In Summary
EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD was a fun little read. I didn’t fall head over heels for the story, but I appreciate its charm. The last half is full of action and suspense, and I really enjoyed the steampunk elements. I‘m interested in following Emilie’s path to becoming an adventuress at some point in the future, but I’m not going to be in a rush to get my hands on it.
June 18, 2013
While I enjoyed this, it didn't knock my socks off. I've been a long time fan of Martha Wells but compared to her earlier, adult fantasies, Emilie left me hollow. On the plus side it's a quick read, with a resourceful and resilient young heroine. I liked the idea of a story revolving around exploration and meeting other cultures, but to me, everything was a little bit shallow. None of the main characters were deeply drawn although to give Wells credit they did seem like distinct people, but as a reader you didn't really get to know them very well beyond a few traits.
The story was fast moving, filled with lots of action set pieces, but I would have preferred a little less running around and a little more character and story development. Although Wells is always a standout for her development of other worlds, creatures and cultures, none of the various species introduced seemed very distinctive or exciting. To me, having read her other works, this seemed a very anemic knockoff of themes and worlds she has already done before with better and more enjoyable results. I realize this is aimed at a younger audience, but I've read a lot of sophisticated children's and YA books and this really doesn't compare favorably. Still, all in all it's a fun, quick adventure series and perhaps if there is a book 2 she'll have a chance to delve more deeply into the complexities of the world and the characters.
The story was fast moving, filled with lots of action set pieces, but I would have preferred a little less running around and a little more character and story development. Although Wells is always a standout for her development of other worlds, creatures and cultures, none of the various species introduced seemed very distinctive or exciting. To me, having read her other works, this seemed a very anemic knockoff of themes and worlds she has already done before with better and more enjoyable results. I realize this is aimed at a younger audience, but I've read a lot of sophisticated children's and YA books and this really doesn't compare favorably. Still, all in all it's a fun, quick adventure series and perhaps if there is a book 2 she'll have a chance to delve more deeply into the complexities of the world and the characters.
February 10, 2013
Fantastic old-fashioned adventure! Emilie, unloved and maligned by her aunt and uncle, resolves to run away and seek employment at her cousin's school for girls. When she runs short of funds for the journey, she tries to stow away on a ship. Instead, she finds herself on a ship with a destination outside the realm of the everyday.
Reminiscent of Verne, this adventure has danger, excitement, explorers, scientists, pirates, saboteurs, monsters, magic, airships, submersibles, and a plucky young girl as the heroine who doesn't shy away from any of it.
A great YA book, certainly, but just as much fun for grown-ups who miss old-fashioned tales of adventure, bravery, and derring-do.
Reminiscent of Verne, this adventure has danger, excitement, explorers, scientists, pirates, saboteurs, monsters, magic, airships, submersibles, and a plucky young girl as the heroine who doesn't shy away from any of it.
A great YA book, certainly, but just as much fun for grown-ups who miss old-fashioned tales of adventure, bravery, and derring-do.
March 13, 2013
Emilie and the Hollow World is a delightful book about a young girl's journey to the center of the earth. I loved how the steampunk elements were incorporated into the narrative. The story picked up for me once Emilie and her friends reached the Hollow World. Lots of fantastic monsters and stuff.
This is a fun little read and would be appropriate for middle grades and up.
Thank you to Angry Robot books for a review copy of this book.
This is a fun little read and would be appropriate for middle grades and up.
Thank you to Angry Robot books for a review copy of this book.
April 18, 2013
A nice little YA book in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs but without the bikini clad cave women and dinosaurs. The plucky young girl is an enjoyable character along with Well's nack at creating alien humanoid cultures with which to interact.
June 17, 2025
Son tres estrellas porque, más que un YA, es un YYA y ha resultado un poco demasiado juvenil para mi. Estoy convencida de que mi yo de 12 años le habría dado las cuatro.
Recuerda mucho a Julio Verne pero sin el exceso de testosterona y se agradecen las protagonistas fuertes, inteligentes y asertivas.
Recuerda mucho a Julio Verne pero sin el exceso de testosterona y se agradecen las protagonistas fuertes, inteligentes y asertivas.
April 12, 2024
I may try and come back to this. The narrative was annoying and I'm not sure how much that contributed to my dislike of the book.
March 26, 2021
Dr. Marlande is in the Hollow World, but his craft was damaged and can't return. A party of two in a small vessel is sent to the surface to seek help. Kenar finds Marlande's daughter and they enlist the help of Lord Engal.
Emilie has lived with her uncle since her parents died. They may tolerate her, but all she hears from them is how she'll amount to nothing or worse. Her brother ran away to join the navy, that option isn't open to girls, but she makes up her mind to run away to her cousin's school. By the time she makes it to the harbor she no longer has enough money to buy passage. She ends up on the wrong ship, it's attacked and away before she can leave. She finds out that it's an exploratory vessel. They are riding the aetheric currents down through the sea in a protective bubble to a fissure that will lead to an inner world. They make it. Barely. Then have adventures with Sargasso creatures, merpeople and more while still having to find their missing colleagues.
Emilie didn't thwart the attack on the Sovereign, but did shout a warning to Kenar. When she found out to be a stowaway she had a little goodwill and wasn't immediately tossed overboard. Miss Marlande agreed to watch over her. For a while Emilie only followed people around and asked questions. When she got separated from the group, we began to see more of her initiative.
Emilie is a great character, she didn't come up with magical powers or overpower grown men with fighting skills. It was being in the right place at the right time and giving a nudge. YA Fantasy. Some humor, I especially liked that she wasn't going to not wash to spite her aunt and uncle. She ran away, they can consider themselves spited. Four stars.
Emilie has lived with her uncle since her parents died. They may tolerate her, but all she hears from them is how she'll amount to nothing or worse. Her brother ran away to join the navy, that option isn't open to girls, but she makes up her mind to run away to her cousin's school. By the time she makes it to the harbor she no longer has enough money to buy passage. She ends up on the wrong ship, it's attacked and away before she can leave. She finds out that it's an exploratory vessel. They are riding the aetheric currents down through the sea in a protective bubble to a fissure that will lead to an inner world. They make it. Barely. Then have adventures with Sargasso creatures, merpeople and more while still having to find their missing colleagues.
Emilie didn't thwart the attack on the Sovereign, but did shout a warning to Kenar. When she found out to be a stowaway she had a little goodwill and wasn't immediately tossed overboard. Miss Marlande agreed to watch over her. For a while Emilie only followed people around and asked questions. When she got separated from the group, we began to see more of her initiative.
Emilie is a great character, she didn't come up with magical powers or overpower grown men with fighting skills. It was being in the right place at the right time and giving a nudge. YA Fantasy. Some humor, I especially liked that she wasn't going to not wash to spite her aunt and uncle. She ran away, they can consider themselves spited. Four stars.
June 7, 2022
Emilie has run away from home - or at least from her aunt and uncle. Emilie’s mother had run away and become an actress - then married and had 3 boys and 1 girl. Emilie��s older brother had run away to join the navy against the relatives’ wishes. Their uncle had been planning on him joining his business. Her 2 younger brothers had fallen in line with the idea. Emilie was curious about things and wanted to explore and find things out. But her aunt was convinced that she was just wayward and would only get in trouble (translated as “become a prostitute”). She wished to go to her cousin and help her with her school, but aunt & uncle decided this was a ruse to marry the elderly father of the friend with whom she would be traveling. So she ran away. She planned to stow away on the ship to take her to the port where her cousin lived. Instead she ended up on a ship that was sailing to the center of the earth. But things weren’t going right in that ship. There were problems and their rescue efforts were hindered. But at least Emilie was getting her taste of adventure.
Rather a fun read.
Rather a fun read.
May 16, 2025
Emilie is stifled by the expectations of her uncle, and runs away...but kind of botches her escape and accidentally ends up on a ship with an experimental engine bound to the center of the planet. Adventure ensues!
This is the first book in the Emilie Adventures, which Tor is rereleasing as an omnibus edition. It's YA fantasy, and highly appropriate for younger readers. Emilie is headstrong, adventurous, and above all curious about the world around her. She's absorbed a lot of knowledge about her new vessel, but ultimately needs to rely on her courage to persevere through her adversity. I found this to be on the plot heavier side - the action is nonstop!! - but really enjoy Emilie's growth as a character too.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC of the omnibus, The Emilie Adventures, which is out 5/20/25.
This is the first book in the Emilie Adventures, which Tor is rereleasing as an omnibus edition. It's YA fantasy, and highly appropriate for younger readers. Emilie is headstrong, adventurous, and above all curious about the world around her. She's absorbed a lot of knowledge about her new vessel, but ultimately needs to rely on her courage to persevere through her adversity. I found this to be on the plot heavier side - the action is nonstop!! - but really enjoy Emilie's growth as a character too.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC of the omnibus, The Emilie Adventures, which is out 5/20/25.
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