The Conjurer's Riddle

The Inventor's Secret #2

by Andrea Cremer

The Revolution is beginning–and Charlotte may be on the wrong side.

In this sequel to The Inventor's Secret, Charlotte and her companions escape the British Empire, but they haven't left danger behind. In fact, if they go against the revolutionaries, they face even greater peril. 

Charlotte leads her group of exiles west, plunging into a wild world of shady merchants and surly rivermen on the way to New Orleans. But as Charlotte learns more about the revolution she has championed, she wonders if she's on the right side after all. Charlotte and her friends get to know the mystical New Orleans bayou and deep into the shadowy tunnels below the city–the den of criminals, assassins and pirates–Charlotte must decide if the revolution's goals justify their means, or if some things, like the lives of her friends, are too sacred to sacrifice.

This alternate-history adventure series asks the questions: What would have happened if America had lost the Revolutionary War? And what would people be willing to do to finally taste freedom?

Praise for The Inventor's Secret:

* "Cremer...creates an inventive blend of steampunk and alternative history in this new series. She gives readers a fantastical world with mechanical wonders and an opulent vintage setting. The characters are interesting and well developed. Readers will be drawn to future installments."--VOYA, starred review

"[A]n entertaining romp in a richly imaginative setting."--Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2015

About the author

Andrea Cremer also known as Andrea Robertson, is the author of the internationally bestselling Nightshade series. She spent her childhood daydreaming and roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin.

Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but she only recently plunged into the deep end of the pool that is professional writing. Before she wrote her first novel, Andrea was a history professor at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. In her books, she strives to bring together her two passions: history and fantasy. Andrea now lives in New York and writes full time.

To contact Andrea, please visit, andreacremer.com

Reviews

[✨ tazannah ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"'Why didn't you just tell me you knew?' Charlotte asked. "You could have come back to the inn that night and asked to join us."

Jack smiled at his sister. "She never would have allowed it."

Linnet shrugged. "You're right."

"So you decided to stow away on a pirate ship?" Charlotte glared at him. "Why would you do something so foolish?"

"Why can't you understand that I'd sooner spend my life in the Crucible than let anything happen to you?"

It took Charlotte several breaths before she could ask. “You... why would you say that?"

'Because it's the truth.'"


_________________________________
As most books tend to do, The Conjurer's Riddle took me a while to get into. The first fifty pages or so was very slow-paced, but after that, it did pick and mannn, I could not put this one down!

The Conjurer's Riddle is the second book in The Inventor's Secret series. This book follows a group of teenagers traveling to New Orleans to join the Resistance after their home, the Catacombs, was destroyed. Filled with danger, perilous journeys, and startling revelations,
The Conjurer's Riddle is perfect for fans of YA steampunk.
__________________________________
⚙ Christian POV and CWs: ⚙
- Flirtatious gestures
- Infrequent cursing
- A comparison to "making a deal with the Devil"
- The continents each have their own gods
- A boy is resurrected
- Mentions of "The Book of the Dead," as well as "Otherside" (the place the soul goes to after death)
- Magic
__________________________________
⚙ Quotes I Saved: ⚙
p.74 • "Charlotte didn’t want to hope for something that had little chance of coming to pass."

p.230 • "Now that she had been forced into a stark encounter with that truth, Charlotte understood that it truly frightened her. She kept it locked in the far recesses of her mind so she didn’t have to face it, because she didn’t know if she could."

[Colleen Houck]

I love that I can hit so many tags with this series. There's so much going on! The entire description of this version of New Orleans was amazing! Loved the swamp guru who fights with a stick. Also the spider girls and the pirate...yummy. Very much look forward to reading more about him.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS
Like most trilogies, the beginning of this second installment was painstaking slow and uneventful. Even Charlotte and Linnet couldn't make up for the lackluster storyline up to the 40% mark. The remaining 60% was engaging and packed full of action. It was everything I've come to enjoy in this world. The ending has me optimistic that the final book was will as entertaining as the first.

[Laurapassage · Rating 5 out of 5]

[http://laura-passage.com/le-secret-de...]

"L'énigme du magicien, deuxième tome de la trilogie Le secret de l'inventeur, se révèle avant tout comme un tome de transition. Bien que l'intrigue principale avance peu, Andrea Cremer ravit par son univers, son héroïne forte et touchante et le rythme haletant du récit."

[Galleane · Rating 2 out of 5]

De manière générale je déplore un manque de substance et et de profondeur, comme dans le premier tome. De nouveau je suis restée sur ma faim, tout reste bien trop en surface, et je n'ai pas été éblouie par les promesses qui survenaient par moments au travers des nouvelles choses qui apparaissaient. Je passe outre le triangle amoureux qui piétine grandement et qui de ce que j'ai lu se termine d'une façon que tout le monde n'appréciera pas dans le dernier tome que pour ma part je ne lirais pas.

Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2017/...

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as engaging as the first book but still a really good sequel. I will definitely be reading the concluding novel and have a good feeling it’ll be an improvement on this one.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great second story, but where are we going?

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short version: There's a rebellion, I don't know why. Lots of things happen besides rebellion.



Long version: As usual, I came into this having no idea what I was getting into. Since I picked this up randomly, I didn't have any clue what the original story was, and I knew I would spend some time in the beginning trying to figure out what's happening. But I don't know much more now after finishing the book than I did in the beginning. I can narrow it all down into about four sentences, which I started to do above:

There is a rebellion, and Charlotte is part of it. There is magic and machinery both which is steampunk-esque. There is a fancy version of Frankenstein's monster, and everyone wants to abuse him. Also, Charlotte has the hots for two brothers.

There. That is basically everything that happens here. It's interesting to an extent, yes. But it doesn't make for an actual plot, it just makes for little random adventures. It's like watching thirty minute episodes of a show with no continuity rather than reading the second book in a series.

It isn't bad though; far from it. The writing is well done, and Charlotte's ping ponging between the two brothers didn't annoy me as much as love triangles normally do. I think it has a lot to do with how she was more pragmatic about it. She didn't faint from love every time one of them talked to her, or become an idiotic dolt whenever one deemed her worthy enough to look at. So it's not really a bad book; quite well written in fact. It just doesn't seem to really go anywhere.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in a trilogy and sees Charlotte, with her friends, fleeing the destruction of their hideout and heading across the country to New Orleans to join with the Resistance. Along with her other friends is Grave who is an unusual character who was made from the body of a mad inventor's dead son. Grave now has powers and skills that make him very valuable to whatever side in the revolution manages to take control of him. He has also excited various religious orders who seem to feel that he is an abomination to be destroyed.

Charlotte is determined to protect her friend Grave and not let anyone - no matter what side they are on - use him as if he were not human. Charlotte and her group are aided by Linnet and Lord Ott who also have their own agendas. She also reunites with Meg who was her brother's girlfriend and who has been hiding major fighting skills.

New Orleans is a fascinating city where all the inhabitants and visitors are required to wear masks. It is also guarded by a massive and very steampunk sea wall. But, best of all, there are pirates. I can't wait for the third book to read more of Charlotte's adventures as she protects Grave and likely has to deal with her two suitors again.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had such a difficult time getting into this book. The beginning did not do a good job of reintroducing the characters and the plot of the first book, so I just spent the first few chapters confused and bored and thhhhiiiss close to putting the book down. Fortunately, it picked up in the middle and started to become more engaging with the character's traveling to New Orleans where the Resistance head quarters was located and the city had a cool element to it where a law required the inhabitants to wear a mask at all times, which I thought was an intriguing concept. The main character though I did not find to be likable and some of the situations she got into were almost too ridiculous to be believable. The ending was the worst because it tried to end on a cliff hanger when really it just ended abruptly right in the middle of an important scene. I do feel like the series is going somewhere interesting, so while I had a few problems with this book I am hopeful that the next book will be smooth sailing (it makes sense if you read the end of the book :P).

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Cremer dazzles with her lush settings of this alternative history that is still somewhat american. The division of territories is quite different though. It is set in the future yet most things seem to be dated such as clothings and social hierarchies and such. I rivaled in the introduction to the rich yet gritty New Orleans culture. The steampunk elements are of course outstanding and this time there is even some magic and possible necromancy involved. It was a nice change from The Floating City of New York where the high society seemed to dwell. This place had it grandeur, don’t get me wrong but, there was a much darker more primal undercurrent to it all.This review was originally posted on Please Feed the Bookworm Click here to keep reading bout my feels!

[Rea K · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Reagan, you weren't thrilled with the first book? HOW COULD YOU BRING YOURSELF TO READ THE SECOND ONE?" Well, dear reader, I don't know how I brought myself to read the second one, but I'm gonna read the third one, too. Mostly because I have it in my little hands, but partly because with an ending like that, I guess I can read through the end of the series. *heaves sigh* I guess. If I insist. I can think of worse books to pass time with at any rate.
This book was slow at the beginning, so cue my shock when I went from page 83 to page 183 without even realizing how fast I'd read or, rather, how much time had passed. My big issue from this one was WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH IS EVERYONE OBSESSED WITH CHARLOTTE? Also, I noted in a different review that it's hard to figure out what the revolution is about. WHICH, UNLESS YOU READ THE FIRST BOOK, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. Hell, I read the first book and I don't know what's going on half the time.
On the bright side, I'd like to murder both of the Winter brothers. God. I haven't had a ship that I said "Just let this ship sink and save us all" about ever. To my knowledge. Maybe if I was reading Twilight now. Haha. I originally liked Jack for Charlotte, because to me it was obvious that they were crushing on each other. And, UNFORTUNATELY, it reminded me of my horrid love life. A boy who may or may not have (I'm not sure I want to know the truth here ever) been flirting with me tried to throw me in the dumpster at work, SO I MEAN, BOYS ARE CONFUSING. But, I was like "How thick are you that you both have feelings for each other?" Except I understand that you can be incredibly thick about feelings, because the one boy that I actually did like may or may not have been convinced that I hate him. Whoops. Excuuuuse me for having the wretched childhood that made expressing feelings for boys a taboo subject because the rest of the children would be mean. And I wonder why I don't have a boyfriend. Haha. I once lied to girls I was only kinda friends with about who I had a crush on because the boy I did have a crush on was four years older and all graduated and junk and I only told like one other person that I liked him and I was NOT going to have people teasing me about that crush for the next three years.
But I digress. Sort of. I didn't really know how I felt about Coe going in, but I really don't care for him. He's pushing at Charlotte for his own gains. I mean, if she gets all bent out of shape about Jack, of COURSE she's going to run into Coe's wide open arms. LOOK. I THINK I SEE WHERE THIS BOOK IS TAKING US. TOWARDS JACK. NOW CAN WE SINK THE ENTIRE FLEET BEFORE WE GO FURTHER.
I still think this book is set in the wrong time period. Don't get me wrong. If you didn't tell me the year, I'd hop in, believe that this was the 1860s and be like "Okay. I got this. This works." BUT KNOWING HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE DAMN REVOLUTION, I DO NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT. IT DOES NOT FIT. It makes me itch.
The fight scenes are annoying. I don't CARE about the technicalities, to be honest. I also still have a sincere doubt in the plausibility of Meg's whole character. I also suspect that she doesn't have feelings for Ash like we all know Ash has for her. I suspect she is the token lesbian character. Now, don't tell me that it's rude to say that, but it's my suspicion.
ALRIGHT. I'M THERE. The mystery of the entire series is Grave. And quite frankly, I'm sick to death of Grave, except I understand that if we didn't have Grave, we wouldn't have any story and the kidlets would still be packed away in their stupid cave (still don't see the point of that when they left children with some nuns somewhere) and still brainwashed into the resistance. Oh. Wait. Was that a spoiler? Might have been. Don't read that line. Just pretend that you didn't see it. Quite frankly, the whole thing reeks of "You have to pick a damn side, you can't just be in the middle." I'm quite willing to sit in the middle here and say that all the sides stink. If I was a twenty-odd-year-old girl in this book, I think I'd say "I quit" and go live in, like, Spain or something.
Also, the map leaves much to be desired. I don't know where on the map the city that these kids are trying to get to is located because OF COURSE, the map is the worst map on the face of the planet. Look, ma'am, I know you were all cocky about the shape of the United States, but you're doing a disservice to the book because I would have followed much better if I was able to pop back to the front and be like "oh, yeah. that's where this river is. And this city." And, if you're making up cities, it helps even more.
The religion still bothers the hell out of me. I have not got enough ability to suspend all disbelief to convince my little self that "Hephaestus's hammer" and "holy athene" or whatever that one was ARE EVEN BELIEVABLE. I do not see the British Empire grabbing onto the whole Greek mythology thing. These are the same people who believed that chair legs were immoral. (Though that might be a little more in the future.) My knowledge of the British is that the upper class was a hypocritical group of prudes and hoes.
OKAY, I'm off to read the last in the series because, by golly, I hate myself and am stubborn as hell. But it's not like I trudged through the first two, so unless I throw the book across the room and it lands in a puddle or some junk, I ought to be able to finish and give a review and tell you to run before you get this far.
Also, before I forget. Jack is a dumbass and I really want that ship to sink. And the Coe ship (especially since I keep typing Cow). I'm going to throw up my little hands and say I ship Linnet and Meg or Linnet and Charlotte or Meg and Charlotte. And even those ships can sink. I do not care who ends up with who. I just want everyone to die. Now. Painfully.

[paula moreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. But ahhh every book I've been reading lately ends with a cliff hanger. Now I have to wait like two years for the next. Kinda sucks. Oh well, life goes on

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Adult Steampunk. Moves along at a fast clip has some pretty interesting alternative history going on that I enjoyed in the first book. Basically, what if steam technology was so advanced by the 18th century that the American Revolution failed. This book sees our troop of children evacuating their home in New York and making their way to New Orleans. Also an interesting version of a city still controlled by the French, and home to the "American Resistance"

I found a few flaws in the layout of New Orleans, like the underground. I mean, it's New Orleans, it's not like they're not prone to flooding and were surrounded by swamp in the early 19th century or anything. But I took it in stride because New York is also a "floating city" so, it's alternative reality, maybe Louisiana had firm ground or some shit, who knows? I can't let shit like that bother me when I read what in actuality is a historical fantasy.

The YA "romance" aspect was kind of there. Thankfully it didn't take up a major part of the story and didn't cause Charlotte (our heroine) to lose her head repeatedly like you will see in so many YA novels. The cast of characters are fun and eccentric but I do regret that I waited 4 years before reading the second book. It took me several chapters to re-familiarize myself with the characters.

Honestly, I only waited so long to read this book because I was so damned unreasonable about buying it because Amazon wanted $10 and I knew it'd take me less than a day to read. It wasn't till I recently discovered my library had the ebook that I decided to finish off the series. So I did.

[amelia ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, The Conjurer's Riddle is the best book in this trilogy. It's the only one I own a physical copy of, and I have actually re-read it since reading it the first time, which is something I can't say for its predecessor nor its successor.

I think what I love most, aside from just the concept of their base at the Catacombs – the mental images of which fuelled me through this entire book – is Charlotte's character progression. We love to see a character arc that actually makes sense!!

The story didn't feel rushed or dragged on; it felt just long enough for the narrative it wants to tell, which is honestly all you can ask for.

[PokoTaekwoonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai moins apprécié la lecture de ce tome que le précédent.
J'étais très contente de retrouver les personnages, surtout que certains ont bien évolué et je trouve les dynamiques entre eux très intéressantes.
Mais j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait peu d'action dans ce tome. Ainsi qu'une perte de leur objectif principal qui était d'infiltré la société afin de la détruire. Ma lecture n'en a été que moins divertissante.
J'ai tout de même impatience de voir comment cette saga va se terminer et notamment l'évolution de la relation entre Charlotte et Jack.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte leads her group of exiles west, plunging into a wild world of shady merchants and surly rivermen on the way to New Orleans. But as Charlotte learns more about the revolution she has championed, she wonders if she's on the right side after all. Charlotte and her friends get to know the mystical New Orleans bayou and deep into the shadowy tunnels below the city–the den of criminals, assassins and pirates–Charlotte must decide if the revolution's goals justify their means, or if some things, like the lives of her friends, are too sacred to sacrifice.

The Conjurer's Riddle is a look into revolution and rebellion, the secret-gathering and the spying, the hard journeys and the dangers. The heavy cost.

Charlotte is driven, soft-hearted, and passionate about her chose cause, about saving her friends. But doubt lingers, as it always does. Things aren't the same as they were in the Catacombs or in the Floating City. On their journey west, in New Orleans, Charlotte learns how different things are. How duplicitous and two-faced. How her ideas and reasons for fighting back might differ from other members of the resistance.

In terms of the romance, I still feel that Jack is the only option for Charlotte. I still don't understand why a love triangle was added in the first book why Coe suddenly went from person Charlotte barely knew to romantic entanglement. Charlotte is still drawn to Jack, still attracted to him, still hating him and worrying about him, while Coe just seems there. But there wasn't much time for Charlotte to worry about her feelings for most of the book. She was far too busy travelling, learning secrets, or trying to stay hidden and alive. The romance takes a back seat to Charlotte's journey and the still hidden mysteries of Grave. So hidden, so mysterious.

The Resistance is still fighting back against the Empire, fighting to be free from an oppressive ruler from across an ocean. When you fight back as part of a rebellion, you fight for your beliefs, your friends and family. But at what cost? Destruction of property? Injury? Death? Is revolution the only answer? This book, this series, will always scream America to me. Their idea that freedom is a right, that no one can take it from you, but if it ever is taken you can fight to regain it. Is violence ever the only answer? As a Canadian, it feels so American to go in guns blazing to fight for freedom. It feels like it's all they have, like their identity as American is based on freedom and without it they're nothing.

I'm still intrigued by this world, I think the building of it is creative. To speculate on what a country would look like had a major event in its history not happened, if someone else was still in control. If it was a mixture of colonies and disputed territories. It's a dangerous world Charlotte's in, one filled with deception and the impossible. I want to know more. What is the Resistance's endgame plan? What are Grave's secrets, the ones that even he doesn't know? What else is out there for Charlotte to discover? A great follow-up to the first book.

(I received an advance copy of this title from Penguin Random House Canada.)

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on BlueAnteater

The short: The steampunk-esque AU world remains of interest, but the characters remain stiff and the story overwhelming in detail.

The long:

I admit that I skimmed quite a bit of this one. When I picked it up to read, I was more than a little hesitant because I couldn't remember much of the first book nor that I particularly liked it (in fact, rereading my review of The Inventor's Secret, I see that I did not). My main interest was finding out what happened to Grave, the automaton with the soul of a boy, and to be fair, The Conjurer's Riddle doesn't disappoint in revealing more about him. It does take awhile for the story to build, however, and the most surprising thing is how much the Resistance and the Empire and all other AU elements slowly fall away to focus on the conundrum of Grave and what it really means to be human.

Charlotte has matured a lot, and her love triangle (angle) with Coe and Jack thankfully takes a back seat to the action. She reflects on the situation and has a surprising amount of clearheaded restraint when it comes to the realization that they're fighting over her and it's not a good thing. She therefore devotes her attention to her little group of child survivors --- who are at first prominent in the story and then slowly recede into the background --- and to Grave, whom she is both frightened and protective of.

This is the part of the book that I liked, but it's buried deep within other complex plot elements and character mishmash. To be fair, the writing is quite lovely, but it simply doesn't suit the bland characters and overstuffed story. There's a great deal of exposition, and while that's normally one of the my favorite things, I was just not at all interested in this world, sadly, and I found myself quickly working through the historical bits to get back to the action. There were also some wonky bits that may border on offensive, though I'm not in a position to really say so. When dealing with alternative history, it's too easy to give focus to the wrong people and cultures, and despite being set in a purportedly diverse New Orleans, I didn't get the feeling of universal inclusion or diversity. It's a backdrop, nothing more.

The ending was also quite abrupt; I didn't know this series was actually a trilogy, so that was a bit of a surprise, and it's more of an unfortunate cliffhanger than an enticement to read more. I mean, I think I will pick up the third book because I really am very curious about Grave (easily the most fascinating character, though it's hardly a contest), but I'll probably won't be any more excited than I was to read this one.

[La république des livres · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’avais beaucoup aimé le premier tome de ce roman que j’avais lu il y a un peu plus d’un an. J’ai eu la chance de pouvoir le découvrir assez rapidement après sa sortie.

L’histoire reprend là où elle s’est arrêtée dans le premier tome. L’auteur prend quand même le temps de nous rappeler certaines choses qui se sont passées dans le précédent livre pour mieux nous plonger dans son univers.

On suit donc nos héros dans leur fuite vers la Nouvelle-Orléans. C’est le premier moment riche en rebondissements et ça ne va pas s’arrêter tout au long du roman, les actions s’enchainent.

On en apprend aussi plus sur l’univers que construit l’auteur qui dispose d’une imagination sans limite. J’ai pu me plonger au sein de la Nouvelle-Orléans créé par l’auteur, bien loin de celle que l’on connait de nos jours. On découvre pas mal de choses sur l’empire Britania et sur ces méthodes pour maintenir les gens sous contrôle mais surtout on pénètre au sein de la résistance pour en savoir plus sur son fonctionnement.

Charlotte reste bien sûr le personnage central de l’histoire. Elle a muri à cause des différents événements qui se sont passés et qui vont se passer dans ce roman.

Les autres personnages des catacombes (Pip, Birch et Scoff) sont présents qu’en arrière-plan. Par contre on fait la connaissance de nouveaux personnages qui vont jouer un rôle important je pense dans le prochain tome. Linnet me fait toujours sourire par ses répliques et son attitude mais j’ai pu découvrir qu’un cœur se cache derrière sa façade de guerrière. L’auteur aurait pu éviter un triangle amoureux qui n’apporte rien à cette histoire.

Je trouve dommage par contre que Grave soit absent d’une bonne partie de ce roman. Il est censé être le « secret de l’inventeur ». Heureusement les derniers chapitres lui sont consacrés et attisent l’énigme autour de ce personnage.

En bref, c’est un roman dont l’univers m’a enchanté une fois de plus. J’ai aimé en apprendre sur cet univers. Mais j’ai le sentiment de ne pas en avoir appris plus sur Grave alors qu’il est censé être le cœur de cette saga. Par contre les actions et les révélations nous promettent un prochain tome riche surtout avec ce qu’il se passe à la fin de ce roman.

[Sully · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is also posted at http://readingnookandcranny.blogspot....


I had high hopes for this book, thinking that Cremer could dive more into the steampunk world she created in The Inventor's Secret and worry less about the romantic squabbles that we had to deal with in the first novel. Instead, The Conjurer's Riddle (I'm still not entirely sure I even get the title of the novel) seems to focus on all the aspects that I didn't particularly enjoy from the first novel and almost completely ignore the elements I found fascinating.

For one, there is little excitement in the world we explore in The Inventor's Secret. It is set mainly in a French occupied New Orleans where everyone wears masks. Though they travel through the different districts of this alternate universe world, none of the details of the setting are interesting. And while we spend a lot of time traveling, the focus falls on the characters, both primary and secondary. And since none of the characters are developed all that well, the novel is mostly flat and devoid of any real excitement.

Cremer teases readers with the continual hint at a love triangle between Charlotte and the Winter brothers, but I couldn't really care less about her relationship with either brother, so this does little to hold my attention. The Conjurer's Riddle is thus mostly a slow crawl through an almost nonexistent plot. It only picks up interest towards the end, where the element of adventure comes in and the plot picks up a bit in intensity. But since this only occurs in about the last 20 - 50 pages of the novel, this novel feels more of a filler story than anything else. Hopefully the next installment will make it worth the read, but I'm not feeling it so far. Definitely more than a little disappointed in this one.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to love this alternate US history with a steampunk spin and found this to be a worthy successor to The Inventor's Secret. I could have used infinitely more Jack and Coe, and less Pip (I find her tedious) but the world Ms. Cremer has built is so vivid and enchanting that I can't say I seriously disliked anything. It does suffer a bit from what I call "second book syndrome" where not as much happens of interest as in the first installment and it feels largely like set up for the third but it wasn't distracting like I've encountered in other YA series.

I loved this take on New Orleans, was glad to have certain characters reappear, and liked that Charlotte no longer appears to have blind loyalty to a cause. The added layers to her perspective on the Resistance and Empire were welcomed. I look forward to the next book.

I must say though that I wish the cover was more elegant. If I had not already loved The Inventor's Secret (mine had a cover with a clockwork heart on it) I would not have picked up this one based solely on the cover. In fact I actively dislike the image of the girl. It looks gimmicky.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, I was a little bit disappointed with this book. But with that said, it was a decent read from start to finish. However I must also note that I found that the first book of this series was far more engaging and it still remains to be my favourite thus far.

[LeslecturesdeMylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...

18/20 - En bref, un second tome aussi bon voir même un cran au dessus du premier, je n'ai pas vu défiler les pages et j'ai passé un excellent moment avec Charlotte et toute sa clique. J'ai vécu cette aventure de l'intérieur, voulant moi aussi découvrir ce que cachent les uns et les autres pour pouvoir comprendre les tenants et les aboutissants de cette guerre. Le final est pour le moins intense et ne nous donne qu'une envie, lire la suite !!

[Heather Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

The curse if the sequel continues. I was so bored I had a hard time even wanting to read it. It's a 700 page ebook. Of course half of the main characters are no where to be found. Is there some police for authors? Do they get into trouble unless they separate the love interests in the second book? I got 200 pages in and there still was no point to the book except stupid obstacles on their way to the next destination. It's too bad because I liked the first book .

[Lulai · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars.
I have a great time with this book, everything is fluid and there is no boring part. Charlotte is still a very kind a human main character and I like her.
But, the plot is missing some continuity. I still don't know if this serie is about the rebellion or Grave. Even, if I like what I read I cannot forget the lack of a strong plot.

[Nancy The book junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Emilie Fernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MAIS OÙ EST LA SUITE ?????

[Erin F · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5

Second book syndrome, everybody got annoying.

[Monia Sommer · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai réellement apprécié le premier tome de cette saga et avec cette fin au suspense insoutenable, j’avais vraiment hâte de me plonger dans ce second opus ! Merci à Emily et à Lumen Editions pour cet envoi !

Les Catacombes sont parties en fumées et avec elles des tas de souvenirs. Charlotte se retrouve sans foyer et le cœur en miettes. Elle se pose beaucoup de questions et doute de tout. Elle va tout d’abord suivre le plan d’évacuation mis au point par la Résistance afin de mettre les siens à l’abri, même si elle a dû mal à trouver sa place en tant que leader. Le lourd poids qui pèse désormais sur ses épaules l’accable et personne n’est là pour partager son fardeau.
Lorsque la jeune fille atteint envers et contre tout la Nouvelle-Orléans, bastion de la Résistance, les choses ne se passent pas exactement comme prévu. Charlotte se retrouvera une fois de plus face à un choix cornélien dont la vie d’une personne chère à son cœur dépendra totalement…

Avant de commencer, je voulais juste dire un petit mot sur la couverture qui est vraiment superbe ! J’avais adoré la première et j’avais un peu peur que la deuxième ne soit pas à la hauteur et fort heureusement Lumen Edition a relevé le défi haut la main. Ah, et j’aime la texture toute douce de cette couverture, l’épaisseur et la qualité des pages de l’ouvrage, les magnifiques premières pages avec lettrines et dessins à chaque chapitre etc. Vraiment, ce livre est un petit bijou !

Dans ce second opus, j’ai trouvé que le côté steampunk du récit était encore plus présent, pour mon plus grand plaisir. C’est un genre que j’aime tout particulièrement lorsqu’il est bien exploité et ici c’est vraiment le cas.
J’ai été ravie de replonger dans ce passé alternatif, si bien dépeint et imaginé par l’auteur. Andrea Cremer réussit à m’émerveiller à chaque fois de par son imagination. Sa plume est douce et fluide, retraçant avec justesse les couleurs d’un univers aussi vaste que riche. Elle nous réserve encore des tas de surprises pour la suite, j’en suis convaincue !

Le récit en lui-même était plus lent et j’ai eu plus de mal à me remettre dans l’histoire. Peut-être est-ce parce qu’il n’y a plus l’effet de surprise apporté avec le premier tome ? Je pense également que c’est parce que l’on ressent bien que ce deuxième opus est un tome de transition (c’est souvent le cas avec les deuxièmes tomes). De ce fait, on se rend bien compte que l’auteur met en place les pièces maîtresses qui serviront à faire du prochain volume une histoire extraordinaire.

Je me suis attachée à Charlotte dès le départ et ici ce sentiment s’est encore renforcé. On retrouve une héroïne en proie au doute, qui est catapultée dans l’âge adulte avec toutes les responsabilités qui vont avec. Elle n’a plus personne pour l’épauler et elle le vit très mal. L’avenir est incertain à tous les niveaux, ce qu’elle a du mal à accepter. Ses relations avec les autres évoluent également. Elle se laisse entraîner dans un jeu dangereux entre Jack et Coe, qui je l’avoue m’agace un peu parfois. J’espère que l’auteur saura nous surprendre sur ce point par la suite !
Son rapport avec Grave change petit à petit pour se muer en confiance mutuelle. J’ai sincèrement été touchée par le courage et la détermination de Charlotte lorsqu’il a fallu se mettre entre l’ennemi et son ami.
Linette est un personnage que j’adore et ici plus encore ! J’aime sa spontanéité et son caractère bien trempé. Elle amène un vent de fraîcheur et une note d’humour aux moments les plus dramatiques.
Il y a aussi un nouveau protagoniste, dont nous faisons la connaissance vers la fin du livre, qui m’intrigue beaucoup… affaire à suivre donc !

Si le voyage jusqu’à la Nouvelle-Orléans ne m’a pas transportée dès le départ, j’ai adoré découvrir les rouages de cet univers, les machinations qui se mettent en place dans chaque camp. Il y a pas mal d’organisations influentes, ce n’est pas seulement une guerre entre l’Empire et la Résistance, loin de là !
Le contraste entre certains lieux et certaines scènes était saisissant et cela a eu son petit effet sur mon cœur de lectrice. D’un côté nous rencontrons un monde raffiné à l’étiquette et aux codes assez stricts, lorsque de l’autre nous plongeons dans un milieu barbare peuplé de flibustiers et de canailles sans foi ni loi. Difficile de ne pas succomber !


En résumé, bien qu’il s’agisse assurément d’un tom de transition avec des passages parfois un peu longuets, j’ai sincèrement adoré retrouver cet univers. La plume d’Andrea Cremer a su me transporter une fois de plus au sein d’un monde vaste et riche qui n’a pas fini de nous surprendre !

[Kahlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trois choses m’avaient beaucoup plu dans le premier opus de la saga Le Secret de l’Inventeur, d’Andrea Cremer : un univers uchronique fascinant, une intrigue bien ficelée et des personnages plein de panache. Ainsi, sans être un coup de cœur, Rébellion avait été une très belle découverte, dont j’avais hâte de lire la suite. Cette suite, je viens de la refermer, et j’avoue que ma déception est à la hauteur de mon attente. L’énigme du magicien est un tome qui me semble être de transition, avec tout ce que cela implique.

On retrouve Charlotte et ses compagnons là où on les avait laissés : en fuite vers la Nouvelle-Orléans où ils espèrent rejoindre la Résistance, après l’explosion des Catacombes. C’est l’occasion d’une ou deux scènes d’action, certes, mais dans l’ensemble, cette fuite sans fin m’a paru bien ennuyeuse. L’intrigue n’avance pas d’un poil, si ce n’est que l’auteur souligne, sans subtilité aucune, les capacités hors du commun de Grave. Et ce que je considérais comme une lecture YA sympathique se transforme alors en littérature jeunesse sans grand intérêt.

Les événements s’enchaînent à toute vitesse, chaque situation étant résolue avec une facilité assez peu crédible. L’intrigue ne progresse qu’à pas de fourmi et ce qui se passe n’est pas vraiment passionnant. Les mœurs originales de la Nouvelle-Orléans, qui auraient pu venir enrichir l’univers, sont à peine effleurées, les personnages eux-mêmes n’évoluent pas tellement. Le côté steampunk du premier tome est quasiment inexistant. Et comme si le triangle amoureux, qui prend ici des proportions assez dommageables, ne suffisait pas, l’auteur trouve encore le moyen d’intégrer une nouvelle histoire d’amour encore plus cliché. Quel dommage !

De nouveaux personnages a priori intéressants font néanmoins leur entrée en scène, mais là encore, j’émets quelques réserves. Nicodème le magicien aurait pu être passionnant si l’auteur ne lui avait pas coupé l’herbe sous le pied en quelques pages à peine. D’ailleurs, j’en suis encore à me demander s’il est le magicien du titre de ce deuxième volume, et si oui, pourquoi ? Quant à Jean-Baptiste le pirate… Vous avez déjà entendu parler d’un pirate appelé Jean-Baptiste, vous ?! Un choix qui m’a plongée dans un abîme de perplexité.

Bref, vous l’aurez compris, j’ai été déçue de cette lecture, d’autant plus que le premier tome m’avait beaucoup plu. Tout est ici survolé, l’univers, les personnages et les événements, et on se surprend à lire sans passion ni réel intérêt. C’est vraiment dommage, car l’auteur avait une petite pépite entre les mains. J’ai l’impression d’un potentiel gâché, et je m’interroge encore quant à la lecture de la suite.