The White Pavilion

The Cosmic Winds #1

by Ruth Fox

Five hundred years ago, Old Earth was facing certain destruction. In the country we know as Spain, a Clockmaker was visited by an Oracle, who told her that a new world must be created.

La Relojero, the Clockmaker, thus fashioned Tierra Mejor, a world governed by clockwork. Along with Seven Companions, she left the dying Earth behind.

But now, an illness is spreading across their world. Machines are failing, crops are diseased, and the Green-bands, led by a man known only as la Rebelde, the Rebel, are spreading discord.

Every year, the Daughters of the Pavilion dance to honour the myth is being performed by the Daughters of the Pavilion. Imre has been chosen to play the part of la Grulla. It is her task is to honour the Pattern by placing a white feather into the hand of a statue of la Oracula, the Oracle. At the last moment, she stumbles.

The Pattern has been disrupted, and Imre’s future is now in jeopardy. The Prince Regent, Thaniel, insists that she is brought to the Citadel. The Prince is young, easily distracted, and determined to bury his insecurities under a screen of drugs. Senor Grath, the Prince’s Advisor, is the effective governor. He dislikes Imre immensely - she is everything he despises. Then there is La Boca, leader of the mysterious Brotherhood, whose sinister plans seem to involve disposing of the Prince - and Imre is in his way.

Thrown from her old life into a world of politics and intrigue, lust and greed, tradition and romance, Imre must confront the Brotherhood and save her people. She will have to fight to ensure the final part of la Relojero’s plan is completed - and that the children of the Seven Companions can return home to Old Earth.

Genres: Dystopia, Steampunk, Science Fiction Romance

Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2017

About the author

Ruth has been an avid reader her entire life and, inspired by the books that engrossed her as she was growing up, she aims to create stories that can draw readers in and enthrall them for days or weeks. She writes every day and lives in Ballarat, a small town in Victoria, Australia, with her husband, twin boys, her cat, and an ever-expanding library of books.

Please visit her website for more information about her many and varied projects and upcoming books.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Imre fell as she was performing the Dance of a Thousand Steps, her ankle was badly damaged. But also, her accident caused the chain to be broken as the dance had been performed yearly for the past five hundred years. The chaos which befell the city of Cuidad mas Grande, was that Imre's fault? The Brotherhood believed it to be so. Moved to the Citadel, Imre first lived in the den with the other women, then was moved to be near the Principe Regente, Thaniel who would soon be named king. But worse, much worse, was to come...

The White Pavilion is the 1st in The Cosmic Winds series by Aussie author Ruth Fox, and I found it very confusing, especially for the first 25% or so. So many characters, strange words and names - but gradually I settled into the story and found Imre to be a strong, determined young woman, compassionate and caring. Her desire to save the Principe Regente at all costs saw disaster follow disaster. For fans of steampunk, dystopian and science fiction, I'd recommend The White Pavilion highly.

With thanks to Hague Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a little of everything fantastical... The White Pavilion brought sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, and steampunk all together in this suspenseful and complex story about a young woman at the wane of a dying utopian world.

The White Pavilion focuses on young dancer, Imre. Imre was chosen to join the Daughters of the Pavilion from a hard life on the streets in a lower tier. She is determined to make good and rise above her roots. Then she does the unthinkable and falls during the annual elaborate dance festival depicting the origin of the early founding fathers/mothers escape from Old Earth and the founding of Tierra Mejor. The dance has traditional and religious connotations and her fall seems to cause a series of catastrophic events and a great change for her future. She is brought before the Prince Regent and into his household even as the religious sect is calling for her head and a terrorist group is pushing people to realize that Tierra Mejor is in trouble.

I leaped into this book with anticipation. I was looking forward to a tale set against such a backdrop. But, there was so much to turn me around and confuse me at first. Such an intricate world and culture and situation. I didn't mind. I found this choice to drop the reader into a new world was a good call. I had that experience of what it would be like for a person to see 'what if'. In this case, it was what if our world was dying as a result of poor stewardship and war and a clever Spanish inventor was able to convince seven others to leave the dying planet and join her in the clockwork space station/world she had invented with the help of a divine mentor and this was the result 500 years later.

Of course, the people would have a slight connection to Earth tradition and life, but have altered and changed down through the centuries and as a result of their world on this clockwork space city/world. There are bits of Spanish culture in names and re appearances, but also Asian- the White Pavilion and its life there is the Japanese Geisha Culture- and African and European, but in a softer mixture. There are classes based on what tier a person lives on- or on the above wheel or pendulum (don't ask me to describe how the circling wheel and pendulum part of Tierra Mejor works, no clue even after the descriptions). There is a monarchy, but also a council and guilds to govern. The religious group- all men/monks- is austere and have control of the finances, the weather, and the food in the above land areas (the wheel and pendulum). Confused yet?

Yes, I guess that is my point. This book had so much because it had to establish the culture of these people which plays a role in the plot and characters themselves. It is the why behind it all. Imre is deeply religious and trusts in the writings of the Clockmaker who built Tierra Mejor. She has to slowly come to terms with the idea that everything is not fated- she must think and act. Everyone must if they are to survive.

The book begins slow and stays at this gentle pace as Imre must go through experiences and times of reflection- internal change- before she is altered to a person who can be a true catalyst for change. Bravo, Ruth Fox! So many times a reader is 'told' a woman is a heroine and she does some flashy fight scenes and gets snarky so that is our proof that she's the real deal. But in The White Pavilion, the metamorphosis happens before the readers eyes. Imre asks throughout the book, 'why me?' 'what is so special about me?' and then gets her answer. Yes, it made the book longer and slowed the pacing at first, but then it sets things up for that breath-stealing amazing last quarter of the book. It just didn't stop and kept hitting hard with the action, suspense, and twists.

The author not only showed how the world's cultures could mesh together for this new human race begun on Tierra Mejor, but also opened up a new world of diversity by showcasing many sexualities and orientations as normal. Imre is used to passing f/f relations with her 'sisters' in the White Pavilion and inside the Prince's harem, there are casual mentions of other f/f, m/m and m/f relationships and there is a strong gender fluid side character. As, to romance, Imre goes from not really believing a woman of her erotic training and darker past can have or feel love to settling for lesser relationships with a few people before finding that love was waiting for her all along if she had only known what to look for. As the reader, I spotted it right away and I was probably meant to do so, but it is low key because of all else going on in the story and because Imre, the main narrator, is not looking for it or free to pursue it even if she did figure out what was there.

The White Pavilion comes down to a dramatic finish, but it also ends on a new beginning that will lead the people into book two of The Cosmic Winds series. There are a ton of mysteries still there and a new adventure awaiting. It's not a cliff hanger, but it sure does make me thirsty for what is to come. I have no idea if the focus will stay on Imre or if another of the cast of characters will get the lead narration role.

All in all, I know I did a poor job of describing the book, but I hope my sense of wonder and thrill at the story came through for you. There's just so much here with a fantastic world, setting, characters, and plot that I couldn't get a handle on the words to describe it. Highly recommend for those who enjoy futuristic, steampunk, dystopian, suspense, and sci-fi all in one.

My thanks to Curiosity Quills for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

The White Pavilion is set in a dying world and combines elements of dystopian scifi and steampunk. It follows Imre, a young dancer, who fails her most important dance at a religious festival and is brought up before the regent : He makes her a member of his household before a religious group can get her hands on her. Imre is a quiet heroine - with her we discover that there are much bigger things going on and that the world she lives in is in fact, dying.
I quite enjoyed it, the story was fast-paced and the heroine likeable. Most interesting to me was the unique world build and I look forward to read a next installment withhin the setting.

I reveived a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of a honest reviews. Thank you!

[Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh take on sci-fi fantasy with impeccable pacing. Sitting down to read was like coming to a feast, and every paragraph had a high impact on the worldbuilding, plot, or character development. I would think about the story in the off hours and can't wait for more people to read it so that I can talk about it! The ending was poignant and well done. Slow burn enemies to lovers romance and no spice, but a few brief intimate scenes with anatomy references. Appropriate for anyone 16+.

[CHenry Roi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it would be a Wheel of Time-type of story, but it's very different. And just as good. The world of Tierra Mejór is in the future, though it's more like a steampunk tale than dystopian. Fills a unique fantasy niche, for sure. There’s a new kingdom here, one I'll share with friends that enjoy YA fantasy. It's bad to the bone.

[Julie Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a top notch Science Fiction novel which captures a planet whose people pay homage to Earth cultures but make their own. This book also has well thought characters, particularly the protagonist to dwell in it.


Imre is a dancer from the highly regarded White Pavilion in Tierra Major. Tierra Mejor is a planet that is populated by people whose ancestors fled what is now called Old Earth. That was many centuries ago so the Tierrans are far removed from their former lives on Earth and have their own way of thinking and doing things.


One of the most intriguing aspects of Tierra Mejor is how its residents capture the Earthling culture but up to a point. Imre lives in a society that seems to be based on Medieval and Renaissance Italy and Spain. There is a monarchy that has the main power like La Reina, the ill queen whose son, Thaniel, is the Principe Regente in all but name. They speak Spanish and English in tribute to their Earthling ancestry. There is a strong appreciation and acceptance for art and music to the point that dancers like Imre are highly revered and invited to perform certain dances representing different stages in life and the planet's history. There are some people who live a monastic lifestyle in which they transcribe history, pray to their religion, and have tremendous hold over the royal family.


Besides Medieval and Renaissance eras, we find that Tierra Mejor also captures the Victorian Era, specifically Steampunk. There are automatons but aren't very sophisticated like many robots and AIs found in most Science Fiction works. Instead they are more like clunky clockwork mechanicals that serve as drivers, clerks, and servants.

Speaking of clockwork, the whole planet runs on clockwork, literally. Instead of being a naturally made planet, it is operated by a giant wheel built inside the core. So Tierra Mejor is a human made mechanical planet from creation. People help run the wheel and work in an assembly run manner reminiscent of steelworkers, sweatshop workers, and coal miners during the Industrial Era.


Fascinatingly enough, Tierra history doesn't go further than Victorian in appearance. Perhaps, they realized the toll Progress took on Old Earth that they don't want to go any farther involved in science and technology. They want to choose a stopping point and try not to destroy this world as the old one was.


If the White Pavilion ever becomes a movie, it would be fascinating to see how the Production Design team would capture this society that is sort of like Earth but not quite. The architecture, costumes, and lighting would be a challenge to mesh these time periods together at once. Imre for example, at first could dress in flowing elegant feminine Renaissance era gowns at first then slowly as her situation changes, she wears more strident industrial androgynous Steampunk style trousers and shirtwaists. It would be a fascinating thought about how this world could be visualized.


The Tierrans have a unique sense of religion. Because the planet is run by a clockwork wheel, everyone tries to keep their world going in a strict formation called the Pattern. They worship the Pattern. Everyone works in a timely manner and knows their place in society. Everything has to run smoothly and the Pattern cannot be disrupted in any way.

If it is, then disaster could erupt.

Imre learns this during what should be the most important moment of her life. She and her fellow dancers perform the Dance of a Thousand Steps, a heavily mythologized and idealized version of how people traveled from Old Earth to Tierra Mejor. Imre has the coveted role of the Crane which took the people from the old world to the new (more than likely a starship). Unfortunately, during her performance Imre stumbles, falls, and hurts her ankle.


The fall is not her fault (in fact we later find out it was deliberate on someone else's part), but that doesn't matter. As far as everyone around her is concerned, she broke the Pattern. Subsequent earthquakes and a pandemic is enough evidence for them. Imre then finds herself a pariah and then just as quickly taken to the palace to be a dancer/courtesan for the Principe Regente.


The world of Tierra Mejor is a fascinating creation and what makes it even stronger is the characterization. Imre in particular is a standout. When she is first introduced, she is happily situated in her role as a lead dancer. She was sent to the Pavilion at a young age leaving behind a drug addicted prostitute mother. During her time at the Pavilion, she finds her talent. She works hard at her dancing and understands that the dances that she and her colleagues perform symbolize important life events like birth, life, love, and death. It's a form of entertainment for the audience and also an artistic way of revealing their society's culture.


Imre also finds a surrogate family. She refers to her instructor in maternal terms and her fellow dancers as sisters.

That makes her rejection after her fall all that more upsetting. Instead of supporting her, assuring her that we all make mistakes, or encouraging her to try again, they turn their backs on her. They don't visit her as she is recovering. Her instructor is satisfied to get rid of her.

Imre goes through so much suffering and maturity that later when she is later given the opportunity to return to the Pavilion, she sees her former sisters as silly, uninformed, and thoughtless and knows that she would never fit in with them.


Imre's time away from the White Pavilion, particularly at the Palace and even more so at the Wheel enlightens her and opens her eyes to how this world is really run. She finds love and lust with a few characters that arouse her sexually or reaches her emotionally. She goes to the library and studies the history of Old Earth and the creation of Tierra Mejor.

She comes in close contact with the interior workings of Tierra Mejor and what really goes on inside the world that thought she knew.


Most importantly, Imre gets to know Thaniel, the Regent. She sees him as a young man trapped by his role of being a figurehead but not being able to do anything proactive to help anyone. He is sheltered and protected by relatives and advisors which act like they have his best interest in mind, but really are looking out for themselves.

Imre sees Thaniel not as a symbol or a figurehead but a human being, a friend, and later a love interest.

Imre's relationship with Thaniel and the knowledge that she obtains outside of the White Pavilion causes her to see Tierra Mejor as it really is and realize that there are people who will manipulate the Pattern for their own desires.


The White Pavilion is elevated into sheer brilliance because of its memorable protagonist and world building.

[Jenn Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: This review was published in its entirety on www.thricereadbooks.com, and we received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I think that this is possibly the most challenging review I've ever written. The White Pavillion made me reach, as a reader; think differently, as a writer; and persevere, as a reviewer.

Ms. Fox's work in White Pavillion is very different from what I normally chose to read. However, as Sam was dying to get her hands on this particular title, and we weren't entirely sure of the book's rating, I chose to push on.

I would not consider this a fast paced read. In fact, it rambles rather slowly until the climax, at which point it speeds up considerably. The setting was also unusual - while I could easily picture the place, I struggled to wrap my head around the sense of time. While I can easily accept other forms of telling time in created, fictional worlds, this book left me stumped in a number of places - Had Imre been held for what would amount to days? Weeks? Months?

In terms of the "steampunk" element of this story, Ms. Fox takes the prize for world-building. Her creativity in building the world her characters inhabit excels, and while some elements are strange to our mundane world, she has managed to create an element of realism that is hard to find.

I mentioned earlier that the story was slow. Honestly, I don't normally feel that I am dragging myself through the pages of a read, but this one felt supremely slow. However, that said... Patience is the reward in this novel. Without giving away spoilers, the plot twists near the end of the story blindsided me, while many of the plot twists earlier in the story were expected.

As a parent, pre-reading this book for a 12 year old who frequently reads YA Fiction, this is not a book for younger teens. Imre is, after all, the equivalent of a high-class prostitute in training (in context, this isn't as odd as you might think), and she is, first and foremost, a sensual being, a Dancer, an escort. She finds lust and love along her journey in this story, in the arms of both men and women, and the scenes are not "behind the bedroom door". They are described, elegantly, but not subtly.

In the final tally, The White Pavilion was a worthy read. Reviews are, of course, subjective, and what I have trouble with in one book, another reader might love (and vice versa). If you are a fan of science fiction, speculative fiction and steam punk, you might give this plot a whirl.

[Bethany Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing this review only a few hours of finishing The White Pavilion. I read it in three separate sittings over as many days, one nearly entirely through my workday in between taking calls. I've still not quite come to terms with the fact that it's finished.

I don't know what I expected going into this. A dark and gloomy steampunk quest, perhaps? Lots of characters wearing top hats and fingerless gloves? In all truth, I don't think I've ever read a proper steampunk novel before now, just seen the aesthetic and the stereotypes. I didn't find any of these things in The White Pavilion. Instead, I found a stunning world bursting at the seams with lore, a large but well-balanced and vibrant cast of characters, and a story so intricate and perfectly paced it's almost as if it was propelled by finely tuned gears instead of the human mind.

This book consumed me. My heart breaks at the fact there isn't a sequel available to read immediately. There were so many components to this story and all of them worked together in a masterful display of construction. The narration was sleek and smooth, embedded not only with Imre's consciousness, but also with her unconscious traits that were only otherwise available in how other characters reacted to her. Thaniel was a tragically complex character who blossomed into his role. Imre's relationships, arguably the one thing that got her to the novel's climax, were beautifully individual with each specific character and morphed naturally over the course of events.

The world-building was simply fantastic. A lot of novels steeped in so much lore feel strangely isolated, as if the world's history and the present day don't quite connect as they should. The White Pavilion is a seamless blend of science fiction and fantasy, and so unbelievably easy to read. The world's lore is so deeply ingrained in the narrative that it doesn't ever feel like info-dumping or a chore to read, and the social implications of the lore and the time passed since the revered events took place impact every aspect of the Imre's society.

This book has so many of my favourite things, it's impossible to note them all down here. Perhaps one day I'll ramble about it in a podcast. But my favourite thing about this book? It's so unbelievably, perfectly, undeniably human, it makes me want to cry.

Read this book. You will not regret it.

I was offered a copy of this book with a request for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Oh boy, this one was quite an experience! In The White Pavilion, we follow Imre, who is dancer in Tierra Mejor and what happens after she fails to complete a traditional dance and a series of events transpire after that. I’m going to start by saying I absolutely loved the world, I mean it was very steampunk and I absolutely loooove anything steampunk, but it gets even better, while the world is all technological, I mean they basically live in a planet that was created when the world was coming to an end (seriously, so awesome), it’s not super high-tech, hence the steampunk vibe and there’s actually a pretty strong religious belief in their planet(?), let’s call it a planet, and it’s interesting how that clashes and is combined at the same time, with the technology of where they live. I will admit that while the main plot and the world had me absolutely hooked, I found the pacing to be a little more on the slow side and I felt like sometimes some events were not really adding much to the story and the narrative was also quite interesting, even if it made me a little confused at first, but it’s told from the first person, except that it’s told like from the future, so the narrator knows what happens and so every once in a while we see other people which gave a little extra to the story. I did like how Imre had more than one love through the book (and she’s bi-sexual (I think), and that was pretty cool), which was different from most books I read where there’s just one love interest, speaking of LIs, I just wish the main one had been a little more developed, I don’t know it just felt like it came out of nowhere, even if it says it didn’t, but I wish I had seen it a little better, but there’s another book and hopefully we’ll get to see more of them there. I’m definitely very curious to know where this series takes us next and am already looking forward to the next book.

*i received a copy of this book through netgalley, but all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Moira (LaughingMoira) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the story is one of my favourite parts. As we all know, mythology is my thing, and I greatly enjoyed how we got to experience a festival dedicated to what I thought was a creation myth. It opened the book with a strong start and made it feel extra magical, colourful, and vibrant.

The characters were dynamic, I enjoyed their interactions, even if I am still unsure of how to feel about most of the characters themselves. I think the amount of world building done in this book had (just a tad) too much exposition that gave way to a few too many lulls. I did find myself going back and forth to previous chapters to catch-up on things I might have missed. I know I’m going on a lot about world building, but seriously, it is very interesting what Ruth Fox has been able to achieve here. The steampunk elements were pretty cool.

There were moments I enjoyed. Some of the quotes made me laugh and do a double take, because I had never heard of such things said in a book. For example, when Imre thought, “...there was no other man in the Citadel who gave a honeyed fig whether I lived or died.” Imre is an interesting character in and of herself. She is a super dedicated person, kind of an all in or nothing type of person.

The ending left me flabbergasted. Honestly, I just went through this sensory-filled story, its exam season over here at uni, and I wasn’t expecting that and I don’t know what to do with myself at the moment. If you’re in need of an epic fantasy with layers of world building, dynamic relationships, and a story that you’re ready to put time into, I would recommend this book for sure.

Thanks to Henry Roi PR person for sending me a copy and for inviting me on their Black Phoenix Book Tour for an honest review of the White Pavilion!

[Nicole Dunton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The White Pavilion
Author: Ruth Fox
Release Date: December 4th, 2022
Page Count: 547
Start Date: December 3rd, 2022
Finish Date: December 4th, 2022

Review:
Story: I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started this book. I really wasn't hooked in the beginning and there were many parts in the book itself that I really didn't care for. I won't get into the details of the negatives. They really are more personal preferences than the actual writing. I think the author had a wonderful writing style to be honest. The idea of the book is unique. It is a slow start, but it does pick up. I also loved the fact that this book had more than five hundred pages!
Characters: I really didn't feel a connection with any of the characters. I don't think I'm really supposed to. I really did love seeing the journey of them though. I think this would have been better told in multiple points of view if I'm being honest.
Critiques: None
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, and I'm so glad that I read it. I'm curious to see what other books that the author brings us. I really love their writing style. I recommend this book to anybody who love futuristic or dystopian type novels. It's creative and unique. I would like to point out that I felt it was a slow start. I also found a few triggers. Such as SA, DA, and misogynistic situations.

[Leslie Erkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book because it said it was steampunk. I love the style and never read the genre. So had to check out a steampunk book!
The book follows a dancer named Imre. A daughter of the Pavilion. We see this story play out from her POV.
It has a slow start for me. I think it’s from having to wrap your brain around this different world.
It is definitely steampunk and absolutely fascinating. The world building is top notch and makes me see it, just takes a minute for my brain to try and process it.
You see this young lady go through a lot of situations that make her grow up and reflect on things. Makes her question her surroundings and the way her world is. She influences many people and it’s also a romance book.
This book may have started slow for me, but once it picked up it’s pace I had a hard time putting it down.
I have no clue if the author intends this to be a series or not. I really hope she does. I want to know what happens next!

[catreads1997 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept for this story is what drew me in initially it sounded like it would be an awesome journey. I had never read anything that would be considered steampunk before and I personally don’t feel like it was for me. That being said it was still an interesting story following Imre who was performing a sacred dance but tripped during and set a whole set of events in motion. The world they live in is dying and this story follows the characters through their dying world. Like I said steampunk, dystopian dying world I just personally wasn’t fully in love with the story and that’s okay other people will absolutely love this story I’m sure of that. So if steampunk and dystopian are your things this is the book for you.

[m.e.d.u.s.a_r.e.a.d.s · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the Pattern, if I could move to a new world, I’d move to Tierra Mejór. This clockwork world, set in the future but with such a Victorian era feel, spoke straight to my love of Steampunk. While I read Imre’s tale, I couldn’t help but picture an on the wane music box in my mind. Imre in the center, dancing her heart out, while the melody slowed to clunkiness with all of the trials and tribulations of trying to save her world, her Prince, her life. The ending of her chronicle made my smile, it also made me want to find my own Oráculo! I have so many questions. Such is the machination of an optimistic cliffhanger, at least view is toward the stars.

[Zinnia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a captivating fantasy about Imre, a dancer whose mistake draws her into dangerous court politics, forbidden loyalties, and a world teetering on collapse under the shadow of a powerful sect,and a constant undercurrent of suspense make this a captivating and immersive read.

[JussJess · Rating 4 out of 5]

You like dystopian, destruction, and rebel uprisings?? Check out White Pavilion! There were so many plot twists, and changes in this book. Imre is hard not to like as a main character, she is strong, independent, and kind. Imre definitely handled every curve ball that was thrown at her. She stood her ground, and demanded respect when people didn't give it. White Pavilion is a fast read, so be prepared to keep up. Not going to lie, when I got to the ending, I was upset about not knowing if we get a sequel! I hope so, I have so many questions. Does she write the story? Do they find a new home? Who will rule the kingdom now? Are they completely dismantling the idea of hierarchy? You should read this book! * I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Curiosity Quills Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*

[Brooke Rader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal. The detail in the world building blew my mind. The detail in this book was absolutely stunning. I literally kept notes the whole time I read it because it was so detailed, and I needed to be able to remember it all.

This book was a fantasy story, but it felt like it was so real. I wasn't sure while reading this if it was going to be more of a romantasy which it is but was not what I expected. Beautiful story.

This book had the most detailed story building that I've read, and it was absolutely phenomenal.

Imre (which I love her name by the way) is such a powerhouse strong amazing female main character. I loved her sooooooo much. I'm going to miss Imre so much and I will NEVER forget her.

This was honestly one of my favorite books that I have read this year it is written brillantly.

[Andrew Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Ruth's Bridges series (written for teenagers/young adults) and ended up publishing them. When I found out that she'd written The White Pavilion and hadn't even told me about it, well, all I could do was pester her for a copy. Unfortunately by the time I found out about the book her publisher had disappeared so all she could give me was a manuscript copy. And I loved it!

This is definitely one for the adults though given the main character is a bisexual courtesan in-training. I don't read much steam punk, although I quite like the genre, and this is steam punk to the max.

[Stephanie Livingston-Bujold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steampunk meets mythology in this story of a people who have left a destroyed earth long ago and are on a clockwork type planet . every year a dance is done to honor the pattern but a dancers misstep seems to have thrown the planet into chaos. The prince, his top advisor, a guard, some automatons,and a group of rebels help her find the real truth of why their world is failing and how to help.