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What Members Thought
I feel like an odd one out, here. I expected to love this, and people whose opinions I trust really loved it, often giving it five stars. But it never came together for me: I wasn't sure what the main story was meant to be, what I was meant to take away from it. I never really managed to picture Sedia's world or characters, or connect whatever dots I was meant to connect.
Partially, probably, this is because I didn't want to. The relationship between Mattie and her creator is a powerful one, and ...more
Partially, probably, this is because I didn't want to. The relationship between Mattie and her creator is a powerful one, and ...more
There are so many ways to describe Ekaterina Sedia's The Alchemy of Stone. It's a sombre symphony of motifs, ranging from women's independence and sexuality to the ramifications of rapid industrialization. And deceptively so—despite the intriguing back cover copy and the seductive tagline, "a novel of automated anarchy & clockwork lust," I wasn't quite convinced of The Alchemy of Stone's brilliance until the denouement, when everything suddenly came together in a wonderful, cathartic moment.
In t ...more
In t ...more
"The Alchemy of Stone" is a memorable, touching story filled with surprising kindness. The protagonist, Mattie, is a sentient automaton emancipated by her master, and her good nature and quiet struggle with what it means to be alive are riveting and unforgettable.
The events in the novel are interesting, but it is Mattie's kindness, and conflicted relationship to her maker, that really struck a chord with me. Mattie is a feminist figure, trying to find a place for herself in a world free of her m ...more
The events in the novel are interesting, but it is Mattie's kindness, and conflicted relationship to her maker, that really struck a chord with me. Mattie is a feminist figure, trying to find a place for herself in a world free of her m ...more
This book is incredibly complex, and I'm having a hard time coming up with a good review for it.
There are so many issues all hitting at the same time. And interestingly, the whole uprising of some of the classes in this book happens as the same time of the Occupy movement, and it feels so real.
I (naturally) focused more on the sexual politics of the book. You have an automaton, not just made to serve her master, but made as a woman (down to her built in whalebone corset, so she will ALWAYS be fe ...more
There are so many issues all hitting at the same time. And interestingly, the whole uprising of some of the classes in this book happens as the same time of the Occupy movement, and it feels so real.
I (naturally) focused more on the sexual politics of the book. You have an automaton, not just made to serve her master, but made as a woman (down to her built in whalebone corset, so she will ALWAYS be fe ...more
A gorgeous and original vision. Mattie is a magnificent character, an emancipated clockwork automaton and alchemist. The city in which she resides was created by living gargoyles. The relationship between Mattie and her creator is a fascinatingly flawed one, and it is a joy to be witness to her ongoing self-discovery. Sedia has a poet's ear for prose. I've seen it called steampunk, and certainly it has some of the trappings: a windup girl, a mechanical omnibus, etc. I've seen it called urban fan
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a leisurely-paced tale, far more interesting for the fully realized and multi-dimensional characters than any mechanics of plot. beautiful, lush prose, rich with sensory information (the smell of bleach, the sound of wooden heels tapping) creates an immersive reading experience, but you need to be in the right mood for the thoughtful pace.
Dec 09, 2009
Brad
marked it as to-read
Jun 11, 2012
Aaron
marked it as to-read
Oct 06, 2012
mark monday
marked it as to-read
Jan 04, 2013
Susan
marked it as to-read
Jul 30, 2014
Meg
marked it as to-read
Apr 22, 2023
Jaimie
marked it as to-read
