3 out of 4 stars
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Juanita, a mystic who lives in an alternate universe California, is assigned by Moses and her ancestors’ spirits the task of stopping the trains headed for the asylums. To stop the trains, she and her community put their lives and their homes on the line, not knowing whether they will return as the same people as before the mission. Overcoming hardships and heartbreak, Juanita, with the help of ghosts, friends, and questionable allies, sets herself to the task of changing the world for the better.
What caught my attention was the idea of mystics and steampunk; it sounded like such a fresh combination. I like the spirits the most. When we think of help from the gods or spirits, we think of mysterious figures who speak as though they came from an ancient era or they speak in riddles—but in The Engine Woman’s Light, the spirits of Juanita’s ancestors feel as real as the living beings in her world, both in speech and attitude. The difference between these spirits and those in other books made me laugh in surprise and delight. It never ceases to amuse me when her ancestors meddle in her affairs. Similar to the spirits, Juanita is a likeable character, one whom we can see ourselves cheer for and rise up to defend.
The emotions in this book are vivid. They come out strong enough to fly off the page, and they kept me reading to find out more about Juanita and the other characters. This book also has mature themes that aren’t usually found in Young Adult books, which gives it a darker atmosphere that blends in well with the setting. There is no shying away from reality, not from the gritty taste of sand in our mouths from days of travel, nor from the violence and abuse that takes place all around the world. It also shows that we are not alone in our struggles and that we could count on others for support.
I was slightly disappointed, however, that not more steampunk was incorporated into the story. There is the casual mention of airships and humanoid clockwork machines, but not much else. Steampunk is more of a backdrop of the alternate universe to place us into the main story of Juanita stopping the trains.
Overall, I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. I considered giving it a 2 out of 4, because I usually prefer stories that have stronger references and ties to the built world as a whole, with clearer cause-and-effect outcomes that relate to the character’s world (for example, if this story mentioned more about why the asylums are bad, or what were the public’s reactions to Juanita’s mission, I would have liked it more). But after I finished the latter half of the book, I changed my mind and decided that I still enjoyed reading it enough to give it a 3.
If there are people who prefer stories that have more steampunk, they might not like this book as much. On the other hand, people who love exploring the inner thoughts and emotions of characters would enjoy this book. There’s romance, but also enough action to sate those who love reading about high-stakes decisions and things blowing up.
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The Engine Woman's Light
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