Review by Juliesaraporter217 -- The Engine Woman's Light
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Juliesaraporter217
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Review by Juliesaraporter217 -- The Engine Woman's Light
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Engine Woman's Light" by Laurel Anne Hill.]
4 out of 4 stars
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The Engine Woman's Light by Laurel Anne Hill
Reviewed by Julie Sara Porter
The Engine Woman's Light blends a supernatural fantasy, with a coming of age historical fiction, and a Steampunk science fiction alternate universe. Put together, it makes a very strange but winning novel with a brilliant setting and memorable protagonist.
Juanita Elise Jame-Navarro is a very important figure in her village of vagabonds and refugees from the oppressive Southern and Northern California governments. She is a mystic traveler and it is her job to astral travel to the Spirit World and communicate with her ancestors. Her ancestors offer the community advice on their survival and their life-saving missions to rescue and give refuge to orphans, lepers, and the elderly who escaped from trains heading for corrupt and cruel asylums.
Juanita's great-grandmother helped the then baby Juanita to escape from one of those trains and gave her life in the process, so these missions are incredibly important to Juanita.
Her village's latest mission is just as dire and just as personal for Juanita and her best friend, Magdalena. Magdalena's sister had a baby and the baby is on the next train headed for the asylum. Even though the village hasn't taken on a life-saving mission in fifteen years since Juanita was rescued, they are ordered by the ancestors to sabotage that train. Unfortunately, the sabotage mission goes awry and produces grave consequences for Juanita as she is separated from her family and village.
The Engine Woman's Light is filled with brilliant details about this alternate world. California is separated into two states, one of which, Southern California is governed by the British. While not outright stated, the book's writing suggests that this is a United States that lost the Revolutionary War and is divided between British and non-British owned territories.
There is also a wealthy robber baron family, the Mendozas, who have a hand in the political scene and various institutions such as the asylum trains. Because of this, Juanita has a personal grudge towards the family, one she carries when she meets Antonio, the charismatic family head.
The Steampunk aspects carry through the technology in the book. Trains and airships are very prominent sources of transportation. Juanita gains the title of Engine Woman after she learns about the train's inner workings and uses that newfound knowledge to sabotage them. There are also Clockmen, tiny mechanical men who act as servants by fetching food and dressing people.
Not just a science fiction novel, The Engine Woman's Light also veers into supernatural fantasy, particularly with Juanita's ancestors. Author, Laurel Anne Hill brilliantly individualized Juanita's ancestors as their advice ranges from practical to arbitrary. The ancestor that stands out the most is Billy, a sardonic character who helps Juanita during the sabotage mission. One of the most chilling chapters is when Billy possesses Juanita during the mission as the narration shifts from Juanita's first person point of view to Billy's third. Billy-inside-Juanita has to not only sabotage the train but keep anyone else from discovering that Juanita is not in control of her own body.
The Engine Woman's Light also offers us a brilliant protagonist in Juanita. She comes into her own both within and outside her village. She alternates between being a wise leader and a confused young woman who is as mystified by her ancestral conversations as anyone else. Even when she is away from her village, she is able to fight her enemies and negotiate with her new found allies showing a tremendous strength in character.
The Engine Woman's Light has four out of four stars. It is highly recommended for lovers of Steampunk science fiction, fantasy, and novels about strong young women.
******
The Engine Woman's Light
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Engine Woman's Light by Laurel Anne Hill
Reviewed by Julie Sara Porter
The Engine Woman's Light blends a supernatural fantasy, with a coming of age historical fiction, and a Steampunk science fiction alternate universe. Put together, it makes a very strange but winning novel with a brilliant setting and memorable protagonist.
Juanita Elise Jame-Navarro is a very important figure in her village of vagabonds and refugees from the oppressive Southern and Northern California governments. She is a mystic traveler and it is her job to astral travel to the Spirit World and communicate with her ancestors. Her ancestors offer the community advice on their survival and their life-saving missions to rescue and give refuge to orphans, lepers, and the elderly who escaped from trains heading for corrupt and cruel asylums.
Juanita's great-grandmother helped the then baby Juanita to escape from one of those trains and gave her life in the process, so these missions are incredibly important to Juanita.
Her village's latest mission is just as dire and just as personal for Juanita and her best friend, Magdalena. Magdalena's sister had a baby and the baby is on the next train headed for the asylum. Even though the village hasn't taken on a life-saving mission in fifteen years since Juanita was rescued, they are ordered by the ancestors to sabotage that train. Unfortunately, the sabotage mission goes awry and produces grave consequences for Juanita as she is separated from her family and village.
The Engine Woman's Light is filled with brilliant details about this alternate world. California is separated into two states, one of which, Southern California is governed by the British. While not outright stated, the book's writing suggests that this is a United States that lost the Revolutionary War and is divided between British and non-British owned territories.
There is also a wealthy robber baron family, the Mendozas, who have a hand in the political scene and various institutions such as the asylum trains. Because of this, Juanita has a personal grudge towards the family, one she carries when she meets Antonio, the charismatic family head.
The Steampunk aspects carry through the technology in the book. Trains and airships are very prominent sources of transportation. Juanita gains the title of Engine Woman after she learns about the train's inner workings and uses that newfound knowledge to sabotage them. There are also Clockmen, tiny mechanical men who act as servants by fetching food and dressing people.
Not just a science fiction novel, The Engine Woman's Light also veers into supernatural fantasy, particularly with Juanita's ancestors. Author, Laurel Anne Hill brilliantly individualized Juanita's ancestors as their advice ranges from practical to arbitrary. The ancestor that stands out the most is Billy, a sardonic character who helps Juanita during the sabotage mission. One of the most chilling chapters is when Billy possesses Juanita during the mission as the narration shifts from Juanita's first person point of view to Billy's third. Billy-inside-Juanita has to not only sabotage the train but keep anyone else from discovering that Juanita is not in control of her own body.
The Engine Woman's Light also offers us a brilliant protagonist in Juanita. She comes into her own both within and outside her village. She alternates between being a wise leader and a confused young woman who is as mystified by her ancestral conversations as anyone else. Even when she is away from her village, she is able to fight her enemies and negotiate with her new found allies showing a tremendous strength in character.
The Engine Woman's Light has four out of four stars. It is highly recommended for lovers of Steampunk science fiction, fantasy, and novels about strong young women.
******
The Engine Woman's Light
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Juliesaraporter217's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: House of Eire by June Gillam
