The Girl and the Clockwork Cat by Nikki McCormack
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Received: NetGalley
Publication Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: eARC-kindle
Pages: 224
Pacing: slow
POV: 3rd person
Genres & Themes: YA, Angst, Friendship, Steampunk, Mystery (for some.)
BLURB:
Feisty teenage thief Maeko and her maybe-more-than-friend Chaff have scraped out an existence in Victorian London’s gritty streets, but after a near-disastrous heist leads her to a mysterious clockwork cat and two dead bodies, she’s thrust into a murder mystery that may cost her everything she holds dear.
Her only allies are Chaff, the cat, and Ash, the son of the only murder suspect, who offers her enough money to finally get off the streets if she’ll help him find the real killer.
What starts as a simple search ultimately reveals a conspiracy stretching across the entire city. And as Maeko and Chaff discover feelings for each other neither was prepared to admit, she’s forced to choose whether she’ll stay with him or finally escape the life of a street rat. But with danger closing in around them, the only way any of them will get out of this alive is if all of them work together.
REVIEW:
Wait, it can’t be.
This can’t be a standalone.
That’s not how you write an ending for a standalone. There MUSTN’T be any sort of cliffhanger, if the author doesn’t want annoyed readers, that goes without saying.
Well, I’m annoyed.
First of all, I didn’t believe there really was a romance in this story. Sure, Ash seemed to have a more than friendship related opinion on the female lead (Maeko) but that unfortunately was one-sided, so how could I possibly call that to be romance? I called it angst and that’s it.
The angst was torturing. Maeko really made me want to give her a slap from time to time. Needless to say, her character didn’t mean anything to me. I did though have a bit of a heartbreaking feeling when seeing how alone she truly was, even though she always concealed it.
Back to the romance—AKA called angst—could you believe that, about ten pages before the ending, there is a character that from acquaintance, can-be-called-friend passed from that to love interest? I felt so so so bad for Ash and Maeko as a character went downhill in my esteem (even though she wasn’t high at all in the first place.)
But, you know, that’s not actually what I despised the most in this story. What I didn’t like as in oh please make it stop loathed was sadly the entire plot. Little question here: would you call looking for people over and over again being some sort of mystery? Because I don’t. I call it plot who lacks of imagination and that is mostly repetitive and especially boring.
Oh, it was awful! She kept looking and wondering for people over and over again. She went round and round and, even though this story has 224 pages, (according to Goodreads) it felt like it contained something like 400. You have no idea how happy I am to have finished it…but at the same time what was the point since the ending was sucky?
The writing was good in general but it’s the kind of writing that didn’t grip my attention. It sometimes happen and it’s a weird feeling since I’m never sure if it’s actually the writing, the atmosphere or simply the story. Basically, I wasn’t interested or even a bit invested in it. I tried to, of course, but it felt too forced and reading must feel natural for me to enjoy it.
World-building? None. As in at all. Good characterization for some specific characters but very very poor world-building.
This is the kind of story that I wouldn’t recommend even to someone that loves reading to a point that he/she never DNFs books or gives 1 stars. It’s just not worth it and retentiveness is one of my pet peeves—along with unclear endings—so I won’t recommend you go near it if they’re some of yours as well.
Would you consider voting for this review on Goodreads, if it was helpful? 🙂
Another cliffhanger? That’s very annoying. ha-ha. I agree, this is the type we can’t recommend. I feel sorry for the author. Maybe she’ll do better on her next book. 🙂
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I know!! Hahha, while I don’t usually MIND those, when it’s a standalone it’s quite different!! Thanks Ima xx
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Uh oh. 1 out of 5. This is surely horrible. ~
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It wasn’t good 😦
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*sigh* One star? Really? *double sigh* That’s just depressing. And a killer ending and it’s a standalone? YUP this would really annoy me and drive me insane! NOT my type of read!
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It is depressing!! Bad bad ending 😦 I wish I knew with whom she ends up with. Great coz it’s not worth it
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Oh I also just finished reading an ARC of this too! I agree with the review..It was sadly disappointing.
Well then. XD
and… what? what? This is a standalone?!
…
I did not know that o.O Seems so sure to have a sequel! You can’t end a standalone in a cliffhanger
—C
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I KNOW, RIGHT?? Well, I looked on GR and there was NO MENTION of a book 2 so obviously it is 😦
Maybe the author is considering it but oh well, she should decide soon.
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She switches love interests in the last 10 pages and this is a standalone? Noooooooo! I don’t like that at all. It would go over better with me if we were getting a sequel where the reason for the switch is explained and explored, but that’s clearly not the case which is a touch disappointing. Sorry this one didn’t work for you Lola but thanks so much for your thoughts!
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I’m not sure why Maeko actually became all of the sudden so interested in guy #2. Was weird, unclear and needs a sequel!! Although, if its plotline is as boring as this one, I might not read it. 😛 Thanks Jenny!
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Ugh! I will definitely be passing this book up. I can’t handle a nonromance and so much angst. Lovely honest review!
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Thanks Aly! Great decision
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A stand-alone book ending with a cliffhanger? Really? And the only mystery was searching for the same people over and over? But the blurb sounds so promising! A Clockwork cat and a girl… that just sounds awesome. So sorry this fell flat on its face and annoyed you more than anything else, Lola 😦 I hope your next read will be just amazing.
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The most unfortunate thing is that the cat isn’t actually THAT important. I mean, it is….but she’s not taking much place. Was just in the decor. 😛 Thanks Lexxie!
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Oh bummer it was such a miss for you. I was just reading another blogger I follow who LOVED it. Crazy how that can happen sometimes.
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I know!! Opinion vary so much. I think I’m going to read a prasing review of this on GR just to see what people have to say about it. 😛
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Oh man, that sucks. I was interested in this one because of the title/cover/description. But with a cliffhangar in a standalone and angst labeled as romance, I’m quite certain I don’t want to read it anymore. Great review!
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Thanks Liza! It does suck indeed. I was interested as well and the, also, I forgot to mention it in my review, but the cat doesn’t talk. Could you believe that? A CLOCKWORK cat that doesn’t talk? Bouu 😦
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Omg noooooooooooo! *still screaming it*
*running away from this book*
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hhahahaha the cat is chasing you
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Ah yes cliffy with standalone book is a little weird and really annoying. It’s the first time I hear about this one but it’s too bad because the cover is really nice.
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I know, I get fooled ALL THE TIME. Because book cover whore, yeah
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I don’t think I’ve ever read steampunk… mentally adding steampunk to my list of genres to check out. But I’ll take your word and avoid this book. It sounds so odd that there’s a cliffhanger in this book since a standalone… like how do they even think that will work? A cliffhanger is meant to make a someone want to continue with a series, isn’t it? Anyway, sorry this was such an awful read!
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If you want to try steampunk sometime, I would recommend Soulless by Gail Carriger. It is odd! I can’t believe the author did that 😦 Thanks Jess!
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Oh my goodness Lola, this sounds so terrible. No redemption at all. Thanks for reviewing and saving me the trouble of even bothering with this one.
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LOL, no redemption indeed. You’re welcome 😀 Do you read steampunk though?
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Oh yes
I have yet to read a good one this year though.
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Have you tried Soulless by Gail Carriger?? It’s the only steampunk I actually enjoyed 😛 except for Clockwork Angel which I’m currently reading.
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I’m pretty impressed that you read the whole thing, though. I have the feeling that I would have DNFed that sucker. And, dear lord. An unfinished ending? On a standalone? No…just…no.
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Yeah, I don’t know how I did manage to finish it. *perlexed* Hmm, no idea. Anyway, yeaah NO.
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What a shame. It sounded like it had a pretty interesting premise (besides, I love cats, hence my blog theme), so thanks for letting us know it wasn’t worth the time to read it. Sorry you had such a bad experience! It know it’s painful reading a book that you just want to chuck against the wall, haha.
Beautiful blog! Subscribed! Follow back?
http://www.spacebetweenthespines.com/
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Hhahah yeah, pretty much. And the most disappointing thing is that the clockwork cat isn’t speaking. 😦 Bouuu, I wanted her to really BE a character. Thanks Brittany.
Followed back 🙂
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Er…let’s talk about that cover.
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It’s pretty!!!!!
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I’ll definitely be avoiding this one, it sounds like it would frustrate me to no end. It did catch my interest at first but it sounds like it was deceiving. Weird about the cliffhanger, though.
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Very weird, odd and unnexpected. Bouu 😦
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Ohh woww XD Sounds boring, and I generally hate angst unless the attraction is actually palpable sooo…….*nods sadly* I’ve never DNFed a book tho….actually I’d never heard of DNFing before I started blogging hehe ^^
–B @FM
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OMG, for real?? You never DNFed a book? haha, yeah me too, I never heard of DNFing…but it was before joining Goodreads. 😛
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Nopee XD I have trouble even giving books 1 star…..I guess I’m pretty generous huh? 😛 Haha cool ^^
–B
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Oh wow, that sounds super disappointing Lola and I’m sorry to hear that! I actually thought this was related to The Girl with the Clockwork Heart or something, and the cat would have added an interesting perspective but sadly not 😦 Great review though!
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Hmmm, I never heard of that book. But I will check it out. Sounds intriguing! No, the cat wasn’t interesting at all 😦 Thanks Jeann!
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Sorry hear you did not enjoy this one, I think I will be staying away from it because it does not sound like it has many redeeming qualities. Thanks for the warning, Lola!
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Thank you! Yeah, stay far away, not worth it
And aah, cringing romance
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Wow, this book must be so bad to be rated 1 star. You know, maybe it will have a sequel in the future. The author/publisher must be testing if it will click. If yes, then they will continue.
Thank you for the warning. Even the blurb isn’t something that will entice me so yeah, I’m staying far away from this one.
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Maybe you’re right though I’m not sure I’d be interested in reading it.
The mystery was done so boringly 😦 And ,oh lol, I’ve given a few 1 stars to be honest but that usually happens when I don’t enjoy a book and don’t find it more than one quality. 😛
You’re welcome 😉
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We have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award.
http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/2014/09/06/another-nomination-how-lovely/
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I knew there’s a reason why I don’t want to read this book. First of all, I love cats. But I hate this cover! :p IDK, it just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m so not reading this anymore. Thanks Lola! And yeahhhh. Cliffhangers sucks! Great review xx
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You do?? I think it’s so awesome! The only awesome part of the book…lol. Haha welcome 😉 Thanks Paula!
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Yikes! I saw this book on Netgalley and was THIS close to getting it! So glad I decided not to, though! lol
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I wish I were less on a clicker on NG. Sigh.
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