Mechanica by Betsy
Cornwell
Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her,
but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her
mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her
own home. When she discovers a secret workshop in the cellar on her sixteenth
birthday—and befriends Jules, a tiny magical metal horse—Nicolette starts to
imagine a new life for herself. The timing may be perfect: there’s a
technological exposition and a royal ball on the horizon. Gorgeous prose
and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined
Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . .
but realizes she doesn’t want a fairy tale happy ending after all.
I was of course
drawn to the gorgeous cover of Mechanica and the promise of a steampunk
Cinderella retelling, but the first time I tried reading I must not have been
in the right mood because I did not continued past the first few pages. But in
the spirit of giving promising things a second chance, I returned and I'm very
pleased that I did. I loved most the
passages describing Nicolette's mechanical inventions. I delighted in Cornwell's
subversion of the traditional fairy tale trajectory, giving this fairy tale a
feminist revision. In fact, I delighted in the world-building and writing as a
whole. So glad I gave this book another
look!
You had me at "feminist revision." I think my daughters and I would love this book. Thanks for the great review!
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