Montag, 27. März 2017

[Review] Alchemists of Loom


Titel: Alchemists of Loom
Series: Loom Saga #1
Author/Autor: Elise Kova
Publisher/Verlag: Keymaster Press
ReleaseDate/Erscheinungsdatum: 10.01.2017
Read/Gelesen: Kindle, english
Pages/Seiten: 380
Synopsis: GoodReads
Review: 4*, Blog, GoodReads
TBR/Leseliste: -
Buy: amazon




"Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom."

 -GoodReads


I heard a lot about this book and was really excited to dive into this Steampunk inspired Si-Fi World and let me tell you, it was amazing!
I really enjoyed getting to know this world and learning more and more about it as time went on. It was the first time I read anything that could be classified as steampunk and the world-building was simply fantastic! I'm not sure I completely understand the world yet, but this is only the first part of a series and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Nova and Loom in the next book.

I had some problems with the pacing as the first part of the book was quite slow-going in my opinion and only in the second half of the book the plot picked up a little more. 

The characters had unique personalities and I enjoyed getting to know them. I loved the relationship between Flor and Ari. It was very well written and until the end I was never quite sure whether their relationship was purely platonic or something more. While I would have loved to see a same-sex relationship I was also really happy to find out their relationship is purely platonic because I haven't yet read a book with a strong friendship/sibling bond. The bond between Ari and Flor was incredibly strong, especially considering they've only known each other for only two years and I loved how it had so many different sides. There was the inexplicable trust that came with their mentor/student bond as well as Ari's protectiveness which seemed to place Flor as something like a little sister.
Ari is one of the most complex characters I've met until now and I honestly don't know how to describe her, because I frankly don't understand her. I do however greatly appreciate the sides of her personality I have seen. She is an incredibly strong women, but she has her soft sides which she is taking great pains to hide, except when it comes to caring for Flor. She is also very driven and highly intelligent. And even though she doesn't use her skills for 'good' and is very closed off, she is a great heroine!
Flor on the other hand seems to be the complete opposite, she is very sweet and somewhat shy and believes in the best of people, even after all she had to endure. With her we see the most character development and I love how she grows into her own.
With Cavreh, as with Ari, we don't see a lot of development per se, we just see more and more sides of their personality that have been previously hidden. His character seems to be pretty straight up at times but at other times he reveals something about himself that makes me rethink everything I believe to know about him.
I really enjoyed his friendship with Flor and was surprised how quickly it developed. It's very unassuming and so genuine and innocent it seems out of place on Loom. Just like Florence does at times.
His relationship with Ari on the other hand is much more complex but no less well written and interesting. Of course, it's the classic enemies to lovers trope but it is so well done and took quite a long time to develop. And even at the end of the books they haven't completely accepted their feelings. Their relationship fits both their characters perfectly, strong, complex and explosive.
Of course, a big part of Ari's denial stems from residual feelings from a past relationship that ended a lot more badly than one was led to believe in the beginning. But a big part of the attraction between them seems to come from said former relationship as well, as a lot of the characteristics Ari is attracted to in Cvareh seem to be the ones she loved so much in Eva, her former girlfriend. 


I really enjoyed this book and the characters. It was very different from other things I've read, but the first half of the book had me struggling to go forward with the book, even tough I already loved the world, the characters and the plot. In the second half everything changed for me and I finished it quickly and now I can't wait to read the second novel.

I rated this book 4 Stars.

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