Mechanica

: http://www.sarcasmandlemons.com/2015/08/arc-review-mechanica-by-betsy-cornwel.htmlin shortI can say without reservation or qualification that Mechanica is an absolute dream, the spiritual successor to Ella Enchanted that we've all been waiting for. You'll see it sardonically compared to Cinder on Goodreads. Yes, both are Cinderella retellings. Yes, both young women are skilled with machines. The similarities end there, except that they're both damn good books. Mechanica is the story of Nicolette, a lonely girl oppressed by her stepmother's cruelty and her kingdom's embargo on all things magical. One day, a lost letter leads her to her mother's workshop, where she made her famous mechanical wonders before dying of a magic-borne disease. Her love of machinery rekindled, Nicolette soon makes a secret name for herself by inventing clever machines and beautiful baubles. Her inventions could buy her freedom--but in the way are her vicious stepsiblings and a handsome prince she never anticipated. Written in a gorgeous storyteller's prose, Mechanica is a tale of hope, self-reliance, and friendship that at once applauds, modernizes, and subverts the cherished tale of Cinderella.in depthit's a faithful, yet innovative cinderella retellingLike Ella Enchanted (to which I'll try not to compare it too often), Mechanica keeps the bones of the Cinderella story intact. You have a girl reduced to a servant in her own house by a cruel stepmother and stepsisters. You have a handsome prince who finds himself besotted with our lovely heroine. You have a bit of magic, a great deal of finery, and a midnight ball. I could almost see Cornwell smiling to herself when I read some of her cheeky references: mechanical insect helpers instead of birds, a coal-powered horse-drawn carriage, and of course hand-blown glass slippers. Even Nicolette's name recalls the story's French origins. It has all the trappings of a fairy tale that conjure that magical, nostalgic quality for the reader.embedded in a unique fantasy.It's the perfect backdrop to spin a lovingly altered tale. In this world, magic is known but feared. Fairy tricks were once prized, but their power began to scare the human rulers. An epidemic of a magical disease prompted a final embargo on magic. Nicolette's mother, who once used magic to animate her clever mechanical creatures, died of the disease when her magic-loathing husband refused to deliver the magical cure. The tension between humans and magic is ever-present, creating a more worldly drama than your average Cinderella. It also creates the perfect situation for Nicolette: with magic banned, the crown hopes to hold an exhibition of human engineering to prove that it does not rely on magic. The winner will receive a royal commission, one that could free Nicolette from her stepmonsters forever.charmingly written and tightly plotted,Nicolette's journey is giddy and delightful. Cornwell has a mastery of language that really shows her MFA roots. It's pretty without being pretentious. It evokes the antiquated style of a Grimm's fairy tale and borrows some olden turns of phrase, but is much richer in description and more evocative than Jacob or Will ever were. And while her stepcharacters are a little type-y, the rest feel perfectly real. Particularly Nicolette. She's clever, lively, and spirited, impossible not to love but certainly not saccharine. She's also wicked smart. She devises a system to do her chores using her mother's remaining mechanical creatures, befriends a tiny metal horse called Jules who is ethereally smart and ridiculously adorable, and begins selling her inventions at market. Oh, how I want my own Jules!it celebrates love and friendshipAt market, Nicolette meets Caro, a girl who loves too fiercely and quickly (and is easy for a reader to love), and Finn, a swoony boy driven by wild passions. As they help Nicolette to work on her projects secretly, the three of them form a friendship built on mutual care, respect, and understanding. Funny how that works, huh? At this point, you probably think you know what happens. You'll be right about some things. Nicolette develops an affection for Finn, whose snarky adorable banter seems to suggest an equal affection. There is a ball, which Nicolette attends against her stepmother's wishes, where Nicolette captures the eye of a prince.while also lauding independence.But to tell you how clever the story is would be spoiling it. What I can say is that Cornwell handles the fairy tale tropes so innovatively. She builds up your expectations in one direction, only to dash them and provide another avenue, only to surprise you yet again. She gives Nicolette some sense, too. Her concern for Caro is just as strong as her love for Finn, and she even hesitates to call it "love"--because she knows that she doesn't know him well and refuses to let him distract her from her dreams. The thread through the story is cooperation, not codependency. In the end, Cornwell explores the nature of love, friendship, and their intersection, and provides a happy ending that doesn't depend on fairy godmothers.in a sentenceMechanica is a beautifully written fairy tale that mixes the classic and modern into one romantic, charming story of perseverance and self-discovery. Read more

I'm actually pretty surprised by the lower ratings for this book, but I guess this is the type of book that will win some people over and be a loss for others. You definitely have to like the story of Cinderella and steampunk elements in order to enjoy this one. That being said, I greatly enjoyed this refreshing retelling of Cinderella. It wasn't anything new (it's very similar to the Disney version of Cinderella with a few deviations and steampunk), but I think that's what I enjoyed about it. It read like a classic fairy-tale, and while Ms. Cornwell could have gone off and created a whole new world, I liked that she stuck true to the original story. She added just enough steampunk that fans of the genre would enjoy the story, but it wasn't overwhelming that it distracted from the story. Overall, this can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone, and I think it's worth checking out.The story follows Nicolette, or Nick for short. She is following in her mother's footsteps and is a mechanic, making mechanical animals and gadgets with the aid of magic. Nick, who is later nicknamed Mechanica by her stepsisters, is forced to endure their cruelty, with only the friendship of her mechanical creations to keep her company, that is until 2 unlikely friends enter her life. I think you can guess the rest of the story (or can you?) There are some twists in the story, and I did enjoy the ending, which featured a very drastic deviation from the classic story. Nick was a great main character. She was strong and didn't let her stepsisters or stepmother get her down. Nick kept going and never gave up. She had her goals, and I liked that she stuck to them. I loved all of her mechanical friends, but Jules was my absolute favorite. I would love to have a Jules of my own! I think Nick's relationship with every character in this book was great and Ms. Cornwell wrote these relationships very well.I don't want to spoil anything with the romance in this book, but while some people didn't like this part of the book, I found it very refreshing and I greatly enjoyed it. I think it took guts to do what Ms. Cornwell did, and it was a risk that paid off in my opinion. It gave the story a more realistic feeling, at least to me.I won't lie, there were some slow parts, and the book could have done without them. But, this was still a great story that is a quick read. For the right person, a Steampunk Cinderella will be the perfect fit. If you're intrigued by the concept, check this one out. I really enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it!Happy reading :)

Mechanica is Cinderella in a totally different light. I loved the idea of this book when I first heard about it and thought that the cover was wonderful. Some of the reviews had me doubt that I would like it, but I decided to try it anyway. It was worth it. Even the name Mechanica fits so well. Nicolette is a hen-pecked young woman who discovers hope for a more rewarding and enriching life on her 16th birthday. She has an aptitude for making and repairing mechanical items, as her mother before her had. There are fairies, in a way, but some of Nicolette's magic is in herself and in the love of her creatures and her friends. There are moments of hope and heartache and accomplishment and disaster. I loved that the protagonist receives the most accolades for works she creates herself, and how her creativity is influenced by needs. The way the author finished the book, it seems as if Ms. Cornwell intends to continue the story in another novel. There are loose ends that could be resolved if she does. One of the things I liked/disliked about this book was the ending. I only disliked it because I've grown accustomed to tidy little endings where everything is happily ever after. Cornwell creates a different kind of happily ever after that is rich and more realistic, and I appreciate that. I'm sorry so many others didn't have as much enjoyment reading this as I did. If you're willing to put aside your expectations of the same Cinderella that Disney depicted, I think you'll find this to be a worthy read.

This book is so beautifully written if you are a steampunk fan or not you will love it, the book is a retelling of one of my favorite stories the character's are well written that you love or hate them straight away. I can't wait to get the next book to find out what happens to Nick, Fin and Caro.

Bought this for my 10 year old daughter as we are always on the lookout for more unusual books for her to read. She devoured it in 2 days and absolutely loved the storyline. I will now need to read it!

Just loved this story. Bought because my daughter loves inventing and fairy tales and it was refreshingly brilliant and exciting!