Title
|
Steeplejack
|
Author
|
A.J. Hartley
|
Genre
|
YA/Historical fantasy
|
Publisher
|
Tor Teen
|
Pub Date
|
June
14, 2016
|
Source
|
Purchased hardcover from Amazon
|
Ang Sutonga is the one person who
can find her way from the depths of the Drowning's misery to the top of
Bar-Selehm's city spires and solve the mysteries of a young boy's death and the
theft of the city's greatest treasure.
Publisher’s Description:
Thoughtfully imaginative and action-packed,
Steeplejack is New York Times bestselling A. J. Hartley's YA debut set in a 19th-century
South African fantasy world
Seventeen-year-old
Anglet Sutonga lives repairing the chimneys, towers, and spires of the city of
Bar-Selehm. Dramatically different communities live and work alongside each
other. The white Feldish command the nation’s higher echelons of society. The
native Mahweni are divided between city life and the savannah. And then there’s
Ang, part of the Lani community who immigrated over generations ago as servants
and now mostly live in poverty on Bar-Selehm’s edges.
When
Ang is supposed to meet her new apprentice Berrit, she finds him dead. That
same night, the Beacon, an invaluable historical icon, is stolen. The Beacon’s
theft commands the headlines, yet no one seems to care about Berrit’s
murder―except for Josiah Willinghouse, an enigmatic young politician. When he
offers her a job investigating his death, she plunges headlong into new and
unexpected dangers.
Meanwhile,
crowds gather in protests over the city’s mounting troubles. Rumors surrounding
the Beacon’s theft grow. More suspicious deaths occur. With no one to help Ang
except Josiah’s haughty younger sister, a savvy newspaper girl, and a
kindhearted herder, Ang must rely on her intellect and strength to resolve the
mysterious link between Berrit and the missing Beacon before the city descends
into chaos.
What I liked
"The last person up here never made it down alive, but there
was no point thinking about that." What a terrific first line! This is
great storytelling. Hartley's use of language is smooth and expansive, poetic and
philosophical by turns, and yet completely draws the reader in to the physical
world and Ang's thoughts as she finds herself and her city in increasingly
desperate situations. The mystery and danger feel very
real, as Ang uncovers piece after piece of the puzzle.
I particularly appreciated Hartley's subtle inclusion of the natural
world throughout the story. Ang is a city girl and says herself that she is
uncomfortable around large animals, which are seen and heard throughout the
story as she moves through the city and countryside. A real and imagined
menagerie, including hippos and giraffes in the wild, and jackals and mongoose
living in the old city, as well as weancats and pink rollers (birds) that are
deftly described usually in passing, an integral part of life in and around Bar-Selehm.
What I didn’t like
To be honest, although I loved the worldbuilding, especially the
descriptions of the natural world and the cultures, there are a lot of
storylines weaving together, and sometimes I had a hard time keeping the cast
of characters straight. And the one storyline that felt dissatisfying to me was
around Ang's newborn niece, Kalla, which is the only part of the story that felt unrealistic from the beginning.
However, it included several key elements of storytelling and character
development, and was emotionally important to Ang's narrative.
Summary
I thoroughly enjoyed Steeplejack
and look forward to the next Alternative
Detective story from A.J. Hartley, whether it tells more of Ang's story
or others. This is a fast-paced, engaging read, with a satisfying mystery and
lots of cultural and personal narratives woven together in a fascinating
tapestry.
I give Steeplejack 4-1/2 out of five
“sparks”.
#
And so, with a loving heart, I offer you
Namaste
I’ve heard many translations. Here’s my favorite:
The light of the universe that shines within me recognizes
the light of the universe that shines within you.
#
