Perhaps this series would be more enjoyable if you've read The Hungry City Chronicles - the series that takes place before this one - but I just couldn't get involved with Fever and this contradictory society.Fever Crumb is an engineer. In fact, the only female engineer in the entire city of London as well as one of the youngest. She's called to an apprenticeship to the eccentric Kit Solent, who specifically requested her help for some unknown reason. As they excavate in a hill near his house, Fever begins to experience memories of the room to which they seek entry, people she's never seen before, and projects she couldn't possibly know. Yet the memories persist. Set against the backdrop of a new-age London where the superior race of "Scriveners" have been toppled by the rough-and-tumble Londoners, anything unusual - such as a girl with no hair who has strange memories she's never lived - will always be under threat.Points for originality for sure. Not only does Reeve interweave racial prejudice, complicated societal hierarchies, and dense histories of one alternate-history city together, but he also creates an entirely new story for a young woman who is essentially raised like a boy to provide the impetus for complete social change. Instead of just having the "chosen one" motif strangle the plot, Fever's helplessness in dangerous situations and her desire to actively change her "destined" role into something better make her much more compelling.What I do not like about the story is that it can't seem to figure out a voice for the heroine. Is she strong or is she naive? Should she stand up for herself, or be carried by the tides? Is she important or a tool? While I can understand an internal struggle within the character, no one else can decide what to do with her either, including the narrator. At times, the story feels very complex with adult themes while at other times Fever's reactions to events and her woeful unpreparedness for the world make the story seem like a middle-grade book. I'm all for complexity if done well, but the complete shift from adult story to children's adventure was too jarring to call it a smooth, complicated tale.If you like Reeve's previous work and want to return to this new London, I'd say go for it. If this is your first introduction to Fever's world, probably not a good place to pick up the story. Fever Crumb isn't for everyone, including me. My high rating is based on the quality of the writing, which all in all, is very good. Reeve holds the plot together well, avoids mind numbing clichés, and keeps the characters consistent throughout the story. The genre is dead on steampunk, but it is set in the future which puts it mildly into the dystopian category as well. Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent, however, probably won't make it through Fever Crumb. For one thing, the female protagonist is devoid of emotion. Readers who like to identify with the main character will have a real problem with that. Secondly, there is no love interest underpinning the main plot, which most successful dystopian novels have. Thirdly, machines rule, so if you don't want to read about how ancient machines have evolved into futuristic ones, then this may not be a good choice for you. While the book is set in the future, there is an old world feel to the story. Though there have been advancements in the human race, most of them are not technology driven. The world is a machine dominated world. Wars are not fought from a distance with nuclear weapons as one would expect in the future, but rather with close proximity weaponry. As with the previously mentioned dystopian novels, race wars serve as the glue for the plot, but the reader won't feel a strong sense of loyalty to either side. In short, this is not a book for readers who need to feel a connection to the events and characters.
What do You think about Fever Crumb (2009)?
Not sure if this is a series I will continue not sure where it is going.
—Catcart
It sounded better than it was. I don't think I will read the next one.
—Maudemoiselle_rayne
not quite a four, but definitely reading the sequel.
—purdue0202
