H. L. Burke’s Heart of the Curiosity is a steampunk fantasy adventure of exceptional quality and entertainment. Heart starts with two sisters, Leodora (Leo) and Musette (Muse), who make their way to a legendary theater called the Curiosity. Leo is there to help Muse obtain a position among the ballet dancers. In order to do so, Leo agrees to work for the theater using her own personal magic in a way she’d rather not.
The girls have a friend in Paxton Genuent, part of the family that owns and runs the theater. Paxton has his own secrets, starting with a mechanical hand that doubles as a set of tools (e.g. flashlight, screwdriver). He advocates for the girls at first and soon becomes best friends with Leo. He explains the Curiosity’s power is generated by something called the Heart, hidden within the theater. When tragedy strikes, finding the Heart is the only thing that will save the theater and their home as well.
The list of what works in this story is so long it’s hard to keep this review to a reasonable length. The magic system in this world, known as someone’s knack, is inspired, and the reader is introduced to it by Leo employing it in the first few pages. The way her knack in particular is described is very clever. The setting of the city of Versia and the Curiosity feel like sets for a play, ingeniously incorporating style with theme. The steampunk elements are fun and creative, especially the methods of transportation.
There aren’t many characters in Heart, but each one is described vividly, usually with a prop, again playing into theme. The stagemistresses’ item, in particular, is quite an ingenious item. In addition, all the people have a unique knack, giving the reader a little something extra to discover about each one.
The description of the book gives the impression that the majority of the story will take place looking for the Heart. While the hunt for the Heart occurs over many chapters, the earlier parts of the book have characterization in mind. When Leo has to face a dark secret in her past, it’s such a striking and heartfelt scene that I forgot I was in the middle of a steampunk adventure. Burke handles this sensitive subject matter with adept expertise that only comes with an accomplished author.
Leo is such a well-rounded character and an odd choice for the heroine of the novel. She’s not the most pretty or the most talented. She’s accused of doing things she hasn’t done and makes poor decisions. In a word, she’s a great avatar for the reader.
So many other elements of this story achieve their objective, including the Paxton character. While he starts off too agreeable and a bit perfect, at a critical juncture he delivers an honest confession which elevates him above most YA single-dimension, male hero fare.
Heart of the Curiosity is one of the novels that I truly didn’t want to end. If you’re a fan of steampunk, riddle-mysteries, fantasy, coming-of-age, or any combination of the above, you’re going to find yourself lost in this novel and happier for it
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948896184