Fever Crumb (YA)

Fever Crumb. Philip Reeve. 2010. April 2010. Scholastic. 336 pages.

That morning they were making paper boys.

In this futuristic prequel, readers learn a bit more about the origins of the world first introduced in the Hungry City Chronicles quartet. (Mortal Engines, Predator's Gold, Infernal Devices, A Darkling Plain.)

Fever Crumb is an orphan who has been adopted by a group of engineers. But Fever isn't your average orphan, or your average girl. (She's the youngest member of the Order of Engineers, and she's the only female member.)

When we first meet Fever, we learn that she is about to become an assistant to an archaeologist, Kit Solent. He is hoping that Fever can help him unlock some secrets from the past--from the time of the Scrivens. But this new job isn't without risk. Fever has never been out in the world, and her appearance causes some to fear her. Is she a Scriven? a half-Scriven? If she is, her life and the lives of those protecting her could be in danger...

This is an interesting futuristic science fiction novel. But I thought it lacked the humor and the wit of the earlier books in the quartet. And it wasn't quite as action-packed as the later books in the quartet. So it didn't quite work for me the way I was hoping. I think the world-building was intriguing. I think some of the details work well. But as much as I liked some of the elements of this one, I just failed to stay connected throughout the book. (I had moments where I liked it, and moments I was bored.) This could also be a timing issue. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for this one just now.

Other reviews: Reading Rants, The Discriminating Fangirl, Carrie's YA Bookshelf.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews