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    The Iron Thorn: Iron Codex
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    The Iron Thorn: Iron Codex
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    The Iron Thorn: Iron Codex
    Audiobook16 hours

    The Iron Thorn: Iron Codex

    Written by Caitlin Kittredge

    Narrated by Katie MacNichol

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical-born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

    Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way-every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 22, 2011
    ISBN9780307747297
    Unavailable
    The Iron Thorn: Iron Codex
    Author

    Caitlin Kittredge

    Caitlin Kittredge has written several comic books and novels for adults and teens. She spends her time in Massachusetts fixing up her 1881 Victorian house, which she shares with several spoiled cats and a vast collection of geeky ephemera. You can follow her on Twitter @caitkitt.

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    Reviews for The Iron Thorn

    3.5/5

    121 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Despite being an odd mash of steampunk and Lovecraft homage, this is a solid YA fantasy set in an alternate Boston with all kinds of creepy weird creatures and settings. It's a little formulaic with the magic powers and the competing boys, but I enjoyed the adventure and will go on to the next one.
    • 5/5
      I'm honestly not sure how to explain how much I love this book! I mean, really. It blew me away in all the best ways possible. I'm a huge fan of Fantasy and of Steampunk. Caitlin Kitteredge takes these two genres, throws in a bit of dystopia, and blends it together into something beautifully unique and wonderful. Looking for something to chase those reading blues away? Take this for a spin!

      The Iron Thorn follows Aoife through a tough time in her life. Her family has a history of madness, and it seems to hit them each around their 16th birthday. Unfortunately for Aoife....that's just weeks away. The reader watches as Aoife is swept up in a whirlwind adventure to figure out her past, her present, and her future all at once. This is a dark and epic quest, that is filled with some of the most intriguing and disturbing creatures imaginable. I don't know if these characters live in Kitteredge's brain, but if they do I'd love to talk creepiness with her! I love that there is an underlying link to fae here as well. Keep a look out, it's hidden wonderfully well.

      It is really the world building that brings this book to life. The city of Lovecraft is built from bits and pieces of H.P. Lovecraft's writing, with other elements thrown in. As I mentioned above, this isn't just a Fantasy novel. There is so much more to it. Lovecraft and it's surrounding areas are gorgeously dismal. There is a sense of fear and darkness that lays over everything. The atmosphere that is built makes you want to crawl under a blanket and read by lamplight, even if it is daytime outside. No kidding, there were descriptions in this book that made me shudder visibly. However it's not all dark if you're worried about that. Underneath everything is that fantastical sense of adventure and camaraderie. I won't spoil anything, but it's fantastic.

      The characters, even besides just Aoife, burn off the page! Aoife is fierce, brave and utterly loyal. Her friend Cal is very rooted in what is right, normal and "proper" but is also an extremely loyal friend to Aoife. Then there is Dean, sweet Dean. The vagabond boy who turns guide, and just so happens to be the apple of Aoife's eye. Brave to a fault, and more than what he seems, he was absolutely my favorite character in the book. Each one of them has their own beautiful personality and wit. Add in the colorful characters that they encounter as they travel and I was completely swept away into the world of Lovecraft.

      I can't say anything more. I just don't know what else to write. If you can't already tell, The Iron Thorn was everything I was looking for in a book. It pulled me out of my reading slump, and back into a love of the written world.

      I wouldn't quite call this High Fantasy, since it still has one foot in reality, but definitely do your research if you aren't generally a fan of this genre. The Iron Thorn might not appeal to you. However, if you are a lover of Fantasy, of Steampunk, or even of Dystopian fiction, pick up a copy stat! I promise that if you allow yourself to get lost in the words, lost in the world, you'll experience something so amazingly unique it might just make you drop your jaw. The next book is still so far away!
    • 2/5
      Teen fiction; steam-punk adventure. I wanted to like this, but after 50 pages or so I was not hooked. It got a little bit better after that when the main characters have a second brush with danger but there are so many pages of what feels like waiting in the darkness, I can't bring myself to care despite Aoife's cool-sounding name.
    • 3/5
      We first meet Aoife in a madhouse, where she's trying to comfort her mother. Her mother, who has been insane for most (all?) of Aoife's life, refuses to be comforted, and Aoife leaves the institution in despair, not only for her mother but for herself. Her mother was driven mad by the necrovirus, and Aoife was born with it as well; like the rest of her family, she knows she will become insane by her 16th birthday. Aoife has pushed back her strange, otherworldly nightmares and visions for as long as possible by studying the most rational subjects she can find. She fought to be trained as an Engineer, one of the many who toil to maintain their city's great Engine. But after receiving a chilling letter from her brother, Aoife leaves behind her steady life at the Academy. With her is her best friend, prissy, romantic-minded Cal and their guide, the mysterious Dean. Aoife searches for her brother, but instead she finds that the bedrock of her life is on shaky ground.

      This book was a distinct surprise to me. It is far more thoughtful and imaginative than I expected, especially given the title and cover. The worldbuilding is fascinating here: decades ago the necrovirus swept through the world, leaving madness and monsters in its wake, and now humans huddle on the ruins of our world (the city of Lovecraft, for instance, is built on top of the remains of Massachusetts). In this alternate version of the 1960s, areas have become isolated from each other, and travel is closely watched by the fascist Proctors and their clockwork ravens. Both Aoife and Cal accept the Proctors' strictures

      tbc
    • 4/5
      Kittredge created something pretty special here. She uses the Lovecraftian tropes and references to create a world that is darkly sinister, but without trying to recreate a Lovecraft Story, which was wise. Aoife is a compelling heroine: strong without resorting to "pluckiness", she can doubt herself and be imperfect without coming off as whiny. The love story was my least favorite part, but I'm sure that won't be the case for all readers. I'm interested to see where the next book in the series goes.
    • 4/5
      That was an absolute and utter delight.
    • 1/5
      Aoife Grayson is in school in 1950s Lovecraft (a steampunk version of Boston) studying to be an engineer and work on the giant subterranean engine that runs the city. She wants to do well in school because the 1950s is super opressive to women so she will have to be someone's secretary unless she gets the extremely technical, physical, and dangerous job of engineer. The other boys and girls in engineering school are mean to her because she is a ward of the state who is attending school on a scholarship, and also her mother is in a madhouse, and her brother went mad on his sixteenth birthday so obviously that means Aoife will go crazy on her 16th birthday as well. The people who run the school tell Aoife that she is going to be kicked out of school because she's definitely going to go crazy, and then she gets a magical message from her brother saying he needs help and telling her to go to their father's house in the country. So Aoife sneakily runs away from the school that just told her she was kicked out and goes to the bad part of town where she . . . . .....I'm sorry. I can't do it. I can't even pretend that the plot of this book makes any freaking sense whatsoever. The only thing worse than the plot is the characterization. The main character is idiotic and inconsistant and the secondary characters are one-dimensional at BEST. The initial world-building (scientific/steampunk/overly-rational/anti-religon/anti-magic/oppressive dystopia/sexist 1950s/some kind of zombie-virus outbreak?) is absolutely abysmal. And then, Aoife finds another world of fairies and magic which is equally poorly imagined. And then, she finds ANOTHER world which I don't even know what it was because daghsdgfilh9uweroergna67urtyhndfgh435jnfvegethj. And then also there's another world. That pretty much sums it up. "Clusterf***" is the nicest way I can think of to describe it.I wrote a kind of pre-review for myself when I was halfway done with the book in which I said that the plot was just barely compensating for the uncomfortably-bad writing. Shortly after that the mediocre plot took a nose-dive and now I would neither recommend this book nor read further in the series if you paid me.
    • 4/5
      Synopsis from Amazon: In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different. *************This was really good. It was also really long. :) And I had a few quibbles. First, other than the slang spoken persistently by one character, it was really hard to tell this story takes place during the 1950's. In fact, considering the great difference between this universe and our own, I don't even know why the author even bothered with a time frame. Second, while Aoife (a name that will live in infamy and I still haven't a clue how to pronounce it) was certainly kick-ass, she acted out of character on occasion. I didn't understand her anger, or, at least, not why she was angry at a certain person. The world building was great, but the tone of the story was uneven. It started out as a Neverwhere knock off and then veered off into a dark fey fantasy. Enough with the dirigibles. Enough with the spring heeled jacks. It's steampunk. I get it. I understand that the genre comes with certain requirements. But don't use the elements unless there's a point to it. Still, I must confess, I loved the clockwork house. Also the guardian at the bridge. Nicely done. Oh, and what's the deal with the cover art? She looks like she auditioning for Les Miz. Best Character: Dean.Best Clockwork Critter: The ravens. Creepy!Sign me up for the sequel.
    • 4/5
      -I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.-Dark and moody, Caitlin Kittridge’s The Iron Thorn combines Lovecraftian, Orwellian and Masonic elements with steampunk to create a unique dystopian world in her first novel for young adults. Author of two urban fantasy series for adults, Kittridge is no stranger to the crafting of alternative universes, but this one is her most complex and imaginative. There are certain Potterish similarities that can’t be ignored, but Kittridge gains points by making her heroine a student of engineering, and creating a magic system that is an interesting blend of the supernatural and the scientific. Kittridge cleverly crafts her prose to match the setting. While Aoife Grayson and her companions are still in Lovecraft, the writing style reflects the steely mechanization of the city, as in: “his cheeks [were] twin combustions of red in the cold,” and the housemother who speaks “in a voice that could have stripped gears.” However, once the heroes leave the city and enter the more supernatural-tinged countryside near Aoife’s familial home, the descriptions become more visceral. One minor frustration, however: The map at the front of the book, while nicely drawn, did not match the author’s textual descriptions of the landscape and the positions of key locations. This threw me off when I tried using the map to follow the characters’ movements.Characters in The Iron Thorn are something of a mixed bag. Aoife’s friend Cal is the most solidly conceived, but Aoife herself is so guarded that it is difficult to ever gain a clear picture of her, and the personality of their guide, Dean, proves to be as amorphous as a shoggoth. My impression was that Kittridge was still getting a feeling for these two characters’ personalities as she wrote them, but she failed to go back and solidify them once she had defined them for herself.After a somewhat slow middle section, the entire episode with the ghouls (including the description of their nest) is a delightful adventure and a nice change of pace. The final adventure is satisfying, and also sets up for the next novel in the series, which I look forward to reading.
    • 4/5
      I had started this book eons ago, and then gotten bogged down in the middle, and annoyed with both the steampunk and dystopian genres. I finally picked it back up because I felt like I ought to finish it and the cover was so pretty. I really enjoyed the last half, having far less of a problem with the love triangle than I often do. Anyway, looking forward to the sequels! [June 2011]
    • 4/5
      Dystopian. Steampunk. Dark fantasy. Amazing world building.
    • 3/5
      Very, very, VERY dark. I liked the basic concepts, but when it had the brief moments of levity, it jarred me too much against the dire backdrops.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This unique, albeit slow steampunk has deep characters with dark secrets and the surprising (epic) addition of fairies. (Sorry, “eldritch creatures.”) Opening Sentence: There are seventeen madhouses in the city of Lovecraft. The Review: I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting there to be fairies. Maybe because the synopsis says “magic and witchcraft,” I wasn’t expecting the “eldritch creatures” to be fairies. But they are. Really, super creepy fairies. So get excited, because they totally ratchet up the tension level when they make it into the story. Then there’s the necrovirus, which Aoife’s mother has. It consumes the infected’s brain until they become a “nightjar,” a horrible creature who in turn can infect someone else with just a bite. The Heretics of the story are the ones who don’t buy into Lovecraft’s propaganda about science, religion, and reality, but practice magic outside the law. Aoife (pronounced, ‘eefuh.’ I asked Kittredge.) lives as a ward of the state because her mother is in a madhouse. The beginning of the novel instantly pulls you in…and then the pace drops to a snail’s. Around pg 150 it picks back up again; the in-between is filled with world-building and character development, but that doesn’t stop it from being slow. There are places where the novel has an Indiana Jones vibe—adventure, secret chambers, traps, and so on—that make the slow bits totally worth it. The “Iron world” only has one truth. Scientific and dictatorial, it’s terrifying in the medieval aspects it clings to. Their punishments for heretics who don’t follow their beliefs—which are the only beliefs, the true beliefs—reminded me of the Inquisition. In most ways, the “Land of Thorn” is just a different type of scary. Unpredictable, its treacherous “Folk” are absolutely spine-chilling and the land is inhabited by trees that will swallow you whole to make you a part of them. The world-building is unique and deep and amazing. Aoife’s time is running out. When she turns sixteen she’s going to go crazy like the rest of her family. The necrovirus lies dormant in their genes. The great thing about 500 pages is that the author has a lot of time to develop her characters. Aoife turns into a real person—not just another bada$$ YA heroine (though she is). She makes mistakes, doubts herself, has good and bad sides to her. But the part I absolutely loved about Kittredge’s characters is the way they grow. Cal and Dean start out looking like your average love triangle competitors, but when secrets get revealed you begin to wonder who’s really good for Aoife. All three—Dean, Cal and Aoife—had moments when their secrets surprised me. Kitredge’s writing is incredible, which is one of the reasons why the books long, slow pace didn’t seem to matter while I was reading it. She’s very poetic, but her tone sets the world grim and dark. Usually when I read science fiction, I like a lot of detail because it gives me a chance to nerd-out over inventions and impossible gadgets. This book had the perfect balance of detail. I can’t wait to pick up the sequel! I have complete faith it will deliver—especially given the wonderful ending Kittredge put on this one. (And by wonderful, I mean horrible. Why are authors so mean?!) I look forward to more high-stake adventures with these fantastic characters. Notable Scene: “But to hear my father tell it in his writings, it’s not heresy—nothing born of the necrovirus. Nor are all of the inhuman things in the world, the shandy-men and nightjars and the abominations…they don’t come from a person being infected. They aren’t people at all…they came from the…the Land of Thorn. Wherever that is.” Below, Arkham was ringed in fire. The mist too on an unearthly glow, living and boiling in the cauldron of the valley. “He calls it the Weird,” I said softly. “My father. And his father. A Grayson has had it, for fourteen generations. I…” I might not be mad after all.FTC Advisory: Delacorte Press/Random House provided me with a copy of The Iron Thorn No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      This is the first book in the Iron Codex series by Kittredge. It is the first book in a planned trilogy. The second book, The Nightmare Garden, is scheduled for a February 2012 release. This book was a wonderful blend of fantasy, steampunk, dystopia, and gothic elements. I absolutely fell in love with the world and the characters.The city of Lovecraft is ruled by the Protors and powered by The Great Engine. The necrovirus is blamed for an epidemic of madness that affect certain citizens, it is also said to be the cause for the dark creatures that hunt in the streets at night. Aoife is a ward of the state and one of the only girls to make it into the School of Engines; the most prestiguous school in Lovecraft. Aoife's family has a dark history though; they carry latent necrovirus and go mad at their sixteenth birthday. Aoife's 16th birthday is just around the corner and she will have to unravel the dark secrets of her family and face the darkness in Lovecraft if she even has a chance at staying sane.This book is dark and gothic, full of wonderful descriptions that create beautiful and haunting imagery. I loved Lovecraft; I wanted to visit Lovecraft and along with Aoife explore the dark alleys and secrets. It was just a wonderful blend of steampunk, gothic, and dystopian elements. Not to mention madness as a contagious virus; it sends chills up my spine just thinking about it.Aoife herself is an incredibly entertaining character. She is trying to be a good girl; but she is just too smart and too tough to not do what she has to do to survive. She has a good balance of courage, smarts, occasional vulnerability, and daring. She isn't your typical kick-butt heroine but she has a core of steel to her personality and she is willing to the extra mile when she has too. I loved her fascination with engineering and gears; it was nice to see a female heroine in this role. Aoife was an incredibly realistic and multi-dimensional character and I loved her.There is a bit of a love triangle going on here. Although that didn't bother me because it was well done and Aoife's choice was clear from the start. Cal comes off as a nagging but loyal friend until you discover he has secrets of his own. Dean is a bit of a mystery but the respect with which he treats Aoife and the way he supports her when she has tough decisions to make made him one of my favorite male leads.Now as if the setting of Lovecraft wasn't awesome enough, Kittredge throws in Aoife's father's clockwork house. A house that is nearly living and breathing all on its own. On top of that we get honest to goodness fairies involved in the story as well. I love stories that have fairies in them, and unlike some YA books, this book doesn't shy away from the dark side of fairy.The story ends well, but there is a lot more to be settled. There were so many wonderful things in this book, so many twists and turns. I can't wait to read the next one!Overall I loved, loved, loved this book. The world is incredibly complex and interesting, but never confusing. There are a ton of creative elements in this story. The characters are very well done; I loved them all. The story is a perfect blend of steampunk, gothic, dystopian, mystery, and fantasy elements. I recommend to anyone who loves dark fantasy or steampunk. I would actually recommend to everyone, but those who don't like a heavy dark element in their stories might want to look elsewhere.
    • 4/5
      The Iron Thorn confused me like no other. It's one of those books where you really have to think about what you're reading and try and connect things. (I'm not very good at that, just in case you didn't know.)Aoife was a very interesting character, though I have no idea how to pronounce her name. (I think I ended up calling her I-owe-fee the entire book, even though it's fairly obvious that's wrong.) I really felt for her when everyone, even the boy who was supposed to be her best friend, was convinced she was going to go crazy when she turned sixteen, just like everyone else in her family. Her anger and frustration came through clearly, and it seemed very realistic to me.Something else I really liked about Aoife - she was no gullible and naive sometimes, but at the end of the book, she could admit she'd totally and completely screwed up. And instead of crying and wallowing, she was determined to do something to fix it.Cal was a confusing character. I know he cared about Aoife, but sometimes I wondered how he was her best friend. He didn't act like one, a lot of the time. Of course, I found out why at the end, so I guess Kattridge is extremely good at subtlety, but GAH. I'd gotten so into Cal as her friend and then BAM. 'Course, he's still her friend, but still. Although I really liked a part of their relationship - it showed how a guy and a girl can be just friends.The romance was kind of . . . sad. Lacking. Dean and Aoife didn't have very many romantic moments, and the kiss scenes >:{ I am a fan of nice make-out scenes, but in The Iron Thorn it was basically "He kissed me" and that was it. Although I will say that Dean was an intriguing character, and I thought he was well written.The biggest problem I had was that so many things were left unexplained - the Proctors, for one thing. I still don't know what they really are. I'm still unclear on The Iron Land and The Mists and all this other stuff that made my brain hurt.I must say, though, The Iron Thorn was something that seemed very original to me. I loved the setting and how different it was from modern times.Overall: I had an extremely hard time rating this book. I really loved Aoife, the world was amazing, and this book was definitely something new. I just feel like I was left with way too many questions, but I'll definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out. The Iron Thorn is full of suspense and it keeps you guessing the entire time - and just when you think you've got it figured out, you're surprised by the real answer. 3.5 stars.
    • 4/5
      This was my second venture into Steampunk and I'm still enjoying it. I truly admired Aoife's spirit and spunk, even without having a clue as to how to pronounce her name! She keeps fighting even knowing she carries a gene that could cause her to go mad when she turns sixteen. She escapes from her boarding school with her best friend Cal and new friend Dean who helps them find their way to her father's house. She has to find and help her brother. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story as Aoife learns more about magic and her connection to it.It's a fun story that's easy to follow. Good for young adults and anyone who enjoys steampunk and fantasy!
    • 3/5
      On her upcoming sixteenth birthday, Aoife Grayson is going to go mad. That’s what happened to her mother and her older brother, Conrad, a rare, genetic version of the necrovirus that spreads through their aether-run, Proctor-controlled city of Lovecraft, Massachusetts. Now, her mother is in a madhouse, and her brother has escaped the city. But when Conrad sends an SOS to Aoife, she and her best friend Cal enlist the help of Dean, a street-smart heretic, to help her get to her father’s house in Arkham.In between avoiding capture by the Proctors, Aoife discovers a shocking secret about the world she knows: nothing is the way it seems, and magic may be more rampant than she ever believed.THE IRON THORN has its fair share of logistical worldbuilding inconsistencies, but should still be one heck of an adventure for younger, avid readers.The steampunkish city of Lovecraft exists in alternate-world 1950s, which is always risky and ambitious, because it involves really thorough worldbuilding, and I’m not sure THE IRON THORN really thoroughly accomplishes that. It’s less steampunk than it is a creepy sort of urban fantasy, with the threat of dangerous fey creatures driving the second half of the story. I never entirely felt like the Proctors were frightening, because their appearances throughout the story were so sporadic: it should’ve been much harder for Aoife and her friends to escape Lovecraft, and I never fully got the sense that the Proctors were on her tail, watching her every move.In addition to worldbuilding inconsistencies, the characters felt a little…off as well. What, exactly, is so endearing about Dean constantly calling Aoife “princess” and remarking on her apparent beauty? It’s creepy. It deserves a slapping. Multiple slappings. And an unexpected twist regarding Cal at the end of the story was the breaking point for me in what was an increasing number of poorly explained “twists.” It felt like an unsuccessful attempt to justify his bratty, bad-friend behavior in the previous 400 pages. It was almost like the story couldn’t decide what it wanted to be—a steampunk? an urban fantasy?—and so it tried to incorporate a bit of everything, with the result that some elements of the story felt a little short.Nevertheless, Aoife is an admirable protagonist. She’s extremely motivated and determined, and therefore a delight to follow around. She is someone who you could really see accomplishing everything on her own: she just happens to attract the support of friends through her determination.THE IRON THORN is ambitious, sprawling, and epic. I nitpicked a lot while I was reading because I wanted MORE, but there already is a lot going on in this novel that is impressive and engaging. Recommend it as a gift especially to younger, avid readers who enjoy sprawling adventures.
    • 5/5
      Here's where I thought: the book was really good, and I want to thank my friend Cillian for pointing me to it, ever so gently :D Original concepts are rare, and I think that's exactly what The Iron Thorn is - mind-blowingly original. I mean, Faeries in a steampunk setting? Whoa! Never even saw it coming. That said, I enjoyed the writing too, mostly. I thought it went on a bit longer than necessary, but I didn't mind the flamboyant passages, I thought she was trying to make a point ... then again, I love poetry. I used to write it, I read it, I recite it when I'm alone. Some complained about the name Aoife - personally, I loved it. Aoife, the character, was also interesting. The boys were sketchier, particularly Cal. The language was something else altogether : it was like I stepped back in time, to the fifties, but more than that, to that world, in which old-fashioned lingo mingled with a whole new kind of lingo, of someone who lived in the world Ms. Kittredge created. Wow! I mean it. So, a full five stars, and hats off to Ms. Kittredge. Anxiously awaiting the sequel(s)...
    • 5/5
      I’ve found that when it comes to alternate history and steampunk as a genre as a whole, it’s very difficult to adjust everything just right without one major flaw or another. That said, I’m extremely picky with my steampunk books, and I’ve found many really disappointing. The only stars of the genre within the last year include Scott Westerfeld’s “Leviathan” series, and now, “The Iron Thorn”.I’d been waiting for this release for months, and this book was worth the wait. I was so happy to find this mix of magic, religion, alternate history, and steampunk all fall well into place and interacting with each other more or less perfectly. I could find no flaws within this book that made me take notice at all. Which is really rare, considering how incredibly picky I am with my books in general, much less just within the steampunk/alternate history genre alone. Kittridge’s tip of the hat to Lovecraft worked so well in so many places, I can’t even begin to start to talk about which part worked best. It just kind of flowed. I can’t really find words other than that to describe this brew of genres.I have to say, her portrayal of The Land of Thorn (also known as Faerie) was chilling in its difference to nearly all of the other versions of Faerie in other books. This place is not a beautiful place, unlike other versions of Faerie. This place is not hospitible, despite the Field of Lilies. It was really refreshing to have a very, very, very disturbing “reality (Lovecraft/Graystone)” vis-a-vis “Faerie (The Land of Thorn/Mist)”. It was like there was no real place for Aoife to run for relief, and that’s so very rare in not only the urban fantasy/YA and steampunk/alternate history genres, but in general literature as a whole. It’s rare that authors are willing to torture their characters so thoroughly, and with such a big payoff – which is a shame, really, since doing this in “The Iron Thorn” worked so incredibly well.I really can’t wait until the next book in this series – though it looks like no sequel/companion has been scheduled for release as of yet. I hope that changes, as this was definitely one of the best books of 2011 so far.(crossposted to goodreads and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
    • 5/5
      Sometimes I come across a book where I want to put up a review that expresses my enjoyment of having read it. But then when I sit down to write the only possible word that I want to repeat over and over is AWESOME. But as I am sure some people may come across the word of awesome and not descriptive enough for them to attempt to read it. So let me try my best to describe in which the way I picked up the audiobook, was mezmerized by its tale and did not want it to end. As it's going to be a series I get to enjoy more of this world at a later date, but who knows if I may be able to make it until the next book is released before losing my mind! Aoife (ee-fa) our main character is strong-willed, hard-headed, scared and compasionate. She witnesses her mother going more crazy by the day, her brother who tried to kill her has ran away and she has only her best friend Cal who sticks by her side in a school where girls are scarce. I have to admit that when I first saw the cover, with all the fairy stories traveling the young adult shelves these days I was curious as to a fairy story steampunk novel. This book was so much more than any fairy story I have read. The engine that is below the city, the proctors who run the city, the strange dirty/gothic feel you get from the setting and Aoife's travels makes this story dark and haunted. Aoife travels to her fathers house with her best friend Cal and their guide Dean to try to find her brother who has sent a message that only reads "Help" at the house that looks abandoned they find a maid hiding in one of the rooms who tells them that Aoife's father and brother have been taken away, both by different types of creatures and she is alone. The house has magical powers of its own and soon Aoife is meeting strange creatures, communicating with the house and taken into strange lands enshrouded by mist. Overall this amazing story was evenly paced, well developed and leaves the imagination open to imagine several ways in which the author may take this story into the next books in this series. I for one hope that this Iron Codex Series lasts for as long as possible, there are so many twists, people, creatures and worlds yet to explore in this world and I hope that it takes the author several more books to get us through.
    • 5/5
      First off: introduction to the world of The Iron Thorn, at least as it appears at the beginning of the book. It's a steampunk setting, about 1950. Lovecraft, Massachusetts, is a town run by clockwork - literally. Its four engines beneath the ground keep the city going, and they also help protect its inhabitants from the necrovirus and its evil carriers - the nightjars, ghouls, shoggoths, etc. that lurk in dark alleys and hide beneath the streets. Reason and science reign under the intimidating Proctors; magic and superstition are deemed heretical and punishable by imprisonment in jails or madhouses, burning, or death. Ravens and other spies keep watch over the city's inhabitants to seek out any heretical leanings.Now for the plot: Fifteen-year-old Aoife Grayson has a lot to worry about. She's a ward of the state and the only girl at the School of Engineering; her mother's locked in an asylum, her beloved brother - who, in his madness, tried to kill her - is on the run, and her sixteenth birthday is coming up, with the implication that she, too, will go insane. But then she gets a note from Conrad, her brother. "Help. Find the witches' alphabet. Save yourself." So Aoife and her only friend, Cal, escape from the city of Lovecraft to find Conrad in Arkham, a neighboring town that is home to Aoife's ancestral house. With the aid of Dean, a heretical guide they find in the secret marketplace of Lovecraft, the trio sets out to rescue Conrad, discover the mysteries of the Grayson home, and unlock the secrets that the Proctors of Lovecraft have sought to hide for so long.First off, I expected The Iron Thorn to be a science fiction, dystopian story. To my disappointment, it's actually fantasy, at least in my little categorical world. It is still steampunk, and there are dystopian elements, such as the Proctors who rule Lovecraft with an iron hand and one confrontation that reminded me of a scene in Brave New World (the rest of the book, interestingly enough, reminded me of A Great and Terrible Beauty). Besides this initial disappointment, however, the book was great! For all nearly 500 pages, I was interested and had problems putting the book down. I found out the plot twists when Aoife did, not even a moment sooner. That said, most of the many plot twists made perfect sense, but one or two were like "did the author have this in mind from the beginning? 'Cause there's not any lead up to that..." Another thing that I liked, besides the great storyline, was how it ended. The events of the book were mostly tied up by the conclusion, and a new chapter was opened at the end that will be continued in the next book of the series...which I will be very impatiently awaiting. By the way, I want Aoife's house. It's run by clockwork, has a lot of hidden spaces and tricks, and a large library. It's awesome.
    • 3/5
      What a very unique adventure you'll find in The Iron Thorn. Set in an alternate Boston, Lovecraft, almost has the feel of a dystopian society. Where the government has control of its people and something as simple as believing in a fairytale will deem you a heretic. Aiofe is worried now that she is on the cusp of her 16th birthday - the same age that both her mother and older brother went mad. When she receives a message from her brother a few weeks before her birthday she grabs her BFF and they are off to discover what truly happened to him. I really tried to love this book and there were many things about it that I did enjoy. For instance, I loved the steampunk-ness of it. It was dark and spooky and I was captivated by every dark corner just worrying about what was waiting to jump out at you from it. I loved the machinery, the magic, the madness of it all. The world building was phenomenal. It was truly as if you were transported to another time and place. The descriptions were so vivid that you could easily envision Lovecraft and its inhabitants.My main complaint is that the book is so long. I felt that the story could have easily been told in half its size. The plot itself was also somewhat complicated so between that and me trying to truly grasp everything that was taking place, it felt tedious at times. I also hated the name Aiofe. I had the same problem with Hermione (Harry Potter) for the first three HP books until it was finally explained in the fourth book. I know I never pronounced Aiofe right and just hated the doubt and pretty much the name altogether. With names like Conrad, Calvin and Dean you would've thought our heroine had a name that was much simpler to say. Unfortunately, I didn't love The Iron Thorn, but I didn't hate it either. There were many moments that I was taken in by it but others that just didn't connect with me. This is the first installment in The Iron Codex series so be aware that there is an abrupt ending. I can't say for sure that I'll be reading the rest in this series, but for fans of Steampunk and fantasy this might be one to interest you.
    • 5/5
      In the futuristic city of Lovecraft, a necrovirus threatens to ruin civilizations. Below the city and on its outskirts, hordes of ruined people rot in their own insanity--and threaten to infect the sane. Unfortunately for Aoife Grayson, madness runs in her family. So far, both her mother and brother have gone from being perfectly normal to completely insane after turning sixteen.Aoife (pronounced "ee-fah") is deeply worried that she will become just like her mother and brother. She is a charity case at school, and is being watched for signs of madness. But, when she receives a magical letter from her brother asking for her urgent help, she cannot refuse him. As much as she'd just like to walk down the road and go to help her brother out in the open, this world does not work like that. Her brother is far away and any visit that Aoife makes will have to be secretive and underground. There ensues a journey of epic proportions--with her best friend Cal along for the trip and the hired help of a charismatic adventurer named Dean.Dean easily steals the show. He reminded me a little (not looks wise, but in personality) of a young, swashbuckling Johnny Depp. Cal is fairly useless and maybe even a little dangerous to have on this trip, and I genuinely felt for Aoife throughout. She was in a tough position and needed to make choices that no teen should have to make. But, she was a tough cookie to begin with. One of the only girls at the School of Machines, she's no dummy. She has been brainwashed by the Proctors who govern over her and the rest of society, but she isn't afraid to step out of line to help her family.Also, the writing in this book is filled with awesomely disturbing imagery. Action scenes are intense and so are the depictions of those infected with the necrovirus. Uck. It was not difficult to picture any of the scenes in this book. The government (called the Proctors) in this book are savage and cruel, but I loved the author's inventiveness when it came to their use of mechanical birds for surveillance.If you are loving the abundance of dystopian reads as much as I am, you will want to find a copy of this book when it releases in February. And, this book is the first in a planned series, so there's more to come. Good thing, because I want to know more!