All Men of Genius

In the alternate science fiction/fantasy reality of steampunk, the world of Victorian England runs solely on horse-drawn carriages, elaborate gears, and pneumatic tubes. Emily Gray delivers the story of 17-year-old Violet Adams, who wants to become part of this inventive world by attending prestigious Illyria College. Unfortunately, the college accepts only men. In a plot Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde would heartily approve of, Violet and her twin brother, Ashton, hatch a plan that combines a little harmless deceit, some cross-dressing, and a few voice lessons to get Violet into the school. Gray narrates with a combination of energy, intelligence, and sweetness to bring this clever examination of nineteenth-century gender roles, class, and culture to life. B.P. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

August 8, 2011
Rosen’s lighthearted debut puts a steampunk spin on the Victorian comedy of manners while sneakily critiquing the gender biases of both genres. Violet Adams is an inventor and the daughter of a renowned astronomer who has just left Britain for a lecture tour of America. In his absence, she, her brother, and their friend Jack Feste scheme to get her into the all-male Illyria College, home to the finest scientists of the age. The course of true science never does run smooth, and soon Violet conceives a disconcerting passion for Ernest, the duke of Illyria, and is hotly pursued in turn by his attractive young ward, Cecily. Decommissioned robots, mysterious mechanisms, strange squid creatures, blackmail, and a number of vivid characters add up to a great deal of fun.