When the rich complained about the black smoke and the suffocating fog, Parliament debated whether to relocate London or force the factories to move. Eventually, they came up with a third solution. Historical buildings and those belonging to the peerage were raised by mighty steel stilts, cranked high by accordion girders and leaving channels between districts spanned by attractive walking bridges.
It was as if select bits of London now hovered like mountain peaks amidst a sea of fog. Airships transport people between the two levels when necessary. This is a steampunk novel, to be sure, but the primary steampunk detail is the concept of various types of airships, including steam-driven gondolas that move the rich from one mansion to another along canals of pure, fog-free air. As is frequently the case in urban fantasies, a mysterious, Mafia-like organization—the Karakash Veil —controls the dark side of London.
The Veil is run by Chinese immigrants and is headquartered in an area of London called the Midnight Menagerie. Here is Cherry's description: Exotic animals and strange foreign creatures from around the world Midnight sweets [aka prostitutes], ripe for the taking and skilled in the art of love-making.
Masquerades, drinking wells, elaborate dance halls By day, she is Cherry St. Croix aka Miss Black , the orphaned ward of a wealthy guardian, living in a fashionable neighborhood above the drift. By night, she is Miss Black, a collector—a bounty hunter—who hunts down her targets in dark, fog-choked alleys below the drift. In this world, if people need to hire a collector to find a thing or person, they post a note on the collector's wall in an abandoned railway station describing what or who needs to be found and collected, the amount of the reward, and the destination for the recovery.
Although there are many collectors, Cherry is the only one who is a female. Cherry is known to society as the daughter of Mad Abraham St. Croix, an eccentric scientist who died with Cherry's mother in a fire in their home in Scotland when Cherry was a child. After her parents' death, Cherry was placed in a horrible orphanage that kept its inmates calm by dosing them with laudanum. Over the years, Cherry became addicted to opiates, and she still has trouble sleeping without a swig of laudanum to send her off to dreamland.
As the series opens, Cherry stays away from the Menagerie's circus because she has horrible, opium-fuzzy memories of her years as a forced performer in another circus—the one to which the orphanage owners sold her. She was rescued from that circus by Mr. Oliver Ashmore, her guardian, who had been trying to track her down ever since her parents died.
Cherry has lived in fear of Ashmore ever since she first met him while she was in the midst of an opium dream and he appeared to her to be a monster. Ashmore is a mysterious, unseen figure until the fourth novel, Tempered. During days she is Cherry St. Croix, an unconventional daughter of a mad scientist, forced to behave according to high society standards otherwise her guardian will stop her allowance and her scientific experiments. At nights, Cherry is a different person.
Black is a collector as in bounty hunter in the blackest areas of London, fitted into a black garb with armoured corset, respirator and night vision goggles, she hunts the streets for thieves and those unfortunate indebted to Chinese mafia of Karakash Veil and their dangerous and seductive representative Micajah Hawke. She is a flawed heroine who is driven by her opium addiction acquired as a child, when she grew up as an acrobat in a street circus before her guardian found her.
Or, in Source Mode: After writing happily ever afters for all of her friends in school, Karina Cooper eventually grew up sort of , went to work in the real world kind of , where she decided that making stuff up was way more fun true! She is the author of dark and sexy paranormal romance, steampunk urban fantasy, and writes across multiple genres with mad glee. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with a husband, a menagerie, a severe coffee habit, and a passel of adopted gamer geeks.
Visit her at www. After writing happily ever afters for all of her friends, she eventually grew up kind of and fell in love with paranormal romance. Because, really, who doesn't love hot men and a happy ending? When she isn't writing about murder and mayhem, Karina designs Steampunk and neo-Victorian couture for gentlemen hobbyists and ladies of questionable reputation. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with a husband, four cats, one rabbit, the fantasy of a dog and a passel of adopted gamer geeks.
She adores hearing from readers. A choking fog blankets Victorian London—and in a stroke of discriminatory genius, Society has raised London to the sky. In my secret world, I hunt down vagrants, thieves… and now, a murderer. To my daylight world, where my scientific mind sets me apart from respectable Society, or to the compelling domain of London below.
Each has a man who has claimed my time as his—for good or for ill. One choice will see me cast from polite company… the other might just see me dead. Croix Chronicles 1 Karina Cooper — Excerpt. The second book in Karina Cooper's stunning steampunk series featuring fearless heroine Cherry St. Croix, in which she is faced with two men after her heart—and one killer out for her blood.
In the gleaming heights of Victorian London, a world of deception awaits an unconventional Society lady whose taste for adventure makes her a most formidable adversary. Croix, have neither the time nor the interest. I am on the trail of a murder with no victim, a mystery with no motive, and the key to an alchemical formula that could be my family's legacy.
Yet the world is not so kind as to let me pursue simple murder and uncomplicated bounties. Above the foggy drift, an earl insists on my attention, while my friends watch my increasingly desperate attempts to remain my own woman. From the silken demands of the Midnight Menagerie—to whose dangerously seductive ringmaster I owe a debt—to the rigorous pressures of the peerage, all are conspiring to place before me a choice that will forever change my life.
Hungry for vengeance, Cherry St. Your turn will come. For the first time in book slayer history I give you a letter to the heroine of the hour, Cherry St. All I know is that there were plenty of ups and downs along the way. This is why, dear Cherry, I am writing today. I know that you and Zylla had a bit of a rocky patch, since she was sent to tattle tell on you, but I truly believe she does care. Keep her close, she may surprise you.
Now on to a more delicate matter. You must know that I am and will be honest here. I think you are a strong woman who has survived in a world that has wronged you at almost ever turn. Orphaned, enslaved, abused by not only family, but society. But you keep on.
You find what works for you and push forward. That is what I admire about you. You go out and put the skills that you learned as a kid into helping yourself stay sane and helping others. Dark places were my bread and butter. Your fight or flight response has been switched permanently to fight. This, Cherry, is why my only response to all this Compton business can only be, What the Hell were you thinking?! The man has no earthly idea what you do with your free time. He lives in a society that expects him to keep you in line.
Now I ask, is that what you want?! So really, why keep this going? Not if the price is your silence and sitting in parlors gossiping about clothing etc. But I think we both know who has started to win your heart. That is right, Micajah Hawke. The man might be a little rough around the moral edges, but really does that bother you? He saved your life in Tarnished and I am sure cost him dearly. I know, I know, it cost you too, but I am sure he did not go unpunished.
Oh and do I have to point out all the little ways he tries to keep you away from danger? Because you and I know that he does.
He plays the big bad wolf rather well, but he has a soft spot for you. You know the shady one. Yes, I believe he is our mysterious man. Remember, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Books and travelling with Lynn
Please for the love of Steampunk, do not die a virgin. Seriously, go spend some time with Cage. Dear Cornelius Compton, I am sad to say that I have never really liked you. Best Wishes, Amanda, the book slayer ps. Beware of train whistles Last but not least, Micajah. Cage, You sir need to get that sexy butt in gear.
Honestly, are you really going to just sit back and let Cherry set herself up for a life of disappointment?! Now, what is done, is done. You have put it off for too long. Big Fan, Amanda, the book slayer ps. Whips are sexy but so is being bound. I totally think a scene between you and Cherry is a must.
I feel so much better now that I got that off of my chest. Back to what you can expect when you pick this book up. Suspense, intrigue and murders abound. I am telling you that I did not want to put this book down. I was hanging onto every move Cherry was making and yes, I was pissed off at half the things that transpired, but that ending, it was pure win!
I would have to say that it was poetic justice in a way. I am still grinning, shame on me. For all those that are interested, here is the book trailer for Gilded, produced by Book Candy Studios. Book Trailer for Gilded by Karina Cooper I also want to say Thank you to Avon via Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book, which I was excited to get ahold of, for an honest review.
I enjoyed every minute of it, especially the ending. View all 10 comments. Jan 23, Stef Rozitis rated it it was ok Shelves: Seemed promising to begin with but was very disappointing. It gets two stars one and a half really I suppose because it had patches of feminism and even though I think in many ways Cherry was a sell-out there wasn't the more obvious romantic bent to that.
It's a well imagined steampunk world with potentially fertile explorations of class, gender, social mobility, wealth and identity. It seems to degenerate more often than not into the spectacular by which I mean the chapter is just a spectacle Seemed promising to begin with but was very disappointing. It seems to degenerate more often than not into the spectacular by which I mean the chapter is just a spectacle with no real content of clothes, settings and movie-like sets.
Gilded: The St. Croix Chronicles - Karina Cooper - Google Книги
Characters seemed to be underdeveloped and there are some troubling stereotypes: Women are uncomlicated back-stabbing bitches and women's power is mean-girl power. The relationship between Cherry and Zylphia did I get that right? Cherry seems to see nothing untoward or troubling at her "friend" waiting on her, staying up to do her errands after she collapses exhausted and being less than a confidant and less significant to her than the initially discarded earl. Zylphia is a racialised, exoticised non-event in a book that pays lip-service to feminism and women's relationships but seems to find equal relationships between anyone not only too hard to manage, but not necessary.
Sure within the plot as a whole that is somewhat ironic He in fact does nothing to alleviate any of the suffering he is part of like the bullying of his mother does not even have anything to say to her that is remotely supportive or helpful, simply abandons her to all that and dangles material advantage to force her to accept his proposal because she could grow to feel affection for him. The opium theme through the book was sort of excessive and tiresome as other reviewers have pointed out and the constant minute description of clothing and society people made me doubt the author's commitment to the ideas of agency, action and women's empowerment espoused in part of the book.
Hawke was sickening and I didn't need him lingered on as somehow attractive in his misogyny and exploitative attitude. Worst of all the ending.
I just can't and won't read the next in the series considering where she is bound next. If it didn't degenerate into titillation that didn't work for me and spectacle. Nov 26, Beth rated it it was amazing Shelves: Croix is a lady of Society that is living a dual life with that of a Collector. She has 2 men that make her pulse increase and a serial killer toying with her.
Never wanting to lose her freedom, Cherry must continue to make drastic choices to insure her future. This book was bloody brilliant. My reaction after reading Gilded was bereft that it is over and a bit of awe at what a marvelous story! I love steampunk and if you looked up the definition of steampunk this book should be referenced. It had a fabulous historical atmosphere with the perfect amount of gadgets and scientific advanced!
I loved this book. Karina Cooper weaved a fantastic, riveting tale that sucked me into this fabulous world she created. I was literally hanging on every word and shocked by the explosive ending. My only complaint is waiting for the next book in The St. Gilded is a fast paced, action packed adventure with an imperfect heroin.
Gilded is 5 Stars and definitely joining those special books on my favorite shelf. This copy of Gilded was given to me by Edelweiss and Avon in exchange for an honest review. View all 6 comments. Sep 26, Fathima rated it really liked it Shelves: I take care of all my pets. I wasn't sure if I was happy or angry or happily angry..
And Cherry is still trying to find the mad scientist who almost killed her trying to bring a dead woman back to life.. I'm being absolutely vague here.. The identity of the scientist and the woma "Never fear , Miss Black. The identity of the scientist and the woman are major spoilers! She is also trying to find the Sweet tooth or more likely known as Jack the ripper , AND she is also looking for the other collector who , FYI , is a total loon!
Psycho loco bitch for sure Add to that , a new mystery , looking for the murderer who is cleverly killing off professors Oh and adding to all this mayhem is Cherry's personnel agenda's. I kinda missed Micajah but trust me , those moments where he was in the picture , he totally rocked it. Cherry's illness has me a little worried , truth be told.
A part of me wonders that maybe its just withdrawal from not getting her opium fix. But the other part of me thinks that there is something seriously going on with her. The author makes reference to these in future tense with statements such as , ' Had I known earlier ' etc which just manages to affirm my doubts and theories!
- The Process of Decision Making in Chess: Volume 1 - Mastering the Theory;
- Gilded (The St. Croix Chronicles #2) by Karina Cooper;
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The ending of this book I can't wait to see what Cherry does after this! View all 3 comments. Nov 14, Dark Faerie Tales rated it did not like it Shelves: Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. Woman on a mission to discover more about her father and circumvent the rules and regulations of her place in society lives two lives.
But will she charm you? I get that the publisher was trying to visually display to the book Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. I get that the publisher was trying to visually display to the book buying public that this book is more gritty than your run of the mill romance. My intuition about this book unfortunately proved to be true despite the numerous glowing reviews I had read, I am in the camp that would be quite happy to never see another book from this series EVER.
This story took an enormous amount of time to develop. In fact it was so long that there were points I literally decided that this was going to be the first book since I started reviewing book in January that I would not finish. Many of you will not know this but there are only a handful of books that I have in all my life ever not finished.
Some have taken a while to draw me back but I finish books. This one nearly ended up on the infamous never to be finished list. Here is why besides the story being stuck in the fog, our heroine, Cherry St. Croix is a drug addict. This is the first female lead I have read that I wanted to reach into the book and strangle or would have been happy to see her get strangled by the two villains in this book.
What scientist fills themselves with so much pain medication that she is unable to think clearly? I know I can hear a few of you yelling about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Hyde, but neither of those stories have I been asked to review. Furthermore, this story is as confused as our heroine is when she is taking her drug of choice. I was unsure more times that I would like to recall whether this story is set in Victorian times or a future where we have resorted to Victorian methods as a way to cope with the future.
The two men that star in Miss St. Both Lord Cornelius Kerrigan Compton and Micajah Hawke only serve as street lamps in this story, glimpsed but often lost in the fog of poor story telling. Croix had in the past, even after completing the book. Croix other than her unwillingness to follow social guidelines. I have struggled with giving a rating for this book, which is typically the easiest part of the review process, but this was tough.
In the end, I even revisited what my initial reaction was but after careful thought and even re-reading this review, there is but one answer that I can give with complete honesty. My maid hurried to catch up with my sudden frenetic pace. A sign that I was not the only body on this world who knew what went on in that tunnel. Perhaps a hint that the collector I hunted—the so-named sweet tooth Zylphia and her fellow sweets had hired me to collect—was still out there. I knew he was. He left me flowers for every successful assassination he answered on the collection board. He left them for me upon my windowsill, regardless of its height above the ground.
Somehow, he knew who I was, and I only knew that he taunted me. Yet, even as I considered it, it occurred to me that I had not seen flowers for near a fortnight now. Avon provided me with a copy of Gilded. Nov 14, Kara-karina rated it it was amazing. I wanted to scream with frustration!!! Miss Cooper doesn't end her books with a cliffhanger per se, but she definitely knows how to end a book with a bang. There is more darkness and desperation in Cherry this time. By her debt to Karakash Veil, by the societal obligations and by her worsening addiction to opium. It's hard and painful to read about her horrible descent into abyss, but it's necessary too.
Sometimes a heroine needs to hit rock bottom to truly find what she is made of, I hope that's where we find how really awesome Cherry would become. In this book she is still trying to find the mysterious Ripper and the traces of an alchemical formula Karakash Veil wants so much. She also works on a murder mystery for her patroness lady Rutledge which involves poisoned professor in King's college. Her ton life intensifies when her admirer Lord Compton comes back from his mysterious journey and redoubles his attempts to woo her while his mother plots Cherry's disgrace behind their backs And above it all, Cherry slowly unravels unable to lead her double life for much longer.
Croix Chronicles, - you most likely would love it too. Feb 14, Liz rated it really liked it Shelves: Our dear Miss St. Croix is at quite a crossroads as this story ends and I literally have no idea what direction she will go and how it will all shake out. Where is book 3?! I don't even see mention of it and that makes me sad!
May 06, Tahyun rated it did not like it Shelves: I'm so mad, I can't even write anything intelligent about it. I'm going to create my own fantasy ending, wherein the last 30 pages don't happen, and just before those, the Too Stupid To Live "heroine" dies a horrible gruesome death. Which would have made this book a Happily Ever After, at least for me.
Nov 29, Bad Cookie rated it did not like it Recommends it for: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Is it bad that the only part I liked was when the earl Cherry had just married bit the dust? Dec 24, Trixiter Marczak rated it it was amazing. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Cherry!
Apr 30, Summer rated it it was ok Shelves: This wasn't necessarily bad, but despite finding the first book in the series decent I couldn't really find the interest in reading further. Dec 21, Juliet rated it it was ok Shelves: This series had a lot of promise but ultimately it missed the mark big time. I really really wanted to like this series but each book was essentially the author trying to mirror some other novel for example: Such things would have been fine with better editing and more cohesive storyline.
The second book is a lot of wtf. Aug 12, Matilde Damkier rated it really liked it Shelves: That ending blew my mind. Sep 28, Marlene rated it really liked it. Her terribly flawed heroine, Cherry St. Croix, always feels as if she is living in some kind of cage. The titles of the books in the series, Tarnished, Gilded, and book 3, Corroded, represent the type of cage that Cherry is trapped in during that part of her life. The world of the St. Croix Chronicles is a very dark steampunk version of London where the division between rich and poor has been made quite visibly manifest.
The social strata given form. Cherry straddles two worlds, and not just because of her unconventional parents and hidden unsavory upbringing, but because she herself has been unable to settle into the role she would call it a strait-jacket that Victorian society forces on upper-class females. Also, she is still addicted to opium, a legacy of her lost days in the underworld, and she requires a method of paying for continued habit. But instead of freedom, the Midnight Menagerie sunk its own claim into her as she meddled in something either alchemical, magical or scientific beyond her ability to escape.
In Gilded, Cherry discovers that society has its own methods of forcing her to do its will, even as she beats her hands against the bars of the cage she feels closing around her. And even though she knows that marriage is a trap for any woman who would otherwise possess her own fortune, the Midnight Menagerie blackmails her into doing their bidding. It is only then that she discovers the true nature of the cage that she has stepped into, even as she hears the key turning in the lock.
Croix series gets darker and grittier as it goes, and it keeps going downward in that sense. More like a heartrending moan. Cherry is hunting Jack the Ripper and someone is hunting her. Everyone in London above is hell-bent on Cherry marrying Earl Compton before she reaches her majority except Cherry.
This may be my interpretation. Cherry is incredibly flawed, and the story is told from her first-person perspective. Her usage simply spirals up and down as fortunes permit. She lies, she cheats, she steals, and she loses track of everything she says and does. But she still solves her cases, eventually. She also makes horrific mistakes because of her addiction.
But in at least two cases, it also saves her life. Mar 16, Tina rated it liked it Shelves: Dark side of a steampunk novel; flawed and scarred characters, drugs, violence, murder, vengeance, betrayal, fragile hope. Sep 25, Shellie Layers of Thought rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Original review at Layers of Thought. Read my review for Tarnished book 1 and pick it up first. I believe that Original review at Layers of Thought.
I believe that they are still selling the ebook version for.
The St. Croix Chronicles Series
In a realistic yet fantastical setting — a steam powered Victorian London - we have the second in this atmospheric series. The complex and strong main character, Cherry St. Croix, was once a circus waif and performer, giving her physical attributes which allow her to pursue and apprehend persons of greater strength and stature than herself. A petite red-head with striking thick hair which she covers with lampblack on her outings into the polluted city underworld, she is not of bad character.
Her darkness is due to forced circumstance. Cherry does her best to get by in this world where women aTarnishedre not allowed to own property and are considered wards of their male family members. In the first book of the series Tarnished we become familiar with Cherry, her romantic entanglements, and find out that she is the daughter of a crazy scientist and a beautiful socialite. In this second book, Cherry is in pursuit of a killer she thinks Jack the Ripper perhaps? However, she finds that there is in fact another killer — so another mystery ensues.
Karina Cooper writes in an old fashioned convoluted style in this series, which works very well for the setting. It creates text that feels authentic and Victorian-ish. I do need to mention that readers may have to consult Google when looking up some of the old fashioned English words the author uses. But this is all good. It also has another fun cover much like the first in the series. I am really glad there is not a naked guy or a lot of skin featured on it.
What happens to Cherry as we find out more about her and her romantic interests is the best part of this story. Cooper does romance well. Recommended for readers who like strong and dark female leads, unexpected twists, a bit of a murder mystery and of course romance and steampunk. Skip this if you are looking for a solid ending, want happily ever after, or are not interested in being addicted to a series.
I enjoyed this book A LOT. My only regret is that I am not reading this series after the entire collection has been completed. View all 4 comments. Mar 24, Lynn Williams rated it it was amazing. Okay, so I finished the second of the St Croix Chronicles a few days ago but was literally stunned into silence and needed a few days to absorb events.
This book is quite the riot of emotions ending on a final note of utter shock. I've tried to stay away from reviews for this series to avoid spoilers and it worked because the ending of this took me totally by surprise, and yet at the same time that it blew me off my feet with it's unexpected quality it als http: I've tried to stay away from reviews for this series to avoid spoilers and it worked because the ending of this took me totally by surprise, and yet at the same time that it blew me off my feet with it's unexpected quality it also felt sort of inevitable!
Gilded is the second in the St Croix series the first being Tarnished my review here. I really do recommend reading these books in order and not just jumping in at No.
- The Little Blue Boat and the Secret of the Broads?
- A Thousand Goodbyes!
- Paperback Editions;
- Lindividualisme économique et social (French Edition).
- Steampunk book review: Karina Cooper's *Gilded: The St. Croix Chronicles*.
- Un bouleversant contrat (Azur) (French Edition);
- St. Croix Chronicles.
Gilded pretty much starts off where Tarnished ended. Cherry is determined to find out what took part in the underground tunnel and I won't say more for fear of spoilers. We still have two killers on the loose on the streets of London down below and on top of this there now appears to be a new murderer on the scene - intent on killing professors from London's finest educational establishments.
Aside from all of this Cherry is in debt to the menagerie, is being pursued by the Earl, castigated by the upper echelons of society and suffering illness from the side effects of her double life and secret addiction. It's quite daunting just to think about it. Ms Cooper certainly doesn't make it easy to review her books because there's very little to say without giving away spoilers.
This is a new murder mystery and really apart from a few tidbits of information doesn't really take us too much further in pursuit of Cherry's original goals and yet there are certain elements that make you realise that so much is connected. It's a sort of bring them up to watch them fall instalment. Gilded is quite a fast paced and intriguing instalment and in fact I would say even more enjoyable than the first which is a surprise given the very short space that Mr Hawke makes an appearance for. Cherry is without doubt a flawed character.