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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find this, and other reviews, on my blog.

The Sunken is a delightful exploration of an alternative Georgian England - one where industry is god, dragons still exist, and something is lurking in the palace.

I really enjoyed this portrayal of steampunky England - a place where industry isn’t just a feature, but the new religion with different sects following different Industrian gods. There’s a lot going on in this book - each of the main characters has a complex backstory of their own slowly trickled through the book, and there are several important elements woven into the main plot. It was a pleasant surprise to find that this doesn’t make it difficult to keep track of what’s going on, I found that the pacing of various reveals and flashbacks fit perfectly with the “present” and enhanced the story well.

I found all of the characters quite interesting and well-written, and I liked that while the majority of the main characters are given their own POV, the one character whose thoughts and opinions are often the most relevant, is notably absent. Instead, we see him from everyone else’s angle, and the difference in their opinions about his personality and motives are fascinating. The chance to make up your own mind as the novel progresses isn’t something you get to see all that often.

I’m really curious to see where book 2 will take the story, as the majority of the story is wound up neatly by the end of the book, leaving only a tiny thread to move forward with. That said, I’ve no doubts it will be just as good as this one. This book is absolutely worth a read.