Review & Giveaway: Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Title: Ironskin
Author: Tina Connolly
Series: Ironskin #1

Summary: Jane Eliot wears an iron mask. It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a “delicate situation”—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed and offers help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress the curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step, Jane unlocks the secrets of a new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

My Thoughts: Ironskin by Tina Connolly is a beautiful book. The cover is gorgeous, and the inside is, too. (While I don’t always mention it, I never fail to notice the beauty of a bound book – especially when it stands out from others, as this one does.) No, the beauty of a book doesn’t necessarily reflect the narrative (see The Red Queen for an example), but it certainly adds to my enjoyment of a book. (And, in all honesty, it’s one more reason why I’ll almost always prefer a bound book to a Kindle copy!)

What about the story? you ask. Oh, well, there is that. In short, it’s good. I found it slow at first, but not painfully so. It just didn’t suck me in quickly. There’s the quite-important background information, an introduction to the world of this novel. There’s getting to know our characters, especially Jane and Dorie. Once things really start happening, it becomes a fast read.

I’ve heard this called both a retelling of Jane Eyre and a steampunk Beauty and the Beast. I can see elements of both. In the acknowledgments, however, the author says the similarities to Jane Eyre were something someone else pointed out to her. I honestly can’t comment much on the similarities; it’s been a very long time since I read Jane Eyre. And, really, does it matter? I love Tina Connolly’s writing style. She has a way with words that I found quite enjoyable. I am very much looking forward to the sequel!

If you’re a fan of steampunk, read this. If you have fond memories of Jane Eyre, read this. If you like stories with fey, read this. If you just like a good story, read this. I highly recommend it.

Source: Received as part of a blog tour promotion on TLC Book Tours.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

About the Author: TINA CONNOLLY lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and baby boy. Her stories have appeared in Strange Horizons, Fantasy, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Highlights Magazine, and the anthology Unplugged: Year’s Best Online SF 2008. Her young adult dystopia play, Witebox, will premier in Portland in 2013. Connolly is a frequent reader for Escape Pod and Podcastle, and works as a face painter, which means a glitter-filled house is an occupational hazard. Ironskin is her first novel.

Tour Info: For the main page for this blog tour, including more reviews of this book on other blogs, visit TLC’s post.

Challenges: Counts for Free Reads 2012.

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Giveaway Time!

I am able to offer 1 lucky reader a copy of Ironskin! I do not require anything in order for you to enter. Simply leave a comment to on this post. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Saturday, November 3, 2012. The winner will be chosen randomly with the help of the WordPress plugin And the Winner Is… and I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from proudbooknerd(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn’t get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. With apologies to those of you abroad, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. and Canada.
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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own. Any exceptions to this are clearly noted in the appropriate posts.

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