Review: Clementine
Seattle-based author Cherie Priest has established herself as a writer to keep a close eye on, first garnering fame for the Lulu Blooker-winning Four and Twenty Blackbirds, the opening novel of her Eden Moore trilogy. More recently, her series of steampunk tales have been earning her further attention; the stories of the Clockwork Century universe showcase an America that never came to be: the Civil War extended, both sides armed with strange new weapons, nimble airships roaming the skies. Boneshaker connected with fans and critics alike (winning the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel and nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel, which would eventually be given in a tie to two incredible novels: Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl and China Miéville’s The City & the City) by featuring a fiercely driven heroine; the novella Clementine, while not quite a direct sequel, continues along the same path. Cherie Priest has once again crafted a clever, action-packed read, starring a quick-witted lady with more tools at her disposal than just a pretty face.
Clementine’s diminutive word count threatens to limit the exploration of this fascinating version of the American states, except Cherie Priest smartly chose to write Clementine as an extended chase scene, allowing the characters to visit a wide variety of locales. The chase encompasses action both on- and off-the-ground, and the story moves in short order through aerial battles, intrigue and negotiations, and violent confrontations. In particular, the conflicts between flying zeppelins serve up heaping piles of thrills, and Priest’s deft writing ensures that the action remains immediately accessible. Two impressive setpieces stand out: a melee in an explosive-littered airship dockyard with the combatants using every tool at their disposal, whether it be knife or machinegun, and the climactic sequence, in which cunning proves to be an even deadlier weapon than blade or gun. Cherie Priest combines the chase with a mystery, the unknown cargo aboard the stolen airship Clementine and the endpoint of its desperate flight; smartly using the literary trope of a MacGuffin keeps the narrative uncluttered.
Boneshaker featured the widow Briar Wilkes and her headstrong son to excellent effect; Clementine instead follows the journey of Maria “Belle” Boyd, formerly a Confederate spy of some notoriety, now widowed and exiled. Boyd’s unfortunate circumstances have resulted in a flight to the North, where she has secured employment with the infamous Pinkerton detective agency.
Her first assignment requires her to ensure the safe arrival of a dirigible and its mysterious cargo, but another airship pursues her quarry, this one flown by the escaped slave and wanted felon Croggon Hainey (for readers of Boneshaker, Hainey was the original captain of the airship stolen in the climactic moments of that novel). Croggon’s unfailing determination to recover his stolen airship might end badly for both himself and his crew, and anyone between him and his stolen vessel. Cherie Priest has a chosen to tell a story in the American Wild West featuring two minority characters, a refreshing decision. Both characters prove to be unique and interesting, and the banter between the duo entertains, but the novella’s short length prevents a deeper exploration of this relationship. Furthermore, the actions of the protagonists rarely surprise; if someone announces they are going to do something, expect that something to happen. A handful of other characters populate the story, but won’t make much of an impression, other than an endearing quirk or a quickly turned phrase. However, dialogue is quick and well-written, and often laugh-out-loud funny. In a novella of this length, an author works with a very tight budget of words, and Cherie Priest devotes the majority of her word count to the impressive action sequences, sparing what she can for clever dialogue that directly furthers the plot.
Clementine turns out to be greater than the sum of its parts. While an extremely short tale with a meager handful of characters and a few action-packed sequences, the adept use of evocative language, sharply-written dialogue, and vivid scenery elevate this novella to a gripping adventure. Some readers may desire a bit more depth to the protagonists, instead of the clear delineation of black-and-white. Speaking of black and white, Cherie Priest also missed an opportunity to further explore the issues of sexism and racism in an America that had hardly begun the struggle for equality; when these issues come up, they are treated more as inconvenient hurdles for the plot to move over than serious conflicts stretching across an entire society. One last obstacle for Clementine is the current difficulty of obtaining a copy (see Cherie Priest’s FAQ for further information on how and when to find the version right for you). For readers looking to enjoy a thrilling adventure story in a fantastical history, Clementine delivers and it delivers in spades. Cherie Priest bears the honorific “The Queen of Steampunk,” and if she keeps writing entertaining novels in her rough-and-tumble-flavored alternate history, she’s sure to hold the title for many years to come.
Plot: 7
Characters: 6
Action: 9
Writing: 8
Overall (not an average): 7.5/10
Edition reviewed: Clementine
* Deluxe Hardcover Edition edition, 208 pages
* Publisher: Subterranean (July 30, 2010)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1596063084
* ISBN-13: 978-1596063082