Who Would Like This Book:
This book is a total treat for anyone who loves a mash-up of genres - think steampunk gadgets, Wild West action, and a dash of murder mystery, all led by an unforgettable, down-to-earth narrator with a fresh, witty voice. The cast is vibrant and diverse, featuring kick-butt women who stick together, plus genuine representation across race, orientation, and gender identities. If you like rooting for underdogs, enjoy stories that challenge genre clichés, or want LGBTQ+ romance and found family alongside rollicking adventure, you'll be right at home in Rapid City.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the book a bit slow to start, especially with the heavy use of period dialect, which can take time to get used to. If you prefer a more polished or traditional narrative voice, the 'folksy' first-person storytelling might not be your cup of tea. The plot can feel packed with coincidences or jumps in stakes, and a few thought the steampunk elements were occasionally more convenient than consistent. Lastly, if you're not into stories where language leans earthy, or the setting is a bordello - even handled sensitively - you might want to skip this one.
About:
Karen Memory is a steampunk Western novel set in an alternate history Seattle, featuring a diverse cast of characters. The story follows Karen Memery, a strong and pragmatic protagonist who works at a high-class bordello and gets entangled in a series of events involving a rescued prostitute, a serial killer, and a mind control machine. The book combines elements of adventure, mystery, and romance, all set against a backdrop of a rough Wild West atmosphere with a steampunk twist.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings may include violence against sex workers, misogyny, societal racism, and discussions around sex and sexuality.
Has Romance?
There is a notable romance present in the story, primarily between the protagonist Karen and a character named Priya, explored thoughtfully throughout the narrative.
From The Publisher:
"You ain't gonna like what I have to tell you, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. See, my name is Karen Memery, like memory only spelt with an e, and I'm one of the girls what works in the Hôtel Mon Cherie on Amity Street. 'Hôtel' has a little hat over the o like that. It's French, so Beatrice tells me."
Set in the late nineteenth century-in a city a lot like what we now call Seattle Underground-when airships plied the trade routes, would-be gold miners were heading to the gold fields of Alaska, and steam-powered mechanicals stalked the waterfront, Karen is a young woman on her own, is making the best of her orphaned state by working in Madame Damnable's high-quality bordello. Through Karen's eyes we get to know the other girls in the house-a resourceful group-and the poor and the powerful of the town.
Trouble erupts one night when a badly injured girl arrives at their door, begging sanctuary, followed by the man who holds her indenture, and who has a machine that can take over anyone's mind and control their actions. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the next night brings a body dumped in their rubbish heap-a streetwalker who has been brutally murdered.
Hard on the heels of that horrifying discovery comes a lawman who has been chasing this killer for months. Marshal Bass Reeves is closing in on his man, and he's not about to reject any help he can get, even if it comes from girl who works in the Hôtel Mon Cheri.
Elizabeth Bear brings alive this Jack-the-Ripper yarn of the Old Steampunk West with a light touch in Karen's own memorable voice, and a mesmerizing evocation of classic steam-powered science in Karen Memory.
Ratings (4)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (1) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (34):
Read It (5) | |
Want To Read (23) | |
Not Interested (6) |
2 comment(s)
So much fun! 3.5 stars (the story is one we've heard before, but the wonderfully diverse cast of characters and the genre amalgamation/blending/bending make it worth the read)
DNF @ 43%
This book wasn't egregiously bad, and I could have pushed through, but I saw myself sitting at the 100% mark writing,
my least favorite love-at-first-sight trope made worse by being sapphic, performative diversity and "wokeness" as the backbone of the theme, bold narration that doesn't quite get there, interesting enough setting with an underwhelming serial killer mystery plot and thought...hmm...do I have to finish? or can I let myself read something else? The moment Karen thinks, "
Because I love you," about a girl that she just met and the reader barely cares about...I'm out. This book is not bad if you're partial to steampunk, serial killers, the old West, diverse casts, idealistic portrayals of bordellos with kind, feminist Madames, etc. but I just don't care enough.
What can you read after
Karen Memory?
About the Author:
ELIZABETH BEAR was the recipient of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2005. She has won two Hugo Awards for her short fiction, a Sturgeon Award, and the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Bear lives in Brookfield, Massachusetts.
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