The Alchemy of Stone

The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia is an excellent introduction to the genre of Steampunk. It is the story of Mattie a self-aware robot called an Automaton. In this alternate reality, magic and technology live hand in hand in the forms of Alchemist and Mechanics. There is also an element of the divine, with the introduction of Gargoyles, who watch and are worshipped as the builders of the city. There are a couple prominent themes in this novel that are traditional themes in a steampunk novel. The big ones are the idea of Science (The Mechanics) vs. Nature (Alchemy), and what and when does a being become divine, in possession of a soul. Another is the reaction to society to the introduction of machines to do what had previously been done by man or technology vs. the "everyman"

Ms. Sedia's novel has these themes in spade. Throughout the novel we as the reader are challenged to decide whether in spite of her proclamations, Mattie indeed has a soul, or is she as she claims just a soulless creature. There is a strong "Frankenstein" feel to this novel, mostly due to the love/hate relationship Mattie has with her creator, Loharri. In the beginning of the novel the readers are introduced to Mattie as having been released from servitude from Loharri, but as the novel goes along we find that he has kept the key Mattie needs to maintain function, and if she does not go to visit him on a regular basis a mechanism in her brain causes pain. So even though she "released" her he purposely kept her dependent to him.

The basic story of the novel is Mattie's quest to help the Gargoyles who are turning to stone break free from their connection to the stones, to give them a soul, and become mortal. But while Mattie is trying to achieve this, the city is embroiled in a royal murder, and civil unrest. The mechanics have created machines that are displacing the peasants in the fields.

As far as the storyline itself, Ms. Sedia is able to create a visual world without being bogged down in descriptive. There are some truly beautiful descriptions in this novel. At one point Mattie wonders what it would be like to have a soul.

"Silvery and elusive like a small fast fish that one could cradle in an open palm full of water but could never grasp without inflicting injury and distress."

I would whole-heartedly recommend this novel to anyone interested in Steampunk, but also to anyone looking for just a good story with interesting characters and an easy reading style.