Chrystal Heart by Meg Kingston

[Sludge Van Diesel]

I was kindly given a copy of this book by it's author, Meg Kingston (our very own Lady Chrystal) around the time of my birthday.  Read it in about 3 sittings & really wanted to spread the word about it, but me being me, various things got in the way.  Until now.

I would have to reveal too much of the plot to go into an in-depth review of this book & I wouldn't want to spoil it for others by doing so (a good synopsis is available on the back of the book anyway:

 "Chrystal is a 188-year-old, bisexual cyborg vampire. Apart from that, she’s just your average Steampunk.

In 1851, a young Victorian lady is stabbed and left for dead, but rescued by a group of Tibetans who came to London for the Great Exhibition. They replace her damaged heart with the Chrystal Vitalis, a gem believed to have life-giving properties. This not only saves her life, but prolongs it to the point that she is still alive in the 21st Century where she passes as a Steampunk to explain her idiosyncratic taste in clothing and old-fashioned speech. Educated in steam power, clockwork and what modern science would dismiss as “ætheric mysticism”, she addresses the challenges of our world in a very different way to the oil-based culture that has evolved over the last 160 years." ).

I read it at every opportunity as I was hooked by the exploits of our 2 heroines (It is written mostly from the perspective of her sidekick Sam who first encounters Chrystal while trying to pick her pocket). Meg Kingston gave the rulebook a cursory glance & then re-wrote it. Close enough to genres I enjoy, but never stereotypical of them. Enough action & detail to keep my attention without leaving me wondering what the hell was going on. Another good sign for me was at one point circumstances (& lack of free time) meant that I was unable to read it for over a week. When I picked it up again, I carried on exactly where I left off. Too many books leave me having to go back over the previous few pages if not the whole chapter prior to picking up the thread again after a gap between opportunities to read, so carrying on where I've left off is usually a sign that I've been well & truly hooked. I particularly liked Chrystal's origins & the fact that she wasn't anything special, but rather the product of somebody being in the right / wrong place at the right / wrong time.

The one fault I would find with it, is that to me the ending felt a little hurried. That said, it's only a minor niggle & I hope there will be more volumes of the exploits of Chrystal & Sam.  Maybe a prequel of Chrystal's early days too Meg?

[Fairley B. Strange]

Huzzah.



Has this been floated upon that literary South-american-river yet?
I had a quick look, and all I can find is a dozen titles without the 'h' in Chrystal.

Found it.

[Lady Chrystal]

Thank you for your kind words, Mr van Diesel. It is always a pleasure to hear that readers have enjoyed my characters. I, too, am finding their company fascinating as I write about their escapades.

Thank you for your interest, Mr Strange. That river does tend to assume that users can't spell and suggest something that lots of other people enquired about, rather than looking for what you requested. Thanks for persevering - I presume you forced it to co-operate by using my name (it doesn't object to that spelling, fortunately!). I do hope you enjoy my book.

And yes, there will be more adventures of Chrystal (prequel stories) released next year - and a second volume of her time with Sam to follow.

Now, must get off the Aetherweb and do some writing.

[Lady Chrystal]

See news in Trading for Christmas offer.