I enjoyed this book. As one of Philip Pullman's (author of His Dark Arts series) early books, this book lacked the grit of books such The Golden Compass. However, for a novel set in Victorian times, it contained a feisty female main character and a little nod to the British Raj in India (specifically the Sepoy Mutiny). The book proceeded at a fast clip making it hard to put down. For areas that were sparse in detail and heavy in internal thought, I didn't feel (as I frequently do) jolted out of the narrative. An over-all delightful if some-what fluffy read.