It's the closest word the internet appears to offer for that feeling when one finishes a really good book; a bittersweet combination of happiness from finding out the ending, and sadness that you've run out of story to absorb yourself in.
The cause of my saudade-ness is due to finishing The Girl with the Windup Heart*, which I raced through in what seemed like a matter of minutes because I loved it too much to put it down for longer than a shower (and only then because I don't have a waterproof cover for my Kindle).
Any story with characters called Griffin King and Jack Dandy has got to be a winner, right? The protagonist is a girl after my own heart, too:
"While not a new thought, the depth of meaning behind it finally hit her. She loved him. As in loved him more than her own life. Loved him more than biscuits or hot chocolate."
That's some pretty serious love right there. Although I notice she didn't say biscuits AND hot chocolate. Probably because a love of that magnitude could never exist.
I was really excited to get my mitts on this book because it's set in Victorian London, with a steampunk element and a bit of fantasy thrown in too; my current favourite genre mash-up. It turned out to be even better than I'd expected, because some characters also have super powers- like comic book heroes! Part of the story is set in a circus (always a plus with me), and there's a brooding man with excellent hair who rides the Victorian steampunk equivalent of a motorbike. SWOON.
This is the fourth book of the Steampunk Chronicles by Kady Cross, which also has three novellas/teasers/prequels. I was worried I'd find it difficult to get into, because I haven't read the other books in the series, but that wasn't the case at all. Thankfully, it also contained minimum spoilers about the previous books in the series; so I'm planning to devour them all and just pretend they're prequels.
The Girl with the Windup Heart is being published on 27 May 2014 so I reckon anyone who fancies reading it could get through the other 3 books before it comes out. Just prepare yourself for some serious post-series saudade-ness.
Katie xxx
*This (e)book was kindly sent to me to review, but the opinions (and swooning over L'Oréal-worthy motorbike riders) are all me.
Intriguing!!!! I'd like to read it??? What's Steampunk? X
ReplyDeleteIt's basically science fiction but involving steam-powered fantasy creations like dirigibles (fancy, mechanical hot air balloons). xxx
DeleteThis sounds randomly fabulous!
ReplyDeleteDont delve into the next one too soon, you definitely need to go through the post-book grief process!
M x Life Outside London
Don't worry Michelle- I've spent an appropriate amount of time looking around mournfully and thinking "My life just isn't as awesome as a steampunk Victorian life with superpowers....". xxx
DeleteOh, I know that feeling ... and now I have a word for it! Off to check out this series ...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy :) xxx
DeleteOoh Steampunk! I didn't even know that was a book genre! I'm reading a fantastic book at the moment called Wool - not about yarn (sadly) but a dystopian-future genre conspiracy sort of thing - it's excellent if you like that sort of thing ;)
ReplyDeleteA xxx
That sounds very intriguing indeed! Is it called Wool because the conspirators are huge fans of novelty jumpers? I hope so! xxx
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