Natasha Pulley

Reviewed on 1st February 2026

The second of Natasha Pulley's books that I've read and wildly different from the first in terms of setting, and yet really similar in tone.

This is the story of Thaniel, a civil servant and telegraphist in 19th Century London, as he's caught up in significant events for the Japanese and Irish communities.

It's a complex blend of historical fiction and fantasy, with exotic clockwork, timey-wimeyness, and a range of really interesting characters with rich and varied backgrounds.

I found it incredibly readable and am both delighted and slightly wary of having discovered that there are sequels.

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Reviewed on 26th April 2025

A post-apocalyptic science fiction political romance thriller about a ballet dancer on Mars. What more could you ask?

This is one of those books where the cover alone sold it to me, it sat on my shelf for months, and then when I finally picked it up I loved it so much and wanted more.

It’s so hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything, but it totally blew away my expectations and kept me surprised throughout. The character is super engaging, the world-building is stunning, there’s so much going on and I could spend so much time in this universe.

And it’s also insightful. There’s a ton of stuff about the human condition, commentary on our real world situations, but without ever feeling like it’s lecturing.

A wonderful book that I enjoyed throughout. I just wanted more!

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