![]() ![]() Mattie’s quest for information leads her to the Soul-Smoker, who contains the soul of a dead woman who had looked into this problem before Mattie. Tired of their fate of turning to stone, the gargoyles seek Mattie’s aid in creating a potion to prevent this from happening. ![]() Mattie occasionally needs to be wound up with a key or she will cease to function – a key that her creator refuses to give up to her. Upon finishing her studies, Mattie moved to her own home as an emancipated automaton, to Loharri’s great chagrin. ![]() She boldly asks to be an apprentice to an alchemist and is accepted since it is apparent she is intelligent enough to learn the trade. Capable of both thought and feeling, Mattie craved her independence from her master and became interested in alchemy upon discovering Loharri’s fear of the alchemists, a group in opposition with the scientific mechanics. ![]() Mattie is an automaton created by Loharri, a prominent figure among the mechanics of the city. While it is a thoughtful tale, it can be read quickly and easily without getting bogged down by too many themes and not enough storytelling. This beautifully written, character-driven story focuses on themes of social inequality and humanity within a fantastic steampunk setting combining science and magic. The Alchemy of Stone is the third novel by Ekaterina Sedia, author of The Secret History of Moscow and According to Crow. ![]()
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