Ticker

Ticker by Lisa Mantchev

Ticker by Lisa Mantchev.  Skyscape Publishing, Seattle, WA, 2014. ISBN 978-1477825280

Summary

In a steampunk society, Penny Farthing lives with a clockwork heart.  After surgeon Calvin Warwick saved her, she became an Augmented: humans who have clockwork hearts and mechanical body parts. Life as an Augmented isn’t easy: Penny has to be careful not to overexert her body and remember to wind up her heart every hour. While she tries to live life as an Augmented teenager, Calvin Warwick faces trial for mass murder.  Penny knows that Calvin’s intentions was to make her another heart and save her life again, but the rest of their community views him as an evil murderer.

Now as the trial is underway for Warwick, Penny and her twin brother Nic, face more problems. In one day, their parents are kidnapped, their home ransacked, and their factory bombed. Whoever is behind it all demands that Penny and Nic hand over their parents research about the Augmented or else they will be killed. Now Penny must figure out who is after her family, with the help of some new friends including handsome, brooding general Marcus Kingsley.

Critical Evaluation

The world building in Ticker is wonderful. There is a nice mix of modern technology along with traditional steampunk—instead of texting, Penny uses a “personal aethergraph” to send messages.   While there are a lot of steampunk names and inventions sprinkled throughout the story, it’s never confusing to the reader what’s going on. And the setting of an alternate universe Victorian England is pure, traditional steampunk.

Penny is a strong character who doesn’t view herself as a damsel in distress. While she does fall for Marcus, she also establishes that she is a strong girl who can take care of herself in spite  of the  fact that she has a windup heart. The supporting characters of Nic, Violet, Sebastian, and Marcus are all strongly written as well without ever seeming too perfect or fake.  The plot itself is fun and moves along nicely, giving the audience just enough story background before jumping right into the action.  Ticker is a wonderful, imaginative story for teens looking to get into the steampunk world.

Reader’s Annotation

When Penny’s parents are kidnapped and her world is falling apart, she won’t let a little thing like a clockwork heart stop her from finding out the truth.

About the Author

“Lisa Mantchev is a temporally-displaced Capricorn who casts her spells from an ancient tree in the Pacific Northwest. When not scribbling, she is by turns an earth elemental, English professor, actress, artist, and domestic goddess. She shares her abode with her husband, two children, and three hairy miscreant dogs.

She is best known as the author of the young adult fantasy trilogy, The Théâtre Illuminata. Published by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan,) the series includes the Andre Norton and Mythopoeic awards-nominated EYES LIKE STARS (2009), PERCHANCE TO DREAM (2010), and SO SILVER BRIGHT (2011.) Her young adult steampunk novel TICKER is now available from Skyscape/Amazon. Her picture books, STRICTLY NO ELEPHANTS and SISTER DAY!, are forthcoming from Paula Wiseman/S&S.”

 (Lisa Mantchev  Retrieved November 12^th, 2014 from http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Mantchev/e/B001JSE9PE/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0)

Genres

Steampunk

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties   N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1: How does Penny’s windup heart make her different from her friends?

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 14+

Grades 9+

Challenge Issues

N/A

Why included?

I included Ticker because it’s a new YA release and because of its steampunk themes. I also loved the characters and there was plenty of action and humor to keep me interested.