Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th-century French girls can only dream of: money, designer dresses, suitors, and a secure future. Except she can't quite commit to a life of dull luxury and she suspects she may be falling for her best friend, Claude, a common smithy in the family's steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him, but the trip proves to be more harrowing than she anticipated. Love, adventure, and restitution await if she can survive the voyage.

This alternative historical novel is an exciting fast read full of strange machines and intriguing characters. Based in 17th-century France, The Perilous Journey of the Not So Innocuous Girl follows the misadventures of Lady Marguerite, a noble and rich heiress that refuses her father’s will to see her married. To be honest, I found her character highly annoying at first as she has everything of a spoiled little rich girl : she is extremely self-centered and loves to give orders, expecting others to serve her. But her character evolves strongly during the novel, turning her into a quite pleasing character. Nothing better than losing your home comfort and risking your life a few times to change a character !

I really love how Leigh Statham included steampunk elements in Louis the XIV’s time, which is quite unexpected. But it works really well ! The author inspired from the story of her own ancestor to imagine Marguerite’s story : like her, the heroine is part of the The Daughters of the King, Louis the XIV's social program to settle the wilds of Canada with women of noble birth. It results in a very interesting historical novel full of unexpected adventures. ( )

What a good read this was! A little romance, a little heartbreak, some narrow escapes and , finally, some satisfaction. Lots of growth for our herione, Lady Marguerite Vadney, from a spoiled, rich girl who doesn't even acknowledge that not everyone is as entitled as she is, to a young woman beginning to live a life based on her own choices.
The characters were well drawn, the background covered and gadgets were neatly explained. Most of all it was a fun and interesting read.
To learn that the Daughters of the King really existed and that Louis XIV planned the settlement of Canada by this method is fascinating. They were some very brave ladies. The author must have been delighted to learn her ancestor was among them!
I very much enjoyed this book, have the next one and can't wait to start it.
Thanks to the author, Month9Books and Librarything for offering this free book.A new author to watch for! ( )

Note: I received this book along with the second in the series, as part of the Early Reviewers program. ( )

My Thoughts:

This book was absolutely brilliant. As we know by now, I am a huge fan of steampunk. I love all of it, and this book has everything.

From the first page, upon meeting Marguerite, I was in love, especially in love with her little steampunk cricket! She showed a curiosity, eagerness to accept new things and the determination to create a life she loved. Though Marguerite is well off, she goes against the grain of her station, by being interested in the work of her friend Claude. She loves his inventions, and carries the little mechanical cricket he made her, everywhere. She also loves the thought of introducing mechanical bots into the household.

Though her ball includes lots of mechanics, which is unheard of in New France, and many lovely treats and beautiful items, all of the latest fashion, it is not the world Marguerite wants. She wants a few things, to explore and find a life she suits and to stay with Claude.

When Claude announces that he is going to join the Royal Corp of Engineers, to better his career, Marguerite is devastated and instantly begins to think of ways to keep them together. Soon, she realises she can't keep Claude there, but she can begin her own adventure, and follow him.

From there, our steampunk world explodes with adventures, mishaps, love and more. With a blend of pirates, class wars, mechanical wonders and Marguerite battling to stay on top of all the problems, we find ourselves thrust into a fast-paced story.

I love that the story starts out a tad slow, giving us a few chapters of details. It really builds the world, gives us background and we get to know our main characters and a major secondary character. Then the pace is quickened, allowing us to feel the excitement, fear, anger, indecision and pride that flow through the different points in the story.

The emotion is written very well and really made me connect with Marguerite. I truly felt she was strong female, one who was keen to learn and dive right in to save those she cares about, even if the danger could bring horrible consequences.

The steampunk nature of the book was carried well throughout. Unlike some stories, this book really kept the steampunk nature involved throughout the entire read. Everywhere we turned, we were 'seeing' mechanical devices that really built the wonder of this story.

Overall, I think this is one of the best books I have read this year. It written very well, flows nicely, has an excellent, action-packed pace and the characters are brilliant. I highly recommend checking out this book if you are YA, steampunk or fantasy lover or if you just want to try the world of steampunk. This one will make you love the steampunk world as much as I do! ( )