Automatic Eve, by Rokuro Inui
Translated by Matt Treyvaud

This collection of connected short works centers as much on the idea of what life is, or what souls might be, as it does on the plot of a secret creator of clockwork people in a fictional version of Japan.

The titular character is one of these clockwork people, who moves alongside the people of Tempu City like one of them. Her nature, and the secret of her creation, is central to a mystery that permeates this fictional Japan back to its very roots.

This work walks the tightrope linking philosophical rumination and fun fiction quite well. The conceptual heart never overshadows the action and characterization, making for a fun read that still takes time to ponder its oplwn assumptions.

Treyvaud's translation is smooth and apt. It deftly navigates a couple of tricky issues with kanji-based naming play, and maintains the nuances of archaic social roles without stooping to awkward honorific use. It's an easy read with no missteps. ( )

in an alternate steampunk version of Japan, automata have been invented, and now they threaten to destabilize the throne. a neat premise, exploring what a soul might consist of between gears and springs. pretty wooden writing, at least in this translation, though.

This reads like a manga without the pictures. There may be a great story in here but I couldn't get past sentences like "His blood boiled." I feel a little disconsolate about that. I used to be able to read any old trash with pleasure, but something changed, just after I became self-aware, around the age of 51. ( )