After reading this book I can say that “steampunk” as shown in this work is not for me[1].
The book is put together competently, but it’s too formulaic. Everything is like it should be: 19th century setting, alternate history, weird science that’s just a bit before its time, villains that are wholly evil, heroines that are not just good and virtuous but also subtly updated to reflect our times (and maybe also reflecting the author?). It’s just not good enough.
This book has had rave reviews on BoingBoing and is nominated for a Nebula. Priest seems like a nice person and she deserves her break. But to me, there’s more formulaic style than good solid substance.
[1] I enjoyed Miéville’s Perdido Street Station which has a strong steampunk vibe, but its inclusion of magic probably disqualifies it according to some arcane taxonomy.