Disclaimer: This review contains minor spoilers for the story of Anwin!
In the Association of Ishtar, no one can hear you scream.
This is all but normal for associates within Bonsart Bokel’s multiverse. Of course, steampunk terrors roam aplenty across the planes, chiefly that of fungal infestations, sinister Styxians, and dangerous monstrosities.
But what about child dolls piloted by automatons? At first, this might sound like an odd question to ask, but trust me when I say that Anwin! takes this unique premise and brings us to some truly compelling conclusions. Acting as a (sort of) spinoff to Igraine’s previous adventure Bound for the Styx, this novella focuses on the more personal relationship between our protagonist and her imaginary friend, Anwin. Only this time, the doll in question is taken over by a rogue construct, and what ensues is nothing short of quirky, hectic, and hilarious.
For those who have read the last novel, you will likely be surprised to see just how much has changed since then. This time we’re dealing with a more mature Igraine, and the story is more focused with a smaller cast of characters. The plot is rather minimal, that is, until around the third act, when things really start heating up with devious plots, smuggled substances, and the like.
Even so, each chapter remains thoroughly engrossing throughout, which is primarily due to the mother-daughter relationship we see between our two main heroines.
To those who would expect a more plot-focused narrative, I could see this being more of a weakness. In my opinion, however, this ends up being one of the novella’s greatest strengths, as the character work is simply that good.
More than anything, though, I believe this speaks to Igraine’s strengths (and weaknesses) as a character. She’s a lot stronger than she was before in her journey to Hades, but there’s still many aspects of her past that remain untold. This tale brushes on a few areas that’s helped make Igraine who she is currently, specifically with themes of emotional trauma, neglect, and mental illness. In my opinion, these are all handled rather skillfully, and they help to give a better perspective on who our protagonist is as well as her goals.
The only downside to this approach was the manner in which the narrative unfolded. Specifically, the story is dealt with in a much looser fashion here, and this can cause the action to become a little difficult to follow at times. I wasn’t distracted by it too much, but it did serve as a minor annoyance at certain points.
What this does, on the other hand, is give several opportunities for character- and worldbuilding. The setting has been given minor but meaningful expansions, along with introducing some new faces such as Dr. Vermouth, Miss Taylor, and Associate 267. Included also are a number of supernatural entities, chief among them being Anwin herself as well as S-243, an automaton whose motivations are more than it seems.
There’s also some not-so-subtle references to the legendary crimefighter the Shadow, who in this setting is referred to as the Shade. It’s an inclusion which made this reviewer grin from ear-to-ear, not to mention his execution and role in the narrative was small but brilliant in its own way.
As was stated before, all of these factors coalesce within the story’s final act. There we get to see just how much Igraine and Anwin have grown together. The climax is fast, punchy, and the conclusion is captivating to say the least. Readers who checked out Bound for the Styx will recognize a lot of minor past references here and there, but it’s not exactly required to enjoy this particular novella. The plot is mostly self-contained, and the callbacks to Igraine’s previous journey are kept to a minimum.
That said, there were a few minor decisions that struck me as odd. First and foremost was the more frequent inclusion of art near the book’s later third. Most of these illustrations are used at the beginning of each chapter, setting up the scene to follow. However, one sequence in particular utilizes comic book-style art and paneling to expand on some major plot threads. In my opinion, these came across as just a little jarring and out of place, even though the quality of said work is phenomenal.
I also encountered a number of typos and formatting errors during my read, though none of these were enough to put a hindrance on my enjoyment overall. Bonsart Bokel has done a stellar job in turning a minor spinoff into something that’s - quite frankly - meaningful, wholesome, and fun.
Simply put, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
If you would like to learn more about Bonsart Bokel, you can check out his content and free short stories here. He’s also on Ream Stories and Twitter, where both he and his fellow steampunks collaborate and discuss upcoming projects.
Concise, to the point, and yet no lack of strong detail to get the point across. The tightness of your writing continues to impress and I'm quite sold on the idea of picking up both this and Igraine's previous adventure. Time to add it to the list!
Yet another wholesome review :D Substance and style, both at balance.