Review: Intense World Building
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2013
If I had to sum up Disenchanted & Company, Part 1: Her Ladyship's Curse it would be interesting.  Here is why:Worldbuilding:  The story has some very intense worldbuilding.  It is set in an alternate history where America lost the Revolutionary War and where magic works.  Her Ladyship's Curse has to blend the alternate history, the location and the magic into the story.  I had to pay very close attention to all the details in order to absorb all of the information about those three elements.  That was a big part of the story.  The worldbuilding is so intense that there is a much-needed multi-page Torian Glossary at the end of the story.Characters:  This is the first book in a series and like the worldbuilding character introduction was a big part of the story.  There is Kit, the main character, who does not believe in magic and makes her living exposing people who use magic as a fraud.  There are the two male characters, Thomas Doyle a policeman, and Lucien Dredmore a deathmage, who look to be a set up for a romantic triangle while playing a major part in the story. There are also two female side characters, Rina and Bridget, who help and look out for Kit.  The mystery is provided by Lady Walsh and her husband, both of who should appear in books two.Plot:  The plot starts out simple and grows more complex as the story progresses.  There are twist and turns as everything progresses.  While one mystery is solved the bigger problem is still there at the end of Her Ladyship's Curse.  The book ended with a cliff-hanger.I saw elements that would make it paranormal as well as steampunk so that is how I listed it.This is a novella rather than full-length books.