I finally finished this today – it’s one of the books VATE sent me to review.  It’s by Frances Hardinge; I think it may be a debut.  It was brilliant!  Highly original and interesting.  The writing was very entertaining – the descriptions were original and evocative; the characters were fascinating and believable; and the world as a whole is one I would love to read more about.  I’m really looking forward to writing the review, and I think I will probably donate the book to school – I can’t in good conscience have it sitting on my bookcase and not being read by other people who might enjoy it.