Mendoza was banished long ago, to a prison lost in time where rebellious immortals are "dealt with." Now her past lovers: Alec, Nicholas, and Bell-Fairfax, are determined to rescue her, but first they must learn how to live together, because all three happen to be sharing Alec's body. What they find when they discover Mendoza is even worse than what they could imagined, and enough for them to decide to finally fight back against the Company.It is getting harder and harder to comment on Baker's Company series without major spoilers as I get closer and closer to the resolution.
This volume is in many ways a direct sequel to The Life of the World to Come, as Nicholas, Edward and Alec, all fighting for the use of Alec's body, try to work together well enough to resuce Mendoza.
I loved the book, although it didn't work out exactly as I expected it to - which I guess is the sign of a good author, that she can continue to surprise me at the point where she is beginning to pull all her story lines together and work towards a resolution. Without any major spoilers, I expected more of an action story, where it took the whole book to resuce Mendoza, rather than what I got, which was much more character oriented and focused on the relationship between Edward, Alec and Nicholas and their individual and combined relationships with Mendoza - not to mention the progression of the plans of all the other characters as the Silence grows closer and closer.
I don't think I'm giving away too much to say that Mendoza is actually rescued early on, but as is usual in Baker's world, this doesn't make for a tidy conclusion to the plotline, but the beginning of more complications.
Baker continues to keep what should be way too many balls in the air without them all colliding and crashing down. She also continues to tell a great tale that captures the reader and keeps them glued to the page.
I'm very glad I did wait to read this one until I had The Sons of Heaven waiting for me, as I was opening its pages almost as soon as I closed the covers of The Machine's Child.
I have only one real complaint - that I still don't clearly understand what happened with the Captain and Mendoza right at the very end, even now that I've finished the next book as well. It hasn't brought down my grade because I was so captivated by the book, but if someone can explain, I'd be very grateful.
The Machine's Child
Kage Baker
10/10
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