All Men of Genius

By: Lev AC Rosen

Narrated by: Emily Gray

Audie Award Nominee, Fantasy, 2013

Set in a steampunk version of Victorian England, Lev AC Rosen’s acclaimed debut novel, All Men of Genius, follows the fantastical adventures of Violet Adams. Determined to attend the prestigious Illyria College, Violet gains entrance by masquerading as her twin brother Ashton. But continuing the scheme turns out to be difficult - especially when “Ashton” is faced with blackmail, killer automata, and possible romance with a young duke.

©2011 Lev AC Rosen (P)2012 Recorded Books

Fun engaging story

This was a wonderfully engaging story with adventure and continued twists to keep you listening. The performance was well done and I loved the queer exploration in this novel, in some ways by all of the characters.

Fun twist on Shakespeare

What did you like best about All Men of Genius? What did you like least?

It was a fun twist on Twelfth Night, but I felt like the plot was rather slow and predictable (the plot outside of the disguising oneself that is). There wasn't really a sense of urgency building things up, so the climax and end of the book felt somewhat rushed.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

There were a lot of parts that slowed down the story; a lot of little details that were either extraneous or repeated too often that bogged the story down.

What about Emily Gray’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed Emily Gray's performance; I've liked her narrations for other books. Some of the pronunciations she used were a bit jarring for me, but I don't know if it's a US vs British kind of thing or not. And it didn't seem to be read with as much energy as the other books I've listened to by her.

Do you think All Men of Genius needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Nope, it's a pretty self contained story, and I don't think a sequel would help it any.

Fun steampunk story filled with twists and turns

What did you like best about this story?

The story weaves several plot lines together which play off each other and makes for a very enjoyable read/listen. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate Series.

What about Emily Gray’s performance did you like?

I really enjoy Emily Gray's ability to change accents and read for both female and male roles. She has an amazing talent for voices!

A Lovely Book

Any additional comments?

I loved the writing, loved the characters (yes, they were all stereotypes, but it worked in the same way as a melodrama works), loved the setting, and the action. I even loved Oscar. I just kept smiling throughout the book - all 17 hours. It's a comedy, a romance, and a farce in the style of Twelfth Night and the Importance of Being Earnest (as other reviewers have mentioned). The author cautions against "emulating the behavior of any of the characters" as "They're all quite mad." And freely admits that he has no idea "what I am talking about." when he describes the science in the book. Don't expect science fiction. In among all the comedy and romance runs a strong thread of women's rights, independence, and strength of character. I would never have guessed it was written by a man. But don't let that put you off; it's too much fun. Sadly, it is the only book Audible has by this author.

Shakespeare goes Steampunk

If you could sum up All Men of Genius in three words, what would they be?

pretty good listen

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the familiarity of the plot and the added feminist leanings.

Have you listened to any of Emily Gray’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm not sure if I have.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

nope.

Any additional comments?

Nope.

Light-hearted, steampunk romance.

I have listened to several books that feature the female protagonist disguised as a man, and this one was no different, although I was a little bemused at the gushingly romantic, storybook ending. I'm not sure if this is young-adult, but it seems to be, and fits that genre well. Whimsical, with highly likable characters, and an inventive plot, but nothing ground-breaking. And the narrator makes it an easy listen, too.

Enjoyed story, for the most part.

If you could sum up All Men of Genius in three words, what would they be?

Predictable but clever

What did you like best about this story?

The world and the characters were exciting. I knew about how the love story would go after a brief introduction to the characters and I'd figured out how they'd solve a lot of it a bit before the climax, but I did enjoy seeing everything meshing together like clockwork. It was very satisfying.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

As mentioned, the climax was extremely satisfying. Even though I had figured out what was likely to happen, seeing it come to fruition was good fun and there were some nice surprises.

Any additional comments?

Fans of Oscar Wilde will appreciate the reference to Bunburying.
Also, this is *not* a book for children. Although there was no explicit sex, there was a lot of it implied- and discussed. Lots. And quite a few swears, including a profane rabbit and generous use of the f-word. Just so you're aware.