The Archimedean Heart - The Roboticist of Versailles Book 1

How much humanity can be lost before you are no longer human?

Paris 1880, the City of Electric Light

Clockwork nobles of the Court promenade through the halls of Versailles, while Watcher spheres and cyborg police menace citizens of France in the streets.

The Royal Scientist Doctor works frantically on an automaton designed to replace the failing sovereigns, but will it be ready in time to save the monarchy?

In the cafes of Montmartre, Henri paints the common people chafing under the reign of the Augmented monarchs and dreams of a France free of machines.

John yearns to capture the essence of beauty in his paintings with the luminous Marie-Ange, his muse—and handmaid to the ancient Queen of France.

With his brother Henri entangled in revolution, he must choose between the artificial beauty of Court and the movement to restore France.

I WANT THIS

★★★★★
I found myself completely captivated by the characters and storytelling…
goodreads review

★★★★★
It touches upon many themes, including what art captures about its subjects, at what point are people are no longer human if they continually augment themselves, the ways technology can disrupt the world, what the definition of beauty is.
goodreads review