"The Bedlam Stacks" by Natasha Pulley

The Bedlam Stacks is the second novel by Natasha Pulley that I’ve read and really enjoyed (the first one being The Watchmaker of Filigree Street). The novel is based in the late 1800s and our main protagonist Merrick Tremayne is a former smuggler for the East India Trade company who got injured and had to retire from service.  In the beginning of the novel, we find him in his parents’ run down estate (now owned by his older brother), spending most of his time in the greenhouse, the life of excitement and adventure seemingly behind him. There, he is visited by his old Navy friend who talks him into joining him on an expedition to a remote region of Peru to fetch cinchona tree cuttings. The reason for the expedition is that quinine – an essential ingredient in treating of malaria – can only be found in the bark of these trees which grow only in Peru. They embark on an impossible task of smuggling out the cuttings from the region tightly monitored by the quinine monopoly while doing it fast enough for the cuttings to survive a journey to Ceylon, where they will be planted.

This book, just as the first one by Pulley, is a historical fiction that incorporates elements of fantasy, steampunk and myth. She does an excellent job weaving in Inca history and beliefs into the story. I really enjoyed this book. This one in particular reminds me of Jules Verne’s travel and adventure novels. It is filled with wonder, mystery and magic. It also made me really curious about the Inca civilization. In addition, I was pleased see a cameo appearance by Keita, the watchmaker from her previous novel. I do think you can read this book with no issues even if you have not read the previous novel. But it was nice to see that “Easter egg” in the story. 5 out of 5 stars. A truly enjoyable read.

I read an ARC e-copy of this novel provided by NetGalley. The novel officially comes out in the US on August 1, 2017.