The line that I always use when describing this book is that it contains my all-time favorite use of a sewing machine.
Karen herself is whip-smart, hilarious, emotional, stubborn, and courageous; in a word: human. The entire cast of characters is vibrantly alive and unapolegetically themselves, whether they be an African-American lawman, a transgender sex worker, or a queer sex worker like Karen herself. The story hums along at a good clip, the action is satisfyingly energetic, and the intriguing glimpses into the larger world (like the official Mad Scientist licenses, mentions of something like the Civil War, and Rapid City’s history and development) make it feel like there is more to the world than just this story.
Basically: I love this book, and you should give it a try.