Book Review: ‘A Web of Air’ by Philip Reeve

A Web of Air is the second book in Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines prequel series. It continues the adventures of Fever Crumb as she tries to navigate a world on the brink of a new technological age. While dirigibles do exist in Fever’s world, A Web of Air focuses on aviation and the rediscovery of heavier-than-air-flight. The novel acts as an origin story for the sleek and powerful airships featured in the original quartet of books.

After the events of Fever Crumb, protagonist Fever is still with the travelling theatre company the Lyceum when they arrive in the harbour city of Mayda. Whilst there Fever learns about a young man called Arlo Thursday who is attempting to build an aeroplane. With her engineering background, Fever is determined to help Arlo achieve his dream despite his repeated refusals for help. The story takes a turn when it’s revealed that a secret organisation believes humanity is not ready to return to the skies – and will kill to ensure their mandate.

Interestingly A Web of Air is the only book in the entire extended series to have a self-contained plotline. The other novels show their characters becoming involved in wider world events and the ever-changing political and geographical landscapes. A Web of Air takes place in only two locations Mayda and Thursday’s Island and focuses on only one main plot – Arlo’s quest for flight. Although we know the rediscovery of flight will go on to have major implications, for the purposes of this book the only people who are truly affected by the events of the story are Fever and Arlo. This narrow focus does help A Web of Air to stand out from the other books in Reeve’s series but, for me personally, I don’t find the novel as entertaining as the others.

Inevitably when you have a favourite of something at the other end of the scale there is a least favourite. A Web of Air is in no way a bad book but, out of the extended eight book long series of Mortal Engines, it happens to be the one I enjoy the least. The book is the most action-light in the series – with a lot of the plot spent with Fever as she explores Mayda and tries to persuade Arlo to keep going with his airship project.

That’s not to say A Web of Air has no action at all. The novel actually ends strongly with the battle on Thursday Island. In one of the most creative fight sequences in the entire series, Reeve creates a claustrophobic setting with Fever and Arlo trapped inside a house. They have to use their combined ingenuity to utilised the few items they have to defend themselves. In addition to the climax my favourite moments in the book were actually the quieter sections where Fever tries to be a parent to the orphaned Fern and Ruan she has taken guardianship of as this shows a maturity to her character.

Despite the prequel trilogy following Fever’s journey through the world, A Web of Air very much feels like Arlo’s story. Antisocial and irritable, it takes Fever and the reader time to get to know a more caring side to Arlo. The majority of the character development in the story is given to him rather than Fever; our protagonist. It’s an unusual decision and one that while interesting is another reason why I don’t feel as strongly about this book as I do the others.

The shortest book in the series after Night Flights’ collection of short stories, A Web of Air offers a lot of new historical insights for fans of Mortal Engines – and is thus a reward for long-time fans of the series. While I certainly don’t dislike the book, it’s much more narrowly focused plotline makes the story feel more like a drama than a thriller – a change from the other novels. Overall my feelings towards A Web of Air are mixed but I appreciate that Reeve makes sure to show his readers something new in each book.

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