--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Within the sphere of steampunk, there…" description: "\"Within the sphere of steampunk, there seems to be a rapidly growing subsphere of gadgetless 'neo-Victorian' novels, most of which attempt to recapture ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_books_within-the-sphere-of-steampunk-there-see_2285987.jpg" --- # Within the sphere of steampunk, there seems to be a… ![“Within the sphere of steampunk, there seems to be a rapidly growing subsphere of gadgetless 'neo-Victorian' novels, most of which attempt to recapture the romance of the era without all the sociopolitical ugliness.” quote by N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_books_within-the-sphere-of-steampunk-there-see_2285987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_books_within-the-sphere-of-steampunk-there-see_2285987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_books_within-the-sphere-of-steampunk-there-see_2285987.jpg) > “Within the sphere of steampunk, there seems to be a rapidly growing subsphere of gadgetless 'neo-Victorian' novels, most of which attempt to recapture the romance of the era without all the sociopolitical ugliness.” [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A niche of steampunk literature seeks to romanticize Victorian aesthetics while avoiding its darker social issues. **In simple terms:** Romanticizing past without its flaws. Key Takeaway Critically assess nostalgic narratives. Themes steampunk nostalgia historical romance literature Mood analytical curious Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - book clubs - creative writing - genre conventions Key Concepts revisionism cultural critique genre evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can authors balance romance with realism? - What responsibilities do creators have when reimagining history? A Different Perspective Such works may unintentionally erase important historical context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Neo Victorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neo-victorian-5352896/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Sphere Steampunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sphere-steampunk-5352897/) [Steampunk Rapidly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steampunk-rapidly-5352895/) [Ugliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugliness/) [Victorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victorian/) [Victorian Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victorian-novels-537452/) [Within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/within/) ## Related quotes > [I love Victorian novels, the way they capture the nuances of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/i-love-victorian-novels-the-way-they-capture-the-nuances-of-the-human/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [She liked Victorian novels. They were the only kind of novel you could read while eating an apple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-gibbons/she-liked-victorian-novels-they-were-the-only-kind-of-novel-you-could/) [Stella Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-gibbons/) > [One of the things I really like about Victorian novels is the close anatomisation of character. People's gestures and mannerisms and the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/one-of-the-things-i-really-like-about-victorian-novels-is-the-close/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [I like all sorts of things, not necessarily just Victorian. Even though I tend to read a lot of Victorian novels, I like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meloy/i-like-all-sorts-of-things-not-necessarily-just-victorian-even-though/) [Colin Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-meloy/) > [I had never read Victorian novels before going overseas. I read a handful of authors, but I had not immersed myself in the literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-had-never-read-victorian-novels-before-going-overseas-i-read-a/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [The readership of Victorian novels, when they were published, was much less diverse. People were probably white, and had enough money to be literate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/the-readership-of-victorian-novels-when-they-were-published-was-much/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [“Victorian novels come to us, that is, poised between questions of outer and inner, public and private life; they tend to contrast and nally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-schor/victorian-novels-come-to-us-that-is-poised-between-questions-of-outer/) [Hilary Schor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-schor/) > [I myself love to read those Victorian novels which go on and on, and you don't read them in one sitting. You might read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-myself-love-to-read-those-victorian-novels-which-go-on-and-on-and/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [The period after the First World War was an extremely different time, so that Sherlock Holmes would have been a different person following 1918…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/the-period-after-the-first-world-war-was-an-extremely-different-time/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [I was born in England and went to school there. That's when I discovered my undying passion for history - not just for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/i-was-born-in-england-and-went-to-school-there-that-s-when-i/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [My interests span biology, though sometimes I feel like an anachronism, somebody from the Victorian era when there weren't so many boundaries dividing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/my-interests-span-biology-though-sometimes-i-feel-like-an-anachronism/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [I am fascinated by history and particularly the Victorian era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-am-fascinated-by-history-and-particularly-the-victorian-era/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [“Discussions of the effects of serial publication of Victorian novels on their authors and readers1 usually draw attention to the author's peculiar opportunities for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gregor/discussions-of-the-effects-of-serial-publication-of-victorian-novels/) [Ian Gregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gregor/) > [“If only words hadn't eluded me today, if only I yelled back at him: I do get it! I get that as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/if-only-words-hadn-t-eluded-me-today-if-only-i-yelled-back-at-him-i/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“When we read Victorian novels, we are often misled into thinking how close that age is to our own; but when we encounter historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bowen/when-we-read-victorian-novels-we-are-often-misled-into-thinking-how/) [John Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bowen/) ## More by N. K. Jemisin > [I write for myself - but it is nice when other people like it, too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-write-for-myself-but-it-is-nice-when-other-people-like-it-too/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [In the 'Dreamblood' books, I'm focusing more on what I like about epic fantasy: the layering and depth of tension; the chance to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/in-the-dreamblood-books-i-m-focusing-more-on-what-i-like-about-epic/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [Actual Victorian mores and politics were a reaction to a specific series of historical events, technological and scientific developments, and ethical trends in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/actual-victorian-mores-and-politics-were-a-reaction-to-a-specific/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I don't really understand why so many fantasy writers choose to focus on worlds that just seem strangely denuded. But to them, I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-don-t-really-understand-why-so-many-fantasy-writers-choose-to-focus/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [To some degree, as I move outside of the exclusive genre audience, the exclusive genre issues don't bother me as much. Maybe that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/to-some-degree-as-i-move-outside-of-the-exclusive-genre-audience-the/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I would love to just write and not have everything I say or do turn into a political battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-would-love-to-just-write-and-not-have-everything-i-say-or-do-turn/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [As a black woman, I have no particular interest in maintaining the status quo. Why would I? The status quo is harmful; the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/as-a-black-woman-i-have-no-particular-interest-in-maintaining-the/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I've been very happy with Orbit and am thrilled that they're giving me more chances to explore my creative visions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-ve-been-very-happy-with-orbit-and-am-thrilled-that-they-re-giving/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It's the way the human brain works: when enough events occur in a pattern, we stop thinking and go into macro mode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-s-the-way-the-human-brain-works-when-enough-events-occur-in-a/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [A fantasy novel set in something other than medieval Europe, featuring an almost entirely black cast, is considered risky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/a-fantasy-novel-set-in-something-other-than-medieval-europe-featuring/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I think the people who believe that works can and always should be divorced from the context are people who have the privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-think-the-people-who-believe-that-works-can-and-always-should-be/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It's human nature that we come in our own flavours, and it doesn't make any sense to write a monochromatic or monocultural story unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-s-human-nature-that-we-come-in-our-own-flavours-and-it-doesn-t/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [Magic is the mysteries into which not everyone is so lucky, or unlucky, as to be initiated. It can be affected by belief, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/magic-is-the-mysteries-into-which-not-everyone-is-so-lucky-or-unlucky/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It takes practice to do anything unique within this field, period, in writing, practice doing anything unique in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-takes-practice-to-do-anything-unique-within-this-field-period-in/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I was raised to be very wary of the police. I was raised to stay away from them unless you absolutely have to. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-was-raised-to-be-very-wary-of-the-police-i-was-raised-to-stay-away/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) [Explore all 43 N. K. Jemisin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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