"In an era called The Chemystral Age, magically augmented alchemy and chemistry have thrust an alternate version of eighteenth-century colonial America forward into industrialization. Thirteen-year-old Ruby is a smuggler's daughter and picklock prodigy, and she and her mostly faithful servant, Cram, navigate a world filled with cobalt gearbeasts, alchemical automatons, and devilish secret societies"-- Provided by publisher.