Gail Carriger has confirmed on her blog that for now, this is the last full-length novel in the Parasolverse. That makes reviewing this book a little Gail Carriger has confirmed on her blog that for now, this is the last full-length novel in the Parasolverse. That makes reviewing this book a little bittersweet for me, as I know I will miss these books a lot.
For those who don't know, the author Gail Carriger has three book series all set in the same universe. It started with the Parasol Protectorate series, then the Finishing School series (which actually takes place before the first series chronologically) and then the Custard Protocol series. So many books, and this is the last one. Over the years I've fallen in love with this universe, and there isn't a book set in this world that I haven't enjoyed. I feel like Reticence was a good ending to the series, but I still can't help being a little sad that it is over.
Gail Carriger has created a wonderful steampunk world with supernatural creatures. I will always love how she combines English Society of the time with werewolves and vampires (and recently other creatures as well), it's such a well thought-out world, and delightfully whimsical in just the right way. I'll also forever love how seamlessly Gail manages to add LGBTQ+ representation to these books, despite the era they are set in.
I'm rambling on about all the series as a whole rather than this book, but I have a lot of fond feelings about the Parasolverse. I'll be reading all the romance novellas Gail Carriger publishes in this universe, despite not being a big romance reader.
Out of the three series she has written within this world, the Custard Protocol series took the longest for me to warm up to. I wasn't a big fan of the first book, but I'm glad I didn't give up. The last few book have been wonderful, and I really liked seeing the world from Percy's perspective in this one. Arsenic was a good addition to the cast, and I like how she is connected to characters from the previous series.
This book felt like a wonderfully silly bow wrapping up the story. This is definitely a fictional world I'll look back on fondly....more
I loved the first book, then found the second mediocre. But this one just plainly got on my nerves, and I'm honestI got angry while reading this book.
I loved the first book, then found the second mediocre. But this one just plainly got on my nerves, and I'm honestly debating whether or not to continue the series.
First of all, this book starts off with a huge time skip of 16 years. A bit odd, but okay. We meet Tom and Hester's daughter Wren, who I didn't like at first but who grew on me over the course of this book.
She wasn't the problem I had with this book, neither was the plot. My issue with this book were Tom and Hester themselves, and mostly Hester. The two characters I absolutely loved from the first book. I'll be going into some spoiler territory here.
It just feels like they didn't change in all that time, they didn't grow as people or grow more mature. If anything, they regressed into one dimensional versions of themselves. Hester especially seemed to have turned into the worst possible version of herself. I almost didn't recognize her, and I definitely didn't like her. Which is horrible because she was one of my favorites in the first book. (view spoiler)[ It just feels like the author did everything in his power to make us hate Hester. She's jealous of her own daughter, seems almost glad she was kidnapped, said to her face that she wished she hadn't been born, and leaves a ten year old orphan boy behind on purpose after Tom promised him he could come with them. It was all just cruel and unnecessary, and it was very frustrating to read. (hide spoiler)]
Also, can we stop with the talk about how ugly Hester is, for once? Please? I'm so tired of it! It's mentioned in every book, it's the root cause of her insecurities and presumably the underlying reason for her bad behavior, and it's just... not great.
I'm really debating just reading a summary of the fourth book and moving on, but I'm not sure....more
Edit 5-9-18: After a few days of thinking about it, lowered the rating to 3 stars after all. --- I went back and forth on my rating for this, but in theEdit 5-9-18: After a few days of thinking about it, lowered the rating to 3 stars after all. --- I went back and forth on my rating for this, but in the end I'm deciding on four stars simply because there were a lot of worldbuilding elements I really enjoyed in this book, even though I felt like the plot wasn't nearly as strong as the first one.
I really loved Mortal Engines when I read it, and maybe loving the first book so much had set my expectations for the second one a bit too high. While I really enjoyed seeing more of the world Philip Reeve's created with these novels, the actual story relied too much on characters making bad choices for me to enjoy it. The choices they were making were so bad sometimes that I found it hard to sympathise with the characters afterwards. I also feel like Tom and Hester may have regressed a little bit in their character development compared to the first book. They didn't grow as much as I would have expected. (view spoiler)[ And I didn't like how Hester's motivations are always centered around Tom. It gets old really fast to me that everything she does is about him. Just as the many descriptions of how ugly she is get old. (hide spoiler)]
But while I had some issues with the characters and the plot, I have to say the setting and suspence were really great. I really love this universe the author has created, and for that alone I would want to read the next books. I'm not sure if I enjoyed the little plot twist thrown at us in the end, and (view spoiler)[ I kind of dislike that Tom didn't hear about Hester selling out the city in this book. It should come up at some point because it is too big a deal not to, but I feel like if it comes up later it will just feel like old news to the reader. I kept waiting for it to happen, but circumstances kept happening to stop Tom from hearing about it. Was there any reason Pennyroyal didn't just tell him? Not really. (hide spoiler)]
This book went in a completely different direction than the first one, so I do look forward to seeing how the world gets expanded more. Even if I hope the characters mature a bit in the next book....more
It always surprises me how much Gail Carriger's writing and settings can make me enjoy books I normally wouldn't pick up so easily. I don't tend to reIt always surprises me how much Gail Carriger's writing and settings can make me enjoy books I normally wouldn't pick up so easily. I don't tend to read novellas, nor do I often read romance. But I tend to make an exception for Gail Carriger's work, with good reason.
I'm very invested in this universe, so I like to read every available story set in it. It's an alternate version of history, with werewolves and vampires in a Victorian setting (what more can you want?). But what Carriger manages to do is make this setting feel diverse in a very natural way, despite the limitations of the time period. She has written short stories about LGBT characters, and included them in her main series as well. This story wasn't a LGBT romance, but it still contained those characters in the background which I really appreciated. It makes the world feel real in a very positive way, and I love how inclusive all works in this universe are.
I never cared too much about Channing, which is why I didn't really rush to pick up this book. Even though I love Carriger's work and the universe she has created with her books, reading about a side character I never cared too much about and an entirely new character wasn't really on my high priority list. But sometimes I just feel like diving back into this world, and I'm really glad I picked up this book when I did. Faith was a wonderful character to read about, and seeing a lot of other characters appear in the background felt like a homecoming in a way. It was just a very nice and comforting read for me. I also enjoyed getting more background on Channing (though he's still not my favorite by any means)
The romance was cute too. It felt a bit quick to me, but I can't really complain about that considering the time the story is set, as well as the fact that it's a novella. I did think the whole plot about Faith having to marry a werewolf didn't feel very realistic to me, but I could move past it for the sake of the plot. All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. I'll definitely stay on the lookout for more short stories in this universe. They always add more to the world, and give a new perspective on characters I may not give much thought to myself when reading Carriger's main books. ...more
It is always a delight to return to the world Gail Carriger created with her book series. I've read most (if not all) of the books set within this uniIt is always a delight to return to the world Gail Carriger created with her book series. I've read most (if not all) of the books set within this universe, but I never grow tired of it. The reunion between Biffy and Lyall was one that was long overdue, and I was immediately invested in their relationship. But what really sold this novel to me was how grounded it is in the world Carriger made (view spoiler)[ I screamed a little bit at the tiny Soap/Sophronia reference she threw in. Wicker Chicken! (hide spoiler)], and how she managed to create an engaging plot as well with the few pages she had to work with. I really liked that it didn't JUST focus on the romance, it was the perfect balance for me. Romance books usually aren't my thing, so I was glad that the overall plot was nothing short of hilarious in true Gail Carriger fashion. Romancing the Werewolf really is a must-read for any Parasol Protectorate fans out there. ...more
Ever forget how much you like a series until you jump back in? That's what happened for me with this book.
I've been reading Gail Carriger's books withEver forget how much you like a series until you jump back in? That's what happened for me with this book.
I've been reading Gail Carriger's books within this fictional universe for a few years now, and have enjoyed them all. The Custard Protocol series had so far been my least favorite of her different series, but I still found it pretty enjoyable. I was a little wary of this particular book because of the change of narrator, but I actually think it really worked. I never warmed to Prue as a main character as much as I did to the author's other heroines, and found Primrose a lot more relatable, personally. I also found Prue herself more enjoyable in the role of a more minor character.
I adore this universe Gail Carriger has created, and I don't think I'll ever tire of reading more stories set there. This book really cemented that I do like the characters in this series a lot, even if Prue isn't my favorite. I very much enjoy reading about the crew of the Spotted Custard, especially Percy. I'm delighted to see that the next and final book in this series will be from his perspective. (view spoiler)[ The ending of this book made me very curious about the next one! I hadn't seen Prue being pregnant coming at all. (hide spoiler)]
The romance in this book was cute, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed seeing Prue and her love interest getting together. I felt very invested in the relationship from the start, and like where it ended up. I always enjoy Gail Carriger's books, and this one was definitely no exception. ...more
I don't usually read books that are firmly in the Romance genre, but I made an exception for Gail Carriger because I love her work and I love the univI don't usually read books that are firmly in the Romance genre, but I made an exception for Gail Carriger because I love her work and I love the universe her books are set in. I think the fact that I'm not a huge fan of this genre as a whole did affect my rating, but it's still a fun and entertaining novella in my opinion.
Preshea isn't the most memorable character in Carriger's other series, but she was really well written in this novella. It rounded her out a lot and made me like her more than I did before. I also liked Gavin, and their romance was sweet.
I just felt like once the first half of the book was over, it went into a very smutty direction for a very long time. I was a lot more interested in the actual plot outside the romance than I probably should have been, and was waiting to return to that. It didn't have the most satisfying conclusion, but I'm aware that my focus was on the wrong thing.
I'd recommend this for people that like romance but also mostly if you're already familiar with Carriger's world, because I think some of the references to the supernatural larger universe would be confusing for people that just want a period romance. Still, even if you haven't read any of her other works you can give this one a try. ...more
Another great Mistborn novel, and unfortunately the next one in this series isn't out yet. I didn't much like the second era series when I just read tAnother great Mistborn novel, and unfortunately the next one in this series isn't out yet. I didn't much like the second era series when I just read the first book (The Alloy of Law) but now I've come to love it. I'll miss these characters while I wait for the last book.
My love for Steris continues to increase. She's wonderful and I really like her interactions with Wax. I'm glad her character's role seems to grow with each book.
I also liked that this book felt a little more like an exploration book, with more different settings and unfamiliar things. ...more
Back when I read the first book in this trilogy, I wasn't the biggest fan. My main problem with The Alloy of Law was how I didn't like the relationshiBack when I read the first book in this trilogy, I wasn't the biggest fan. My main problem with The Alloy of Law was how I didn't like the relationship between Wax and Marasi. The power dynamic between them felt unsettling, largely because of the age difference and the fact that her entire character seemed to revolve around being a long time admirer of his.
In this second book, that entire issue largely disappears. Marasi stands on her own in this one, no longer following Wax while rattling off his accomplishments that she learned by heart. Instead she has her own job, her own point of view a few times, and accomplishes a lot on her own. It made me like her more as a character.
I also liked Wax more in this one, he felt less "perfect" and more flawed, which I like in a main character. I really felt more connected to him in this book.
Wayne still has me on the fence. There are scenes where I really like him, but then there's also scenes where he annoys me. (view spoiler)[I mainly find him annoying around Ranette, because she is so clearly not interested in him and his complete unwillingness to see that is uncomfortable to me. (hide spoiler)]
It was also a plus that my favorite minor character Steris gets some more development in this one. I really like how Sanderson is handling her personality and character, I was expecting her to just be foil for Marasi. Like an "example" of how different other ladies are compared to the main girl. Thankfully, this is not the case. Both women are very different but they each get treated respectfully by the narrative.
I talked a lot about the characters, but that's because they were the main issue I had with the first book. The plot is, once again, excellent. There's a wonderful twist at the end that I did not see coming and it reminds me of the way the books in the original Mistborn Trilogy tended to end. I'm glad I'm enjoying this second trilogy more now, because I'm not ready to give up on this world. ...more
I was really excited to read this book because I really liked the idea of seeing the same world as in the Mistborn Trilogy but a few hundred years latI was really excited to read this book because I really liked the idea of seeing the same world as in the Mistborn Trilogy but a few hundred years later. Having read it, I still like that part of it, but I didn’t like the characters nearly as much as I did the characters of the original trilogy. I didn’t feel like I connected very well to any of them, and honestly found the dynamic between them annoying.
There’s Wax, who is pretty much perfect in every way and really powerful but he’s somewhat held back by guilt (view spoiler)[because he accidentally killed his girlfriend. Which, by the way, is the third time a wife/girlfriend has been killed off (“fridged”) to further a man’s storyline in this series and it’s really starting to bother me. (hide spoiler)] but it doesn’t actually stop him from being really strong and awesome.
Then there’s Wayne, who is basically comic relief with some funny quirks. Sometimes he worked for me and sometimes he didn’t.
I think that I was most annoyed by how the main female character in this book was set up. Marasi is a young woman who idolizes Wax and has been a fan of his work for a few years. She’s basically written as a fangirl that completely admires and adores him and is happy to be able to help him. Sure, she gets some snappy one liners and shoots someone once or twice, but she seems to be mainly there to show the audience how awesome Wax is. (view spoiler)[ And then she falls in love with him, despite being half his age. Of course, Wax is the noble one of the two who rejects her because it’s a bad idea and she’s too naive to see that herself. (hide spoiler)]
My two favorite characters were Ranette and Steris and they both had very minor roles.
I did really enjoy the story and it’s twists and turns, as well as the world and the way the author shows how things have changed in the past 300 years, which is why I still give it 3 stars. But I just couldn’t get over the awkward dynamic of the main characters, which made me kind of uncomfortable. I don’t want to drop this series because I really enjoyed the first trilogy and would like to keep following the sequel series, but I hope the next one is a little different in this regard. ...more
I think the fact that I started and finished this book within a day says it all. It was amazing, and I'm kicking myself for not picking it up earlier.I think the fact that I started and finished this book within a day says it all. It was amazing, and I'm kicking myself for not picking it up earlier.
I really started it today on a whim, even though I was planning on reading other books before starting a new series (oops). But in the end, I'm glad I did it. It was really something different than what I had been reading lately, as Mortal Engines is a really unique book in my opinion.
While reading it, I felt completely sucked into this world. Even though I had to get used to the concept at first, it soon started to feel real in a way not many books can pull off. I enjoyed the different characters introduced, and that the story managed to find a great balance in being complex, but never too complicated.
(view spoiler)[ I do feel betrayed by the end though. Why did Katherine need to die??? She was my favorite! But the fact that it gave me such strong emotions just means it was very well done. But I'm still angry about it (hide spoiler)]
The ending was really unexpected, and I have absolutely no idea where this series is going next. But I can't wait to find out!...more
I loved both of Carriger's previous series in this universe immensely, so when I didn't love the first book in The Custard Protocol nearly as much, I I loved both of Carriger's previous series in this universe immensely, so when I didn't love the first book in The Custard Protocol nearly as much, I was worried. I liked it, but it didn't really feel the same to me. The humor was different and I didn't connect with the characters as much.
But I gave the second book in this series a chance and I'm glad I did. Imprudence succeeds for me where Prudence failed. It gave me the same feeling I got from both the Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School series, which is something I find hard to explain, but I loved it. I felt closer to all the characters and I understood them better. I think the author did a nice job combining the old cast from her first series with the next generation, without having them overshadow the plot.
The one thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the romance. Their romantic scenes were sometimes cute, but the nature of their relationship makes me feel a little icky. (view spoiler)[Quensel is a lot older than Rue (I think about 10 to 12 years? Which makes her 21 and him about 32) and their relationship is largely based on him teaching her about kissing and sex. While it's nice to see a lady in this time period take these things into her own hands without being shy about it or feeling like she immediately needs to get married, it also creates an even bigger imbalance between the two of them. I didn't hate it, but I feel somewhat conflicted about it. (hide spoiler)]...more
This was truly an excellent book and an excellent end to the Finishing School series. I will miss these books, I enjoyed them almost as much as the PaThis was truly an excellent book and an excellent end to the Finishing School series. I will miss these books, I enjoyed them almost as much as the Parasole Protectorate series.
Manners & Mutiny is a book that had no boring moments at all. There were no scenes that served no purpose and it was filled with action and humor. The romance was perfectly balanced with the plot. It never overtook the actual story, in fact, the love interest was absent for most of it, but it still managed to be completely satisfying. (view spoiler)[ I shipped Soap and Sophronia a lot since the last book and I'm so glad they are together in the end. Seeing an interracial romance in a Victorian era novel is really really good. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ I loved Sophronia as a character in the first three books of the series, and she remains great in this one. I really enjoyed how after everything that happened at the end, she gets a moment of weakness. Sometimes she's been shown like nothing fazes her, but this moment of emotion made her more human to me. (hide spoiler)]
I'll really miss these characters. I hope some of them will pop up in Carriger's future works....more
This is the first Gail Carriger book that I'm giving less than 4 stars, this makes me sad but I almost think I'm still being generous. Prudence simplyThis is the first Gail Carriger book that I'm giving less than 4 stars, this makes me sad but I almost think I'm still being generous. Prudence simply lacks the magic that the other books in this universe have. The characters are flat and I'm barely invested in any of them besides Rue, the plot was almost nonexistent and took a very long time to get going and the portrayal of India didn't always seem very respectful to me.
I'm still going to read the next book when it comes out because I do like Rue as a character and I love this fictional universe but this book was a little disappointing. ...more
What this book might lack in excitement at the beginning, it makes up for with the amazing ending. The plot was a little slow at first but once the stWhat this book might lack in excitement at the beginning, it makes up for with the amazing ending. The plot was a little slow at first but once the story got going it became just as enjoyable as the previous two books in this series. I loved how some things about Monique and the plots of the first two books started falling into place, there were definitely also a few hints at the upcoming end of this series, which I have no doubt will be spectacular.
In my last review I complained about the love triangle but this book eased my worries. The way it was handled was very realistic for the time the story is set in and it seems to have (mostly) come to an end now.
I'm incredibly excited for the last book in this series, I think it has been very good overall so far and I hope it will keep the same level of quality through to the end. ...more
Just like the first book, Curtsies & Conspiracies is very enjoyable and incredibly funny. Sophronia continues to be a great protagonist and the suppoJust like the first book, Curtsies & Conspiracies is very enjoyable and incredibly funny. Sophronia continues to be a great protagonist and the supporting characters are even more likeable than before.
The only thing that bothered me is that there is a small love triangle developing, I think that's fairly unnecessary and I hope it doesn't get too much attention in the upcoming books in the series. I have to say, though, that I like Soap a lot more than Felix, even if he's less well suited to Sophronia. I would be fine with no romance between the two though, they're really nice as friends too. ...more
A very nice end to a great series of books. Timeless was everything I hoped it would be, it was funny, intriguing and had a few very nice twists. I liA very nice end to a great series of books. Timeless was everything I hoped it would be, it was funny, intriguing and had a few very nice twists. I liked how the story was split between London and Egypt,the different plotlines came together beautifully.
I'm sad to finish this series because I enjoyed it immensely and I'm certain the series as a whole will be one of my favorites for a very long time. ...more
The books slightly decrease in quality as the series progresses, but Heartless was still good enough to earn a 4 star rating. I felt like the book staThe books slightly decrease in quality as the series progresses, but Heartless was still good enough to earn a 4 star rating. I felt like the book started up a little slowly and didn't really speed up until the very end. The chaos, drama, and hilarity of the final confrontation made up for it, though. The very end of the story made me very excited for the last book in the series. ...more
Although I did enjoy this book almost as much as the previous two, there were a few more things that bothered me this time. However, it wasn't enough Although I did enjoy this book almost as much as the previous two, there were a few more things that bothered me this time. However, it wasn't enough for me to rate it 3 stars since I still enjoyed it a lot.
Blameless has the same humor and the same amazing characters as the previous books, but it did seem a little more repetitive. The vampire threat stayed pretty much the same through the entire book, they were just constantly chased and attacked, they'd win and a few chapters later the same thing would happen all over again.
Another thing that bothered me was how easily Alexia forgave Lord Maccon after how he treated her in the previous book. If the author had intended for this from the beginning she should have made his treatment of her less harsh and unforgiving. It felt like it was glossed over a little bit.
I did really like how we got to see more of the world in this book and I hope this continues. The influence of the supernatural on the history of the world is one of the best parts of this series, in my opinion.
Even better than the first one! I almost gave this book 5 stars but it wasn't quite at that level, there were a few moments I found irritating but oveEven better than the first one! I almost gave this book 5 stars but it wasn't quite at that level, there were a few moments I found irritating but overall it was a great book.
The mystery was well done and built up in a way that made sense, there were a few new characters that I really loved and the plot twist at the end was also amazing.