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lisawreading's review against another edition
4.0
Picture yourself floating through the air, with a ladybug-spotted balloon overhead, surrounded by your best friends and some adoring crew members. Picture yourself floating above India, Africa, even the Pacific Ocean. Picture yourself with fancy hats, stylish traveling dresses, and oversized parasols.
Fun, right?
Did all that imagining make you feel light and bubbly, maybe even a little giddy? Well, that's a bit what reading the Custard Protocol books feels like, start to finish. The books in this delightful series are clearly fantasy, feel-good adventures, featuring exotic locales and extravagant fashion mixed with plenty of tea, camaraderie, and mid-air shenanigans.
Competence features Primrose Tunstell as lead character (although she occasionally cedes the POV spotlight to her brother Percy.) Through their eyes, we set out for adventure on board the Spotted Custard dirigible, floating from Singapore all the way across the ocean to Peru. Prim is a very proper young woman, a steadfast friend, and one heck of a ship's purser, responsible for keeping the dirigible stocked, fueled, and ready to float off at a moment's notice. Despite being determined to achieve a society-approved good marriage, Prim finds herself increasingly drawn to Tasherit, the exotically beautiful werelioness who is now a full member of the crew. Prim can't quite bring herself to venture so far outside the bounds of approved English standards as to enter into a relationship with a woman, but there's no denying the spark between the two, and as Prim acknowledges, cats can be very persistent about getting what they want.
Meanwhile, the Spotted Custard's adventures include the discovery of a strange and endangered breed of vampires, unusual weather patterns and weird pirate ships, and a spontaneous heist of helium from an unsuspecting tourist vehicle. Plus, the usual shipboard quibbles and romances, as well as philosophical discussion groups and scientific theorizing.
Competence is just as much fun as the first two books in the series. In this book, the romances in focus do not fit the mold of Victorian social acceptability -- but the author's depiction makes it clear that the characters are open-minded and refuse to be bound by meaningless judgment. On the Spotted Custard, love is love, period... and that's a very good thing, for the characters as well as for the readers. Prim takes a very long time to make up her mind, but the banter and flirtation between her and Tasherit light up the page, so you know it's just a matter of time...
I listenened to the audiobook version of Competence, and like the previous audiobooks in the series, it was amazing. Narrator Moira Quirk does an outstanding job with the characters, capturing their voices, their accents, and their personalities, and making each one distinct and instantly recognizable. She's also great with the action scenes, and really brings out the humor of Gail Carriger's fantastically quippy dialogue.
The Custard Protocol series is truly delectable, and Competence is a wonderful addition. And now, we wait... Book #4, Reticence, is due out in 2019.
For more, see my full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Fun, right?
Did all that imagining make you feel light and bubbly, maybe even a little giddy? Well, that's a bit what reading the Custard Protocol books feels like, start to finish. The books in this delightful series are clearly fantasy, feel-good adventures, featuring exotic locales and extravagant fashion mixed with plenty of tea, camaraderie, and mid-air shenanigans.
Competence features Primrose Tunstell as lead character (although she occasionally cedes the POV spotlight to her brother Percy.) Through their eyes, we set out for adventure on board the Spotted Custard dirigible, floating from Singapore all the way across the ocean to Peru. Prim is a very proper young woman, a steadfast friend, and one heck of a ship's purser, responsible for keeping the dirigible stocked, fueled, and ready to float off at a moment's notice. Despite being determined to achieve a society-approved good marriage, Prim finds herself increasingly drawn to Tasherit, the exotically beautiful werelioness who is now a full member of the crew. Prim can't quite bring herself to venture so far outside the bounds of approved English standards as to enter into a relationship with a woman, but there's no denying the spark between the two, and as Prim acknowledges, cats can be very persistent about getting what they want.
Meanwhile, the Spotted Custard's adventures include the discovery of a strange and endangered breed of vampires, unusual weather patterns and weird pirate ships, and a spontaneous heist of helium from an unsuspecting tourist vehicle. Plus, the usual shipboard quibbles and romances, as well as philosophical discussion groups and scientific theorizing.
Competence is just as much fun as the first two books in the series. In this book, the romances in focus do not fit the mold of Victorian social acceptability -- but the author's depiction makes it clear that the characters are open-minded and refuse to be bound by meaningless judgment. On the Spotted Custard, love is love, period... and that's a very good thing, for the characters as well as for the readers. Prim takes a very long time to make up her mind, but the banter and flirtation between her and Tasherit light up the page, so you know it's just a matter of time...
I listenened to the audiobook version of Competence, and like the previous audiobooks in the series, it was amazing. Narrator Moira Quirk does an outstanding job with the characters, capturing their voices, their accents, and their personalities, and making each one distinct and instantly recognizable. She's also great with the action scenes, and really brings out the humor of Gail Carriger's fantastically quippy dialogue.
The Custard Protocol series is truly delectable, and Competence is a wonderful addition. And now, we wait... Book #4, Reticence, is due out in 2019.
For more, see my full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
tigerchica418's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic book! Gail Carriger never disappoints! I was originally cautious about the change in point of view from Rue to the Twins, but felt that it worked very well.
This book had a lot of character development (with a few surprises) while still having plenty of fun action scenes. I love getting the chance to see how the Parasolverse looks on the other side of the world. This is the third book in the series, so I would recommend at least reading the other two first. While it’s not necessary to read any of Miss Gail’s other series to understand this one, it is a lot more fun that way since characters tie in from other books. I can’t recommend this book high enough!
This book had a lot of character development (with a few surprises) while still having plenty of fun action scenes. I love getting the chance to see how the Parasolverse looks on the other side of the world. This is the third book in the series, so I would recommend at least reading the other two first. While it’s not necessary to read any of Miss Gail’s other series to understand this one, it is a lot more fun that way since characters tie in from other books. I can’t recommend this book high enough!
misfitmoxie's review against another edition
5.0
I've been an enthusiast of Carriger's works since early on, and delighted in all of the adventures along the way, yet somehow, as occasionally happens, had missed this tome. Yet, it feels perfectly timed with who I am, and where the world is, just now.
I absolutely adore every aspect of this book. It tenderly covers topics of sexual identity and family and self-acceptance whilst providing the reader with a delightful, if sometimes bumbling, adventure filled with intriguing and humor, enthusiasm and aplomb.
I raise my teacup in admiration and salute. Thank you, Ms. Carriger. Thank you.
I absolutely adore every aspect of this book. It tenderly covers topics of sexual identity and family and self-acceptance whilst providing the reader with a delightful, if sometimes bumbling, adventure filled with intriguing and humor, enthusiasm and aplomb.
I raise my teacup in admiration and salute. Thank you, Ms. Carriger. Thank you.
hastings91's review against another edition
4.0
Probably one of my new favorite Gail Carriger books!
tw: internalized homophobia
tw: internalized homophobia
lalala123987's review against another edition
4.0
I just love these books, these characters and this world are fun and funny. And finally an explanation for Los Angeles!
darcerenity's review against another edition
4.0
This is not my favorite Gail Carriger, but it was still a solid and entertaining read.
I wish I could have seen more build-up of the relationship between Prim and Tash before everyone started discussing Prim's reluctance to pair off, but I enjoyed seeing Tash and Percy, Rue and Prim discuss the relationship.
The action/adventure portion did seem more easily resolved than in some other books in the series, but I enjoyed the overall story arc. I liked seeing how Prim completely inhabits her role as Purser, and it made the entire venture of the Spotted Custard and its crew seem much more realistic and intentional/organized than it has in some previous installments.
I thought the second romance was sweet and I enjoyed learning a bit more about Formerly Floote.
Percy is now my favorite Custard Protocol character; he was awkwardly adorable and very relatable from start to finish.
I found the resolution of the Spotted Custard's mission quite clever and charming if a bit too quick. And the ending of the novel was sweet and hit me in a personal spot just enough to make me cry, but happily.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the next installment in this series. There's a certain event, a storyline or two, and several characters I really hope are going to make an appearance...
I wish I could have seen more build-up of the relationship between Prim and Tash before everyone started discussing Prim's reluctance to pair off, but I enjoyed seeing Tash and Percy, Rue and Prim discuss the relationship.
The action/adventure portion did seem more easily resolved than in some other books in the series, but I enjoyed the overall story arc. I liked seeing how Prim completely inhabits her role as Purser, and it made the entire venture of the Spotted Custard and its crew seem much more realistic and intentional/organized than it has in some previous installments.
I thought the second romance was sweet and I enjoyed learning a bit more about Formerly Floote.
Percy is now my favorite Custard Protocol character; he was awkwardly adorable and very relatable from start to finish.
I found the resolution of the Spotted Custard's mission quite clever and charming if a bit too quick. And the ending of the novel was sweet and hit me in a personal spot just enough to make me cry, but happily.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the next installment in this series. There's a certain event, a storyline or two, and several characters I really hope are going to make an appearance...
elenikin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beccamcostello's review against another edition
5.0
This is both classic Gail Carriger and also something entirely new. I was pretty skeptical about a book partially from Percy's point of view, because I wasn't really interested in learning more about him. But I ended up enjoying his parts as much as Primrose.
I generally HATE when pregnancy is part of a plot, but one thing I love about Carriger is the idea that birth parents don't have any special meaning or significance to a child. Rue's relationship with all three of her parents set the stage for this nice little family because its obvious to everyone that Rue is not interested or equipped to be a parent herself.
Overall, one of my favorite Carrigers.
I generally HATE when pregnancy is part of a plot, but one thing I love about Carriger is the idea that birth parents don't have any special meaning or significance to a child. Rue's relationship with all three of her parents set the stage for this nice little family because its obvious to everyone that Rue is not interested or equipped to be a parent herself.
Overall, one of my favorite Carrigers.
neveth's review against another edition
5.0
Corker!
I loved it! What a fantastic and strange family building on the airship! Glad some things got resolved in such an organic manner!
I loved it! What a fantastic and strange family building on the airship! Glad some things got resolved in such an organic manner!