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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
It started out slowly for me, mainly because I was thinking, “please not another chosen one lifted from obscurity and sent to a school where nothing makes sense and everyone hates them!” But as soon as I figured out that Dimity was cool and Monique was a bad guy, I sat back and enjoyed the ride. I liked the balance between bitchy girls and nice girls and how Sofronia had to actually make effort to make friends. I’ve got the next one on hold and I’m looking forward to reading it.
When I got this book from Book Outlet, I immediately started reading it. It had been on my wishlist for quite some time!
Sophronia is sent to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, but it's not just your ordinary finishing school. She not only learns how to curtsy, bat her eyelashes appropriately, and what dress to wear to what occasion, but she learns about death, stealth, and not to marry a man who is an evil genius. She meets many characters along the way, befriending most and creating enemies out of some (What more would you expect out of a spy school book?).
I gave it 4 stars because the beginning really pulled me into the book, but then it got a bit boring for about 100 pages. There seemed to be too much build up until the action happened. The characters also weren't very interesting at first. It was difficult for me to continue reading it but I really pushed myself because I thought it would get better. I'm glad I kept with it because it got a lot more interesting! The plot really picked up once the conflict started and the characters actually developed.
The comedy is very dry, but hilarious as the book goes on! The characters are well written (as time goes on) and are very diverse! The plot is a bit predictable, but still fun to read.
I would recommend trying this book out since it is short and if you have time to get through the slow beginning. If you have the patience to get to the action, the last 130 pages are definitely worth your time!
Sophronia is sent to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, but it's not just your ordinary finishing school. She not only learns how to curtsy, bat her eyelashes appropriately, and what dress to wear to what occasion, but she learns about death, stealth, and not to marry a man who is an evil genius. She meets many characters along the way, befriending most and creating enemies out of some (What more would you expect out of a spy school book?).
I gave it 4 stars because the beginning really pulled me into the book, but then it got a bit boring for about 100 pages. There seemed to be too much build up until the action happened. The characters also weren't very interesting at first. It was difficult for me to continue reading it but I really pushed myself because I thought it would get better. I'm glad I kept with it because it got a lot more interesting! The plot really picked up once the conflict started and the characters actually developed.
The comedy is very dry, but hilarious as the book goes on! The characters are well written (as time goes on) and are very diverse! The plot is a bit predictable, but still fun to read.
I would recommend trying this book out since it is short and if you have time to get through the slow beginning. If you have the patience to get to the action, the last 130 pages are definitely worth your time!
Fans of Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series will love this book for being set in the same steampunk world. Fourteen-year-old Sophronia's story takes place before the other series, and I was delighted to meet younger versions of familiar characters.
Sophronia is strong-minded, clever, adventurous, and loves to take apart things to discover how they work. Her exhausted mother sends her off to finishing school, hoping the teachers there will mold her into a 'proper' young lady. But the school teaches more than etiquette, pairing lessons about dancing with note-passing, and proper clothing with knife-colcealment. Sophronia's love of uncovering secrets will serve her well, as long as she isn't caught--or caught up in danger beyond her control.
Sophronia is strong-minded, clever, adventurous, and loves to take apart things to discover how they work. Her exhausted mother sends her off to finishing school, hoping the teachers there will mold her into a 'proper' young lady. But the school teaches more than etiquette, pairing lessons about dancing with note-passing, and proper clothing with knife-colcealment. Sophronia's love of uncovering secrets will serve her well, as long as she isn't caught--or caught up in danger beyond her control.
This book has fun Steampunk amusements (exploding wicker chicken; steam engine dachshund), and the Super-fantastic concept of a school for deadly young ladies! Unfortunately, an extremely tired stereotypical trope occurred within. (AND we did not actually SEE the exploding wicker chicken. It was just mentioned. It had BETTER turn up in future books in this series.) We have the primary conflict being between our spunky disheveled heroine matched against a beautiful bitchy blonde. Really? Author couldn't think of anything more original?
It's nice how this is a prequel to the Parasol Protectorate series. This is less violent and it's not lascivious at all. And Gail Carriger's world fits better into the Young Adult Genre. Her writing style is cutesy and juvenile, even when she writes about cringe-worthy and blush-worthy things. So the finishing school setting was refreshing for me. Felt right.
It's nice how this is a prequel to the Parasol Protectorate series. This is less violent and it's not lascivious at all. And Gail Carriger's world fits better into the Young Adult Genre. Her writing style is cutesy and juvenile, even when she writes about cringe-worthy and blush-worthy things. So the finishing school setting was refreshing for me. Felt right.
Well, it was ... OK. The concept was good but not as well-developed as I would have liked. As well, I felt the writing lagged behind the story sometimes. I may try a sequel in the future, but we'll see.
A great story, I was slightly disappointed with the pace of the book.
I really wish there were half stars. I give this book 3.5 stars. I liked it quite a bit but not quite enough to give it 4 stars.
This book has the slightly older, almost British feel that so many steampunk style books have. I enjoyed it, the main character is fun, easy to relate to and has good (if a little one dimensional) friends. No romance, which I consider a plus, but lots of hint dropping and information given that will probable become important later in the series. Oh I do love books that make connections and callbacks. It's too early to see how much this book will do so, but the plot was complicated enough that I had a lot of fun reading it.
apparently I did read this already, though I don't know why I didn't mark it before.