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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Being covert in polite society
Crossing social barriers
This book was a lot of fun. I'm a sucker for meddling kids capering to discover hidden information and solve a mystery. Sophronia is a great and clever protagonist who greatly enjoys her new education in snooping and skullduggery. I thought it was cool to turn the concept of etiquette schooling as preparation for advantageous marriage being turned on its head towards schooling for young women to be spies and assassins. All the troupes of finishing and high society being weapons and armor is a nice subversion of a typical Victorian English story. Add some steampunk-ish airships, vampires, and werewolves, very enjoyable. Recommended.
So, I screwed up. Somehow I managed to read the second book in this series before reading the first book. On the one hand, I'm bummed as I know what happens after this book, but on the other hand I was happy to get some more background on the characters. However, having read them out of order, I'd probably say that there's now no excuse for the super quick wrap-up of the plot in the second book. I thought it was because the author was taking her time introducing the characters; turns out that's not the case.
This book is a fun, quick read. I'm on vacation right now and between naps and big meals I read this book in one day. I enjoyed the introduction to the character I came to like in the second book, and I liked getting some explanation about the other girls at this school, which is ostensibly a finishing school set in steampunk England, but is also an intelligencer training program.
One really odd component, though, was the introduction of the only character that the author felt it necessary to assign an ethnicity, making me think that the author suffers from the same color-blindness that so many authors have - her characters are white, and she assumes everyone will think they are white, so she only really needs to offer descriptions of the 'others.' I do not like that, and really wish more authors would create richer, more diverse worlds. If you're writing fiction, especially fiction with an alternate view of the universe, there's no need to default to the racial stereotypes and heirarchies that exist. Or, if you're going to, spend time dissecting those hierarchies and how problematic they are. But describing the one Black character by saying he was covered in soot and then having the main character express shock that he was from Africa once she realized that his skin was also a darker tone? That's weird and comes across as super ignorant. If the character making that observation were one we weren't supposed to like, or who didn't have any complex view of the universe, or if there were any more exploration of the racial structure of the society, maaaaaaaaybe it would work. But it really doesn't work in this book, and kind of pulled me out of the book for a while as I tried to figure out why the author thought that was an appropriate.
I think having read both books I still would recommend the series with that caveat; I think I might explore her adult stories set in the same type of world and see if she builds a more complex and diverse world there.
I'd seen this book recommended in a number of YA circles, and I was pretty amused by the "Finishing School Books" gif sets on tumblr, so I was excited to get into this series. Given the scope of praise and positive reviews, I was super taken aback wrt some of the passages and writing decisions concerning the character Phineas B. Crow, aka Soap. Because his introduction/reveal was like….really racist.
Slight Spoilers to follow:
The main character, Sophronia, is a student of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, which is stationed on a three balloon dirigible. Sophronia needs to retrieve coal from the school’s boiler room because of plot reasons, and in doing so, meets the ship’s “Sooties”– according to the series wiki, Sooties are:
workers of manual labor, particularly work that involves shoveling coal and ash in boiler and engine rooms. The names comes from the fact that such workers will, inevitably, become covered in soot during their work…Though they are not allowed to have personal relations with, or even interact with, the young ladies of the school, Sophronia has made them her allies.
So, we’ve a boiler room of soot covered lads. Okay, cool.
But one lad in particular, “seem[s] to be more thickly covered in soot”, so that his eyes and teeth were “startlingly white in a dark face.”
uhhh-
In fact, everyone calls this boy, Phineas Crow, “Soap” because he happens to “need it more than most.”
Now having read my opening, we all know where this is going. But as a reader, it’s bemusing. Why does he need it more than most? Is it because he’s the leader? He’s introduced doing a daring stunt– maybe he gets dirtier than everyone else (everyday, always) in the process? The potential punchline (potential because I’m still unsure if the author even knew what she was setting up, tbh) behind this factoid isn’t revealed until a couple pages later.
“He wasn’t simply dirty; he was actually black.”
“Sophronia had heard, of course, of people with odd-colored skin, but she’s only seen pictures in her papa’s books. She’s never actually met one before.”
“But Soap is just like a normal boy!”
“Why, you’re all over soot-colored by nature!”
And don’t forget the cheeky: “Yes, miss. A creature from darkest Africa. Wooo, wooo.”
Not to mention that his real name, "Phineas B. Crow" boils down to (The Nubian/The Black) B. (let me guess... Black?) (Pitch black bird at best/Jim Crow at worst"). Portraying your Black character as Black "Needs Soap" B. McBlack is certainly a choice.
This mess completely took me out of the book; the only reason it wasn't a #DNF for me, was because I held out hope that everything would be brought up again. It wasn't.
No “hey, sorry for how I reacted when we met, that must have been awkward” for Soap to, undoubtedly, brush off. No discussion. Plot rolls on, business as uge.
Which is gross. Other aspects of identity and isms (hashtag #girlpower) are treated more carefully in this book/universe, so to completely drop the ball here is negligent at best.
To nickname your token Black character “Soap” with the mention that he “needs it more than others” is so deeply offensive that I really can’t believe that it made it to publishing?? 
This is not new.
Even if the motivation was entirely based around Quirk™ and the intention was innocuous –and given the author’s penchant for giving her characters odd names, I wouldn’t withhold some benefit of the doubt there– that choice was still just, like, mind blowingly ill-advised.
There is a long-recorded history of Black people being used as advertising fodder when it comes to soap ads; especially that depend on buyers affiliating Black skin with innate dirtiness. 
“You dirty boy! Why don’t you wash yourself with Vinolia Soap?”
Featuring a Black character is not equivalent to engaging with racism in any meaningful way; including a Black character and having him be met with “soot-colored by nature”, or having his skin color be described as “colored” and “irrelevant” in turn (in some in-character attempt at colorblindness) is not confronting racism– especially when these incidents are never further addressed, the characters’ racist comments never dealt with as anything beyond slightly embarrassing small-mindedness or quirky ignorance to be immediately left behind.
If meant as a teachable moment, it was not handled well. At all. It just makes some people feel unwelcome in an otherwise interesting sandbox.
Don't recommend this read, and won't be continuing the series.
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In Etiquette & Espionage, Carriger continues to create fantastical worlds of whimsy. For those familiar with the Soulless universe, some favorite characters drop in for a visit. However, one does not need to have read any of the Soulless books to enjoy this one. With vivid and well fleshed out characters, one is completely transported to this alternate world filled with dirigibles, automatons, and supernatural creaters. A must read for any fantasy or Steampunk fan, both young and old.
We follow Sophronia through her first experience with Finishing School. Not knowing what she has gotten herself into but little by little learning how to cope with the craziness that this particular school. Sophronia comes off as a strong female in a time when strong females aren't really allowed and uses it to her advantage. I really liked how her character was portrayed throughout the book, as able and bold. The other characters were just as engaging and spurred feelings across the board.
As for the plot, as I noted, it was a mystery, an adventure and a but of whimsy all rolled together to form this delightful package. I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to young adult readers. I am already preparing to read book two.
Cover Love: I do love this cover but the model looks a smidge old to be Sophronia. I love the purple and the dress though.
Why I Wanted to Read This:
I loved the world created by Gail Carriger in the Parasol Protector series. It is just pure genius: steampunk, vampires, werewolves, and London society. I love being there and wes delighted to hear she'd started a YA/MG series set in the same world.
Romance?: No, but there was a rakish young man smiling at Sophronia at the end of the book that I hope comes back in the next book. There is also a crush on Sophronia by a sootie named Soap that might be explored in later books.
My Thoughts:
This was just a darling book. Sophronia is a great character for readers. She is smart, willing to try new things and push the envelope and fiercely loyal. And the finishing school she attends is so much fun! I want to think that most of the teachers actually knew what she was up to but were more impressed than outraged.
read the rest of this review on my blog
It took me a while to like these new characters, and the world is quite different now. There are mechanicals, a somewhat dubious school aboard a dirigible, a group of plucky school girls, lessons and teachers, air pirates.
Im a bit confused about when this series is taking place in relation to the parasol protectorate.
But other than, i eventually warmed up to our new gang and MC, and it had enough action to keep the pace up.
I don’t think it is quite as good as PP, but its still fun, and Im enjoying it.