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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
“No one said learning etiquette and espionage would be easy, my dear.
This book was cute, I think my younger cousins would love to read this one.
Etiquette and Espionage, happened in 1851 which is by the way not the 1851 we grew accustomed to. This Victorian Era is consist of mechanicals, flying school, high technology gadgets, prototype searching, wolf teachers, vampire instructors and ladies who doesn't know how to act like one. The writing style was quite different than the other writing styles I got used to but it was definitely entertaining and fun to read.
The thing I loved the most about this book is Dimity, she's so adorably cute and sweet and I want to hug her so bad. I also liked Sophronia with her curiosity, recklessness and boldness. They were completely different but also similar at the same time.
I don't know when I'll be able to read the rest of the series. I don't like the last part for it seemed that all these espionage and rule breaking is almost for nothing because of that anticlimactic end.
Reread 30.10 2020
This book aged well - as impressed by it now as I was years ago. Really can't fathom, why the rating is not higher - I guess not everyone has a sense of humour!
UTTERLY DELIGHTFUL, CHARMING, WITTY AND UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK!
Absolutely excellent idea of the plot, perfect protagonist, plenty of spectacular characters (Pillover - he was something!!!!!!), hilarious situations, inimitable style of writing and acute sense of humour - here are some of the reasons I fell in love with this book! I really can't wait the next book in the series and I STRONGLY recommend it to any kind of reader - I just can't imagine, that there may be somebody, who won't appreciate this book! A must-read!!!
This book aged well - as impressed by it now as I was years ago. Really can't fathom, why the rating is not higher - I guess not everyone has a sense of humour!
UTTERLY DELIGHTFUL, CHARMING, WITTY AND UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK!
Absolutely excellent idea of the plot, perfect protagonist, plenty of spectacular characters (Pillover - he was something!!!!!!), hilarious situations, inimitable style of writing and acute sense of humour - here are some of the reasons I fell in love with this book! I really can't wait the next book in the series and I STRONGLY recommend it to any kind of reader - I just can't imagine, that there may be somebody, who won't appreciate this book! A must-read!!!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
fast-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:
Complicated
I love Gail's writing so much. This was beautifully done, 14 year olds that sound like it in a good way, nothing worked out magically for these characters, and they have to work together to achieve their goals.
Something about this held me back from a 5 star. It might have just been that this is book 1, so there is world building for book 2
Something about this held me back from a 5 star. It might have just been that this is book 1, so there is world building for book 2
I throughly enjoyed this as it was my first steampunk novel. I wish there was an expansion on the classes
I listened to the audiobook. It was well narrated. The book was humorous. I rate it at a 3.5 and rounded it up to a four. It seemed a little juvenile, but I am planning to read the rest of the series.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-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
Oh Gail Carriger I just love your Victorian England full of steampunk. You make me want to put on a corset and get myself a wiener dog purse!
This is book was totally unexpected. Definitely in a good way. I was expecting more of a focus on the Victorian Era rules for girls and the schooling for assassins but instead I got a LOT more steampunk than I had bargained for. If you don't really like technology or industrial oddity, then this book isn't really for you. The romance was also very low-key to nonexistent. BUT it was adventurous and exciting.
Sophronia is a precocious 14 year old girl with a penchant for trouble. To Sophronia's horror, her mother decides to ship her off to a fancy finishing school....where they learn a different sort of finishing altogether. Honestly, I thought it would be more of a boarding school type book, rather than...strange floating machinery in the air, with vampires and werewolves. I also thought there would be more of a focus on Sophronia getting her unusual education, but instead there was the strange mystery of an odd little secret package.
The focus wasn't on what I was expecting, and certain things got smudgy and confusing...but the points of the novel that were supposed to be good were REALLY good. For one, Sophronia was hilarious, outgoing, courageous, and fair. She was an enjoyable main character. The third person threw me off for a bit because I've gotten so used to first person but it flowed well and was descriptive. The way history and technology mesh in steampunk always fascinates me because authors always do it so differently!
Overall, it lacked in some elements, but it was original and funny. It mixed a lot of genres and wasn't a long, tedious read. It isn't the regular espionage spy-book/romance genre but it sure was fun!
Sophronia is a precocious 14 year old girl with a penchant for trouble. To Sophronia's horror, her mother decides to ship her off to a fancy finishing school....where they learn a different sort of finishing altogether. Honestly, I thought it would be more of a boarding school type book, rather than...strange floating machinery in the air, with vampires and werewolves. I also thought there would be more of a focus on Sophronia getting her unusual education, but instead there was the strange mystery of an odd little secret package.
The focus wasn't on what I was expecting, and certain things got smudgy and confusing...but the points of the novel that were supposed to be good were REALLY good. For one, Sophronia was hilarious, outgoing, courageous, and fair. She was an enjoyable main character. The third person threw me off for a bit because I've gotten so used to first person but it flowed well and was descriptive. The way history and technology mesh in steampunk always fascinates me because authors always do it so differently!
Overall, it lacked in some elements, but it was original and funny. It mixed a lot of genres and wasn't a long, tedious read. It isn't the regular espionage spy-book/romance genre but it sure was fun!
Finishing school that is actually a training ground for intelligencers, in a dirigible in steampunk London. Fun, fun, fun. This was an audio book with a good narrator, too.