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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Actual rating 3.5---
Awesome concept, lackluster execution. Definitely going to read the next one, though, because the Tess/ Ravencross romance gave me all the squee. :)
Awesome concept, lackluster execution. Definitely going to read the next one, though, because the Tess/ Ravencross romance gave me all the squee. :)
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
So basically if you're looking for a less witty version of Gail Carriger's Finishing School series, this is it. It's an alternative history of Napoleonic Europe. Teenage girls who don't fit in and are Unusual (get it?) are sent by their parents to Emma Stranje (get it x2?)'s finishing school. The parents are convinced that Stranje's torturing ways will reform their Unusual daughters into picture perfect debutantes. Instead, the girls are trained to use what makes them Unusual for the betterment of Europe.
This is Georgie's story and a lot of it is spent with her being confused about what's going on, feeling unloved, and lamenting how weird she is because she likes science. We also meet four other girls at the school (who are each going to have their own book, most likely), and the grumpy, handsome Lord next door, along with a Captain and his roguish, handsome ward. Within four days, previously unlovable Georgie has found love with the roguish, handsome ward, who is also a spy!
So there are things to like about the book: the girls don't fight over the men, which, awesome. Good too is the fact that between themselves there isn't much in the way of fighting--they bicker a little bit, but for the most part the girls get along really well and support each other. I really enjoyed Etiquette and Espionage and I do like the idea of subverting finishing schools. There seems to be some magic involved with the other girls, and I'm curious about that.
Now what isn't as great: Georgie's lamenting about how terrible things are gets grating. I'm never a fan of falling in love with someone after knowing them for four days, and that happened here. I felt like the other girls weren't as developed, but hopefully that'll change if the next books are in their perspectives. And then there's the whole premise of the book--girls are sent to finishing school against their will, but it turns out not to be a finishing school but instead a school to train them in the art of espionage...which they don't really seem to get a choice as to whether or not they can be involved. Georgie is left in the dark for a good majority of the book, and I felt like she chose to help because of a man. To me, that swings a huge blow at the (presumably) feminist appeal this was supposed to have.
So overall, this was fine. I would read the second book because it doesn't seem to be in Georgie's perspective.
So basically if you're looking for a less witty version of Gail Carriger's Finishing School series, this is it. It's an alternative history of Napoleonic Europe. Teenage girls who don't fit in and are Unusual (get it?) are sent by their parents to Emma Stranje (get it x2?)'s finishing school. The parents are convinced that Stranje's torturing ways will reform their Unusual daughters into picture perfect debutantes. Instead, the girls are trained to use what makes them Unusual for the betterment of Europe.
This is Georgie's story and a lot of it is spent with her being confused about what's going on, feeling unloved, and lamenting how weird she is because she likes science. We also meet four other girls at the school (who are each going to have their own book, most likely), and the grumpy, handsome Lord next door, along with a Captain and his roguish, handsome ward. Within four days, previously unlovable Georgie has found love with the roguish, handsome ward, who is also a spy!
So there are things to like about the book: the girls don't fight over the men, which, awesome. Good too is the fact that between themselves there isn't much in the way of fighting--they bicker a little bit, but for the most part the girls get along really well and support each other. I really enjoyed Etiquette and Espionage and I do like the idea of subverting finishing schools. There seems to be some magic involved with the other girls, and I'm curious about that.
Now what isn't as great: Georgie's lamenting about how terrible things are gets grating. I'm never a fan of falling in love with someone after knowing them for four days, and that happened here. I felt like the other girls weren't as developed, but hopefully that'll change if the next books are in their perspectives. And then there's the whole premise of the book--girls are sent to finishing school against their will, but it turns out not to be a finishing school but instead a school to train them in the art of espionage...which they don't really seem to get a choice as to whether or not they can be involved. Georgie is left in the dark for a good majority of the book, and I felt like she chose to help because of a man. To me, that swings a huge blow at the (presumably) feminist appeal this was supposed to have.
So overall, this was fine. I would read the second book because it doesn't seem to be in Georgie's perspective.
This book went from a five star to a three star very fast.
I had two major problems with this book.
1) The romance. There was no build up for the romance. Georgie went from hating Sebastian to loving him and freaking out about everything he did. If the author had a better build up to the romance it would have felt more realistic and more accurate. Instead, it was awkward and confusing.
2)The end. If I had been writing this book I would have ended it when Sebastian fell out of the window leaving the reader in suspense and aching for the next book which could have started with them sailing to Calais. However because Baldwin continued the story, the book felt like it was being dragged out and I lost all motivation to read it and I now no longer want to continue the series.
Personally I would steer clear of this book. It has potential but I did NOT like the way it was executed. Although it has a cute story line the characters were definitely lacking development and certain traits were confusing like Tess's dreams and Maya's voice. Honestly my favorite part of this book was the romance between Miss Stranje and Captain Grey. That all being said, this book is a waste of time and I wouldn't read it, especially if you're looking for great characters and quality writing. (As a side note, the cover is pretty but the girl's hair isn't red like Baldwin is always describing. Maybe that is supposed to be one of the other girls? A minor detail but it bothered me.)
I had two major problems with this book.
1) The romance. There was no build up for the romance. Georgie went from hating Sebastian to loving him and freaking out about everything he did. If the author had a better build up to the romance it would have felt more realistic and more accurate. Instead, it was awkward and confusing.
2)The end. If I had been writing this book I would have ended it when Sebastian fell out of the window leaving the reader in suspense and aching for the next book which could have started with them sailing to Calais. However because Baldwin continued the story, the book felt like it was being dragged out and I lost all motivation to read it and I now no longer want to continue the series.
Personally I would steer clear of this book. It has potential but I did NOT like the way it was executed. Although it has a cute story line the characters were definitely lacking development and certain traits were confusing like Tess's dreams and Maya's voice. Honestly my favorite part of this book was the romance between Miss Stranje and Captain Grey. That all being said, this book is a waste of time and I wouldn't read it, especially if you're looking for great characters and quality writing. (As a side note, the cover is pretty but the girl's hair isn't red like Baldwin is always describing. Maybe that is supposed to be one of the other girls? A minor detail but it bothered me.)
I wish this kind of school existed, I know I would be in it in a snap.
It was okay. I liked the concept, but for some reason never really got into it. It just seemed to drag.
I enjoyed reading this book, but I wanted to like it more than I did. The core story is good: girl is misunderstood by parents, girl finds place that appreciates her, girl uses science to save the world country, girl saves boy. There was just too much thrown in, though, leaving the side characters not fully fleshed out and the plot threads leading into the sequels distracting rather than intriguing.
One of my pet peeves in stories is when a character is talked up as so very smart, then the writer leads the audience to understand things long before the character figures it out. Georgie (and really, Georgiana Fitzwilliam as a character name in a regency book?) doesn't take that long in-universe to sort things out, but from the audience perspective she takes forever to understand what's happening around her. It left the pacing of the book feeling off and dragging for the first half.
Would I recommend? Probably not to buy, but maybe to take out from the library.
One of my pet peeves in stories is when a character is talked up as so very smart, then the writer leads the audience to understand things long before the character figures it out. Georgie (and really, Georgiana Fitzwilliam as a character name in a regency book?) doesn't take that long in-universe to sort things out, but from the audience perspective she takes forever to understand what's happening around her. It left the pacing of the book feeling off and dragging for the first half.
Would I recommend? Probably not to buy, but maybe to take out from the library.
I couldn't get enough of this historical/suspense/romance story. The main character, Georgiana, is whisked away from her home in 19th century England to be left at Stranje house, a reform school for unusual girls. Her parents feel confident that the school can transform Georgie into an acceptable lady of society after they view the school's torture chamber. Georgie was born with a scientist's brain and a thirst to find out "what if." She wouldn't play the game to be a perfect, meek lady, so now she must pay the price...or does she? This story has many twists, turns, and excitement. I think students will love it!
The premise was good, but the execution was somewhat lacking. Georgiana Fitzwilliam (points off for stealing Austen character names, btw) kept knowing things that a Regency 16-year-old would never have known -- like seeing at a glance that Calais was smaller than London, despite never having traveled to either, and instantly comprehending all sorts of political details about the Napoleonic situation, despite never being allowed to talk about the war with her parents.
The author couldn't decide on Georgiana's narrative voice. Sometimes it sounded like she was describing things present tense, as they happened, but then she'd throw in an "as I learned later," and it turned into a past tense narration of things that previously happened.
The author couldn't decide on Georgiana's narrative voice. Sometimes it sounded like she was describing things present tense, as they happened, but then she'd throw in an "as I learned later," and it turned into a past tense narration of things that previously happened.