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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I enjoyed reading this, but it has its glaring flaws. I liked how it got more ridiculous as the book went on, though.
I read several reviews that said that the language bothered them but it really didn't bother me even though it was undoubtedly inappropriate for the time period. The thing is though that since it is steampunk I view it as an alternative reality where language could have evolved differently. I thought all three heroines were strong and independent and since there was no love triangle all was good.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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:
No
Review to come when I get the chance. I finally, finally, FINALLY finished this book - against all odds. It had some good moments and I enjoyed parts of it, but I'll admit there were also times when I struggled to get through it.
Three girls work together to save the world in a steampunk London in 1900. Cora is the assistant to an inventor, Nellie is a magician's assistant and Michiko is the assistant to a self defense instructor. Cora and Nellie like their bosses and Michiko doesn't. They meet by chance and realize they each have special skills which, when combined will solve the problem facing London. This is fast paced, light-hearted adventure.
The main problem I had with this book is that the girls use current slang. They don't seem to be part of the time at all. And if you are looking for a lot of steampunk machines, look at the Leviathan series by Westerfeld. Machines are mentioned here, but not in great detail for the most part. Other than that this is a quick read with lots of empowered girls.
The main problem I had with this book is that the girls use current slang. They don't seem to be part of the time at all. And if you are looking for a lot of steampunk machines, look at the Leviathan series by Westerfeld. Machines are mentioned here, but not in great detail for the most part. Other than that this is a quick read with lots of empowered girls.
A fun story, but the very modern language was continually jarring me out of the historical setting.
This book was a fun read. It is probably geared toward teenage girls, but I enjoyed it tremendously. The setting is steampunk London (of course). Three girls from different backgrounds are brought together by a party that ends (for them at least) with a murder and theft of a rare element. They take it upon themselves to investigate, as well as investigate the mystery of who is killing Covent Garden flower girls.
Cora is an assistant to Lord White, a wealthy inventor of all sorts of gadgets. Cora has an engineering mind, she can build anything, as well as design her own devices. Nellie is an assistant to the Great Raheem, a famous magician - she has a knack for flash cubes, illusions, and climbing. Michiko is a Japanese immigrant, back in Japan she had wanted to be a Samurai, something that was forbidden to girls. However she had still studied the samurai way and was very good with weapons. She was brought to the country by Callum, who saw in her a way to boost his business of teaching sword fighting to the wealthy.
I liked the relationship the girls developed with each other - how despite their differences in backgrounds they met and became friends while solving the mystery. They are all powerful, strong women, and although they are assistants to men (this is Victorian England after all) that doesn't define them - the men may have given them an opportunity for a better life, but the women all grabbed that chance with both hands and made the best of it.
Cora is an assistant to Lord White, a wealthy inventor of all sorts of gadgets. Cora has an engineering mind, she can build anything, as well as design her own devices. Nellie is an assistant to the Great Raheem, a famous magician - she has a knack for flash cubes, illusions, and climbing. Michiko is a Japanese immigrant, back in Japan she had wanted to be a Samurai, something that was forbidden to girls. However she had still studied the samurai way and was very good with weapons. She was brought to the country by Callum, who saw in her a way to boost his business of teaching sword fighting to the wealthy.
I liked the relationship the girls developed with each other - how despite their differences in backgrounds they met and became friends while solving the mystery. They are all powerful, strong women, and although they are assistants to men (this is Victorian England after all) that doesn't define them - the men may have given them an opportunity for a better life, but the women all grabbed that chance with both hands and made the best of it.
"And then there was an explosion.
It was loud. It was bright. It was very explosion-y."
Those are the first lines of the book. Seriously, it starts with an explosion, how can you not read the book now?
Three badass girls trying to solve a mystery, that's total girl power right there. What I liked about this was that the tone wasn't so serious. That's sometimes a problem I have with mystery novels, they get too serious that it turns into a snorefest. But not this one, the dialogues are sometimes silly, I just had to laugh. And the girls have different personalities, I think my favorite would be Michiko with her one-word answers and calm personality. But for the life of me, my brain can't imagine them as 17-year olds, I always imagine them as older.
The downside is, the plot was too predictable. I love mystery novels with a mindforking twist, and unfortunately, this didn't have one. When the identity of The Fog was revealed, it was a bit anticlimactic. I admit, I didn't expect it, but it wasn't a mindblowing surprise, either.
All in all, The Friday Society was an amusing read but too predictable. So I don't think I'm going to read the sequel anymore.
If you like your steampunk fun and with a feminist edge, then The Friday Society might just be for you. Focusing on three very different girls who find themselves thrown together to take down a villainous plot in turn of the century London, The Friday Society is a nice mixture of lovable characters, fun action, with admittedly a rather unmemorable plot.
My favorite part of The Friday Society would have to be the three main characters. Although they have a lot in common (three exceptional teenage girls, plucked from a very different life by a strange man), in the end their personalities do a great job of setting them apart. Some of my favorite chapters of the book were simply watching them interact and observe each other. The book moves along at a swift pace, with rarely a dull moment. There's also a nice romantic side plot I very much enjoyed.
Granted, The Friday Society, is not a perfect book. As mentioned above, I felt as if the actual storyline, which feels like a superhero origin story, isn't really anything special. Also, the characters all speak in a very modern style, including contemporary vernacular, which took a while for me to get used to in a historical setting. I kind of wish that Kress had either kept the discourse more period accurate, or had chosen to set it in an alternate world where she had more freedom to play around with the setting.
The Friday Society is an entertaining book that should appeal to fans of Jim C. Hines's Princess books. It reads like the start to a series, although a sequel has not been publishes since this was released a couple years back. If Kress ever decides to release one, I'd be happy to read it.
My favorite part of The Friday Society would have to be the three main characters. Although they have a lot in common (three exceptional teenage girls, plucked from a very different life by a strange man), in the end their personalities do a great job of setting them apart. Some of my favorite chapters of the book were simply watching them interact and observe each other. The book moves along at a swift pace, with rarely a dull moment. There's also a nice romantic side plot I very much enjoyed.
Granted, The Friday Society, is not a perfect book. As mentioned above, I felt as if the actual storyline, which feels like a superhero origin story, isn't really anything special. Also, the characters all speak in a very modern style, including contemporary vernacular, which took a while for me to get used to in a historical setting. I kind of wish that Kress had either kept the discourse more period accurate, or had chosen to set it in an alternate world where she had more freedom to play around with the setting.
The Friday Society is an entertaining book that should appeal to fans of Jim C. Hines's Princess books. It reads like the start to a series, although a sequel has not been publishes since this was released a couple years back. If Kress ever decides to release one, I'd be happy to read it.
This book has a strong beginning, and great characters. While I did find some parts to be slow and a little boring, overall I did enjoy the book.