Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Fun. But after the ending, not sure where series going.
Loved the mystery (even if I figured out all the twists well before the characters) but the ending!!!
This time around Carriger is channeling Agatha Christie with a story about some mysterious force that turns off supernatural abilities, making werewolves and vampires mortal again, and permanently banishing ghosts. This is a so-so entry because the result of the whodunnit was telegraphed too early, so I just kept waiting and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Why hello Miss Obvious Red Herring, won’t you join our story already in progress? The ending left a lot to be desired, too, as it stops just as two characters start to fight about a thing () that had also been obvious from very early one.
When you have a main character whose abilities negates supernatural powers in individuals and a powerful force that does the same over a large area, you can’t complain that something is impossible due to the fact one of the participants is a supernatural being. You’ve just spent half the book NOT being supernatural, ya git, so why would you freak out over something that doesn’t apply in this situation?
It’s a shame, because the writing in the first book is so good, but mysteries tend to expose an author’s flaws, particularly lapses in consistency and plotting, which happens here.
Spoiler
Alexia is pregnantWhen you have a main character whose abilities negates supernatural powers in individuals and a powerful force that does the same over a large area, you can’t complain that something is impossible due to the fact one of the participants is a supernatural being. You’ve just spent half the book NOT being supernatural, ya git, so why would you freak out over something that doesn’t apply in this situation?
It’s a shame, because the writing in the first book is so good, but mysteries tend to expose an author’s flaws, particularly lapses in consistency and plotting, which happens here.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed the first book (it dragged in far too many parts). But there's no denying the hilarious wit and charm of Alexia, and impossible situations she gets herself in. And that ending! I need the next book, NOW!
This book was over descriptive and highly uneventful. A complete bore! In the end I wanted to kill one of the main characters myself.
Ok this was a strange book for me. I've read the first one and even that sat at three stars and I wondered why I didn't mark it higher.
After finishing the book I sat and began contemplating on why it was OK and not good.
I mean it has a rather forward thinking female with an intresting ability. The Storyline was much more satisfying in this book than the last. It was intresting that there was this 'plague' that was exorcising ghosts and turning Werewolves and vampires human.
Also the new character Madame Lefoux was a nice addition to the books and the little twist hinted through out the book turned out to be true about her and I was left wodering if the author would be bold in future and devolping Alexia's relationship with her further. There were slight hints....
I did enjoy the little love triangle between Ivy, Felicity and Conalls valet. It was funny to watch Ivy try to deny her feelings for Conalls valet, while becoming jealous when Felicity made a move.
And there were some good twists in the story, so why couldn't I bring myself to give it more than three stars????
And then it hit me......
For me the author is trying too be to clever in meshing an Austen novel with a science fiction/Urban fantasy book. It is like the ugly love child of them both and that is why I couldn't award it higher.
Don't get me wrong the author is great at plot development and character development, but seemed to spend so much time trying to show us how it was typically Victorian England and all the pomp and surroundings that the story seems to take forever and an age to actually go anywhere.
It begins to get irritating, at least for me the fact the author has to keep showing us how Alexia is so different from women of her time by having Felicity and Ivy repeat actions we have seen before.
It also kind of annoyed me in her representation of Highland Scotland. Yes, it may be a werewolf highland scotland but still, it just seemed off and was backign up the sterotype of the savage scots with the more civilised English. Again, I can see why but it irritated me.
So, you may ask, Will you still read this series? And my answer is yes. For though I struggle with the authors long road for a short cut writing, I am intrested to see where the latest development in Alexias life will take her. I also want to know more about her family and the hinted at Templar's in this book. So though it was not a loved book, it still warrented me continuing on.
After finishing the book I sat and began contemplating on why it was OK and not good.
I mean it has a rather forward thinking female with an intresting ability. The Storyline was much more satisfying in this book than the last. It was intresting that there was this 'plague' that was exorcising ghosts and turning Werewolves and vampires human.
Also the new character Madame Lefoux was a nice addition to the books and the little twist hinted through out the book turned out to be true about her and I was left wodering if the author would be bold in future and devolping Alexia's relationship with her further. There were slight hints....
I did enjoy the little love triangle between Ivy, Felicity and Conalls valet. It was funny to watch Ivy try to deny her feelings for Conalls valet, while becoming jealous when Felicity made a move.
And there were some good twists in the story, so why couldn't I bring myself to give it more than three stars????
And then it hit me......
For me the author is trying too be to clever in meshing an Austen novel with a science fiction/Urban fantasy book. It is like the ugly love child of them both and that is why I couldn't award it higher.
Don't get me wrong the author is great at plot development and character development, but seemed to spend so much time trying to show us how it was typically Victorian England and all the pomp and surroundings that the story seems to take forever and an age to actually go anywhere.
It begins to get irritating, at least for me the fact the author has to keep showing us how Alexia is so different from women of her time by having Felicity and Ivy repeat actions we have seen before.
It also kind of annoyed me in her representation of Highland Scotland. Yes, it may be a werewolf highland scotland but still, it just seemed off and was backign up the sterotype of the savage scots with the more civilised English. Again, I can see why but it irritated me.
So, you may ask, Will you still read this series? And my answer is yes. For though I struggle with the authors long road for a short cut writing, I am intrested to see where the latest development in Alexias life will take her. I also want to know more about her family and the hinted at Templar's in this book. So though it was not a loved book, it still warrented me continuing on.
Devastated. Absolutely crushed at the end of this book. Must read book three!
4.5 stars!
4.5 stars!
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was cool reading this book right after I read the whole Parasol Protectorate series, as there were mentions of characters several years past when the Parasol Protectorate series happened, so it was nice to read about them again, a glimpse into their futures. The plot was interesting, and not at all predictable--I was surprised up until the very end. Alexia was great, but Dimity is a more likeable batty sidekick than Ivy--she's very flat, so hopefully she has more substance in the future.