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brobison's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
blogthatbook's review against another edition
4.0
After reading a sample of this book, just the first chapter, it looked like it would just be a lot of frivolous fun. And I was up for that because sometimes that's just what you need. All these long, overly intense novels can get a little bit wearing after a while, and you need to escape from escapism.
Anyway, I had so much fun with that first chapter I jumped right in and bought all five books in the series. Overly optimistic? Perhaps. But why the hell not? I've noticed that if I'm getting a lot from the prose itself, the actual story isn't that important. Well, to a certain extent of course.
With this first instalment of five, I wasn't disappointed. I got exactly what I was expecting. This book was so much fun. Yes, you may consider it to be aimed at the female gender, but I'll be damned if I'd let something like that spoil my fun. This thing was like a dessert compared to the tough-to-chew main course of so many of the heavy novels out there. Unfortunately, too much dessert is going to get sickly after a while, and Soulless was no exception.
However, that's exactly where the author shows her talent. Approaching the point where I was starting to want something a little more meaty to chew on, Carriger obliges with a timely injection of tension and danger. Coincidentally, this is also the point you discover, without even realising it, just how invested in these characters you've become. Obviously, you have your favourites, as in every book, but each character within these pages makes a place for itself, either in your heart or your mind. This author and her book are a lot cleverer than that first sample chapter led me to believe.
I did encounter one small drawback, and this is possibly just me, but all the character names are a little hard to get your tongue around. Possibly a reflection of the era in which the story is based, but those names are also repeated exhaustively, causing me to pause more than was comfortable. But having said that, it forced me to make a concerted effort to focus on pronouncing those names, correctly or wrongly, and read each occurrence rather than skip over them as usual, getting me over those irritating pauses. Usually, I only bother trying to hold a small number of characters' names in mind, being content with knowing who's speaking without concerning myself with monikers.
Then there's the ending. We build towards it very well, a lot is happening, and the crescendo is developing nicely, except, well, it doesn't. The big ending comes, but you don't notice it. Proceedings seem to just continue and gently run off the boil. It's not exactly an issue, more of a style choice by the author. But when you've got big snarling beasties and bad guys you sort of expect that building thunder to the crashing lightning strike to come just at the end of the chapter so you can catch your breath.
However, those hiccups are minor and mainly pointed out because I'm trying to be fair and informative. This book, and hopefully the rest of the series, is tremendous fun. Go into it with that mindset, and you'll have a blast.
Well, if you've read this entire review you're obviously a glutton for punishment, so why not check me out at Blog That Book for even more?
Anyway, I had so much fun with that first chapter I jumped right in and bought all five books in the series. Overly optimistic? Perhaps. But why the hell not? I've noticed that if I'm getting a lot from the prose itself, the actual story isn't that important. Well, to a certain extent of course.
With this first instalment of five, I wasn't disappointed. I got exactly what I was expecting. This book was so much fun. Yes, you may consider it to be aimed at the female gender, but I'll be damned if I'd let something like that spoil my fun. This thing was like a dessert compared to the tough-to-chew main course of so many of the heavy novels out there. Unfortunately, too much dessert is going to get sickly after a while, and Soulless was no exception.
However, that's exactly where the author shows her talent. Approaching the point where I was starting to want something a little more meaty to chew on, Carriger obliges with a timely injection of tension and danger. Coincidentally, this is also the point you discover, without even realising it, just how invested in these characters you've become. Obviously, you have your favourites, as in every book, but each character within these pages makes a place for itself, either in your heart or your mind. This author and her book are a lot cleverer than that first sample chapter led me to believe.
I did encounter one small drawback, and this is possibly just me, but all the character names are a little hard to get your tongue around. Possibly a reflection of the era in which the story is based, but those names are also repeated exhaustively, causing me to pause more than was comfortable. But having said that, it forced me to make a concerted effort to focus on pronouncing those names, correctly or wrongly, and read each occurrence rather than skip over them as usual, getting me over those irritating pauses. Usually, I only bother trying to hold a small number of characters' names in mind, being content with knowing who's speaking without concerning myself with monikers.
Then there's the ending. We build towards it very well, a lot is happening, and the crescendo is developing nicely, except, well, it doesn't. The big ending comes, but you don't notice it. Proceedings seem to just continue and gently run off the boil. It's not exactly an issue, more of a style choice by the author. But when you've got big snarling beasties and bad guys you sort of expect that building thunder to the crashing lightning strike to come just at the end of the chapter so you can catch your breath.
However, those hiccups are minor and mainly pointed out because I'm trying to be fair and informative. This book, and hopefully the rest of the series, is tremendous fun. Go into it with that mindset, and you'll have a blast.
Well, if you've read this entire review you're obviously a glutton for punishment, so why not check me out at Blog That Book for even more?
lcarr3091's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
laurahappily's review against another edition
1.0
I don't feel right reviewing this book. I read about 150 pages of it before I gave up. I feel 150 pages is an honest go at the book, but it just wasn't for me. Although the narrative was light and humorous, I didn't like the roving perspectives and I couldn't connect with the main character, whose only flaws seemed to be to be too uniquely outspoken and too specially magical and too exotically curvy. Maybe I'll pick it up again at a later date, but for now it's back to the library.
a_eterno's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
3.75
definitely a fun, light read. writing was a bit anachronistic considering the time period it's supposed to reflect, but i don't think it was meant to be that serious. would've been interesting to learn more about what being soulless means in the long run/in general?
nicolerene's review against another edition
4.0
This book really surprised me. I loved the author's writing style, which was completely in tune with the language of the Victorian era. It was witty and suspenseful.
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
3.0
Alexia Tarabotti is one of those people who are more upset because a vampire doesn't care to introduce himself before he attacks her, rather than the fact that she is actually being attacked by that vampire.
She's independent, has a special place in her heart for tea and happens to have a great sense of humour. Miss Alexia is in her mid-twenties and unmarried. She also fights with a parasol.
She is the main character of this book, and a brilliant one at that. It was impossible for me not to fall in love with her personality.
This was the first adult fantasy novel I ever read. And my thoughts on it are very mixed.
On one hand, the writing and the witty character that is Alexia Tarabotti were very lovable.
On the other hand, I often had to put it down because I got sick of it. It took a long while to get into it, not just in the beginning, but every single time I had taken a break from it and started reading again.
The characters were rememberable and I ended up mildly liking nearly all of them.
The only one I found myself annoyed with was lord Maccon.
He'd go straight from fighting with Alexia to passionately exchanging saliva with her. And she would just go along with it and I'd be sitting there with raised eyebrows, thinking ''Oh, come on. Really? Again?''
Then there's lord Akeldama - miss Tarabotti's dear friend who also happens to be a vampire. Let's just say that he's unlike any other paranormal creature you usually see in urban fantasy books. With his colorful clothing and flattering words he is definitely something out of the ordinary.
Sure, he was entertaining and funny, but as with many of the characters in this novel, Akeldama was too much.
This entire book was a little too much for me. I kept forgetting about the plot whenever the intense characters were talking, and got caught up in their conversation.
One of my favorite things about this book is the setting. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and it's also one of the biggest reasons why I was interested in Soulless in the first place.
This book is set in the Victorian era, which is a time period I'm very fond of. And it's well done.
The parasols, the beautiful dresses, the environment. It gives you that perfect feeling as if you actually were in 19th century's London. You know, except for the bloodsucking and howling creatures.
I'm looking forward to reading more adult urban fantasy. Perhaps the sequel to this book will be the next one I pick up.
She's independent, has a special place in her heart for tea and happens to have a great sense of humour. Miss Alexia is in her mid-twenties and unmarried. She also fights with a parasol.
She is the main character of this book, and a brilliant one at that. It was impossible for me not to fall in love with her personality.
This was the first adult fantasy novel I ever read. And my thoughts on it are very mixed.
On one hand, the writing and the witty character that is Alexia Tarabotti were very lovable.
On the other hand, I often had to put it down because I got sick of it. It took a long while to get into it, not just in the beginning, but every single time I had taken a break from it and started reading again.
The characters were rememberable and I ended up mildly liking nearly all of them.
The only one I found myself annoyed with was lord Maccon.
He'd go straight from fighting with Alexia to passionately exchanging saliva with her. And she would just go along with it and I'd be sitting there with raised eyebrows, thinking ''Oh, come on. Really? Again?''
Then there's lord Akeldama - miss Tarabotti's dear friend who also happens to be a vampire. Let's just say that he's unlike any other paranormal creature you usually see in urban fantasy books. With his colorful clothing and flattering words he is definitely something out of the ordinary.
Sure, he was entertaining and funny, but as with many of the characters in this novel, Akeldama was too much.
This entire book was a little too much for me. I kept forgetting about the plot whenever the intense characters were talking, and got caught up in their conversation.
One of my favorite things about this book is the setting. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and it's also one of the biggest reasons why I was interested in Soulless in the first place.
This book is set in the Victorian era, which is a time period I'm very fond of. And it's well done.
The parasols, the beautiful dresses, the environment. It gives you that perfect feeling as if you actually were in 19th century's London. You know, except for the bloodsucking and howling creatures.
I'm looking forward to reading more adult urban fantasy. Perhaps the sequel to this book will be the next one I pick up.
bookishlybeauty's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.25
stepriot's review
That took some effort. Very outside my norm. I've read a bit of Anthony Trollope and I'm pretty sure he has women in their late twenties getting married fairly often. 26 seems a bit premature to be officially a spinster. Then there are widows who remarry all the time. Lady Carberry had grown children before she took a second husband. This book seems to have over simplified the family dynamics. But! This book open my eyes to the destructive powers of the adverb, so I appreciate that.
jettreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25