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A review by tani
Blameless by Gail Carriger
4.0
I listened to this one, and the narration by Emily Gray was just as good the second time around. It really helps me to hear all the clever lines, rather than reading them. Some humor is just better heard. I really recommend the audio format.
I had a few mixed feelings about this one. After the huge cliffhanger ending of book 2, of course I had to continue on with the story immediately, which is a rare phenomenon for me. I really enjoyed Alexia's emotional journey in this book, both regarding the value that her relationship with Conall holds, and regarding her adjustment to life's latest curveball. However, Conall's actions throughout this book did not impress me in the slightest. What a manbaby! I think he had a right to be upset, but I also think that he took it way too far. When people who are only marginally involved in the relationship can see the character of your wife better than you, it's a real problem. I also shared the opinion of others that things were just resolved too easily.I know that Alexia's soulless status makes her more practical in terms of emotions, but Carriger did a great job of conveying her hurt, so I'm not sure why she couldn't have made forgiveness more of a process. I can't imagine forgiving my husband so easily for hurting me so much, and the two of us live a largely drama-free existence. I think that perhaps Carriger just struggles with purely emotional arcs, as I remember that the first book in the series was not as enjoyable for me, partially because I wasn't convinced by the romance. She's fine when she can weave it in with action, but making it the main focus just isn't her forte, it seems.
Beyond that, I thought the book flowed really well. I really enjoyed the parts that featured Professor Lyall, as well as the whole subplot around Biffy and Lord Akeldama. I am actually fairly excited to see how things shake out with them in the remainder of the series. I also had a good time with Alexia's travels (and travails). I will admit, I would have liked more depth from the Templar. For such an ancient organization with so much scholarly focus, I felt like they were fairly one dimensional in their approach to everything.
I think that the biggest tease for me was learning what we did about Alexia's father. I hadn't really thought much about him before, but the hints that this book gave were more than enough to make me interested in learning much more about him. Judging by the summary of the next book, I believe I will get my wish granted, which is heartening.
I'm definitely glad that I picked this series back up. I don't think it will ever be a favorite of mine, but it's definitely become a fun way to pass the time.
I had a few mixed feelings about this one. After the huge cliffhanger ending of book 2, of course I had to continue on with the story immediately, which is a rare phenomenon for me. I really enjoyed Alexia's emotional journey in this book, both regarding the value that her relationship with Conall holds, and regarding her adjustment to life's latest curveball. However, Conall's actions throughout this book did not impress me in the slightest. What a manbaby! I think he had a right to be upset, but I also think that he took it way too far. When people who are only marginally involved in the relationship can see the character of your wife better than you, it's a real problem. I also shared the opinion of others that things were just resolved too easily.
Beyond that, I thought the book flowed really well. I really enjoyed the parts that featured Professor Lyall, as well as the whole subplot around Biffy and Lord Akeldama. I am actually fairly excited to see how things shake out with them in the remainder of the series. I also had a good time with Alexia's travels (and travails). I will admit, I would have liked more depth from the Templar. For such an ancient organization with so much scholarly focus, I felt like they were fairly one dimensional in their approach to everything.
I think that the biggest tease for me was learning what we did about Alexia's father. I hadn't really thought much about him before, but the hints that this book gave were more than enough to make me interested in learning much more about him. Judging by the summary of the next book, I believe I will get my wish granted, which is heartening.
I'm definitely glad that I picked this series back up. I don't think it will ever be a favorite of mine, but it's definitely become a fun way to pass the time.