27 February, 2014

Review: Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1) by Gail Carriger

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Goodreads Summary:

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Review:


Series: Parasol Protectorate #1
Release Date: October 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Purchase: Amazon
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 
Review Written: 27 February, 2014



I'll admit I started this book back during the summer of 2013, and after a long struggle, I could barely manage to do more than read about halfway through the book before I got distracted by other things. I read most of this book on a trip down to my new home while we were apartment hunting. 

Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster stuck in a society that seems destined to keep women out of science and out of BUR, the Bureau of Unnatural Registry. If it weren't enough of an injustice to be stuck in a social loop of parties that only half border on a good time, Alexia finds herself in the most precarious situation after an unfortunate mishap at one such party. Having deemed the main party too dull and lacking in sufficient food, Miss Tarabotti retreats to the library in hopes of enjoying a nice cart of food and a good book. Instead she finds herself the victim of a vampire attack, a most preposterous thing as Miss Tarabotti's lack of a soul cancels out others supernatural abilities. 

From there, things only become more complicated when Lord Maccon, chief of the sundown half of BUR, shows up to investigate and finds himself with a dead vampire. Coupled with a new club of the most scientific order opening next to a very horrified Lady, Alexia's life goes from mind-numbingly dull to overwhelmingly exciting as she finds herself the prime subject in a string of rogue vampire appearances and disappearances within London. Add on a romantic affair with the most eligible Werewolf bachelor, a one Lord Maccon, and one simply finds it hard to resist everything that's happening.

Miss Carriger is a wonderful author, her book was full of witty banter, captivating characters, and enough romance that was sufficiently detailed to seem plausible. Enough so, that I managed to read the entire book in a day. The grammar was clean, the chapters were sufficiently separated, and it was most enjoyable to read. I'm just looking for a way to get my hands on the next installment of the series, Blameless.

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