Title: Etiquette & Espionage
Author: Gail Carriger
Series: 1st
Pages: 320
Published: February 5th 2013
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316190084
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Description: It's one thing to
learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and
throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School. Sophronia
Temminnick at 14 is a great trial more interested in dismantling clocks
and climbing trees than proper manners -- and the family can only hope
that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Her poor mother, desperate
for her daughter to become a proper lady, enrolls the lively tomboy in
Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But
young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the
fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal
out death, diversion, and espionage -- in the politest possible ways, of
course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's
education.
I Give This ...
I Give This ...
I've heard so many good things about the authors adult series. I have most of them sitting on my shelf but have not got around to reading them just yet. When this one came on my radar, I never hesitated to add it to my to read list.
The idea of a spy school disguised as a finishing school was actually a really great idea. I love that they learn how to be a lady in high society and at the same time learn the art of espionage. Who better for the job than the people they least suspect? It really had to potential to be a perfect mix.
I also really liked the characters. Sophronia was humorous and I loved her sense of adventure. She never once shies away from exploring her surroundings. Her curious nature makes her a perfect person for spying in my opinion. She truly sees what is going on around her. She also knows how to manipulate her situation. I also really enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in the story.
Sadly, I think is once again a case of steam punk failing to connect with me. I'm not sure exactly what it is about it, but I'm only about 50/50 when it comes to the enjoying the genre. Mechanical dogs, floating ships, and the likes were just to front and center for me. Add in vampires and werewolves and it just felt like there was too much going on in the story.
I was a tad disappointed in this book. I'm really hoping her other series doesn't follow the same pattern. I have to admit I'm a little leery of it it now.
I haven't read E&E yet, but as far as her other series goes, I believe it does. As far as I know the real difference is the YA is YA and that it takes place 60 years (something like that) before the other one. So if that was what disliked about the YA book, I'd bet you'd have the same issue with the adult one.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting review. I was almost thinking I might enjoy this book but you have given something to think about before I acquire this one.
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