Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate)

I was lucky enough to recieve this review copy. What a lovely little entertainment. Don't mistake it for your typical paranormal crap. It is far more literate than Twilight, and a lot more fun. It could have easily been an ugly pastiche of freaky female detective, mad scientist pulp fiction, paranormal romance, alternate history, and well, Jane Austen...but it is not, and well worth the...more

I was lucky enough to recieve this review copy. What a lovely little entertainment. Don't mistake it for your typical paranormal crap. It is far more literate than Twilight, and a lot more fun. It could have easily been an ugly pastiche of freaky female detective, mad scientist pulp fiction, paranormal romance, alternate history, and well, Jane Austen...but it is not, and well worth the trip. Thank you Miss Carriger for giving me something delicious but not overdone to read as the last book of summer. The rest of you--I am not loaning my copy out. It goes on sale October 1 in paperback for $7.99. Miss Carriger--hurry up with the next volume, Changeless. I can hardly wait!   hide

Was really fun, fast-paced and a bit different, very matter-of-fact heroine who liked cakes and wasn't afraid to mess up her outfit (if really nec) to despatch an overly friendly vampire. A top read, much funnier and more individual than I'd expected, with steampunk elements which added but did not overpower.

It took me awhile to get into this book, almost like the author wasn't quite sure how to introduce the readers to everything. After the first couple of chapters, though, everything smoothed out and I found myself liking the characters and enjoying a new and interesting take on werewolves, vampires, and an alternate world. It is a romance book, but luckily any romance actually fit into the...more

It took me awhile to get into this book, almost like the author wasn't quite sure how to introduce the readers to everything. After the first couple of chapters, though, everything smoothed out and I found myself liking the characters and enjoying a new and interesting take on werewolves, vampires, and an alternate world. It is a romance book, but luckily any romance actually fit into the storyline, which made it a more enjoyable read. Will definitely be buying the next one.   hide

Very fun and lighthearted read, think twilight (although haven't read these) only a little more grown up and not as self involved. Loved the Ivy character with all her outrageous hats, and of course the lusty wear-wolfs. On to the next one!

If you are like me, you are tired of supernatural romance being shoved down your throat, this is the exception. It is a comic story following Alexia Tarabotti on her misadventures with a steampunk backdrop and vampires and werewolves to boot. The romance only makes the story that much better and doesn't depend on the intimate scenes to motivate the reader to turn the page. I love it and can't...more

If you are like me, you are tired of supernatural romance being shoved down your throat, this is the exception. It is a comic story following Alexia Tarabotti on her misadventures with a steampunk backdrop and vampires and werewolves to boot. The romance only makes the story that much better and doesn't depend on the intimate scenes to motivate the reader to turn the page. I love it and can't wait to read the next one!   hide

I really enjoyed this book. I cruised through the whole thing today. Gail Carriger's writing is reminiscent of Katie Macalister. I love the characters in this book from Alexia, our heroine, who is apparently the antidote to supernaturals like vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. Her touch is able to turn them mortal for as long as she touches them. Alexia gets thrown together with London's werewolf...more

I really enjoyed this book. I cruised through the whole thing today. Gail Carriger's writing is reminiscent of Katie Macalister. I love the characters in this book from Alexia, our heroine, who is apparently the antidote to supernaturals like vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. Her touch is able to turn them mortal for as long as she touches them. Alexia gets thrown together with London's werewolf alpha, Lord Maccon. She is also friends with a rove vampire, who is very entertaining, yet also cunning. The book combines alternate history, a hint of steam punk, and urban fantasy in an entertaining Victorian era package. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!   hide

Soulless was good and I'm looking forward to Changeless, but...well, I'll just say it didn't quite live up to my hopes. The worldbuilding definitely goes into the plus column, working supernatural beings into society in a fantastic way... I've never seen an urban fantasy do before, and I'm eager to see a number of the characters again, especially Conall Maccon and Prof. Lyall....more

Soulless was good and I'm looking forward to Changeless, but...well, I'll just say it didn't quite live up to my hopes. The worldbuilding definitely goes into the plus column, working supernatural beings into society in a fantastic way... I've never seen an urban fantasy do before, and I'm eager to see a number of the characters again, especially Conall Maccon and Prof. Lyall. There's also a good deal of bickering between Alexia and Maccon that's fun to read. I did find the romance-novel content a bit of a surprise--I wouldn't call it adult content per se, because it never gets *quite* explicit, but there's still a lot than I had any indication there would be, to the point that I'd almost be inclined to shelve it under paranormal romance. Bigger issues, though: Alexia is a strong enough character to carry this series, but she's somehow both presented as such and also not allowed to be. We're *told* far more than *shown* what she's like and how strongminded etc. she is. Much of the dialogue is the same way, in that we're told that a character was confused when it's already obvious from what she said, or a speech tag is used in a self-conscious way that jars you just a bit, reminding you that there's An Author writing here. Other elements feel a little affected in the same way, trying for biting wit or Victorian sensibilities and not *quite* getting there. Being jerked out of the story by odd things like that was always a disappointment, because I really *wanted* to like it--I just couldn't quite get lost in the story, because the writing style wouldn't let me. That's too bad, because I love the concept and think Gail Carriger seems like an awesome person, just from looking around her blog & website. Good thing is, I think these are probably marks of a first novel, all things that can be improved with a little more security in one's ability to write. The characters and story here are plenty good enough to stand on their own. They just need to be trusted to do so.   hide

A tad to far on the "romance scale" for my usual tastes, this is nonetheless an enjoyable take on the supernatural/Steampunk genre, and has some good ideas. Carriger's use of language is entertaining, she manages to line up quite a few quotable quotes. Additionally she makes the whole werewolf/vampire/"powered human" work and gives them enough twists so you don't feel like you're reading a...more

A tad to far on the "romance scale" for my usual tastes, this is nonetheless an enjoyable take on the supernatural/Steampunk genre, and has some good ideas. Carriger's use of language is entertaining, she manages to line up quite a few quotable quotes. Additionally she makes the whole werewolf/vampire/"powered human" work and gives them enough twists so you don't feel like you're reading a Victorian Twilight. Plus Alexia Tarabotti is an interesting character, a very unwallflowerish female protagonist, and all the better for it.   hide

Alexia Tarabotti is not like other girls, she's old, twenty-six actually, and plain with a large nose and tan skin, but being half Italian she can help neither the nose nor the tan. All of this is undesirable enough without being outspoken and assertive; it's no wonder that she is a soulless spinster. All Alexia wanted was a quite place to be alone to enjoy some tea and treacle tart without...more

Alexia Tarabotti is not like other girls, she's old, twenty-six actually, and plain with a large nose and tan skin, but being half Italian she can help neither the nose nor the tan. All of this is undesirable enough without being outspoken and assertive; it's no wonder that she is a soulless spinster. All Alexia wanted was a quite place to be alone to enjoy some tea and treacle tart without being harassed, accosted or annoyed in any way. However she suffered the height of rudeness when a rogue vampire not only tried to bite her but sat in her treacle tart without even the manners to intrude himself first. Well what choice did she have but to kill the insufferable fellow, besides with that badly tied cravat and cheep shirt the vampire was practically asking for it. Lord Maccon, werewolf and head of the BUR, would gladly liked to have seen an end to the whole messy affair were it not the beginnings of a dangerous and attractive mystery. Soulless gives a Victorian twist to the vampire/werewolf genre that is highly creative and utterly hilarious. Traversing the dangers of social etiquette, scientific advancements, rituals in courtship and an unknown danger that is putting all at risk, Alexia is able to keep her dignity, for the most part, but her reputation may be shot. A daringly delightful detective story that is deliciously satisfying.   hide