Friday, February 17, 2017

Review - Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School, #1)
Series: Finishing School #1 
Genre: Historical Science-Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Purchased
Paperback - 307

Rating 4/5

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia Temminnick is a great trial to her poor mother--her atrocious curtsy is an embarrassment to the family name. So Mrs. Temminnick enrolls her daughter in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies certainly 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.


It is well known at this point; I love Gail Carriger. Her books are fun, fast-paced and full of adventure. This particular series, thus far, is less paranormal centered than the Parasol Protectorate. I'm not complaining though. I enjoyed this first book very very much.

Sophronia was excellent. She was a tad immature at moments, but overall she had great spirit. So much spying, friendship and tea!Carriger celebrates everything feminine and femme fatale in the kickoff to the Finishing School Series.

Toward the beginning the narration style is a little awkward. Compared to PP the writing felt simplified at first, but seemed to get better as the book went on. The witty and snarky were still there, but this story had an element of silliness that didn't fit quite right in a story about the wickedly clever ladies. Just like PP though, this series has a diverse cast of characters as well as a delightful mix of steampunk and history.

Honestly I'm anxious to check out how the girls in this school will grow and change in future books. The foundations of these characters was good. They were a tad flat, but I became quite attached to them during the course of the story.


Overall it was great.

My Last Review - The Queen of the Tearling

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