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timinbc's review
3.0
Could have been much better.
First, the carelessly-drawn side characters. Bumbersnoot seems to vary in size and capability. One minute he's a purse, the next minute they're hiding large things inside him. Braithwope is ridiculous, even if he is in some kind of Witness Protection. Sophronia's mother is silly beyond satire. Dimity is appalling.
Sophronia and Sidheag are OK. Soap is annoyingly perfect, and thus what has to happen to him is celar from about page 20, only the details remain to be sorted. Felix is just as annoying; I'm sure he was meant to be torn between being basically decent and being his father's son, but it just didn't work for me. Maybe Gail will bring him back after he sorts out what he wants to be - he has potential.
The dressing-up-as-boys thing that never fails is getting really tired. No particular fault to this book, it's just that I keep seeing it lately.
And next book, can we please have Sophronia try something and have it not work? She's turning into bleeping Batman with her gadgets and leaps and jumps.
+1 for working in Sidheag's storyline from the other series.
All in all, though, this is not where I'd hoped the series would go after the first two books.
There's some good setup here for the next, so maybe there's hope. A more experienced Sophronia, perhaps free of the sticky complications of Young Love; maybe she'll show us more of her cleverness and less Batmanning.
And can we have some more Genevieve, please?
First, the carelessly-drawn side characters. Bumbersnoot seems to vary in size and capability. One minute he's a purse, the next minute they're hiding large things inside him. Braithwope is ridiculous, even if he is in some kind of Witness Protection. Sophronia's mother is silly beyond satire. Dimity is appalling.
Sophronia and Sidheag are OK. Soap is annoyingly perfect, and thus what has to happen to him is celar from about page 20, only the details remain to be sorted. Felix is just as annoying; I'm sure he was meant to be torn between being basically decent and being his father's son, but it just didn't work for me. Maybe Gail will bring him back after he sorts out what he wants to be - he has potential.
The dressing-up-as-boys thing that never fails is getting really tired. No particular fault to this book, it's just that I keep seeing it lately.
And next book, can we please have Sophronia try something and have it not work? She's turning into bleeping Batman with her gadgets and leaps and jumps.
+1 for working in Sidheag's storyline from the other series.
All in all, though, this is not where I'd hoped the series would go after the first two books.
There's some good setup here for the next, so maybe there's hope. A more experienced Sophronia, perhaps free of the sticky complications of Young Love; maybe she'll show us more of her cleverness and less Batmanning.
And can we have some more Genevieve, please?
sklus's review
5.0
Short and without a solid plot, but I will read literally anything by Gail Carriger and love it. So good.
kathydavie's review
Third in the Finishing School steampunk series for young adults and revolving around Sophronia Temminnick and her friends and takes place in January 1853. This is a prequel series that takes place twenty-five years before Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate.
My Take
Carriger does enjoy poking fun at Victorian society and goes in-depth to explore sex education, ahem, in terms of seduction. It also gets a bit nasty with Sophronia discovering some unsavory aspects to her thinking when Soap makes some overtures. The kids are growing up. It certainly makes me grateful for America's relatively "class-less" society.
Carriger cracked me up with the *eyebrow waggle* seduction scene in the cart, lol.
I did appreciate getting a back history on why a Lady Kingair is in charge of the Kingair Pack in The Parasol Protectorate.
What-ho! The prototype from Etiquette & Espionage, 1, plays a part in this.
I LOVE that Dimity speaks up for Soap and admires his skin color! Sophronia is rather surprised as well, lol.
It's well worth reading, if only for all the laughs…and the massive changes that occur in everyone's lives.
The Story
Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style—with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland.
No one suspected what — or who — they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Certainly not a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos, and Sophronia must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Sophronia Temminnick is an excellent student in the finishing arts of espionage. Bumbersnoot is her coal-eating mechanimal, her pet metal dog.
The guilelessly crafty Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott; the stoic and Scottish Sidheag Maccon, Lady Kingair; and, the always trying Agatha Woosmoss are Sophronia's particular friends, although Soap refers to the ladies as Sophronia's "projects".
Soap, a.k.a., Phineas, is one of the sooties in engineering and a great (illicit) friend of Sophronia's and Sidheag's. Seems he has a particular ambition with which Sophronia doesn't agree.
Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is…
…a cover for a floating dirigible spy school for young ladies. Professor Aloysius Braithwope is a vampire who teaches vampire politics, using fashion to kill or confuse, and interacting with government, high society, and curling tongs. Sister Mattie Herschel-Teape teaches household management including medicinal cures and poisoning. Lady Linette de Limmone holds the real power. Professor Beatrice Lefoux teaches deadly gadgetry, high-impact weaponry, and infiltrating academia. Mademoiselle Geraldine may be the official headmistress, but she's clueless as to her school's true purpose, so her lessons in finishing truly are the real thing. Captain Niall is a werewolf and handles self-defense and weapons training.
Other students include Miss Preshea Buss who has taken on Monique's old role of resident nasty. Frenetta is her roommate.
Bunson and Lacroix's Boys' Polytechnique is…
…the boys' school version and encourages the boys to become villains. Lord Felix Golborne, Viscount Mersey, is the son and heir of a duke and a member in bad standing with the Pistons. He is also attracted to Sophronia. Vieve is Professor Lefoux's inventor niece masquerading as a boy in order to attend. The very nice and inventive Pillover, a.k.a., Pustule, is Dimity's younger brother. Lord Dingleproops also has Pickleman leanings.
The Duke of Golborne is, unfortunately, a Pickleman besides being Felix's father. The too-tense Shaggy and Stubby are "flywaymen".
The ball…
…celebrates Ephraim Temminnick's engagement (he's the oldest son and Sophronia's brother). The rest of Sophronia's siblings include Nigella (she's married to Dr. Chillingsrymple) and Octavia as the oldest children, then Ephraim, Gresham's at Oxford, her sister Petunia is liable to set her cap at Felix, and Humphrey and Hudibras are the youngest boys. Roger is a stable hand. Frowbritcher is the mechanical butler. Mrs. Barnaclegoose is a dear friend of Mrs. Temminnick — and the reason Sophronia is at Mademoiselle Geraldine's school.
Lord Akeldama, a vampire dandy, has been "wooing" Sophronia. Lord Vulkasin is the current Alpha of the Woolsey Pack in London. Lord Maccon is the Alpha for the Kingair Pack in Scotland, the second most powerful werewolf in Britain, and Sidheag's great-great-great-great-grandfather. Lord Slaughter is the dewan, the queen's personal advisor and keeps the peace between Alphas through his position on the Shadow Council. Monique de Pelouse had been at the school, but is now a drone to the Westminster Hive which is led by Countess Nadasdy.
Dusty is the stoker on the train. Mr. Smollet is in charge of the aetherographic transmitter.
Picklemen are a secret society whose members want all supernaturals dead and political control in their hands. The Pistons is a young men's club for those with a preference for black eyeliner, Pickleman politics, and fancy waistcoats. A claviger hopes to be turned and serves as a human servant to a werewolf pack; I think a drone is a human servant to a vampire hive.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a green brocade background with a cocky Sophronia in her steampunk costume of black with her double-buckled belt, that vicious metal fan, and the slash of lace meant to represent soot.
The title is a poke at the Pistons and a nod to Sophronia and her lessons in Waistcoats & Weaponry.
My Take
Carriger does enjoy poking fun at Victorian society and goes in-depth to explore sex education, ahem, in terms of seduction. It also gets a bit nasty with Sophronia discovering some unsavory aspects to her thinking when Soap makes some overtures. The kids are growing up. It certainly makes me grateful for America's relatively "class-less" society.
Carriger cracked me up with the *eyebrow waggle* seduction scene in the cart, lol.
"Some gentlemen, her brothers had whispered, even did it with each other. Although this was considered quite uncouth, Sophronia gathered, once one left Eton."What dropped my rating for Waistcoats & Weaponry was Sidheag's insistence on keeping the Kingair Pack intact. Intellectually, I understood Sidheag's concerns, but the emotional aspect of her worries didn't grab me nor did Carriger help me understand how this was so important to her. If anything, I was annoyed. And, well, I think I was also very uncomfortable with Sophronia discovering what a hypocrite she is.
I did appreciate getting a back history on why a Lady Kingair is in charge of the Kingair Pack in The Parasol Protectorate.
What-ho! The prototype from Etiquette & Espionage, 1, plays a part in this.
I LOVE that Dimity speaks up for Soap and admires his skin color! Sophronia is rather surprised as well, lol.
It's well worth reading, if only for all the laughs…and the massive changes that occur in everyone's lives.
The Story
Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style—with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland.
No one suspected what — or who — they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Certainly not a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos, and Sophronia must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Sophronia Temminnick is an excellent student in the finishing arts of espionage. Bumbersnoot is her coal-eating mechanimal, her pet metal dog.
The guilelessly crafty Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott; the stoic and Scottish Sidheag Maccon, Lady Kingair; and, the always trying Agatha Woosmoss are Sophronia's particular friends, although Soap refers to the ladies as Sophronia's "projects".
Soap, a.k.a., Phineas, is one of the sooties in engineering and a great (illicit) friend of Sophronia's and Sidheag's. Seems he has a particular ambition with which Sophronia doesn't agree.
Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is…
…a cover for a floating dirigible spy school for young ladies. Professor Aloysius Braithwope is a vampire who teaches vampire politics, using fashion to kill or confuse, and interacting with government, high society, and curling tongs. Sister Mattie Herschel-Teape teaches household management including medicinal cures and poisoning. Lady Linette de Limmone holds the real power. Professor Beatrice Lefoux teaches deadly gadgetry, high-impact weaponry, and infiltrating academia. Mademoiselle Geraldine may be the official headmistress, but she's clueless as to her school's true purpose, so her lessons in finishing truly are the real thing. Captain Niall is a werewolf and handles self-defense and weapons training.
Other students include Miss Preshea Buss who has taken on Monique's old role of resident nasty. Frenetta is her roommate.
Bunson and Lacroix's Boys' Polytechnique is…
…the boys' school version and encourages the boys to become villains. Lord Felix Golborne, Viscount Mersey, is the son and heir of a duke and a member in bad standing with the Pistons. He is also attracted to Sophronia. Vieve is Professor Lefoux's inventor niece masquerading as a boy in order to attend. The very nice and inventive Pillover, a.k.a., Pustule, is Dimity's younger brother. Lord Dingleproops also has Pickleman leanings.
The Duke of Golborne is, unfortunately, a Pickleman besides being Felix's father. The too-tense Shaggy and Stubby are "flywaymen".
The ball…
…celebrates Ephraim Temminnick's engagement (he's the oldest son and Sophronia's brother). The rest of Sophronia's siblings include Nigella (she's married to Dr. Chillingsrymple) and Octavia as the oldest children, then Ephraim, Gresham's at Oxford, her sister Petunia is liable to set her cap at Felix, and Humphrey and Hudibras are the youngest boys. Roger is a stable hand. Frowbritcher is the mechanical butler. Mrs. Barnaclegoose is a dear friend of Mrs. Temminnick — and the reason Sophronia is at Mademoiselle Geraldine's school.
Lord Akeldama, a vampire dandy, has been "wooing" Sophronia. Lord Vulkasin is the current Alpha of the Woolsey Pack in London. Lord Maccon is the Alpha for the Kingair Pack in Scotland, the second most powerful werewolf in Britain, and Sidheag's great-great-great-great-grandfather. Lord Slaughter is the dewan, the queen's personal advisor and keeps the peace between Alphas through his position on the Shadow Council. Monique de Pelouse had been at the school, but is now a drone to the Westminster Hive which is led by Countess Nadasdy.
Dusty is the stoker on the train. Mr. Smollet is in charge of the aetherographic transmitter.
Picklemen are a secret society whose members want all supernaturals dead and political control in their hands. The Pistons is a young men's club for those with a preference for black eyeliner, Pickleman politics, and fancy waistcoats. A claviger hopes to be turned and serves as a human servant to a werewolf pack; I think a drone is a human servant to a vampire hive.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a green brocade background with a cocky Sophronia in her steampunk costume of black with her double-buckled belt, that vicious metal fan, and the slash of lace meant to represent soot.
The title is a poke at the Pistons and a nod to Sophronia and her lessons in Waistcoats & Weaponry.
whimsicalmeerkat's review
4.0
I think this is my favorite installment so far. The characters grew in ways I enjoyed and the plot was fun and fresh. Quite pleased.
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
As enjoyable as this series has been, I've felt like it's been somewhat lacking in substance up to this point. It's been lots of light, frothy, airy fun like a tasty, sugary confection. At the end of the day, though, cotton candy isn't going to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied. Fortunately, this book feels like a real turning point in the series, which is what knocked it from three star finally into four star territory for me. Some minor spoilers to follow.
I still can't stand Felix, who has the makings of exactly the sort of bad boy character type that bores me to tears. Even worse, every time Sophronia started feeling the vapors for him I wanted to grab her by the shoulders, give her a good shake, and yell, "Why? Why??" After all, she's a reasonably sensible character, so she shouldn't need Pillover to point out the obvious to her. Yeah, yeah, maybe he'll have a heart of gold in the end blah blah blah. If you have to use that old ploy to make your character "interesting", guess what, I'm not interested.
That aside, I liked this book better than the previous two because this one had some weight behind it. I don't like angsty books, but I do want to feel as if the characters struggle, as if they do stupid things and then have to figure out how to fix them. Like the other books, there's quite a bit going on in this one, but all the pieces are starting to come together.
First off is Sidheag's dilemma, which I found very interesting. I liked seeing a new side of her, a side that cares and hurts and bleeds. It's not that she'd indifferent in the other books, it's that this book allows her passion to shine through, and it's greatly to the benefit of a character I've always liked anyway. I really felt for her, and I hoped that she could find a resolution.
Another gem in this book is Sophronia's relationship with Soap, and the myriad issues encased therein. I liked that this book addressed the class and race issue in more explicit terms than it has done up to this point. Yes, they've been covered before, but Sophronia tended to brush them aside, and she doesn't do that in this book. Instead, she's forced to face up to them and own up to some things she'd rather have kept tucked away in a safe corner of her mind. I really felt for the two of them and was glad she was starting to actually see what Soap's plight was like. He's one of my favorite characters, and it's long frustrated me that Sophronia doesn't really get how difficult and unfair his life is.
What I'm still waiting for is to see Dimity come into her own. I enjoy her character, and she does show some new facets in this book which did a lot of credit to her character. I'd love to see her stand up and take charge at some point, though, because for as lovely as she is and as good a friend as she's been to Sophronia, Dimity is too passive of a female character for my tastes. This is in keeping with her character, and I don't want to see her do something out of character. Instead, I'd like to see her do something that really makes her character strengths shine.
I won't give away the ending of this book other than to say that, while it is a cliffhanger, it doesn't feel quite as gimmicky to me as the other books' endings did. The ending provides an excellent setup for the final books, and the stakes have been raised considerably. I'm eager to find out what will happen next.
Given this, I can't help but wonder if maybe the author has felt a little constrained by YA as a genre. These books are a lot of fun, and they're much fresher and more unique than plenty of the YA out there. Plus they're chock full of fun vocabulary. But I was very impressed by the new strength that this book showed, a strength that makes me wonder if maybe Carriger's adults books aren't a good deal more meaty than these. I just might have to find out for myself.
I still can't stand Felix, who has the makings of exactly the sort of bad boy character type that bores me to tears. Even worse, every time Sophronia started feeling the vapors for him I wanted to grab her by the shoulders, give her a good shake, and yell, "Why? Why??" After all, she's a reasonably sensible character, so she shouldn't need Pillover to point out the obvious to her. Yeah, yeah, maybe he'll have a heart of gold in the end blah blah blah. If you have to use that old ploy to make your character "interesting", guess what, I'm not interested.
That aside, I liked this book better than the previous two because this one had some weight behind it. I don't like angsty books, but I do want to feel as if the characters struggle, as if they do stupid things and then have to figure out how to fix them. Like the other books, there's quite a bit going on in this one, but all the pieces are starting to come together.
First off is Sidheag's dilemma, which I found very interesting. I liked seeing a new side of her, a side that cares and hurts and bleeds. It's not that she'd indifferent in the other books, it's that this book allows her passion to shine through, and it's greatly to the benefit of a character I've always liked anyway. I really felt for her, and I hoped that she could find a resolution.
Another gem in this book is Sophronia's relationship with Soap, and the myriad issues encased therein. I liked that this book addressed the class and race issue in more explicit terms than it has done up to this point. Yes, they've been covered before, but Sophronia tended to brush them aside, and she doesn't do that in this book. Instead, she's forced to face up to them and own up to some things she'd rather have kept tucked away in a safe corner of her mind. I really felt for the two of them and was glad she was starting to actually see what Soap's plight was like. He's one of my favorite characters, and it's long frustrated me that Sophronia doesn't really get how difficult and unfair his life is.
What I'm still waiting for is to see Dimity come into her own. I enjoy her character, and she does show some new facets in this book which did a lot of credit to her character. I'd love to see her stand up and take charge at some point, though, because for as lovely as she is and as good a friend as she's been to Sophronia, Dimity is too passive of a female character for my tastes. This is in keeping with her character, and I don't want to see her do something out of character. Instead, I'd like to see her do something that really makes her character strengths shine.
I won't give away the ending of this book other than to say that, while it is a cliffhanger, it doesn't feel quite as gimmicky to me as the other books' endings did. The ending provides an excellent setup for the final books, and the stakes have been raised considerably. I'm eager to find out what will happen next.
Given this, I can't help but wonder if maybe the author has felt a little constrained by YA as a genre. These books are a lot of fun, and they're much fresher and more unique than plenty of the YA out there. Plus they're chock full of fun vocabulary. But I was very impressed by the new strength that this book showed, a strength that makes me wonder if maybe Carriger's adults books aren't a good deal more meaty than these. I just might have to find out for myself.
wvlatea's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
Another book in this awesome series (I should also really read the Parasol Protectorate series!).
However there were several things I didn't like, and I will start with those to get them out of my system.
For one, I expected more school, more lessons, more boarding school fun. Instead we only get a small bit about it and then it is off to balls, stealing trains and more. I really had hoped for more poison lessons, more seduction lessons, more vampires, more climbing to meet with Soap, maybe a few balls with all the other girls included.
Then we got the last part, and I will post that under spoiler tags, because I just need to rant about this.
I was sooooo delighted to see her finally finding out who she loves, picking a boy out of the 2 she was flirting with, picking a boy who isn't rich, who isn't white, who is low in class. I was just cheering, squealing in happiness. Only to have that shot. I chatted about it with someone else and they also agreed they didn't think it was fitting and it was a cheap way out.
Ah that feels so much better now that is out of my system!
Also something I found too bad was the fact that quite a bit of time has passed since events from the last book. It is a shame, I would have loved to know about what happened after things happened, maybe some lessons, maybe some other things.
Now for the good things. We have a new weapon (yeah for fans with blades, I want one too). And Sophronia has a wonderful talent for using it and also using it in combination with other things.
I also loved the seduction class and how all the girls were giggling, blushing and in general just totally shocked with all the things they learn there. It also shows how girls are generally kept away from all this, because these days it is quite unheard of that a 15 to 17 year old doesn't know about all this.
I had quite a few laughs at the whole chapter, it was too bad it was over so soon.
We also have a little part about the Professor Braithwope and how he was totally crazy (or is he?) because of events that happened earlier.
And I loved the story and also what happened to Sidheag and her family, it was a sad event, but also brought some excitement to the already very exciting book.
I did like the train journey and the events that happened on it.
And did I say I love the cover. I am so happy they all match and that each one gets better and more fun.
All in all though I did like the book, but as you could read there were also enough things I didn't particularly like.
I will be waiting for the next book, hopefully soon, and hopefully it will have a bit more finishing school, though I guess not, considering the events in this book.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
However there were several things I didn't like, and I will start with those to get them out of my system.
For one, I expected more school, more lessons, more boarding school fun. Instead we only get a small bit about it and then it is off to balls, stealing trains and more. I really had hoped for more poison lessons, more seduction lessons, more vampires, more climbing to meet with Soap, maybe a few balls with all the other girls included.
Then we got the last part, and I will post that under spoiler tags, because I just need to rant about this.
Spoiler
Seriously, Sophronia is finally seeing that she loves Soap, and that she is finally saying: Fuck this, I like him, I want him, and yes it might be difficult but it is ok. And what does the author do? Let Soap be shot, and turn him in a fucking werewolf. Seriously, was that REALLY needed? No, it wasn't and I really detested this, I really hated it. I feel like the book was a bit ruined for me. Which is why I am downrating this book to 3 stars instead of the 4 stars.I was sooooo delighted to see her finally finding out who she loves, picking a boy out of the 2 she was flirting with, picking a boy who isn't rich, who isn't white, who is low in class. I was just cheering, squealing in happiness. Only to have that shot. I chatted about it with someone else and they also agreed they didn't think it was fitting and it was a cheap way out.
Ah that feels so much better now that is out of my system!
Also something I found too bad was the fact that quite a bit of time has passed since events from the last book. It is a shame, I would have loved to know about what happened after things happened, maybe some lessons, maybe some other things.
Now for the good things. We have a new weapon (yeah for fans with blades, I want one too). And Sophronia has a wonderful talent for using it and also using it in combination with other things.
I also loved the seduction class and how all the girls were giggling, blushing and in general just totally shocked with all the things they learn there. It also shows how girls are generally kept away from all this, because these days it is quite unheard of that a 15 to 17 year old doesn't know about all this.
I had quite a few laughs at the whole chapter, it was too bad it was over so soon.
We also have a little part about the Professor Braithwope and how he was totally crazy (or is he?) because of events that happened earlier.
And I loved the story and also what happened to Sidheag and her family, it was a sad event, but also brought some excitement to the already very exciting book.
I did like the train journey and the events that happened on it.
And did I say I love the cover. I am so happy they all match and that each one gets better and more fun.
All in all though I did like the book, but as you could read there were also enough things I didn't particularly like.
I will be waiting for the next book, hopefully soon, and hopefully it will have a bit more finishing school, though I guess not, considering the events in this book.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
rachelelizabethlee's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
fezzik's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pmichj's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0