Author: Gail Carriger
Publish Date: February 5, 2013 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Synopsis:
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.
Gail's Parasol Protectorate books have been recommended to me over and over again, and somehow I have never made the time to read them. So I was excited about her YA book, Etiquette & Espionage, because well, spies and a finishing school? I am so there.
The whimsical style of writing (very tongue-in-cheeky) was refreshing at first, but I have to admit that after a while it became a little overwhelming. I tried to pinpoint where the book lost me and ultimately for me, it was because the stakes were not high enough.
I liked Sophronia as a character because she challenged the ordinary and the expected. She went where she wasn't supposed to go and cleverly got herself out of some awkward and dangerous situations. I liked the setting of a floating espionage-finishing school. I even liked some of the secondary characters (Dimity always made me smile), but in the end, I didn't feel that heart-thumping feeling that left me wondering what-will-happen-here. And I want that feeling in a spy plot.
What I did get was solid world-building, some genuinely sweet moments between characters and a smart, curious main character. I recommend this book to Gail's fans and to people who are patient with a story that sets up a new fantasy world. Will I read the sequel? Yes! I feel very invested in the world after finishing this book. But I hope it will have much higher stakes and a little less whimsy.
Well, Sophie , this is the first time I hear of the author and this book looks incredibly lovely and unique. A finishing school for how to curtsy and throw knives? I would love to go there
ReplyDeleteGREAT review!
Your reader,
Soma
http://insomnia-of-books.blogspot.com/
Soma - Love the title of your blog, by the way. I do hope you enjoy reading it. It's very whimsical.
ReplyDelete2.5 I think this is the first not so good rating I've seen for this book.
ReplyDeleteBraine TS - Keep in mind that it's my very first Gail book. I think her fans will love it. As I mentioned, I do plan on reading the sequel, but for me, a few things felt off.
DeleteHmm... I'm a little disappointed to hear of the low-stakes bit, to be quite honest. I did love Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, so perhaps it won't bother me as much (I'm just looking forward to getting back into the world of steampunk fun!).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Cecelia - I think her current fans will love the world. Vamps and werewolves are present which further adds to the solid world building. I guess, I'm picky about my spy/intrigue plots and expect that "will they complete the mission" feeling. PP is still on my TBR! I've heard nothing but good things about it.
DeleteOh blast - I STILL have to read the adult books...and now I want to read the YA ones too - I'm in torment with not enough time to read!
ReplyDeletePabkins @ My Shelf Confessions
Pabkins - I so know that dilemma!
Delete