I rate this book a 4 out of 5
Equipped
with the most atrocious curtsy and a propensity for breaking all the rules,
Sophronia Temminnick is the exact opposite of the proper lady her frazzled mother
wishes her to be. At wits end, her mother does what any troubled mother of a
wayward daughter must, send her to finishing school. But what first seems to Sophronia as the
worst fate of all, soon reveals itself as a blessing in disguise, because Mademoiselle
Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is not at all what it
seems. With instruction on the proper way to flutter one’s eyes and curtsey
followed by knife throwing and the correct way to poison, Sophronia learns
quickly there might be many other ways to “finish” than she first thought.
Taking place in
the same Victorian Steampunk alternate universe as Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate adult novel series,
Etiquette and Espionage is the young
adult precursor to those novels events.
Written
with the same wit and dashing adventure as her previous books, Sophronia’s shenanigans
are quite a bit of fun to read. Though the character names are a bit of a mouthful,
the Victorian semantics laid on a little thick, and the plot somewhat
predictable, the novel is overall very well done and well worth the read. Not done
with as much diligence to the time as her previous series, Carriger still
brings out a great amount of historical reference, making the novel educational
and fun, much like the finishing school within the story.
As
I read there was a distinct feeling of YA about the narration, one that almost
seemed over emphasized at times. However it wasn’t too distracting from the story,
and though the Parasol Protectorate remains
my favorite of her writing, I still very much recommend this book and look
forward to reading the next ones in the series.
By Alissa Tsaparikos
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