Sunday, November 17, 2013

Etiquette & Espionage


I absolutely adored this book!  At first I thought it was a little odd, but once I got used to the world it was fantastic.  This was the first steampunk novel I've ever read and for those of you who don't know steampunk features steam-powered machinery and usually takes place in the nineteenth century.  Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger also briefly features vampires and werewolves, as well as the villainous flywaymen and Pickleman.

This novel is about a young girl, Sophronia, who is being sent away to a finishing school.  In the first chapter you discover that if you thought this was a normal finishing school, it most definitely is not.  Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Ladies of Quality teaches finishing in all aspects of the word.  Classes range from history to the art of eyelash fluttering and focus on mastering techniques necessary for manipulating people of high power.

While at finishing school Sophronia makes many friends including Dimity, who couldn't be more different form Sophronia with her love of all things girly, Soap, a sootie who works in the boiler room of the school, and Bubmersnoot, a mechanical dog that Sophronia finds on her journey to school.  These friends all aid her in her unofficial quest to find the mysterious "prototype" and return it to the school.

I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been really focused on school work lately.  I haven't had much time for reading, but I've finally found some time and managed to prioritize myself better.  I should be back with another post for you on Wednesday!

“I do not giggle without purpose. Lady Linette says you should never misapply a giggle.” 
                                                                                          -Etiquette and Espionage