Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
PUBLISHER:
Finishing School Book 2
Source:
Gift
So I have a confession. I adore Gail Carriger. From the first page of her previous series Soulless, I had an Author Crush! When I met Gail in person at an afternoon tea/book reading, she was everything a fan could dream off: fun, engaging and oh so funny! She cemented her self into my heart and my book buying budget!
So I’m not really good at critical reviews when it come to Gail. That being said however I didn't really connect with the first book in this series: Etiquette & Espionage. I decided to read Curtsies & Conspiracies based on Gail’s previous track record. I’m so glad I did! In this second book Gail has a firmer grasp of her characters and situations.
In this second book Sophronia has a nice flow in her school life. She is excelling at lessons, bonding with friends and continuing her friendships with Soap one the coal boys who keep their dirigible afloat . Sophronia also is keeping up her clandestine skills by sneaking around the ship. Its this skill that reveals that the school’s upcoming trip to London is more than it seems.
The girls are also being tested on their lessons and not all are passing. Sophronia’s world however is shaken by many unexpected shifts. She finds herself shunned by her friends after receiving high marks across the board. She also has to deal with the influx of young men from another school who are traveling with them. Felix Mersey especially is getting under Sophronia’s skin, and causing friction between her friendship with Soap.
I really liked the changes in the characters this time around. Sophronia is not prone to excessive emotion but it was obvious how hurt she was when her friends ostracized her. It’s also becoming apparent that her feelings for Soap cannot be ignored for long, nor can their difference in class.
There is wonderful humor, action and a nice share of supernatural creatures and espionage. This series is quite on track and I’m so excited for book 3.
Comments