Parasol Protectorate
Publish Date: October 1st, 2009
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads
Story
Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster, half-Italian, and is soulless. To be soulless means that if she touches a supernatural being, she neutralizes them and turns them mortal. By the way, England has integrated its supernatural folk into society. This includes werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. The Bureau of Unnatural Registry (BUR) keeps tabs on them and everything seems to be in order.
The story is actually remarkably simple; supernatural beings are going missing, and BUR has to find out why. The rest is the love story component with interesting characters. That's it. If you read the back of the book, you got it.
However, Lord Akeldama is the Sassy Gay Friend trope, which I don't think would fly today.
Big wolves, not bipedal.
Final Verdict
Overall, I was highly invested in this book. It's more about how the various characters interact with each other rather than a compelling plot. You'll know who she gets with within the first 30 minutes, if that. Like vampires, werewolves, parasols, grumpy werewolf men with no manners? This might intrigue you. The scenes of intimacy caught me off guard, and honestly, they aren't even that interesting, one time I laughed, so there's that. I thought the ending scene in the carriage was ridiculous and I just wanted it to be over. I recommend this to an older crowd who is alright with some steamy scenes.
Still here? Have some more gifs.
My Review on Goodreads
Disclaimer
I originally read this book because I read Prudence but I was lost in the world that was established in Parasol Protectorate. Goodreads claims Prudence is for a YA audience, but Soulless is NOT tagged as YA in Goodreads. I assumed it would be, and I was wrong. This book gets steamy. More steamy than A Bite at the Cherry. It isn't in the YA section at my public library - it's in the regular fiction area. I do contend that teens can enjoy the story and world, but some people may be upset about the sexual content. Totally fair. I usually only review content that is clearly marketed to teens, and this is not. I'm reviewing this because it is in the same universe as the YA Prudence and is the pre-story to that. So...
If you don't like some steamy content, please skip this review/book!
Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster, half-Italian, and is soulless. To be soulless means that if she touches a supernatural being, she neutralizes them and turns them mortal. By the way, England has integrated its supernatural folk into society. This includes werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. The Bureau of Unnatural Registry (BUR) keeps tabs on them and everything seems to be in order.
The story is actually remarkably simple; supernatural beings are going missing, and BUR has to find out why. The rest is the love story component with interesting characters. That's it. If you read the back of the book, you got it.
The issues that I had about the world in Prudence are largely answered. Vampires cannot stand any sunlight (as it should be). Older werewolves can stand the sun for a time, otherwise, they are regulated to the nighttime, and they get "full-moon madness". Ghosts did not receive much elaboration, but if the sneak-peek to the second book is to be believed, we will see them more in book two, Changeless. A rove is a supernatural being who does not belong to a larger group. A hive is a vampire group who basically has a ruling queen (queens can make other vampires). Drones are humans who want to be turned into vampires or receive patronage, and they feed the vampires willingly and serve them. Clavigers are the same as drones, but for werewolves.
Main Character
While I hated Prudence's snobbery, Alexia is bossy but indomitable. She can still be liked. At the age of 15, her mother put her on the shelf and declared her unmarriable because she is tall, tanned, has a prominent nose, and is half-Italian (which her mother had married, did she not know how heritage works?).
I wish she was nicer to/about Ivy, her best friend. So much to say about bad hats, but she's her best friend, why can't she say anything nice?
Vampires
These vampires are more like this:
I wish she was nicer to/about Ivy, her best friend. So much to say about bad hats, but she's her best friend, why can't she say anything nice?
Vampires
These vampires are more like this:
Which is good.
Werewolves
Less of this:
More like this:
Final Verdict
Overall, I was highly invested in this book. It's more about how the various characters interact with each other rather than a compelling plot. You'll know who she gets with within the first 30 minutes, if that. Like vampires, werewolves, parasols, grumpy werewolf men with no manners? This might intrigue you. The scenes of intimacy caught me off guard, and honestly, they aren't even that interesting, one time I laughed, so there's that. I thought the ending scene in the carriage was ridiculous and I just wanted it to be over. I recommend this to an older crowd who is alright with some steamy scenes.
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Take that werewolf! Reminds me of What we do in the Shadows |
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| You know he is, too. |
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| Alexia and Ivy |
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