Heartless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: July 1st, 2011
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. 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!

Introduction

There's a plot to kill the queen, and Alexia must get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, she is eight months pregnant and under constant assassination attempts of her own.

Tone/Pacing

The book does get some shifts in tone. The beginning is slow and meandering, setting up everything for later, and I found it absolutely boring, though it is good to know when you read Prudence. The last third(ish) of the book is action-packed with plot twists and turns and to me, it was much more enjoyable. 

However, the constant reminder of Alexia being pregnant got trite real quickly. I don't know if the author has ever been pregnant, but the way Alexia has to be man-handled every five minutes was ridiculous. She's unable to do so much, yet she constantly puts herself and her child in danger.

The pacing was thrown off a lot with the terrible way answers were almost given. This book likes to have conversations where something is almost revealed, but a sudden visitor/ruckus happens and they are interrupted. Once or twice, sure, but how many times has this happened here? I lost count and I stopped caring.

Verdict

It definitely wasn't as good as the other books. But it does shed some light on some historical events, plus a few mysteries from the previous books. There's only one more book in this series, so I can't just stop now. I have a lot of complaints about this book, but ultimately, I wanted to know about the story itself and what happens to the characters. Which is what this series does - it gets you hooked with emotional investment. The problem is, I now dislike a bunch of characters because of their actions in this book, and a lot of the plot is contrived. I'm kinda rooting for the vampires to eat everyone now. 

Spoilers Ahead! Let's Spill Some Tea.

1. Having Biffy and Lord Akeldama split for good was a wasted opportunity. Alexia and Conall are together, why not Biffy and Lord Akeldama? The whole thing was dragged on for so long and it just ended with zero satisfaction. Biffy couldn't integrate into the pack and learn to be a werewolf AND be in love with a vampire? Thanks, I hate it. 

2. Speaking of Lord Akeldama...he used Alexia to his own advantage by getting the other vampires out of London, which made Alexia/the pack lose their castle. Am I supposed to think this was cute? Also, Alexia put her FRIEND into slavery with the group she hates, who will also start biting her. Lovely. 

3. I still have no idea why everyone wants to kill the baby. Because it has never happened before in recorded history? I think? And Akeldama adopting the baby makes everything ok, somehow? 

4. Lyall lied for how many years? Seemed so tacked on...

5. Why did she save the vampires?!

Marceline is the only Vampire Queen you need!

  

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: April 1st, 2010
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. Not as much as Soulless, but it is there. 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!

Introduction

Alexia Maccon, muhjah to the queen and bluestocking extrodinare, takes up nighttime hours to manage werewolf pack dynamics and vampire politics. One morning, her husband wakes Alexia with an angry conversation with a ghost. Then, he up and returns to Scotland, leaving her to navigate the current crisis: the widespread loss of immortality. Along with her own problems, Ivy and Alexia's family also bring their own issues to her that she has to deal with. With an entourage in tow, she travels to Scotland to unravel a few mysteries.

Characters

All I really have to say about this book is regarding the characters. The first book, Soulless, did a fairly good job of creating characteristics for everyone that were simple but concrete. This book tosses it all out. Perhaps this section will only be useful to writers who want to do better. The final verdict is at the end of the post.

Lord Maccon was a fairly simple character before: gruff and not easily swayed by sentiment. Emotions? Ew. Alright. Now, he has been sitting on information that Alexia should have been told, and he's just so flippant about it. He calls Alexia "Wife" all the time, which to me is demeaning. In public he says he married her for her body and to shut her up. Their dynamic is awful. And then the ending is beyond infuriating. Why would he act this way? He's with BUR and is fully aware that bizzaro creatures like WEREWOLVES (which he is one!), vampires, and ghosts exist. I saw the plot twist coming very early on, but the reaction to it was astonishingly stupid. I don't think it was properly written into Maccon's character/the world. IF she had given him cause to worry, it would have made a bit of sense, but she had literally never given him reason to question her loyalty. I officially hate him. Unfortunately, because I have already read Prudence, I know the ultimate outcome. I wish she would run away with anyone, including the lovely lady introduced in this book.

Ivy turned into an absolute dolt and I'm not sure why. Any why would Alexia be friends with someone that ridiculous? I did enjoy her ultimate action at the end of the book, as I think she would find it all romantic and against societal rules that she so stringently abided by. One of my favourite scenes in this book is this:

But the author did Ivy a disservice and I don't know why she was so poorly written. The character became unbearably annoying when Ivy could have filled her purpose in the story without the mind-numbing stupidity. Perhaps some of the ignorant comic relief that she's supposed to be providing could have been shifted to Alexia's sister.

Madame Lefoux and Lady Kingair are two new characters that are actually amazing. Each has their own histories, personalities, and ambitions. I think some things with Madame Lefoux (like Alexia undressing her and commenting on her bust) was cringy. Perhaps Ivy being so stupid was to balance out these two other women? 

Final Verdict

This book loses the romance elements, which is fine by me, because there is much less steam obstructing me from reading the actual story. These books aren't going to win literature awards, but the world is interesting and the characters are fun. This book has more same-sex representation than in the first installation, though Maccon does look down on my favourite vampire for the same reason, and that's a bummer. If you've already read Soulless, I don't see why you wouldn't read this one, and if your library already has Soulless, you'd get Changeless (unless you're my current library, that has all of this universe's books in print except this one). It's steampunk, has vampires, werewolves, lesbians, and women in men's clothing, so there's a little bit of everything here.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: October 1st, 2009
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads

Wikia (has spoilers!)
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!

  

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.

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:

Which is good.

However, Lord Akeldama is the Sassy Gay Friend trope, which I don't think would fly today.

Werewolves

Less of this:

More like this:

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.

Take that werewolf! Reminds me of What we do in the Shadows

You know he is, too.

Alexia and Ivy

Prudence by Gail Carriger

The Custard Protocol
Prudence * Imprudence

Publish Date: March 17th, 2015
Publisher: Orbit
Series: The Custard Protocol

Format Reviewed: Book and Audiobook
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Website
Author's Twitter
Wikia (has spoilers!)

Introduction

Lady Prudence, known as Rue, had an unusual upbringing. Along with her mother and werewolf father, she was also adopted by another father, a vampire. She is a take-charge kind of twenty-something girl, and she is also a metanatural. A gift bestowed by her mother, Rue can touch a supernatural and take their form, strengths, weaknesses, and immortality, if only for a short time. Her vampire father tasks her to take her very own dirigible, The Spotted Custard, to India for a venture in tea. As captain, she gets a crew, brings along her best friend, and two boys to make a love triangle.

Setting

The setting is what brought me in. I've been meaning to read the steampunk genre and I finally took the dive. The conventions are there: industrial, steam-powered machines, but also aristocratic society as well. The paranormal is also integrated into London, as vampires and werewolves dress in fancy attire and attend balls. They own hat shops and live lives similar to humans. 

Love Triangle

I dislike love triangles and there is sort of one here. One is presented here not as an overt who will she choose?! We know both men are excessively handsome and available. It does become pretty obvious that one of the men will not be chosen, which was a shame, because he was arguably the most interesting character. The love story is flimsy and it went into a weird direction.

Gripes 

There's too many. Here are some in point form: 

This is the first book in a series, but not the first book in this established universe. I had seen others ask, can you read this if you haven't read the author's other books? Internet says yes. After reading, I disagree, unless you like being lost. I have too many questions and went unanswered, or they were brought up late in the book. 

Werewolves also can't be in the daylight (do they die like vampires, turn back mortal, no idea). I didn't know werewolves had some concern about daylight at nearly the end of the book.

Hives, drones? What does this all mean? There are different levels of governments and policies and decrees that went right over my head. Apparently, this is all managed somehow, but the book was throwing stuff at me like I just knew. No, I don't live here, please elaborate.  

For perhaps 50 pages or more, not much happens. She's on her dirigible, flying about to India. Alright. But nothing happens. Almost DNF'd, and I don't DNF. 

Rue literally has her nose in the air for most of the book, so I didn't particularly like her. If the author/world acknowledged that she was arrogant and full of flaws, fine, but it doesn't. I'm supposed to like her. 

When you steal someone's supernatural state, they become mortal. Which means they can die. I'd be fairly annoyed if she stole my immortality, and someone took the opportunity to off me. 

Lots of talk about what people are wearing. Oh boy, could I care less about all the details.

EDIT 03/09/2020

After reading the entire Parasol Protectorate series, I revisited this story by listening to the audiobook. I have updated my original rating and have come to the following thoughts:

• This series, along with the Parasol Protectorate, is definitely an adult series by the grace of the characters' ages alone. However, teens can very easily get into the stories. Aside from the steamy bits being too much for some teens (or their parents), there's nothing stopping teens from enjoying the universe (language, themes, pacing, etc.) However, Prudence is listed in the YA genre on Goodreads. In the next book (Imprudence), we learn that Prudence hit the age of majority (21). YA is generally considered 13-18, though I think there's some wiggle-room for that. Based on the age ranges and sexual passages that happen, this puts it in the adult category.  
• So, what does this mean? My library split the universe into two: The Parasol Protectorate in regular fiction, and The Custard Protocol into YA. Whoa. What a huge disservice to the series and the readers! For librarians who may come across is, these really belong together. Just because Goodreads has it listed as YA, keep it wherever you have the Parasol Protectorate series. 
• I did check some other public libraries. For my own privacy, I will not be naming or linking, so please take my word for it. What I found was that both Prudence and Soulless were in regular fiction (not the YA section) or the science fiction section (also not YA exclusive). The call numbers on both of them were FIC CAR. 
• Ok, seriously, I have a point. A lot of my above gripes could be solved by reading The Parasol Protectorate first. I still think you have to do some backtracking for people who don't remember what was explained four books ago. But these books belong together, don't split them up. The author is a marvellous story-weaver with many series set in the same universe, and it also does her a disservice to split her work up across the stacks. 
• Goodreads also isn't the final say on genre, as genres are determined on user-created "shelves", which can be incorrect.               

Final Verdict 

The setting is what brought me in and I am still fairly intrigued! I'm going to pick up Soulless from the library to read about this universe more, and maybe I'll give this series another chance. If you have teens that like steampunk, or if you want to build on that genre, this is alright, though there are probably more gripping stories out there. I say that because for about 50 pages, nothing happened and I was bored to tears. Only objectionable content I say in here is the representation of India. The author could probably have used some sensitivity readers first.  

EDIT 03/08/2020:
I read Soulless and I LOOOOOVED it. Go read that first.