The book begins with a Prelude in Blue, which is absolutely beautifully written. Our story begins with the death of Victor van Gogh, which some of his friends see as a mystery to be solved. It is the beginning, but not always the focus. The mystery leads to others, and our main characters of baker/painter Lucien Lessard and his bon vivant/painter friend Henri Toulouse-Lautrec find themselves involved in a plot that has a much farther reach than they could have ever anticipated or imagined. As […]
And the plot thickens…
In Curtsies & Conspiracies, the second of Gail Carriger’s Finishing School series, we join Sophronia Temminnick for her next stint at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. Sophronia is fifteen now (we somehow missed her birthday) and she is up for her six-month review. She has learned her lessons perhaps too well, as she is now shunned by her classmates. Although disappointed, this does not stop her from continuing her adventures! And an adventure it now is, for not only are we […]
The Start of the Finish
Etiquette & Espionage, Gail Carriger’s first installment of her YA series set in the universe of the Parasol Protectorate, is an absolute delight. The events take place before Soulless, and can be thoroughly enjoyed without having read the other series. I read Soulless a few years ago, and am ashamed to admit that I don’t remember much, just the basics that werewolves and vampires are out in society, and that vampires are fabulous (which is not the main point of the book, but certain things […]