Soulless is the first in a series by Gail Carriger. I have them all and wait for each book with my breath as baited as it can get whilst lounging around in my day dress.. This is my favourite of them all – because I love beginnings and though romances are lovely I really like my plucky heroines when they are coping on their own and fighting everyone including their obvious “true-love”.
Alexia Tarabotti is a FANTASTIC heroine. She whacks vampires with parasols, kicks golems and bites her boyfriend. When she is not being wonderfully violent she is cool, calm and logical and not particularly interested in any inconvenient rules…
The book is full of gentle humour, wry, ribald and occasionally laugh out loud ridiculous. I have read it a few times and it is one of my new favourites. The authors tone is absolutely perfect. The stempunky victorian world seeps through every decription, each witty exchange and the narrative tone.
Quote of joy:
“But, Alexia, really it is simply not the done thing to hit a vampire, with a parasol or otherwise!”
This is really very worth reading if you like strong female characters, a clever adventure and a really well thought out alternate world. The “rules” of the supernatural/preternatural that Ms Carriger has created are really terribly clever. it is all in all a splendid read….
The plot is very complicated and involves kidnappings, ensanguination, werewolf and vampire politics, puritanical colonials, mad scientists and, briefly, Queen Victoria.
The Cursed Chaise Lounge 