Book Review - Soulless

Ah heck I'm terribly behind again on reviews *sigh* better get cracking then...

Title: Soulless 
Author: Gail Carriger
Date: 25/1/2011 AM
Source: Bought
Description: Alexia Tarabotti is labouring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Or will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking. (Description taken from Amazon)


My Review
I'd been really stoked to read this series ever since I heard about it since it just sounded so damn funky with it's mixture of steampunk tech and paranormal creatures. Admittedly it was a bit slow-going at the beginning but I could attribute that to my being a little addled with wine at the time. 


Alexia Tarabotti is the delightfully eccentric spinster who happens to have no soul and no suitors to make life more tolerable. When she gets attacked by a vampire at a dreary party (no food to be seen - how scandalous!) she ends up in the middle of an investigation into strange disappearances and even stranger appearances of new vampires who simply have no notion of the correct behaviour towards preternaturals like Alexia.


I absolutely adored the writing style of this - with all the polite turns-of-phrase and etiquette rules Alexia had a fabulously humourous voice and was excellent at wielding the complimentary insults. Her dry wit and self-deprecation made her so likeable that I wanted to grab my parasol and go bonnet-bashing with her in the park.


As romantic interests go Lord Maccon is certainly a grower. At first he seems terribly brutish and unseemly but over the course of the book you find yourself softening your attitude to this burly Scottish werewolf (yes I *do* have a bias towards Scots I can't help but love their accents!) and you are charmed by him despite his slight outbursts of temper from time to time.


Overall this book was an vibrant adventuresome romp and I especially loved it's shift onto the saucy side towards the end. Such a fantastic world and some really cracking characters that I can't wait to read more about in the next few books!


My Rating: 4 Stars out of 5


Huzzah one review down only 5 more to go! I'll probably post another one tomorrow and I might try to do a non-review post later today cos I'm sure you're all getting absolutely sick to death of reviews but I can't help it if I read so darn much :P


LadyV