Nocturnal Book Reviews: Heartless by Gail Carriger review

Heartless by Gail Carriger review

Thursday, October 13, 2011 | Posted by kara-karina@Nocturnal Book Reviews

Heartless by Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate #4)

won from All The Things Urban Fantasy

Synopsis from Goodreads
Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?
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I wouldn't have loved the book if I haven't read its spectacular ending.

Heartless is quite slow and meticulous in its details. Alexia is investigating a possible plot of assassination of The Queen, which makes her dig out an old story of Maccon's Scottish clan which tried to poison the queen before.

She uncovers all sorts of secrets while struggling with her inconvenient pregnancy and tiresome vampire politics. We also find out at last where the name Parasole Protectorate came from.

I think what I like in this series is secondary characters. There is Lord Akeldama who is a ray of sunshine with his mannerisms and endearments :) There are wonderful Biffy and Maccon's Beta Lyall, Madam Lefoux, and even Ivy with her outrageous hats is not as harebrained as you've expected. I'm telling you Ivy will surprise us all in the end!

Alexia I'm having trouble with in this book. She feels a bit too detached and cartoonish, even Lord Maccon is a bit more alive. But it's just the feeling I have.

However I will read the next book no matter what. The end as I said is spectacular and changes so much that I can't wait how it'll all wrap up!

* * *

С одной стороны книга долго тянулась и Алексия была достаточно картонной, чтобы вызывать раздражение. Однако концовка оказалась замечательной и невероятным образом изменила баланс сил. Тут вам были и дирижабли и разваленные на части механическим осьминогом дома и старые тайны, ставшие явными...

Что читала с удовольствием - это происходящее с второстепенными персонажами. Лорд Акельдама просто пупсик как обычно, Биффи, Лайал, мадам Лефу и даже Айви просто превосходны. Айви как оказывается не так уж и глупа как мы думали... Она ещё нас всех удивит!

Так что не смотря на медлительность книги всё-равно рекомендую и с нетерпением жду следующей книги.

8.5/10

Tags: 8.5/10, gail carriger, steampunk, стимпанк

3 comments:

Jessica@a GREAT read said...: Good review! Read this a few months back and enjoyed it! The ending was spectacular! Can't wait for more either!; 13 October 2011 20:39
Giselle said...: Nice review! I should really get going on this series I've been told it was good but I haven't even read book 1 yet.

Giselle
Xpresso Reads; 13 October 2011 20:56
Mel said...: I have to agree - the spectular finale did make up for the slow beginning - especially the ending! And I agree - Ivy is playing some sort of deep game I think... :); 13 October 2011 22:34