Steampunk YA Review: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Finishing School #1)


borrowed from the library

Synopsis from Goodreads
It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Sophronia Temminnick at 14 is a great trial more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners -- and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Her poor mother, desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady, enrolls the lively tomboy in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage -- in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.


Amazon  US/UK(£4.89) | Amazon kindle US/UK(£3.99) | The Book Depository US/UK | Fishpond

8.5/10

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 What a riot this book was! So fun and lively. It's short, bright and a very fast read. After tired ending of Timeless this feels invigorating, light and humorous, and I hope Gail will continue writing in the same manner.



Etiquette and Espionage is a YA book on younger side of the genre as the main character, Saphronia, is only fourteen. That's the other thing in this book - the names are hilarious: Sophronia Temminnick, Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, Mrs. Barnaclegoose, Bandersnoot...

There are few names we are familiar with, but this book is happening before Parasol Protectorate series so Niall and Mademoiselle Lefoux are very different from how we used to know them.

Sophronia is a delightful, adventurous and fearless young tomboy and spy in training. She is the only covert recruit in the finishing school who doesn't realise where she is going until she gets there. The rest of the girls have generations of family ties to the school. However, she has a talent to be in the right place in the right time and gets right in the middle of spy intrigue with flywaymen, secret technologies and an older student who hid a very important prototype and refuses to tell the teachers where it is, putting the whole school under the threat.

Etiquette and Espionage is charming and lovely, and I think it's suitable for all ages starting from middle grade, especially if you want to introduce your child to steampunk, -  I can't find a better way to do it! Recommended.

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Какая замечательная, милая подростковая стимпанковская книга! Этикет и Шпионаж читается легко, блещет юмором и оптимизмом, обещая захватывающие дух заговоры, интриги и приключения своим молодым читателям.

Я бы сказала, что это идеальная книга, чтобы заинтересовать школьников среднего возраста стимпанком, так как главной героине, Софронии, всего лишь 14 лет.

Она попадает в заключительную школу для молодых леди из за своего мальчишеского поведения и любви к экспериментам, не подозревая что школа на самом деле выпускает леди шпионов и ассассинов.

Этикет и Шпионаж по времени написан до серии Паразол Протекторат, однако несколько из полюбившихся нам персонажей в ней всё же присутствуют - Мадам Лефу и Найал, а также внучка Маккона. 

Софрония по своему любопыству и смелой натуре попадает в гущу технологического шпионажа и начинает проводить своё собственное расследование, подозревая, что прототип, за которым все охотятся, находится в руках старшей ученицы. Всё это происходит в основном после уроков и выполнения домашнего задания, поэтому на своё расследование у Софронии очень мало времени... Однако она всё равно успевать излазить дирижабль, в котором находится школа, познакомиться с очаровашкой угольщиком Мыло, отбиться от бешеного вервульфа и взломать документы школы, чтобы узнать кто её сюда собственно говоря порекомендовал принять.

Ждите приключений, трудно-произносимых имён и бурного веселья. Рекомендую!





Comments

  1. *dances the I am getting this book today cos it's my bday*
    Now when to read it?

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  2. I love the hilarious names. I recently read Soulless and I enjoyed her humerous writing-style. I can't wait to read this one! :)

    Mel@thedailyprophecy.

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  3. Great review, I can't wait to read this one! The names are very cool :)

    Sunny @ Blue Sky Bookshelf

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  4. I've been meaning to read Gail Carriger for years now. Perhaps I should start with this latest book, as it sounds very fun, and a light read.

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  5. Great review, I can't wait to get my hands on this one myself! It just seems like so much from and from what you mentioned in your review, it's even more fun that I thought :D Thanks for sharing!!

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  6. wow you're fast, I have it next to me... I didn't even put it in my TBR pile. Well I don't even know when I'll read it lol but I'm glad you liked it now I'm sure it will be the same for me too.

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  7. I've heard that this one skews younger, but that it's adorable and hilarious anyway. I need to fit some Gail Carriger in my life, because I think I'd enjoy her. I prefer my steampunk a bit on the humorous side generally.

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  8. Why I didn't know about this book?!
    Despite its ups and downs I enjoyed reading the Parasol Protectorate series, and if this book is as good as you say... *runs to add it to her TBR*

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  9. This sounds awesome! I could totally relate to a tomboy & spy training sounds so cool. Great review! <3
    -heather

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  10. Blodeuedd, NOW! :D

    Mel, Sunny, Nrlymrtl, gals read it soon, please do. It's fun and light and will make you feel happier on a gloomy day!

    Micheline, I hope you do. It's really a book for many ages and puts a smile on your face :)

    D., you'll see how fast you'll read it!

    Christina, I hope you'll like it. I have seen complaints that there is not much romance in it. But God, she is 14 - I wouldn't want any romance when she is having such a grand adventure :)

    Marcela, I personally think it's better than the last Carriger's book. Timeless felt tired...

    Heather, it was great fun!

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  11. OMG, yes I need to read this, it sounds wonderful and a spy training school ..sign me up!

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  12. Don't throw anything at me, but I've not read her adult series yet. *duck* I do love the sounds of it and this one though. :) Thank you.

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  13. Melissa, HOW COULD YOU?!! READ CARRIGER IMMEDIATELY! :)))

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  14. I didn't expect her to be a tomboy! I'm looking forward to reading both the adult and YA series.!
    Pabkins @ My Shelf Confessions

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