Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Author: Gail Carriger
Series: Parasol Protectorate, #1
Age Group: Adult
Challenge: None
Format: Ebook
Pages: 258
Published: October 1, 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Source: Digital Library
My Rating: * * * *

Without a morsel of exaggeration, its publisher describes this debut novel as "a comedy of manners set in Victorian London full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking." At the center of Soulless's "parasol protectorate" is Miss Alexia Tarabotti, a young woman who lacks not only a suitor but also a soul. And those are not her only problems: When she accidentally kills a vampire, it begins a series of events that she must set out to resolve without the help of any proper authorities. A charming mass market original.

Opinions & Thoughts
I finally finished this book! Don't get me wrong, it's not that I didn't like it, Soulless was hilarious and entertaining, but life just kept intervening. Recently, I found out that this book was Carringer's debut novel(as stated in the summary), but it was amazing, and you just could not tell. So...if you are into science fiction, comedy, and supernatural, then Soulless is the perfect book for you. It blends the three genres perfectly.


Let's move onto Alexia. She was my type of character. Headstrong, witty, stubborn. In Victorian times, a woman should be docile and easily bossed around. As you can probably see, which is why Alexia has remained a twenty-nine year old spinster(unmarried).


Lord Maccon was Alexia's love interest. Big, muscular,...and a werewolf. This, of course, clashes with Alexia's preternaturalness(her touch turns any supernatural being into a human, if she lets go, they return back to normal). Regardless, their odd love deepens. Hot, steamy, and lots of fights describe Lord Maccon and Alexia's amours.


Overall, this was a lovely read. It did have some moments where I was cringing, with the experiments and all. But anyways, I would definitely recommend this book.


About the Author
Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small-town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in higher learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit.
Click here to visit Gail Carriger's website.