Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher/Year: Orbit / 2011
Date Finished: 22 December 2011
Source/Format: Bought / Print
Book #: 95
Series Reviews: Soulless, Changeless, Blameless,
Buy | Borrow | Accept | Avoid
The Short and Sweet of It
The fourth book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Heartless follows Alexia Tarrabotti Macon as she attempts to thwart the assassination of the Queen, a threat revealed to her by a ghost. And she did all of this while very pregnant.
A Bit of a Ramble
I have to admit that part of the reason I loved this book so much is that I am pregnant and I thought Alexia's complaints and attitude nicely mirror my own. For example, she refers to her growing baby as the infant-inconvenience. Love it. She complains of an inability to sleep, a ravenous hunger, and a body that has betrayed her. I'm so there. And she simultaneously needs and is annoyed by those around her treating her a bit like an invalid. Yep. This added a bit of extra flair to an already wonderful series for me.
As always, the world building is excellently done with just the right amount of back story, repetition of formerly revealed ideas, insertions of new elements, and character development. Carriger creates complex, round, dynamic characters in this series. Every person is multi-faceted and can still surprise four books in to the series. As a reader, I simultaneously feel like I know these characters very well and like they are shrouded in a mystery I can't wait to uncover. Like a recent friend or possibly more like a new significant other (one with a seriously saucy past anyway).
The next book in the series comes out in March, and I will definitely be buying it. I highly recommend starting this series if you haven't already.
Well, those who have read this series do love it. It doesn't appear to be my thing, but that isn't very open minded of me, is it? Someday I will have to give it a try just to say I did!
ReplyDeleteand I love the cover! Happy New Year to you m'Dear! :)
ReplyDelete( I really need to set a goal to use less exclams.... sheesh, do I tend to go overboard...)
I just recently got Soulless but had to return it to the library because I didn't have time for it. But I do hope to get to this series!
ReplyDeleteA very happy new year!
I have the first book in this series, and I need to get to it this month. I love it that the series has not gone downhill, and your reaction to it bodes very well for me. I can't wait to see what I think of these!
ReplyDeleteI am dying to start this series. I keep hoping the first one will show up on PBS. I'm not buying (or borrowing) any books until April 1st. I have, however, allowed for PBS. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI too hope to begin this series in 2012! Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDelete