Heartless

The Parasol Protectorate, the Fourth

By: Gail Carriger

Narrated by: Emily Gray

Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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?

©2011 Hachette Audio (P)2011 Gail Carriger

Critic reviews

2010, Alex Award, Winner

2009, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, Winner

2013, Julia Verlanger Award, Winner

"Carriger delivers surprises with every book, and this one is no exception. With action, intrigue, and above all, proper manners, this excellent series will have broad appeal to readers of steampunk, urban fantasy, and paranormal and historical romance."—Library Journal on Heartless

Heartless

Another wonderful missive about Miss Terabodi. Nice climax and sweet little conclusion. I listen to audio books as I travel between where I live and home. This series has been wonderful in making the miles fall away. Will miss this series after this next book--Timeless.

A Perfect Edition to a Perfect Series

What did you love best about Heartless?

Everything. As always, Carriger delivers a marvelous follow-up to a fantastic series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Professor Lyle… I should have seen it coming to, I have a weakness for certain characters and it was not until this novel when we get some insight into his past that I just could not believe that I cherish the same characters time after time. His past just broke me into pieces.

Have you listened to any of Emily Gray’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to her in all the Parasol Protectorate novels and I adore her. She never fails to deliver a lively, beautifully witty performance with pitch-perfect voices for a cast of very different and wonderfully complex characters. I will listen to her any day.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely, it is funny and exciting and dark and very smartly written. I will always recommend this series. It is thouroughly wonderful.

Still entertaining but veering towards cartoon

Any additional comments?

I have been enjoying this series greatly...the narrator does a fantastic job and even though it is an extremely over done concept ( werewolves, vampires, and a girl with special powers..a baby that wasnt supposed to be possible....really?) there was enough originality and fun characters to hold my interest.

But this one..it seems the car is veering off the rails a bit...it started to seem a bit too ridiculous, a bit too cartoony...like a script for The Wild Wild West 2 ( the bad Will Smith one) gone bad. So I am disappointed.

Smart and Sassy

Who doesn't love a pregnant heroine? Alexia doesn't let the infant inconvenience stop her when a ghost tracks her down and informs her of a plot to kill the queen. She also takes upon herself to help Biffy acclimate to his new immortal life among the Wosley pack. To make matters worse, her sister shows up at her new home in London in need of a place to stay. As usual, Heartless is full of humor and wit and brings us one set closer to figuring out why everyone is so worried about the child Alexia is carrying. The book ends on a cliffhanger, with the child finally being born and Alexia realizing that while her child is not a preternatural, she is definitely not human either. I can't wait to get started on Timeless!

SO GOOD!!

Love this!!! The story progression is never dull and the plots are always engaging 😁 Lord Akeldama is the truly caring and selfless friend everyone needs 🥰❤️🥰 I want Major Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings to find a mate 🥰, just not with...😑 *insert sneer of distaste emoji*

Much Better

“Heartless” is definitely a step up from “Blameless” and much more in the vein of the first novel, “Soulless”. One thing I very much appreciated is Alexia’s ability to get things done while in the last month of her pregnancy. Things are definitely more difficult physically, and she suffered for sure, but she was still strong and capable and commanding. The mystery regarding the impending assassination attack on the Queen, Biffy’s difficulty adjusting to being a werewolf instead of a drone, the adjustment in sharing dwellings with Lord Akeldama, and the reemergence of Felicity all made for interesting and sometimes fun reading.

Emily Gray did a great job narrating. She definitely adds a dimension to the novels that I greatly appreciate. On to the final book in the series.

Highly Recommended!

The Parasol Protectorate series never fails to entertain! Supernatural stories with a proper British flavor. Gail Carriger has another hit! Emily Gray does another wonderful rendition of these tales! You should definitely check out this series.

VT. FAN

I AM A HUGE FAN OF THIS SERIES, AND IF I LIKE THE BOOKS I ALWAYS GET THE AUDIO ALSO IF (ONLY IF) THE NARRATOR IS GOOD ENOUGH TO CARRY THE CHARACTERS OFF. EMILY GREY DOES THIS SUPERBLY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES BOOKS AND AUDIO.

A whacking good tale!

15 words telling everyone that this is an excellent book and to listen to it!

WHY CAN'T I STOP READING

I accidentally found this book and the series and now all I want is more werewolf, vampire , and soulless. Couldn't get any better, but no you add a shape-shifting baby girl I'm dead 💀 🤣 😭 😂 thank you