Etiquette and Espionage

Finishing School, Book 1

By: Gail Carriger

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

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.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners - and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped.

At Mademoiselle Geraldine's 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.

©2013 Tofa Borregaard (P)2013 Hachette Audio

loved it

Absolutely loved the story. The characters are fantastic and energetic. well worth a listen to.

Just plain charming.

Where does Etiquette and Espionage rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book has and interesting premise mixed with a great bunch of MC's and put in a surprising time period. This mix adds up to a delightful read that demands you read the rest of the series asap.

Best setting ever for fabulous fun!

Would you consider the audio edition of Etiquette and Espionage to be better than the print version?

I have both and love then equally. The story is a fast paced, fun action orientated journey and the print version allowed me to whip through it! The audio edition let me saviour the vivid descriptions, the sassy comebacks and generally enjoy the story at a more leisurely pace

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Sighead Maccon but probably because she is a character that is part of the Parasol Protectorate. Genevieve is simply delightful and Sophronia is a brilliant lead lady. In essence, I LOVE all of them *blush*

Which character – as performed by Moira Quirk – was your favorite?

Genevieve, definitely Genevieve

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

School has never been such fun!

Any additional comments?

Read this book, it's awesome!

Great story, well read

What did you like most about Etiquette and Espionage?

Etiquette & Espionage is an almost prequel to Gail Carriger's other books & the appearances of some of the characters from that series - in much younger incarnations - is a lot of fun and perhaps the easiest to explain part of what I liked about the book (without giving away any spoilers).

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This is one of those books where when you have finished it you want to be back in the world so much that you start the book all over again just so that you don't have to go back to reality...I wish I was joking. I must have read & listened to it move than almost any other book.

Any additional comments?

This is one of my mist listened to books on Audible, the narration is excellent & it is very soothing despite being action packed the whole way through.

A great start to a new series

As a fan of the Parasol protectorate books, I was sceptical about a new series by Gail Carriger for younger readers/listeners. It took a little bit of time to get into 'Etiquette and Espionage: Finishing School, Book 1' and a little more to get used to the reader, Moira Quirk. Once I got past the reader and interested in the characters I was hooked. Gail Carriger certainly knows how to tell a story with excitement, humour, colour and most importantly style. This is a great start to a new series and I for one can't wait till 'Curtsies & Conspiracies: Finishing School, Book 2' Roll on November.

Brilliant book

Absolutely loved it. The narrator was perfect. Ms Carriger's books always entertain! Can't wait to listen to the second one now.

Brilliant & enthralling

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the story is well written, great characters and it kept me entertained until the very end.
Off to start the 2nd book in the series

Excellently written, brilliantly performed and a real laugh!

An excellent book, full of action, adventure, and school antics. With a finishing school on a giant floating airship, a vampire and werewolf teacher, and all sorts of steampunk trimmings (not to mention the spy & assassin training!), this book is a great twist on typical Victorian life at a finishing school, excellently written, brilliantly performed and a real laugh. Can't wait to listen to the rest of the series!

Charming

Unusual reader but after you get used to it I found it very charming, with a desire to know what happens next.

Finishing School

This was just so much fun. I wasn't familiar with the author or the narrator who was excellent.

Book two in this series has already been purchased.

I think I will very happily listen to anything by this author with this narrator, so it looks like I have plenty of listening ahead for me!

My only "complaint" is the image doesn't really reflect the substance of the book. The picture used looks a lot more dark and adult than the light and youthful story I listened to.

This is a great easy listenin book quirky and fun

The narrator was easy to listen to. The adventure was interesting and innovative. It made me want to know more and find the next book.

Charming light-hearted fun

Charming light-hearted fun for when you don't want anything too demanding. Brilliant story, superbly natrated. Couldn't put it down.

(I'm a 44 year old who listens to a wide range of books)

Bought by accident - good for 10 year olds

I completely clicked on the wrong thing, but am very bored in lock down so I thought I'd give it a go. This is quite "young" for a 14 year old protagonist. I think it's audience is probably more 10 or 12 years (reading first Harry Potter book). It's quite fun, mild peril, very Enid Blyton boarding school stuff due to the Victorian sensibilities running through it. If you want something a bit more wicked try HIVE.