Soulless

The Parasol Protectorate, Book 1

By: Gail Carriger

Narrated by: Emily Gray

Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's Summary

Alexia Tarabotti is labouring under a great many social tribulations. 

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. 

Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.       

Where to go from there? From bad to worse, apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.       

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Or will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?      

Soulless is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles and tea drinking.  

©2009 Tofa Borregaard (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK

love love love it

an utter delight. for the love of tea, sensibility and nonsense. I adored every minute of it (evwn having read it more than once before). My absolute faves.

Delectable, fun fantasy

A sojourn with a twist. Travel into dark places with a delightful lightness and fun that delivers a a sense of skipping merrily into the wonderful world of fantasy where monsters are both fierce and loveable.

Excellent

The characters are great. story is original and fun. Buy this, you won't regret it.

Too many genres elbowing for room

This book is a "steampunk-gothic-Victorian-romance-Regency manners-bodice ripper-supernatural-comedy". For good measure, all of the usual tropes are in here as well; plucky heroine (who puts herself down but comes into her own), muscular Werewolf, effete gay Vampire Lord, evil scientist, long suffering butler ... the list goes on. Phew. And if that sounds a bit much, I think it is actually. I couldn't quite decide what this book wanted to be.

I also found Alexia (our heroine) just plain annoying. The way she treats her so-called "best friend" is just cruel and, yes, I get that the author was trying to poke fun at Jane Austin's sensibilities BUT it's done with a sledge hammer. Just didn't work for me.

The plot definitely picked up in the second half of the book and I did surprise myself by wanting to finish it, so not all bad. I don't find myself desperate to buy the next one or keep this.

Great audio book

Loved it have read the books before and loved listening to it. Just curious as to where the second audio book is??

Fun steampunkish paranormal romance

I'd been looking forward to reading this for ages but found myself a little bit disappointed. The banter between characters was good and set up for future novels in the series but just felt it was missing something. Maybe needed more sauce, more sense of adventure or danger. Or maybe I'm just suffering from lockdown lacklustre lurgy.

Very enjoyable, laughed out loud

Did enjoy this. Fabulous wit. Can't find book 2 on audible, but book 3 is.? Plan to carry on with the series.

great to hear these out loud!

I have all these books on hard copy and love them so much! It is lovely having them read to me instead. I would very much recommend this series of books.

one of my favourites

love this series and will happily read again and again. good narration and clear diction

Excellent, and very funny

I am not sure what I was expecting, but was very presently surprised by the wit and writing. The characters are wonderful and I look forward to see how they develop. Now to download the next book and see where we go from here.