Librarian Review: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

Summary:
Sophronia isn't the lady her mother wishes her to be. She likes climbing, figuring out how things work, and getting into trouble a bit too much. In an attempt to tame her wild ways, Sophronia's mother sends her off to finishing school. Little does she know this finishing school will do more than teach Sophronia the etiquette of polite society, it will also teach her how to be a phenomenal spy.

Review:
Often I  read the first book in a series and usually go no farther. Sometimes because the book fails to hook me and sometimes because I have so many other things to read. With this series I believe I will make an effort to read more. The characters were well drawn and interesting and I think I want to know more about Sophronia's life and lessons at finishing school.

As I said before, the characters are well drawn. Sophronia is an interesting main character and you never know what kind trouble she will be getting into. She is a plucky and sassy heroine who refuses to apologize for what society would see as her shortcomings. As the novel progresses you begin to realize that those shortcomings are her biggest assets. Throughout the novel, you begin to learn more about her new friends and the school. Some of the people she meets at the school are typical of the "bad girl" boarding school characters, but other characters are more fleshed out.

The action is fast paced and the plot resolves itself well. I really enjoyed all the humor in the book too--it is nice when a book isn't so serious. If all the books are like this, it will be a fun series to explore.

Audiobook Review:
The audiobook is narrated by Moira Quirk who does an excellent job with the narration. Her voices were fun and her pacing is great. The unabridged audio is 8 hours and 55 minutes in length. It is a Hachette Audio publication. I loved listening to the audio and will probably do the rest of the series on audio as well.

Overall:
This is a fun and entertaining read that never takes itself too seriously. I recommend it for fans of steampunk and anyone who likes a good boarding school adventure.

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:

Sex: None
Alcohol: Might have been mentioned, but not significant.
Language: None
Violence: Some, but mostly just mild shenanigans.