Cori's Reviews > Curtsies & Conspiracies

Things have been tenuous at work lately. Bonkers. Busy. Brusque.

I seem to find that as work intensifies, my reading choices lessen in intensity. Makes sense. Such is the tale of Gail Carriger's Finishing School series. This should not work. It's YA- with a freaking love triangle for crying out loud. It's urban fantasy- something I historically do not get into. It's steampunk- something I've wanted to like in the past but not really been able to find in any degree of quality writing. The characters are an inch deep and a mile wide.

But that mile is a fun puddle to splash in.

I laughed out loud multiple times. The dialogue, banter, and inner monologue is just hilarious. Granted, do not pick up this book expecting it to be life changing, thought provoking, or philosophically challenging. But for what it strives to be, it succeeds. Light, witty, funny, and escapist. I zoomed through both these books so quickly. Couldn't tell you for the life of me what the plot is when I'm between books from the series. But I can tell you they are funny, lighthearted, and I'm going to keep reading them.

I love ridiculously posh British names and the author intentionally leans into them: Professor Algonquin Shrimpdittle, Lord Dingleproops, Professor Braithwope, Bumbersnoot the mechanimal...

The final big scene in the book had me snorting and laughing. It was masterfully written and timed so well with comedic humor.

And some dry wit just sneaks up and smacks you from behind. Literally, I would be reading and have to stop and go back a couple sentences, realizing I'd just glossed over something really funny.

Observe. And enjoy.

"Sophronia felt that Lord Dingleproops might be improved by a beard. After all, no one would know his chin appeared to have eloped with, quite probably, Monique's brain and Preshea's sense of humor."

"Some of the young ladies even ate the salmon without concern to vital humors-- when everyone knew colored fish flesh could bring on an attack of hysteria. Sophronia refused to be ruffled. She ate the same thing every morning: porridge. Pillover glanced up from his plate of sausage. 'What a revolting spectacle.' Sophronia privately agreed and contemplated breaking from her normal dietary routine and eating a sausage in order to cope."

"Many gentlemen were unable to cope with abundant chatter, which is why they so often married it."

I'd rate this a PG.