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Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1)
Soulless - Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1
Author: Gail Carriger
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring 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 ...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780316056632
ISBN-10: 0316056634
Publication Date: 10/1/2009
Pages: 384
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 358

4.1 stars, based on 358 ratings
Publisher: Orbit
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

jai avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 310 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 19
My Thoughts: Wow, this book was a lot of fun to read. The blurb is a spot-on indication of what you'll find in the book - tongue in cheek stuff, a heroine who is a force of nature, and a romance thrown in. The author calls the book an "urbane fantasy", and from what I can see there's an overlap of genres here. There are romantic elements, urban fantasy elements, a very Victorian setting, and a dash of Steampunk. I couldn't help mentally hearing the words in a proper English accent. First, no one here says "parasol", so I had to, and second because of the style of the language. There was even a nod to the old-fashioned in the way the chapters were titled ("Our Heroine Ignores Good Advice" is just one example). Along with the writing, there are a lot of references to fashions, manners and day to day life of the Victorian time period.

This book is also a romance. While this is Victorian England so no sex before marriage, there are serious shenanigans going on that are decidedly more modern than this era. Even knowing what a free spirit Alexia is, there are a few scenes where some artistic license takes place in terms of Alexia's reactions to her love interest. This was a slightly less believable part of Alexia's character, but we're reading a book with werewolves and vampires here, so I didn't dwell on it. The part that irritated me was the repetition of Alexia's "flaws" which she and her family were concerned about: that Italian nose, dark complexion, and inability to be controlled. I'd prefer Alexia to have been less repetitive in worrying about these silly things, thinking no one wants to marry someone like that.

Overall: This book is going to be popular. It's as fun as it looks, I promise you, and I love that this feels like something new. I wanted to pick it up as soon as possible whenever I had to put it down. There's plenty of action, sly wit, and romance going on to keep the pages turning and I will be reading the second book, Changeless.
ophelia99 avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This is the first book in The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. Best I can tell right now this going to be a trilogy. The second book in the series "Changeless" is due out April 2010. This was a fun read; very creative and fast moving.

Alexia is one of the Soulless; basically she was born without a soul. As a Soulless, or preternatural person, she can nullify those with excessive soul, in this case vampires and werewolves. The whole book takes place in an alternate Victorian era Great Britain. The supernaturals have been integrated into British society. Alexia finds her self entangled in a mystery when some vampires and werewolves begin to go missing and other rogue vampires mysteriously appear. Alexia finds that she herself is in danger of being kidnapped. She ends up being involved with the Alpha werewolf of the region, the very muscular and somewhat uncouth, Lord Maccon; in an effort to figure out what is happening. Despite their differences, she finds herself drawn to Lord Maccon and wonders what he wants with a 25 year old spinster like herself.

This book was a fun read. The plot clicks along pretty good pace and Alexia and Lord Maccon have great chemistry together. Alexia is a rebel for her time and has a wonderful biting sense of humor as well as a great sense of self. She is a great character. There were a number of interesting characters in this book; from Alexia's flamboyant rogue vampire friend, to Lord Maccon, to Alexia's butler...the characters are what propel this story and make it intriguing.

There is also a lot of clever world-building in this book. The way Carriger has integrated the supernatural population into Victorian London is clever and seamless. I really enjoyed this twist on the legions of paranormal books out there. The book had me laughing out loud at many points. The scenes between Lord Maccon and Alexia were done tastefully and were very steamy and enrapturing; throwing a good dash of Victorian romance into this book. All in all it was a hard book to put down and when I was finished with it I wanted more.

There were only a couple small things that irritated me about this book. The first was the continuous descriptions of Alexia; we read about her strong nose and olive toned skin a billion times. It got old and I started skimming over many of the repetitive descriptions. I also thought that the story didn't have as much bite as it should have; the action scenes were only so-so and the peril never really seemed as perilous as it should have. Because of this the book seemed a bit fluffly to me at times; that's not to say it wasn't a fun read...it was just more fluff than substance at parts.

All in all I did really enjoy this book. It is a great start to a new series and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book "Changeless".
montbriac avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I smiled the entire time I read this book.

Much of the pleasure in reading Soulless is in the telling of the story as the story itself. Gail Carriger is a wordsmith and has created more than just an introduction to a new series, instead she has also given us a work which is simply delightful to read in how she plays with words and context. With chapter titles such as such as "Our Heroine Ignores Good Advice", Carriger provides a wink and a nudge to the literary style of the era in which the book is set.

Like all series firsts, Soulless introduces us to characters, world builds and lays the foundation on which the series will be built. There is also romance, adventure, mystery and some truly appalling hats -- all of which put a smile on my face.

Even though some of the humor might be lost on younger readers who might not be as familiar with 19th century England, I would venture to guess that there are many who would enjoy this series regardless. There is some nudity (you can't have werewolves without nudity), sex and violence but it's less graphic than the vampire academy series which is a young adult series and as such, I would be comfortable with this series in the hands of ninth graders who might get some of the humor after having slogged through some authors from the era in which the series is set.

I honestly enjoyed this book and I am sure it will popular, it's as fun to read as the cover is to look at.
myhotstylist avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 4
I must be the oddball out here, but I lost intrest in this book about 1/2 way through. The writing style grew tiresome to me after a while. When you get to the point where you are forcing yourself to read just to finish, it takes the enjoyment out.

While the beginning of the book kept my full attention, as it wore on, it started to slow down. I got to the point I just didnt care about it anymore. :(

I dont think this will be a series that I follow.
reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 248 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Sometimes I thought I was reading a great Amanda Quick novel (i.e., prior to her last few novels of paranormal) but then in pops werewolf and soulless!! What a mind bender!! Loved the book and the quirkiness. Gail magically entwines Victorian life, humor and werewolves. Great new author!!
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merciersj avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 71 more book reviews
After reading Carrigers Finishing School series, I thought I would give the adult series set in the same world a try. I am so happy I did.

One of my favorite aspects of Carrigers books continues to be her unique and quirky characters. Alexia is spunky and outspoken, unwilling to let societal norms dictate how she should live her life. The supporting characters are also very well developed. I love Lord Akeldamas flair and his interactions with his drone Biffy.

I liked that the romance between Alexia and Lord Maccon develops over time, and while it is a very large focus of the story, it does not completely derail the entire plot. The mystery component of the story is equally strong, although I do wish the villains were slightly more complex and more frightening.

As with the Finishing School series, the world building in Soulless was fantastic. The mythology and science associated with the supernatural members of society is fascinating and thoroughly explained. I enjoyed the way Carriger tied the mythology back to historical events, giving an alternate account filled with paranormal and steampunk goodness.

The number of genres mashed up into this tiny story is impressive, yet nothing felt forced and the plot was never congested with unnecessary details. There truly is something for everyone in this book.

Overall I really enjoyed this, and I am so excited to continue reading the series. I hope the characters and world building continue to be the focus, as they are definitely Carrigers specialty.
Pb-Patch avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 42 more book reviews
I liked the author's take on the idea that persons with an abundance of "soul" can be turned into vampires and other supernatural creatures. Those who do not have enough soul would not survive the attempt to change. This naturally tends to limit the number of vampires in existence, especially no one knows beforehand whether or not an individual will survive the change. Given the existence of persons with an abundance of "soul", this automatically opens the door for the possibility of the opposite spectrum - the existence of persons with virtually no soul. This is the premise of the book with the main character being a "Soulless". Persons who are soulless automatically cancel out the supernatural nature of any being (vampire / werewolf) with whom they are in physical contact. This means that a soulless will turn a vampire or werewolf fully human as long as they are in physical contact. ... This leads to some fairly interesting interactions.

As for the plot, it was interesting enough to keep me reading. This book is set in a Victorian England where England, unlike most of the world, has accepted vampires and werewolves as a part of society and accorded them basic citizens rights. Werewolves are locked up on the full moon for the safety of the public. There is a romantic interest between our protagonist Alexia and the local alpha werewolf. My problem was that overall the romance was kind of silly. I prefer people who at least have an idea of their own mind and whether or not they actually like someone. This was intended to be a tongue in cheek supernatural romantic comedy and succeeds to a large extent. It's just not quite my cup of tea. However, if you like plucky parasol wielding Victorian ladies who defy the norms of society and invariably get into and out of all kinds of trouble between tea time and breakfast... It may be for you.
reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Charming series of romantic interludes and tragicomic family drama laced with a sub-plot involving vampires, werewolves, and evil scientists with nefarious ends in mind. Amusing and well-written. The preternatural concept strikes me as original, though I'm just getting started with the newer sci-fi/fantasy/horror coming out nowadays.
perryfran avatar reviewed Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, Bk 1) on + 1223 more book reviews
Interesting paranormal/historical/romance tale involving werewolves, vampires, and touches of steampunk including dirigibles and a nasty automaton. The novel takes place in Victorian era London and revolves around Alexia Tarabotti, a spinster with half Italian blood who is considered by her half-sisters and mother to be less than desirable. But Alexia is also a preternatural, a being with no soul who is able to counter supernaturals including werewolves and vampires by merely touching them. This comes in handy near the beginning of the novel when she is attacked by a vampire who she accidentally kills after rendering him normal and then using her parasol weighted with brass to drive a wooden hairpin through its heart. This leads to an investigation by the BUR, the Bureau of Unnatural Registry, and its emissary, Lord Maccon, an Alpha werewolf. All of this turns out to be related to unexpected vampires appearing and other known ones disappearing. So what is actually happening? Is it a nefarious plot to rid the land of supernaturals?

I'm not a big fan of modern vampire literature where the vampires are less than gruesome but I did find this novel to be engaging and somewhat fun. I also don't really care for romance novels and this can definitely be considered one with Alexia and Lord Maccon being the involved parties. But it did include a lot of humor and the antics of Alexia and the supernatural cast were quite entertaining. Overall, a mild recommendation and I will probably be reading more in this series.


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