Changeless

Touching Ms. Gail Carriger's new novel Changeless, where does one begin? It starts promisingly enough. One is re-introduced to the cavalcade of characters which made her previous endeavor, Soulless, such an unmitigated success. However, certain of these characters might offend those of more delicate sensibilities. I am, of course, referring primarily to the character of Lady Maccon, formerly Miss Alexia Tarabotti, the young lady whose preternatural condition lends its name to the first novel. Lady Maccon is rather in the way of being an outspoken woman, and were it not for her publicly-expressed disapprobation of the methods of Mrs. Pankhurst and her ilk, one might mistake her for a liberated woman, concerned with rational dress and votes for women. As if her personality alone were not enough to make polite ladies avert their eyes, her husband, Lord Maccon, is a scandal himself. He is a werewolf, and given their propensities for overindulgence in meat and for running about starkers, it isn't any wonder that such a condition alone should be viewed with skepticism by members of polite society. That he is also a Scotsman, will no doubt inform members of the reading public as to the nature of both his character and his temperament. However, this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that he only resorts to speaking in that hideous northern dialect in moments of extreme stress. Unfortunately, such moments seem rather in the way of being commonplace, owing to his position within BUR. In addition to the happy couple, one is likely to encounter several other characters, close associates of the two in question. Of these, one need not know much, save that the most scrupulous and polite of the lot is himself a werewolf, giving one a thorough indication as to the nature of the company Lady Maccon keeps. To these characters, are introduced two others, of which special mention might be required. To begin with, there is Major Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings, the Gamma of Woolsey pack. Major Channing Channing makes his presence felt almost from the very first. His role, while small, is nonetheless of some import throughout the proceedings, and I am certain that readers will look favorably on his continued presence in future works, owing to his pleasing features and noble upbringing. Indeed, one wonders if perhaps he is not distantly related to the noted actor, Mr. Cyril Bassington-Bassington, who is himself considering the possibility of service as a claviger, owing to the excess of soul which has heretofore caused his poor mother such public embarrassment. The second of these newcomers to the stories is a Madame Lefoux, a fascinating creature, whose extraction is, regrettably, quite French. But one must forgive her the lamentable circumstances of her birth, as she really is quite keen on all matters mechanical, and a deft hand in the service and repair of practically any modern scientific device. Save for being French, she is posses

Changeless by Gail Carriger is breathtakingly brilliant. I am enamored with this series and this is only the second installment. Carriger had me drooling over book three, due out in September, with an excerpt from the next book. If you haven't read Soulless, the first in the series- do it. And warning- don't read the blurb for book three until after you have read the first two! Major spoilers. So- the ending. THE ENDING. It has me in a fit- threw me into a whirlwind! It is heart wrenching. It left me heartbroken, sad and crazily anticipating the next book. I mean, I never could have predicted or even thought this ending was possible. What an excruciating way to end a book! All of this meant positively, of course... even though it's achingly painful waiting for book three. :) I'm still not over the cliff hanger, obviously. Alright, back to Alexa Tarabotti, Conall and the crew. Their story starts off three months after Alexa marries Conall. There is a slew of humdrum problems to deal with. Ugh- The entire military regiment camping out on her front lawn and her irritating sister coming to stay with her... But Alexa is settling in just fine as a new wife and adviser to Queen Victoria. Uh oh, spoke too soon. Conall scurries off one evening without telling Alexa- and coincidentally a plague has over come London and left London about the same time as her hubby scampered off. Now Alexa must set out after her husband on a trip to Scotland, hopefully she can figure out why London was afflicted. What is going on here?! Why has all of London's supernatural residents become stricken with morality? THIS is steampunk at its best! All the necessary elements are here- exquisite details, impeccable devices. Yes, devices. Dart guns. Glassicals. Air-Travel Dirigibles. Wireless Transmitters. Wait until you read about the parasol that was designed exclusively for Alexa- an inventors dream. Haha, it holds a bundle of secrets... a steampunk version of Inspector Gadget. Speaking of Inspector Gadget- we've been introduced to a woman who dresses like a (very fashionable) man. How scandalous. The new characters introduced here are strong and so easy to visualize. I'm smitten with the secondary characters- ah- the Professor and Lord Akeldama coming together to save the day? Icing on top of my cake. I have not even come close to putting how amazing this book is into words, so just start this series! Move it up to spot #1 on your TBR pile! Brace yourself for the brilliance that is the ending of this book- it is astonishing, jaw dropping- ugh, is it September yet!?

Just as funny, romantic and adventurous as the first book of the series. My only disappointment was the ending. I'm not adverse to the idea of a cliffhanger ending; I just wish the book had ended sooner - perhaps with the surprise announcement instead of the bad reaction afterwards. That way I wouldn't have finished with a feeling of dread that I have to live with until September when the next book comes out. Now instead of telling all of my friends to read it, I will be telling them to wait until September. [...]

Alexia Macoon, once again, has a few problems on her hands: supernaturals are losing their abilities all around London, ghost are being exorcised, and she can't seem to keep her clothes on when her husband is around. The latter is, inarguably, the result of her new status as Lady Maccon, wife to Lord Conall Maccon, Earl of Woolsey and Alpha of the biggest wolf pack in England. The others are matters that must inevitably be explored in Gail Carriger's second Parasol Protectorate book, Changeless. When Alexa finds herself in a dreary and damp old castle in Scotland, with her dim, but sweet best friend and one of her impossible sisters, it's more than just a social call. It's a miracle her retinue managed to make the journey at all; what does one pack for a dirigible ride and will the food be up to Alexia's rather generous, but hardly forgiving standards? What she meets upon arrival with hatboxes, suitcases, and brightly colored ladies flouncing about the Scottish Highlands in their English best, are the in-laws and an ancient Egyptian mummy. Neither are predisposed to the common courtesies, but Alexia is up to the challenge. Following the precedent set in Soulless, Changeless is filled with ludicrous and lovable characters. Everyone is, of course, a bit eccentric with odd quirks that separate them from the status quo. Rather than be embarrassed by this, all are blessedly embracing of their peculiarities. Alexia in particular has developed the habit of carrying a parasol wherever she goes--a fashion statement and staple to a proper lady's ensemble when not being used to bash untoward and highly suspect individuals about the head. Her trademark gets an upgrade from a French inventor, Q-style. One does not have to be James Bond to get all the best toys. Carriger doesn't balk at introducing other new technologies. In fact, Changeless is filled with curious gadgets and inventions sure to please skeptical Steampunk fans left wanting after reading Soulless. Not only does Alexia travel aboard a dirigible, but she eagerly uses the instrument that's replaced the problematic telegraph: an aethographic transmitter. Leave it to her dear friend and Vampire, Lord Akeldama, to have the latest available version making it possible for the two to gossip via the aether. This new development becomes integral to the plot, as does Alexia's bizarre new inventor; Madame Lefoux is full of surprises. She dresses, quite scandalously, like a gentleman, owns a hat shop to front her scientific endeavors, and has a mysterious and familiar octopus tattoo on the back of her neck. Unlike Soulless which introduced a small army of octopuses and left us in ignorance, Changeless takes the reigns successfully. The octopuses are finally explained. Not to mention the playful dynamic Madame Lefoux sparks between Alexia and Lord Maccon makes for an interesting diversion. I think she's become my favorite character, after Lord Akeldama, of course. If it's to be believed, my favorite Vampire

I had the pleasure of devouring this book yesterday. The second in the Parasol Protectorate series, Changeless is as witty, smart and fun as its predecessor, Soulless, which I also recommend most highly. Gail Carriger is clearly a talented writer, capable of creating a unique and detailed world, clever dialogue, and relatable and believable characters. I didn't know much about steampunk before reading Soulless, but now I am hooked on the genre - if only all other steampunk offerings were as great as the Parasol Protectorate series! I won't go into too much detail about the plot. Suffice it to say, almost everyone from book 1 is here, too. Alexia Tarabotti, having married werewolf alpha Connall Maccon, through series of events ends up traveling to Scotland on a dirigible, accompanied by assorted friends and family. The denoument takes place in Scotland, where she learns a lot about her husband's past. The mystery this time around isn't as strong as the one in the first book; instead, several supporting characters get more attention. Still, the book is fast paced and gives further insight into the fascinating world of Gail Carriger's Victorian Britain. I feel that Changeless is less plot driven and more character driven than the first book in the series. This is by no means a disadvantage; Carrige's characterization is certainly strong enough. I'm particularly happy with how Alexia's relationship with Connall is progressing. Throughout the book, the two have an easy familiarity that is all barbs and sarcasm on the outside, and deep affection on the inside. However, not everything is rosy and perfect - their relationship is tested in several ways. I will not spoil this for you - and I highly recommend NOT to read the preview of her third book until you've finished this one. Believe me, it will be worth it. I will simply say that Gail found a way to challenge their relationship in a way that some readers might think as too much, but I find it makes the characters human and real. For the resolution of this challenge we will have to wait till book 3. Needless to say, I absolutely cannot wait; September is very, very far away! In summary, this book is highly recommended. I would not advise to read it as a stand-alone though; it's definitely part of a series, and one simply must read Soulless first. If you are a fan of Victorian England, Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse and all things British; urban fantasy or paranormal romance; or just a roaring good read, I promise, you will enjoy both books.