The Friday Society

Dec 16, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, historical-fiction

Gowns, guys, and guns, you say? Yes please! Fun is the best word for this novel. It's a blast from start to finish. We definitely get a lot of guns, and really? Who cares about the rest?

To start with what matters the most: the characters. The three girls we meet in this novel are all spunky, charismatic, and each have their own highly addictive voices. I adored each one and I had a hard time choosing a favorite, but I think I have decided on Cora. Her sarcastic nature really clicked with my own...more Gowns, guys, and guns, you say? Yes please! Fun is the best word for this novel. It's a blast from start to finish. We definitely get a lot of guns, and really? Who cares about the rest?

To start with what matters the most: the characters. The three girls we meet in this novel are all spunky, charismatic, and each have their own highly addictive voices. I adored each one and I had a hard time choosing a favorite, but I think I have decided on Cora. Her sarcastic nature really clicked with my own. I liked her intelligence as well and the fact that she's a scientist (ok an assistant, but she blows stuff up!). I also liked her eccentric fling with Mr. Mysterious, particularly the part where she doesn't put up with his douche-side. Not far away, we have Michiko--a samurai in training, and Nellie--glamorous magician's apprentice. Each girl brings about a wide variety of uniqueness to the group with their special skills and talents. Ultimately, Cora, Nellie, and Michiko team up to try to free London of its newest murderer. These three wacky personalities, no matter together or apart, gives us some great antics throughout the story. Their chemistry really flows perfectly, and in the end, the best part of this book is these girls. Hands down!

Steampunk not being my strongest genre, I appreciated the more modern setting of this novel. While it's set in the 1900's, I never felt bogged down by old-school dialogue or prose. I loved how it has a steampunk flair with gadgets, corsets, and all the good stuff, but it also maintains a modern feel that works with the character's personalities so well that it still completely fits the intentioned era of the story.

Fun and unique, the plot is also pretty good, but it does veer on the side of silliness. The girls teaming up is fairly random. They meet by chance, and they decide it would be a good idea to get together and become vigilantes--in costumes of course. That's about the gist of it. The set up for this teaming is essentially the first 3/4 or the book, with a murder mystery that I found a tad predictable (not on all counts, some things are left a secret but even those aren't shocking, just a reaction of "Oh. Well ok then."), and the motivation behind it all a little unconvincing. It kind of reminds me of a classic mystery cartoon episode where you're entertained thoroughly, but it's not especially profound, storywise.

With that said, when you're in the mood for an amusing, enlivening read, this is exactly the kind of book I would recommend to you. It may not have the most complex plot, but it's got a heck of a lot of charm that you won't be able to resist!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 The Holy Terror marked it as to-read

Shelves: steampunk, japanese-characters, historical, historical-fantasy, fantasy, asian-characters, historical-fiction, historical-mystery, mystery, ebook

I want to read this book noooooooow.

Is it just me or does it seem like there are more and more Japanese protagonists lately? And look! There's even a Japanese girl on the cover! Good for them. I'm glad they didn't white-wash the cover ... I'm looking at you, The Immortal Rules :<

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Feb 27, 2013 Isana rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really, really wanted to like this book. It had a PoC heroine! It had girls kicking ass together! It had a period setting! What could go wrong?

A lot, as I found out.

I get the feeling the story was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek parody of steampunk, crossed over, maybe, with Charlie's Angels, one that doesn't necessarily take itself so seriously. And that's fine! The Princess Bride was a great book that made fun of itself.

But the execution was just flat-out poor. There was no effort made f...more I really, really wanted to like this book. It had a PoC heroine! It had girls kicking ass together! It had a period setting! What could go wrong?

A lot, as I found out.

I get the feeling the story was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek parody of steampunk, crossed over, maybe, with Charlie's Angels, one that doesn't necessarily take itself so seriously. And that's fine! The Princess Bride was a great book that made fun of itself.

But the execution was just flat-out poor. There was no effort made for period speech, either in the narration or in the dialogue, and it didn't come across so much as "fun" as it did "did no research, did not care." A book can be fun and still have period-appropriate speech--using words like 'hot' and 'crush' and 'yeah' and 'okay' in the book did a lot to take me out of the story.

Re: cultural issues--it turns out I was mistaken with regards to research. As Bluesarah points out in a comment:

There were many exceptions to the rules. Remember, the entire population of Japan didn't wear the exact same thing when training. That's like saying all Americans wear blue gym shorts when lifting weights. Training clothes were varied and differed according to the school. Also, the idea that all females trained in the naginata is flawed. Some did. Some did not. Some women went to school, many did not. I don't know what it is about Japan, but people love to generalize about what "people did" in the past. The truth is, some regions thought woman had no place in combat, meanwhile, others were more accepting. This all depended on a lot of factors, not the least of which was family and social class.

Basically, it turns out Kress did do her research. Not so crazy with the non-Asian characters' description of Michiko, however, with the 'exotic' and 'spiritual,' but that really doesn't have to do much with the research itself.

Characterization: I liked that the girls had different field of expertise, but there was a bit of Exceptional Girl going on that rubbed me the wrong way, with "I'm not like those other girls" every now and then. Can we not try and put down other girls? Please? I was also hoping that they'd be working together much more often in the book--I can understand taking ten chapters to get to them meeting, but it's not until almost about 3/4 of the way through that they start actively working together as a team.

Also, if you guys are looking for steampunk, look elsewhere. I felt like it was a backdrop, mostly--there's references to airships and steamcabs, and one of the girls has gadgets, but they're never really detailed for the reader, except for maybe at the end, when it's too late.

If you guys are looking for a story about girls that kick ass and take names, and actually has fun while putting in effort, get Jim Hines' Princess series. (less)

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Dec 18, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Friday Society totally reminds me of this Will Smith movie I once saw as a kid, Wild Wild West. It was stupid and silly and ‘won’ a bunch of Razzies, but it was still mildly entertaining the first time through. Just not the second. Or the third. Or, well, you get my point.

This book is the same way, intentionally stupid and intentionally silly - actually, if I had to pick one word to describe this, that word would be gimmicky. Because there are a lot of gimmicks involved, like how the first l...more The Friday Society totally reminds me of this Will Smith movie I once saw as a kid, Wild Wild West. It was stupid and silly and ‘won’ a bunch of Razzies, but it was still mildly entertaining the first time through. Just not the second. Or the third. Or, well, you get my point.

This book is the same way, intentionally stupid and intentionally silly - actually, if I had to pick one word to describe this, that word would be gimmicky. Because there are a lot of gimmicks involved, like how the first line of each chapter introducing a new point of view (plus the first line of the first chapter of Part 4) is the same damn sentence, “and then there was an explosion.” Neat, huh? Well, maybe at first, then it gets awkward. Or the ridiculous chapter titles. (Example: Just Your Average Turn-of-the-Century Slumber Party with a Dead Body. You Know How It Is. Or: And What Has Cora Been Up to This Whole Time? . . .) I mean, I appreciate dumb fun just as much as the next guy, and this book is definitely dumb fun, but the writing gives me the impression Adrienne Kress went out of her way to emphasize the dumb in dumb fun, like in a groan worthy bad joke kind of way. So yeah, I’ll go ha ha (in a really nonenthusiastic way) and then eh like I would after any other lame joke.

Beyond the cheesy writing, the plot moves really slowly and actually feels kind of bloated. Maybe it’s a side effect of me rolling my eyes a lot during this, but I never really got into the story - the first few chapters introducing Cora are probably the high point of the book and it all goes downhill from there. There are a bunch of random murders and thefts which the girls decide to investigate; turns out those crimes are the portents of a much larger diabolical scheme. And yet, I never really felt any sense of urgency, but really, how could I if they’re playing kissing games with a corpse? By the time the important stuff actually comes around, the plot is just so cartoonish that I wouldn’t have cared if the villain had won, because, you know what, cartoon logic dictates that the villain will bumble around and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And that’s exactly what happens, the villain gives a predictable rambling speech and loses in a way more befitting of an Austin Powers mashup than a serious book.

And that’s the inherent contradiction with The Friday Society - it doesn’t know what it wants to be. Is it a spoof of the steampunk genre? Or a serious work of fiction? Because Cora, Nellie, and Michiko are serious characters, you don’t write a Lord’s assistant struggling to abandon her poor orphan past, a magician’s assistant grateful to leave the burlesque business, and a fight expert’s assistant trying to make something of herself in a foreign country with all these complicated themes and not expect me to treat this as a serious book. And I actually really liked how each of these three characters were introduced and then developed, how Kress managed the alternating points of view, and how Michiko as this foreigner who knows very little English was handled. Yet at the same time, the over the top silliness of much of what happens in this book completely negated my interest in the girls’ story.

So I’ll just say I liked The Friday Society, it wasn’t entirely unenjoyable. But I wouldn’t read the sequel and I would never reread this book because this kind of foolishness is only palatable in small doses.(less)

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Jan 21, 2013 Mai marked it as avail-both

Shelves: high-interest

Interest sparked by her post on creating female characters:
http://ididntchoosethis.blogspot.de/2...

we as authors have been writing about people we aren't for forever. We find a way to empathise, we find a way in. Female characters are no different. All they are are characters. They are people too. Instead of asking yourself, "How do I write this female soldier?" ask yourself, "How do I write this soldier? Where is she from, how was she raised, does she have a sense of humour? Is she big and tall

...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, it-is-giving-me-ideas, oh-my-gosh-love-love-love, so-close-yet-so-far, the-great-shelf-of-awesome

See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from an awesome friend.

And then there was an explosion.

No matter what kind of book it is, I am going to imagine "And then there was an explosion" is the first line and not what the first line actually is. That line starts off The Friday Society (and four of its chapters) with a literal bang and it works because this book is a bang. Finally, a girl-power book that is actually a book about how amazing women are! The nove...more See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from an awesome friend.

And then there was an explosion.

No matter what kind of book it is, I am going to imagine "And then there was an explosion" is the first line and not what the first line actually is. That line starts off The Friday Society (and four of its chapters) with a literal bang and it works because this book is a bang. Finally, a girl-power book that is actually a book about how amazing women are! The novel has a few fatal flaws, but it's still a roller-coaster-fun read from beginning to end.

Cora, Nellie, and Michiko are all fantastic characters. In quiet, sharp Michiko's case, I was fully invested in her and her story by the third chapter told from her point of view, and it often takes me longer to get even marginally invested in a character's story. Meanwhile, cheery, adventurous Nellie joins my glittering goddess pantheon alongside Ke$ha. Anyone who uses glitter as a weapon successfully is automatically promoted to goddess in my book. Cora is my least favorite of the three only by a little; if she'd had an outstanding quality, it would have been a three-way tie for my favorite.

The jacket copy doesn't even begin to hint at all the twists and turns the well-paced plot makes. Bomb threats, a mysterious society, a man obsessed with eyes, the murder of flower girls, the murder of a bunch of men who seem to be connected to one another,... There is always something going on and there is rarely a chance to get bored. The resolution of the main plot line comes out of nowhere in the very best way, but one minor plot line can be quickly solved even though its solution comes at the very end of the book. Just pay attention to the clues and spot the red herring.

On the romance side of things (because it's hard for a YA novel to have no romance in it anymore), it's a bit disappointing. The two romantic relationships don't get much development. Cora's insta-love-tainted relationship with Andrew, the other assistant her boss hired, ends exactly the way it should: badly. I thought Andrew was a creep from the moment he made his intentions obvious and he only got worse from there. Good on Cora for figuring it out. Nellie's romance does end well, but its development is only slightly better. Cute, but not entirely believable.

Kress also uses some anachronistic language in the narrative voice on purpose, so anyone who finds themselves annoyed when novels do that will want to be prepared for it. Nellie once says something gives her the heebie-jeebies when the term didn't come about until ten to twenty years later in another country; another time, the narrative calls Cora "super hot" in a dress. I really do understand why she did it, but it still bothers me a little. As much personality and wit the voice came with, I prefer voices in historical novels to not use language from centuries in the future.

The jacket copy hints at the possibility of a series but my Google searches didn't indicate this will be a series, so I don't know what's going on here. What I do know is that I enjoyed this novel and look forward to any other YA novels Kress may write.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Eden rated it 5 of 5 stars

The girls carry this story. There's a flair to the third-person, anachronistic narration style that identifies each protagonist; it's this style that somehow distinguishes Cora (sarcastic, pragmatic) from Nellie (frank, cheerful; she's how I imagine a typical American Southerner to be like) from Michiko (dry, focused), and it's all done well. A few quotes to illustrate what I mean:

Lord White had her [Cora] put on the goggles he'd had custom made to fit her tiny ten-year-old frame, handed her the

...more The girls carry this story. There's a flair to the third-person, anachronistic narration style that identifies each protagonist; it's this style that somehow distinguishes Cora (sarcastic, pragmatic) from Nellie (frank, cheerful; she's how I imagine a typical American Southerner to be like) from Michiko (dry, focused), and it's all done well. A few quotes to illustrate what I mean:

Lord White had her [Cora] put on the goggles he'd had custom made to fit her tiny ten-year-old frame, handed her the strangest-looking gun she'd ever seen, pointed it in the right direction, and told her to pull the trigger.
Just like that.
So she had. And the dummy's head in front of her had exploded into a million pieces.
"Great aim!" Lord White had laughed enthusiastically for a good five minutes after the destruction.
She had been in love with things exploding ever since.
What she didn't love was green goo.
And failure.
(p. 6)

Cora turned and looked at Nellie, who seemed surprise that the progress of her tying [Cora's corset] had been interrupted.
"Jealous?"
"It's petty. And it's not your fault. I hate seeing other girls get on with Raheem [Nellie's boss]. Especially girls my age. Women are okay, and they make fools of themselves flirtin' with him. But you... he seems to like you. And I don't want him likin' you better than he likes me. He's like a father to me, see."
Cora just stared at Nellie, who seemed perfectly relaxed and amiable.
"That's... honest."
"That's how I am. But don't worry. I know it's not your fault. And I know it's just me being all insecure and everything. I'll get over it. And I like you too much to let it bug me. Now turn around so I can tie you off."
(p. 128)

One of Callum's footmen opened the door slowly and peered around it. Callum [Michiko's boss] only had two, an older man, over sixty, and this one, a boy younger than even she was. Michiko had taken to nicknaming them "Shuu" (dried meat) and "Koukou" (baby chicken). Of course, nobody knew the meanings of the words, they just put up with her calling them that.
(p. 62)

The issue of Michiko speaking little English and thinking in Japanese also is excellently executed (*cough* Jay Kristoff's Stormdancer *cough*):

"Someone is in the alley to see you."
She understood most of the sentence except for "alley".
...
They stepped outside into the alley behind the row of terraced houses. Ah. So "alley" meant alley. Good to know.
(p. 62)

It's heartwarming to see Cora bounce off Nellie's nearly irrepressible cheer, and to watch Michiko decide whether she can dedicate herself to the samurai lifestyle. And the variety of secondary characters is wonderful: Raheem shows that not all older men are insufferable or self-centred; Hayao's bubbly personality allows Michiko's softer side to peek out. Our antagonists aren't as well-developed, but we still get a thoroughly creepy vibe from Dr. Mantis and understand the true antagonist's motive for turning so evil.

As for the potential love interests: Andrew is... an interesting character, and definitely an unusual one, and Cora's reaction to him is authentic and helps to develop her own character at the same time. And the scene in which Nellie and her policeman go on a date is a refreshing departure from the now-common intense lurve-filled dates of YA.

The mystery is pieced together with cute-if-useless policemen, break-and-enters into mansions and investigations in Parliament. Throughout it all, bits of worldbuilding slide neatly into place like puzzle pieces -- Cora provides a commentary of Parliament, Nellie squees over a steam cab and Michiko rolls her eyes as her boss carries on an affair with a client. Action scenes occur in the London Tower (or "Bloody Tower") and in a tunnel used for London foot traffic.

The finish is wonderful, pulling together the best elements of the writing style, the action sequences and the ultimate feel-good interaction between our gals. This is a book I'd reread. I hope most desperately for a sequel.

*Review originally published on Pass the Chiclets.(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Juhina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: penguin, own, review-books, my-arcs, signed-books

Finally! A Steampunk novel that I actually enjoyed reading! I remember putting a status on goodreads that read that I have given up on steampunk novels for good because I've had multiple failed attempts with very popular and highly rated steampunks. I am so happy that I picked up The Friday Society because it was kick butt and so freaking empowering! Of course, the team work between three unlikely different girls to solve a london mystery was a bonus, and the addition of all the technology in me...more Finally! A Steampunk novel that I actually enjoyed reading! I remember putting a status on goodreads that read that I have given up on steampunk novels for good because I've had multiple failed attempts with very popular and highly rated steampunks. I am so happy that I picked up The Friday Society because it was kick butt and so freaking empowering! Of course, the team work between three unlikely different girls to solve a london mystery was a bonus, and the addition of all the technology in medieval london has finally worked for me. I think what made The Friday Society a great read for me was the characters, which is why they will be the highlight of this review.

The novel is told from three POVs, Cora the scientist, Nellie the magician, and Michiko the samurai. All of these three girls are assistants but want more from their life. Cora and Nellie are happy under fair and great bosses but Michiko's boss needed a punch or two in the face because of how rude and horrible he was. The three girls meet up under horrific conditions, which is witnessing a crime scene. I have to say, Adrienne didn't rush the whole teaming up and fighting crimes plot. I often find it difficult to take some novels seriously when an ordinary girl would have something happen to her one minute and the next she figures out her destiny and true calling and is so confident in what she will do for the rest of her life. For The Friday Society, each girl had her doubt in pursuing investigating the mystery, one was scared of her boss finding out, the other was scared for the reputation for her boss, and the third was honestly fearless and wanted to finally do something by herself without being bossed around. Each had very plausible and complex reasons that added to their depth as characters.

The conversations between the girls was hilarious, Nellie is the girly girl type and Cora is more serious and a natural leader, while Michiko could barely speak english. So imagine how they communicated together huh? I loved every single one of these girls. They were interesting, funny, independent, and a need for girlfriends to hang with. As for the plot, it was incredible. Adrienne Kress didn't only focus on the mysterious deaths, but each girl had her own side story. Wether it was a romantic one, in the case of Nellie and Cora, or a teacher-pupil one for Michiko. I did feel at times that the plot moved a bit slow but I was never bored. I loved how the girls stayed true to themselves even with the obstacles they faced and that they didn't become super women just because they took up the mission of unraveling the mystery. They were ordinary (as ordinary as can be) girls who needed each other's help to get each other through locked places, Nellie's profession, out of near death situations, and help each other realize that their true calling isn't to just be an assistant of some man, but to take matters in their own hands and help the people of london fight crime and bring justice to them.(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Megan (Book Brats) rated it 4 of 5 stars

A cover alone can draw a reader into a book. Of course, everyone says to not judge a book by its cover, but how can you resist with THE FRIDAY SOCIETY? It has three very strong-looking girls from different backgrounds, including a person of color. And while the story inside isn’t exactly what I was expecting – and unexpectedly was filled with anachronisms galore – I found myself really enjoying the ride. With a few minor reservations.

GIRL POWER

This is the reason you should read this book. The ma...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: steampunk

I would have adored this book had I been the age of the intended audience--teen. It's a romp of a story, featuring three girls, all of whom are assistants to men, in a Hollywood-backdrop London during a vague handwave at the nineteenth century. The existence of "cavorite", a new element with anti-gravitic features, permits flying ships, plus there are goggles and laboratories and steam-powered carriages.

Cora, the street girl turned lab assistant, Nellie, the burlesque dancer turned magician's as...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Ashley (Firestarbooks) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, blog-tour, must-review

When I first got introduced to the book I was like Charlie's Angels? And since I rarely read steampunk (even though I love the genre), I decided to give this one a try. Did it work out for me? Let's find out.

Characters
Cora - cute, but still boy-ish and loves explosions. Haha, really reminded me of some of my friends. :) She grew up on the streets so she was born tough with this flare of sneaky-ness. She kind of reminds me of a cute fox. She can be beautiful, cute, and cunning. She also is confid...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, historical

hehe this looks awesome! I absolutely cannot wait!

So I had fun reading this. I loved the whole girl hero idea, and I liked that it was steampunk. I liked the men and the setting and scenario. It all could have been better but I still had a fun ride. Love the Cover.

Characters
Cora, Nellie, Michiko > Great characters, love their differences, love how they bond together.

The Men > Interesting and predictable love interests. It's sad what happens to one of them (though he's more of a male friend...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Karen (Book Light Graveyard) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fun. That’s how I’d describe this book. A whole lot of adventurous, girl-power fun. It’s not unlike Charlie’s Angels, if Charlie’s Angels happened to take place in a steampunk Victorian England. But this book one-ups even the Angels, since the Friday Society girls handle their own mystery solving rather than relying on a man to give them directions. And that’s kinda the point of this book—the three girls, who are assistants to famous men in their day-to-day lives, don’t need men to make their pl...more Fun. That’s how I’d describe this book. A whole lot of adventurous, girl-power fun. It’s not unlike Charlie’s Angels, if Charlie’s Angels happened to take place in a steampunk Victorian England. But this book one-ups even the Angels, since the Friday Society girls handle their own mystery solving rather than relying on a man to give them directions. And that’s kinda the point of this book—the three girls, who are assistants to famous men in their day-to-day lives, don’t need men to make their plans, solve problems, and kick butt when it comes to their crime fighting. The blurb on the cover flap pretty much says it all: “An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns and the heroines who use them all.”

Cora, Nellie, and Michiko are pure awesomeness. They each have their own set of talents that come together to make them an unstoppable team—Cora and her problem solving, Nellie and her ability to get out of tricky situations, and Michiko and her fighting. And what I love most about them is that they never really doubt their own worth and skills. Despite living in a society where women are second-class citizens, these three girls know they’re intelligent and don’t let others convince them otherwise. Not a group of shrinking violets, these three. Just take a look at the cover art. At first, I wasn’t that fond of the cover, but after reading the book, I think it captures the girls and their attitude perfectly.

The only thing that semi-annoyed me about the book was the writing style. This is probably just me being nitpicky, but the writing came off as a little too informal. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy writing that’s more casual, and I do think a casual style fits this book—it’s just that I think the book took that style a little too far sometimes. Occasionally, I felt like I was trapped in the movie Clueless or something, and things that would sound normal if they were spoken didn’t always come across with the same fluidity when they were written down.

Overall, a light, adventurous mystery filled with awesome girls kicking butt. I’m definitely interested in finding out what these three get up to next.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Book Light Graveyard (less)

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May 08, 2013 Cheyenne Current rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, alternate-universe, best-of-friends, dark, teens-trying-to-overcome, written-in-unusual-way

I must admit, the concept of the story, a kind of spin off of a typical charlies angles type story was ultimatley what drew me in to this story. The first couple parts of the book were interesting and fun, but the story started to fizzle out half way through. Other than the ultimate fizzling out, I do have some good things to say. I like the way the story was structured. Almost like it was evenly divided between the three girls, from the beginning and it gave a sense of equality that I think the...more I must admit, the concept of the story, a kind of spin off of a typical charlies angles type story was ultimatley what drew me in to this story. The first couple parts of the book were interesting and fun, but the story started to fizzle out half way through. Other than the ultimate fizzling out, I do have some good things to say. I like the way the story was structured. Almost like it was evenly divided between the three girls, from the beginning and it gave a sense of equality that I think the author was trying to show within the book, but it came over more easily through the titles and the structure of the story. The cleverly named titles, were probably my favorite part of the book. Normally, I dont look at titles but just continue on with the story but reading these titles one chapter after another, just had me busting up. The style of writing had foreshadowing and the syntactical similarities between each girls POV, proves just how related these girls are to each other. The repeating symbolism made this book great to analyze. Now for the characters.
Cora: I loved her fiesty and independent nature. She was a leader and probably my favorite character along with Michiko. Loved Andrew Harris, despite his storyline, very disappointed with the way his story ended.
Nellie: She was a fun character, probably the life of the party when she was around other character. I especially liked her interactions with Jeff, mostly because he was so different from all the other guys she had to put up with. But I found her personality lacking in some areas when it was her POV but it was written like it was a general POV and I really had to look back and remeber 'oh, this is Nellie speaking'.
Michiko: She is so strong, despite her obvious setback with the language barrier. I've always been interested in Asian Culture, love Korea and Japan, and reading all the stuff I already knew was just so nice. It's not often, modern YA books feature an acuratley based foriegn character if the plot is not majorly set in that country.
Overall, the book was good, not as intriguing as I wished it would be, maybe I'm just not that into Murder Mysteries, but I still liked the characters, so 4 stars!(less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Kayt rated it 2 of 5 stars

In an alternative, steampunk London, three very different intelligent young women--a genius lab assistant, a gorgeous magician's assistant/acrobat, and a Japanese combat instruction assistant--are thrown together through a series of murders and mysterious occurrences.

Honestly, I picked this up because of the cover. It's eye-catching, and a nice change from waifs-in-floaty-dresses (or corseted ballgowns, for steampunk novels). Unfortunately, it was the best thing about the book.

I found this in th...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Lisa Hall rated it 3 of 5 stars

Set in the early 1900's, three young girls work as assistants by day and track down a murderer by night. They meet by chance at a function, become involved in the murder of a man, begin solving the murder on their own only to team up after crossing paths multiple times. In the end, they become The Friday Society.

This is YA. It is set in the early 1900's Britain and all of the characters sound like modern Americans. At one point they send the Japanese immigrant girl who can barely speak English t...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Nikole Gates rated it 1 of 5 stars

ok The reason I gave this book a one star is because there was nothing in it that made me want to finish it. If a book can't give me that much, I can't give a better rating.

So to start off, I really want to like this book. I mean come on, it has three girls as the main characters. It sounded awesome. But then i began reading and was pretty disappointed.

Now the girls individually have awesome back stories. It is when the author starts to put them to use that it backfires. The only one i felt like...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jana rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Friday Society

3.5 stars. 3 seems unwarrantly low, but 4 seems incredibly high. So, 3.5 it is.

This is a fun read of the fluff variety. If you were looking for deep thoughts and philosophy, you wouldn’t pick up The Friday Society, but if you are looking for an adorable trio of independent (even though all three of them are in some kind of servant position to a male adult, nothing kinky, mind), adaptable, strong-willed and fast-thinking vigilantes trying to solve crime (that the police are unin...more

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Feb 19, 2013 A. Lynn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller, steampunk

I really wanted to like this book but there were just too many issues for me to get past. To begin with, this book is advertised as being steampunk. The steampunk aspects came across as being an afterthought. It seems as though the author merely threw in the advanced technology to fill some holes in the plot. She also uses language and slang from today's youth (for example, one of the main characters describes herself as being "smokin' hot") while the novel is set in 1900 London. The plot is jum...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, teen

Steampunk + gowns, guns and guys? I was sold as soon as I read the inner flap.

I loved the three main characters - all strong girls (not just physically, though that's a definite plus) each with a unique personality. Adrienne Kress did an amazing job pulling together their different personalities; they flowed into a seamless group, with great chemistry even though one of them (Michiko) didn't even speak English. My favourite things about each:

Michiko - kick ass with a katana, but calm and at pea...more Steampunk + gowns, guns and guys? I was sold as soon as I read the inner flap.

I loved the three main characters - all strong girls (not just physically, though that's a definite plus) each with a unique personality. Adrienne Kress did an amazing job pulling together their different personalities; they flowed into a seamless group, with great chemistry even though one of them (Michiko) didn't even speak English. My favourite things about each:

Michiko - kick ass with a katana, but calm and at peace.

Nellie - not afraid to strip down to her underwear to get a job done. Not sure how historically accurate that would be, but hey cool (and no, not in that way! get your minds out of the gutter). Also, not afraid to knee guys in the groin if they deserve it.

Cora - not afraid to make out with a hot guy she just met (uh...but kids, don't try that at home).

There were a few teeny tiny things that stopped me from giving this 4 stars:

Writing - This book was in the teen section, which I always assume is ages 14/15 to 18. However, at times it felt like the author was writing for a pre-teen audience. For example, in the second line of the book, the author uses the word "explosion-y". "Explosion-y". It really did not set me off on the right foot, but given it was only the second line I thought I should at least give the next few pages a shot. Luckily I did, as the writing improved after that. Kress did use "explosion-y" two more times, but by that time I was hooked by the characters and decided to forgive her.

Strangely, I found Kress excelled when writing Michiko's portions and describing the samurai lifestyle, but was weaker in the steampunk area. I believe this would be a good book to introduce someone to the steampunk genre, as it's not heavy in those elements.

Some people mentioned that it was a plus the language was not bogged down with old fashioned speech, but from time to time Kress threw it in to the dialogue and it felt off, like the characters were using really obvious fake accents. I think she should have just stuck to "modern" language, even if it wasn't historically accurate.

I hope this is only the first book of the series, and I look forward to reading more from Adrienne Kress!(less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

In early 1900s London, Cora is the lab assistant to the opium addicted Lord White, who has taken her off the streets and raised her to be his helper, only to ignore her contributions to his inventions when he hires Andrew Harris as his assistant. Nellie is the assistant to The Great Raheem, a magician, and Michiko works for the nasty Callum, who trains Londoners in Japanese martial arts. The three meet up when all of them are at a ball. On the way home, Nellie and Cora happen upon an injured Mic...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Robert H rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first three chapters of this book start with "and then there was an explosion", and the parallels continue throughout the story as a way of linking the three main characters - Cora, assistant or "Girl Friday" to Lord White, a great inventor and member of parliament; Nellie, magician's assistant to the Great Raheem; and Michiko, skilled warrior with Samurai training, and somewhat abused self defense training assistant. All of the characters are in their late teens, and all bring a different e...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Sudha rated it 4 of 5 stars

A little simple plot with unresistable charm. This is the first steampunk I've liked! It doesn't go deep into that late era. The story had three points of view and it was a bit more modernly told in a steampunk type era way before our smart time. This story could easily be a series if the author had that change in mind. More mysteries could be solved and more secrets found. I loved how they worked as a team and the sweet love they gave off. Their relationship and growing friendship towards each...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Vikki VanSickle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: canadian, funny, ya, ya-crossover, steampunk

You know I love a good girl power (ugh how I wish I could find a cooler term) novel.When I first heard of the concept- three girls who are apprentices to powerful men join forces to create a sort of secret superhero society in Victorian (or is Edwardian?) London- it felt so perfect I couldn’t believe no one had attempted it before. Kress’ love of all things steampunk combined with a sassy attitude make her the perfect writer for this story.

This book is a fine balancing act. It is at times silly,...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Liviania rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I picked up THE FRIDAY SOCIETY, I wasn't expecting a ton. Steampunk is one of those subgenres that I kind of enjoy but often find overrated. I was pretty into the first chapter though, wherein Cora discovers a rich guy got himself hired for her job and deals with it through explosions. Then the book kept getting better.

Cora, Michiko, and Nellie are all assistants. It's about the best job a girl can aspire to in Edwardian London. Working in a lab got Cora off the streets. Nellie took her bur...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Broche rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books-all, dual-narrator-or-multiple-pov, historical-fiction, steampunk, teen-ya-age-14-18, ya-adults-should-read

Meet Hyde, Silver Heart, and Lady Sparkle. By day, they are assistants to three powerful men in Edwardian London. By night, they are the masked heroines that make up the Friday Society.

When flower girls start being murdered, men of science turn up dead, and bits of London start blowing up, it is up to these three to use their unique talents to put it all together and save London from permanent destruction. Cora (Hyde) uses her brilliant scientific mind and her knowledge of the streets from her t...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Julie Czerneda rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a breath of fresh air!!
The Friday Society is exciting, fast-paced, fun, and satisfying. London comes alive between its pages, and Kress is totally convincing, whether writing about the vogue of hosting scientific demonstrations (with brandy, of course) to the feel of cobbles underfoot in the fog. Her characters are three real and fascinating women, each with her own skills, each with her own problems. Once they meet? "Look out, evil masterminds!"
Not to mention "Look out, anyone who undere...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Joanna Blackman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to the refreshingly humorous world of Adrienne Kress! If you've ever read her other works (Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate) then you'll be well familiar with her wit, and the ease in which she charms us with her wonderful characters. I looooooved this book. LOVED IT. I've been so longing for a young dynamic cast of female super heroes - and the steampunk theme is an added bonus.

In a book where three characters - Cora, Nellie and Michiko - have top billing, M...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Cassandra Phoenix rated it 1 of 5 stars

ETA: this book and I were done when Michiko started talking about samurai fighting in masks. Ninja fight in masks. A samurai would never dishonor him/herself by taking on an opponent with their face covered up. I am disapoointed in every way in this book and the academic rigor of the author -- and the copyeditor! Who let this get published?

Like, omigod, I didn't know they had Valley Girls in 19th-Century steampunk alterna-London!

(or, if you want me to believe in the authenticity of the era in wh...more
ETA: this book and I were done when Michiko started talking about samurai fighting in masks. Ninja fight in masks. A samurai would never dishonor him/herself by taking on an opponent with their face covered up. I am disapoointed in every way in this book and the academic rigor of the author -- and the copyeditor! Who let this get published?

Like, omigod, I didn't know they had Valley Girls in 19th-Century steampunk alterna-London!

(or, if you want me to believe in the authenticity of the era in which you are writing, research your goddamn vernacular. I don't like being thrown out of a story by a misplaced anachronistic idiom.)

Exhibit A, page 68: "But the fact was, she did look charming. She looked smokin'."

NO. No, no, a thousand times no. Goggles and dirigibles do not excuse poor research into the era about which you are writing. Nobody in Edwardian London said "okay". Nobody in Edwardian London referred to things as "super hot" or "smokin'." If I were a Young Adult reader I would be insulted that the writer thought I was so stupid they could get away with this and go find some actual steampunk with some actual writing acumen, like Gail Carriger's novels. Not some cutesy Powerpuff-Girls-with-brass-fittings abomination like this. As an adult reader, I'm insulted, but also fascinated, like I'm watching a slow motion train wreck. I keep reading, waiting for the moment where the book turns into an Edwardian version of Charlie's Angels.

A book like this is a fine example of genre bandwagon-jumping. It's a YA novel with a girl-power theme (although all these girls are very dependent on their male benefactors) in a steampunk setting. It could have been great. I will own that the writing is technically correct. But the portrayal of the subject matter is awful, insulting to the intelligence of the reader, and insulting to the genre.

Also, as a point of information, Japan had a long and noble tradition of female samurai. Tomoe Gozen, for instance. Which the author would have known if they had DONE THEIR FUCKING RESEARCH. (less)

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Jan 24, 2013 Yoonmee rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-science-fiction, young-adult

Don't waste your time with this book. Example: The first few sentences of the novel, "And then there was an explosion. It was loud. It was bright. It was explosion-y." Unfortunately the book doesn't get any better beyond that sentence. I wish I could say Kress was being cheeky with those first few sentences, but it really just seemed like she was trying to be cheeky and failed miserably.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. Three kick ass young women, and even an Asian one? Woohoo! And yet,...more Don't waste your time with this book. Example: The first few sentences of the novel, "And then there was an explosion. It was loud. It was bright. It was explosion-y." Unfortunately the book doesn't get any better beyond that sentence. I wish I could say Kress was being cheeky with those first few sentences, but it really just seemed like she was trying to be cheeky and failed miserably.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. Three kick ass young women, and even an Asian one? Woohoo! And yet, I could have cared less what happened to them, the plot was weak, Kress failed to create enough tension to keep me wondering what would happen.

I don't know enough about Japanese culture to fully criticize Kress' research on Michiko and samurai, but it did seem like the information given was pretty weak. I'll trust what others are saying on this issue.

The relationship between all three girls and their masters was also strange and somewhat disturbing. Each young woman (they were all in their late teens) had been taken in by an older, more powerful, wealthier man and were servants to the man. Sometimes the relationship was portrayed as a father/daughter relationship and at other times it seemed fraught with sexual tension, which is incredibly disturbing considering the fact that these men are MUCH older than these teenage girls.

Even the title -- The Friday Society -- is a little bit insulting. Robinson Crusoe takes a native man and "saves" him by teaching him the ways of the Western world, converting him to Christianity, and being his master. The whole thing is fraught with racism. The term "Man Friday" or even "Gal Friday" refers to someone's assistant. That these girls are still considered Gal Fridays implies they are and will continue to be servants to their masters/saviors. Sigh.

All that said, I think some teen girls who are looking for strong female characters and enjoy steampunk will like the book. Just b/c I don't like it doesn't mean other people won't either. But as a librarian, I wouldn't recommend this to a teen (or to anyone for that matter). If anyone can direct me towards other steampunk novels featuring strong female characters, I'd love to hear about them. Thanks!(less)

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Steampunk, New We...: The Friday Society By Adrienne kress	19	50	Mar 29, 2013 09:00pm
Shut Up & Read: ARC Giveaway	1	11	Dec 04, 2012 10:26am

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