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Heartless (Parasol Protectorate, #4)
by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)
by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)
Rei Helkamire's review
bookshelves: steampunk, adventure, lgbt
Jan 15, 12
bookshelves: steampunk, adventure, lgbt
Read from January 14 to 15, 2012
I have a great deal of love for competent characters, especially female ones, and the protagonist of this series is certainly that. It was nice to be back in London town. I enjoyed the romp through the Continent in the last episode but I love having the gang all back together. It was so refreshing to see a female character being very clearly pregnant and still kicking ass, and the males around her rolling their eyes but helping her get stuff done rather than cosseting her.
Also, whoa REVELATIONS AHOY. If I did not already love Professor Lyall to bits, the backstory we get here would have done it. POOR PROFESSOR LYALL. (Though I feel like I need to make a chart to keep track of the complicated relationships between our merry band.) I felt sorry for Biffy, and I like that the author gives his situation the attention it deserves. Lord Alkedama is brilliant and sly as always.
Just realized that I have at least three 'ships in this fandom, and the amazing thing is that THEY'RE ALL CANON. This is VERY EXCITING to me, okay. Again, so much respect to Gail Carriger for the well-executed representation of LGBT characters in this universe. Being bisexual myself, I don't think I've ever come across a bisexual character in a book who is not only lovely and badass and HAS CHARACTER DEPTH, but whom I also loved long before finding out he was bi. (Which basically makes him my hero. Seriously, it's like admiring someone and wanting to be like them and then discovering a part of yourself in that person OMG I TOO CAN BE BADASS THROUGH COMPETENCE. Okay I'll stop before I get into a rant about validation of social identity.)
I was a tad disgruntled by the sudden changes at the end, because sometimes there can be such a thing as too much change too soon, but it's still pretty cool and doesn't exactly lessen the sheer LOVE I have for this beautifully constructed alternate history. Can't wait for Book 5 in March!
PS - Additionally, this book has made me very excited for the Parasol Protectorate Abroad series that's scheduled to come out in '13 or '14.
Also, whoa REVELATIONS AHOY. If I did not already love Professor Lyall to bits, the backstory we get here would have done it. POOR PROFESSOR LYALL. (Though I feel like I need to make a chart to keep track of the complicated relationships between our merry band.) I felt sorry for Biffy, and I like that the author gives his situation the attention it deserves. Lord Alkedama is brilliant and sly as always.
Just realized that I have at least three 'ships in this fandom, and the amazing thing is that THEY'RE ALL CANON. This is VERY EXCITING to me, okay. Again, so much respect to Gail Carriger for the well-executed representation of LGBT characters in this universe. Being bisexual myself, I don't think I've ever come across a bisexual character in a book who is not only lovely and badass and HAS CHARACTER DEPTH, but whom I also loved long before finding out he was bi. (Which basically makes him my hero. Seriously, it's like admiring someone and wanting to be like them and then discovering a part of yourself in that person OMG I TOO CAN BE BADASS THROUGH COMPETENCE. Okay I'll stop before I get into a rant about validation of social identity.)
I was a tad disgruntled by the sudden changes at the end, because sometimes there can be such a thing as too much change too soon, but it's still pretty cool and doesn't exactly lessen the sheer LOVE I have for this beautifully constructed alternate history. Can't wait for Book 5 in March!
PS - Additionally, this book has made me very excited for the Parasol Protectorate Abroad series that's scheduled to come out in '13 or '14.
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Reading Progress
| 01/14/2012 | page 178 |
|
48.0% | "AFJLASK SO EXCITING" |
Comments (showing 1-14 of 14) (14 new)
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Brittany
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Jan 15, 2012 09:56pm
PLEASE...can you tell what happened to Madame Lefoux?
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Brittany wrote: "PLEASE...can you tell what happened to Madame Lefoux?"Are you okay with being spoiled? Just in case - she worried me for a while, but things turned out all right in the end! :D
Brittany wrote: "Really???...but yes, I am very okay with being spoiled...what happened?"Have you started reading this book yet? Turns out [SPOILER ALERT FOR LURKERS] she's the Villain for this book, but only because her son has been kidnapped and she wants him back. Unfortunately Angelique had left a will leaving the boy to the ones who'd taken him, so legally she has no grounds. She squashes Westminster in the giant machine she built for that purpose, and Alexia ends up siccing the wolf pack on her. But Alexia also sorts out a compromise in the end so that Lefoux sort of gets her son back while still obeying the law.
Hope that was helpful! I highly recommend reading the whole thing.
Hmmmm...I suppose this would have to suffice. I don't plan on moving forward with the series though she was my favorite and I at least wanted to know what happened to her. I tried to read the reviews but she's not really mentioned...Thank you Rei! = )
Brittany wrote: "Hmmmm...I suppose this would have to suffice. I don't plan on moving forward with the series though she was my favorite and I at least wanted to know what happened to her. I tried to read the revi..."Oh, sorry to hear you won't be reading more. I love her too, though my favorite is Professor Lyall. Poke me after I read Book 5 and I can let you know if there are any more developments for her in there :-)
Brittany wrote: "Wait, I actually have one more question...what do you mean by sort of??"[SPOILER]
Well, okay, the one who took her son was Countess Nadasdy, because Angelique had left Quesnel to her in her will. Legally that meant Nadasdy was the rightful guardian of the boy. Alexia used her authority as muhjah to 'give' Lefoux to Nadasdy as well until Quesnel comes of age, politically as reparation for the damages Lefoux had wrought, but really so that the two could stay together.
Well, all she wanted was to stay with Quesnel, and technically Nadasdy could have had her killed for all the stuff she did to the hive. She wasn't happy but that was the only solution that would let her stay close to the boy, and they'd both be free to go when he comes of age.
Hmmm...I see.... well, once I've gotten your views on book 5, I may just read it because I feel like I'm missing the gist of the whole ordeal lol...Thanks again Rei!
Brittany wrote: "Hmmm...I see.... well, once I've gotten your views on book 5, I may just read it because I feel like I'm missing the gist of the whole ordeal lol...Thanks again Rei!"I don't know if you like the same things I do so you may not enjoy it the same way I have, but it's at least as good as the other books, imo. You're very welcome!
