Review: Waistcoats and Weaponry

Author: Gail Carriger
Edition: Atom Paperback
Released: 4th November 2014 (today!!)
Series: Finishing School #3
Pages: 298 approx.
Links: Goodreads | Author's Website | Buy the book!

**The following synopsis and review do NOT contain spoilers for the series!**

It's one thing to waltz properly. It's quite another to waltz properly with a bladed fan stitched into one's corset.

Sophronia continues finishing school in style – with a range of deadly defences secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Her fashionable choice of weapons comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap and the charming Lord Felix Mersey hijack a suspiciously empty train to return their chum Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland.

But when Sophronia discovers they are being trailed by a dirigible of Picklemen and flywaymen, she unearths a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos. With her friends in mortal danger, Sophronia must sacrifice what she holds most dear – her freedom.

This series is shaping up to be one of my favourites, for sure! Each instalment is a whole lot of fun, and too soon you find yourself reading the last page - each story never failing to be a whirlwind of intrigue, action and adventure. The lives of Sophronia, Dimity and the gang are too colourful for you not to get caught up in!

It's hard to describe the adoration I feel toward this series. These books are just so much fun. As soon as you close one of the books, all you want is an exciting, adventurous life like Sophronia. I've still got the yearning to be a Mademoiselle Geraldine's intelligencer fever right now as I'm typing this! How boring my life is in comparison with Sophronia's and Dimity's! The third instalment, Waistcoats and Weaponry, was no less than what I expected. A fun, quick read leaving me wanting more, more, more.

Seriously. A few more hundred pages with these characters would do me fine! I hate coming to the last page. Especially with this instalment as I knew I'd have to wait AGES for the next one! And here I am, just having finished the book today, and knowing I'll have to wait at least a year before Manners and Mutiny is out. It's a horrible feeling. Horrible!

Anyway. *takes deep breath* *plays calming music* Let me talk about the characters. If I had only half loved them before, my love solidified for them in this book. Each character within the group is so different from the next that you can't help but love them all (or, at the very least, love something about each individual) and the relationships that cultivate between them. I love Sophronia for her head strong, empathetic, leader-like ways. I love Dimity for her loyalty, hesitance and even her moans and groans. Felix for his ever-changing, always-keeping-you-on-your-toes personality. Sidheag for her determination and strength. Soap for wanting something more. Though, honestly, maybe Soap grates on me at times because I just love Felix a lot. Like, a lot. A lot, a lot. I can't help but do that thing where if I love one (as much as I do Felix), I just can't fully love the other.

 

The only thing I could say against this series is sometimes I get a little confused about the politics of it all and the *scheme* going on that plays a part in each book. But I usually begin to understand something sooner or later.

To conclude, Waistcoats and Weaponry, adds another delightful edition to the Finishing School series. If I haven't got across how much I enjoy these books through this review then I don't know how else I can! They're just the perfect light, fun, rainy day reads. I urge you to go and pick up the first book if you haven't already. This series doesn't have nearly as much credit as it deserves!

FOUR (AND A BIT) TOADSTOOLS TO WAISTCOATS AND WEAPONRY!

Huge thanks to the publishers, Atom, for sending me out an early copy of this book to review!

 

Happy Reading,

Rachel xoxo