Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless by Gail Carriger! Now what a fun little bit of prose this is!

 A humorous and often times sexy jaunt into a steampunk Victorian England, this book tells the story of Alexia Torberetti, a sharp-witted Italian spinster who lacks a soul.  In her world, vampires and werewolves are everyday anomalies, and social decorum rules all.  She lives in a time where corsets and carriages are the norm and science is on the road to discovering electricity, though it seems to be more interested in discovering how supernatural creatures are made and what the function of a soul is in the human body.  As a rare preternatural, or human lacking a soul, Alexia finds this field of research enthralling and later becomes  targeted as a test subject herself for by a rogue group of scientists.  However, these scientists' methods are cruel and their intentions are dubious, seeking to eradicate the immortals from modern society though they have proven capable of integrating capably. Alexia is forced into protection by the BUR (Bureau of Unnaturals Registry).  What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse across London  intermingled with a blossoming sexual romance between her and Lord Maccon, a wealthy and respected werewolf who is Alpha of the London pack.  Trust me when I say this is a thrill ride of a tale chock full of fangs, fur, and excitement.

Alexia is an engaging character from the start, showing great wit and faculty of mind.  A spinster at age 26 due to her tan skin, Italian blood, and large features, she does not feel shortchanged or self-conscious as other women might.  Instead, she seizes the status of being unmatchable by allowing herself to do that which no lady hoping to get a man might do: become learned. She reads all the booms in her late father's library and surrounds herself with the most cunning scientists of the day, being continually invited to the best events in high society due to her valued opinion and dominating presence.  Indeed, the heroine of this tale is a force to be reckoned with and, as the story is seen through her perspective, makes the book worth reading in and of herself.

But there are other elements that make this book enjoyable.  The prose is fraught with innuendo and clever witticisms that pepper the supernatural action and keep the work from ever taking itself too seriously.  Though dark in theme, the story itself is light in nature, and this keeps the reading of it fun and flowing.  The characters and plot are lacking in emotional complexity, but both are engaging enough in their simplicity to keep you turning pages late into the night.  Indeed, what Soulless lacks in depth it makes up for in sheer cheek and creativity, and this book is definitely one of the most fun literary forays I've had in a while.

Who would I recommend this book to?  Anybody with a fancy for petticoats or paranormals, feminists or fornicators, especially if you've been stuck reading textbooks and scholarly articles and need of a break (holla!). 8.5/10Ps--there are three sequels so far, which I will most definitely be picking up ASAP.  Maybe Carriger uses them for some character development?  We'll see!