Customer Reviews

Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate)

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ugh. Please don't force me to read the next book in a series by introducing major new plot elements a few pages from the end and leaving them totally unresolved. I want to go on with a series because I'm enjoying spending time in that world, not because I was tricked by a cliffhanger ending. The ending of Changeless just left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Of course, I'm more forgiving of these underhanded tactics when I've been thoroughly enjoying the reading experience up to that point. Unfortunately, I can't quite say that that was the case here. It took about half the book before I was really engaged in the story at all, and even then there were elements that irked me.

I read in an author interview that while Soulless was structured like a romance, Changeless was supposed to be more like a mystery. Unfortunately, I think that some of the silliness that worked so well in a lighthearted romance didn't quite hit the mark here. It was one thing for Alexia's empty-headed friend Ivy Hisselpenny to be concerned only with hats and manners when there wasn't really much at stake, or at least nothing that wasn't being concealed from her; but in the context of someone hanging on for dear life, at risk of plummeting to sure death at any moment, or when people were being poisoned or shot at, her absolute idiocy was just grating--not to mention that I couldn't think too highly of Alexia for secretly laughing at her supposed friend all the time.

I also think that Changeless in general is lacking some of the interest of Soulless because the world is already established, and we mainly have to rely on plot and characters to keep us engaged now. One of the things I loved about Soulless was the unique setting and the descriptions of how vampires and werewolves were integrated into Victorian society, but in Changeless there wasn't much new in that regard.

Let me re-iterate here that these comments are coming from someone who absolutely loved Soulless. It's not by coincidence that I read Changeless as soon as it was released; I had been looking forward to this book for months. I'm sad to say that it was ultimately a bit of a disappointment.

And yet, when it comes to the final judgement, should you read this book? If you liked Soulless, of course you should, though I might advise waiting until September when the third book is released. And if you haven't read Soulless, I would highly recommend it. Even after being underwhelmed by Changeless, I'm looking forward to reading more of Carriger's work in the future.

You will notice that I gave this four stars, but that my review still has reservations.

The Plot:
Plenty of people have summed up the plot, so I will not be doing that here. Besides, I'm prone to giving away spoilers, so best to avoid this altogether.

To start, the good:
Loved, loved, LOVED this book as much as the original. The character interactions were as smooth and amusing, the humor was ever-present, the pacing was good, and the story overall was delectable. I am impatient to receive the third book simply because I enjoy this series, not because of the cheap authorial trick utilized. I would recommend it highly to almost anyone who loves werewolves, vampires, Steampunk, Victorian romances, the Victorian era, or just tea and parasols.

The Bad:
CLIFFHANGER ENDING.

This was a cheap and shoddy gimmick that I feel the author should be shot for. I feel it demeaned her story, her writing ability AND her readers. It was like the author, in an orgy of self-destructive tendencies, was jumping up and down screaming; "my writing sucks, and this is the only way I can get my readers to stay!!"

The Ugly:
More thorough editing, PLEASE. I was yanked out of the text at least once by an inconsistency involving the showing of the parasol, and later with logistical questions of it's use. I was annoyed by the amazing dumbing down of Ivy (though amused at the same time--worth the ride!), and more-so by the deliberate out-of-character denseness of Alexia herself regarding a certain matter. It is my opinion that a woman of imminent sense and logical mind, one who practically raised herself on her father's journals and had frequent close contact with Lord Akeldama would NOT tend to overlook the one glaringly obvious thing she refused to understand until the end of the book. It felt contrived, like the author needed the character ignorant, but not something the character would actually have been ignorant of.

The cliffhanger ending was also, I feel, a bad move. I ended the book on such a sour note that instead of thinking back on the book in pleasure, I found myself dissecting its flaws. The flaws mentioned above were only the ones I felt though the whole story, before the cliffhanger knocked me for a loop. My list of complaints afterwords was MUCH longer. And, despite the somewhat logical nature of the break between the two books, it also felt arbitrary, as if someone had randomly picked a place, and accidentally picked a chapter into the new book.

Final Summery:
I will finish the series and love every second of it.
I will recommend the series to all my frinds.
I do not, for an instant, regret my involvement with these books.
I still stand by that this author is a wonderful author, and the world she creates well worth every moment spent in it.

However, I can honestly say if this author ever works on another series, I will hold back on purchasing it until the entire thing is published in full, as I never want to have this trick pulled on me again. I am also feeling much less forgiving as a whole. If the upcoming book is later than six months, I probably won't buy it, and if it is shoddy, I will not be purchasing from her in the future.

This could just be me; I feel really strongly about the trickery of the ending, and the sour taste of it that lingered long after the novel was done. Again, if you are like me, don't buy this book until the new one is released. You'll be happier that way.

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.

Newlyweds often have many negotiations and arrangements to work out in their married lives. That holds true even when one is an aristocratic werewolf and the other a special advisor to Queen Victoria. So, when Lord Woolsey forgets to tell wife Alexia about the werewolf regiment that will be camping out on the grounds of their estate and then heads off to Scotland, she is none too happy. Especially, since she has also been charged by the Queen with figuring out why werewolves and vampires throughout London are reverting to fragile human form. Alexia being Alexia, literally soulless practicality and pragmatism, she sets off to set things right with or without her husband's help.

While still a mixture of romance, humor, mystery, adventure, and steampunk gadgetry that has something for everyone, this wasn't quite as entertaining as the first novel, Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate). And, being the middle book of a trilogy, it ends on a cliffhanger. The revelation precipitating the cliffhanger is entirely predictable almost from the beginning if not the problems stemming from it.

While the first book takes place entirely in London, this book feels more closed in though, geographically, it's more varied with a beginning in London, a dirigible journey and then Scotland being the setting for most of the rest of the book. That dirigible journey isn't as interesting as you would expect despite dirigibles being, perhaps, the classic steampunk motif. Readers with a steampunk jones for bizarre technology will have to settle for the aethographic machine - sort of a cross between fax machine and a primitive crystal radio set. When we're in that Scottish castle and learning whether or not its owners, the Kingair pack of werewolves, have anything to do with the plague of humanity affecting the supernatural set, the story feels sort of like one of those mysteries set at a English manor over a weekend.

While I appreciated the concentration on werewolf pack dynamics in Soulless, here they got a little tiring though we do get an explanation of why Alexia Trabotti's husband, Lord Woolsey, abandoned his Scottish pack for an English one. And the humor, including the coy references to the couple's sex life, got a bit stale. Indeed, the humor seemed more forced in this book, sometimes even reliant on anachronistic phrases.

On the plus side, Carriger explores the idea of soullessness in this novel and shows it's more than just a catchy title for the first book. And we learn something of Alexia's father and his past. And the solution to the mystery of a plague of humanity affecting werewolf and vampire is interesting and develops the background of this world, logically fits in with Alexia's nature.

And Carriger does introduce the appealing figure of Madam Lefoux, sort of a cross between Marlene Dietrich and Q from the James Bond movies. An attractive woman in mannish garb, designer of an even more elaborate and ugly parasol for Alexia to wield, her obvious come-ons to Alexia and the latter's seeming obliviousness to them actually do add some humor and erotic tension to the story.

Do not approve of that ending, no sir, and not simply because of the unnecessary cliffhanger. I abhor this kind of trope and find it appallingly sexist. And while I'm sure Ms. Carriger intends to acknowledge and deal with the sexism going on here, I find it repulsive, inappropriate for a generally lighthearted sort of narrative like this, and I don't want to read it, period. And I am also entirely unconvinced that the sexism will be dealt with to my satisfaction.

For one thing, my estimation of Lord Maccon has plummeted abysmally. I don't care how fiery-tempered, superstitious, or whatever else he is, there is absolutely no excuse for the disgusting way he behaved. Suspicion and unease? Fine, I can accept that. But not what he did. I really don't see how the narrative can deal with his awful behavior in a way that will satisfy me.

Also, setting aside my distaste for the whole business, it's my opinion that lighthearted, generally comedic things should end on high notes; I think if Ms. Carriger had to go with this trope regardless, it should have been introduced in the next book. That ending struck a very discordant note and left a sour feeling behind. When I read something lighthearted, I expect to finish feeling upbeat and happy, not sour and uneasy. I'm really not sure what anyone involved was thinking, ending it that way.

I did however love, love, love Madame Lefoux, and deeply regret that this incident is unlikely to push Alexia into her loving (and oh so lovely) arms. Madame Lefoux made me wish this were a lesbian romance instead. (And somehow I have the feeling this isn't the kind of narrative where the heroine gets to have multiple lovers, either... Sigh.)

Will probably still be reading the next volume, but that ending really left a sour taste behind.

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 not only meets willingly with a Werewolf, but a naked one at that.

Changeless is in many ways so much better than Soulless. I was a bit put off by the excess of sexual innuendos and encounters in the latter--the second half of the Paranormal Romance subgenre I did not realize it fell categorically under. Perhaps it's because I approached Changeless with previous experience, but the romance didn't bother me nearly as much. It could also be that Carriger significantly cut back. Although there are a few scenes that I felt were unnecessary, Changeless would not be as charming, witty, or frivolous without them. In short, I wasn't bothered enough to let a few scenes scattered throughout the book get in the way of me absolutely adoring this novel. To be fair: I don't normally read romance books, let alone Paranormal ones. Had I known Soulless was a Paranormal Romance before I read it, I might not have bothered to buy a copy. As it is, my misconception introduced me to an author and series I'm very glad to be a fan of.

The ridiculous denial and flirtation between Maccon and Alexia, now that they are married, is taken up by another burgeoning couple (dare I spoil things and say love triangle?). Both manage to make the courtship appear silly and melodramatic, but always entertaining--far more entertaining than I ever found Alexia and Lord Maccon (no offense). Not to be outdone, Alexia and her new husband are clearly in love and suffering blessedly, but the balance between the two couples is carried out very well. Everything I found a little awkward in Soulless is executed with practiced ease here--Carriger has found her stride.

The Parasol Protectorate books are about adventure and bravery as much as they are about decorum, romance, and fashion. Carriger's prose is overabundant with clever and deliciously wicked observations. She doesn't pause much to give an extended exposition and build a world for her readers, but she doesn't have to. It may seem at first Carriger is taking for granted the alternatives of her world we are unfamiliar with. In truth, she gathers each new element with the historical, adds some silk, ribbons, and etiquette until the entire ensemble comes out as an entirely new character. The absurdity of her world is matched only by that of the Vampires, Werewolves, and other delightfully ravishing and charismatic characters surrounding Alexia. I get the feeling that Carriger has only begun to unravel Alexia's world. It's an exercise in patience and imagination waiting to appreciate (because I know I will) what she has in store for us next.

Quite masterfully, Carriger drops unanswered questions and dangling plot elements at the mercy of our expectations. Noticing these in the narrative herself, it may seem heavy-handed or extremely leading for a character to point out an unanswered question by the end of the book. I'd like to think those references are in the spirit of the series. The prose has an awareness of itself that I think, in pointing out what hasn't been addressed, remembers to include us on the outrageous journey. For a character to remind Alexia, "but what about..." it is really Carriger taking us by the hand, handing us a cup of tea and sitting us down to relax with a delicious bite before the next journey begins. There will be more, this says, but one must always take time for tea.

Thank you Orbit Books for my Advance Copy of Changeless!

I really enjoyed Soulless when it first came out, and I'd been looking forward to this novel a lot. However, while a decent book Changeless felt a little bit desperate, as though the author suddenly lost confidence in her own abilities and sought to compensate with gimmicks, or felt she had to pander to niche fans.

First, there was more steampunk here: the parasol is replaced by a new one (the description of which seems rather horrid and completely unlike what one would expect Alexia and her loathing of bad hats to tolerate); there are extensive descriptions of radio-like devices, dwelling ad nauseum on technical details and minutiae that were completely unneccesary to the plot, characters...anything, really; the details of a military camp - and steam powered tent poles - seem unintentionally farcical, upsetting the tone of the book. Basically, the steampunk seems to move from an interesting and enjoyable background to halt the plot and disrupt the tone for no reason other than establishing This Is A Steampunk Novel.

I also felt let down by secondary characters. Alexia is accompanied by Ivy and her sister on a long journey and secret mission, which presents an amazing chance to expand their already-interesting personalities with new conflicts and motivations - instead, they're flattened into irritatingly one dimensional figures. Ivy in particular moves from naive-but-intelligent-dedicated-friend to shallow-and-stupid-poodle, and I found myself caring less about her at the end of the book than the start, which is really regrettable as Ivy is Alexia's only real connection to contrast her zany life with 'normal' society.

Finally, the cliffhanger ending - already well discussed - was irritating and mostly completely unnecessary. The plot could have been completed perfectly with the simple revelation, leaving the reaction for the next book. A very disappointing move by Carriger.

Despite some problems, the book was a good continuation of the series and Alexia remains an interesting heroine in a well-executed world. When not interrupted with forced trivialities, the plot moves well and the writing is good quality. I'll definitely get the next book, even though the series has moved from 'can't get enough' to just 'interesting'.

Seriously,

I like the series and find the humor priceless.

These books stand on their own and shame on both the author and publisher to debase themselves with the cliffhanger ending which was cruel on so many levels.

I love the characters, their interactions and the mythos behind them. Even if the plots are fairly obvious, there really was no surprises with the exception of the cliffhanger ending. But the ride was fun even without the surprises.

So I recommend the book but have to caution, if you hate cliffhangers, wait to read until the next book comes out.

*This is actually a 2 1/2 star book for me*

I really can't believe how disappointing I found this book. I thought the first book, Soulless, was so fun and fresh! I'm quite amazed that this one tanked so spectacularly for me.

A lot of the things that drew me into the first book were missing here. I was actually pretty bored throughout most of it. It felt incredibly tedious and drawn out. Now, the voice is still the same - which is a huge plus for me. Alexia is a fabulous narrator and I find her thought process and commentary hysterical! But the book cannot hinge on her alone. That's really where this book failed - the side characters.

In the first book we got a lot of page time with characters that really made the book for me. Professor Lyall, Lord Akeldama, Ivy, and Lord Maccon. Ivy was seen in this book, but I'll get into that shortly... All these characters combined to make some really fabulous interaction. The dialogue and banter popped and the situations they found themselves in were so entertaining! The strength of the book didn't rest on Alexia alone. It was the whole cast that truly made it enjoyable.

We also got to get some really fun scenes from Lord Maccon and Professor Lyall. In this one we had one tiny scene from Conall's pov, and while we did get a couple from Professor Lyall's view he wasn't really contributing to Alexia's storyline. I just found it disappointing. Lord Maccon was a huge character in the last book. What happened?

I also felt that the first book was a romance. The relationship and the development of their interactions together were given a good chunk of attention. In this one Lord Maccon gets very little page time and actually only shows up for about 1/3 of the book. So it definitely didn't fall into the romance category for me. Their relationship is a big reason why I enjoyed the first so much. I was so looking forward to having even more page time with them together because of they got married. I never expected even less interaction!

So, on to the specifics of what irritated the crap out of me:

Why did Conall dodge out of every single conversation or scene with Alexia in the beginning? I was really starting to get angry. He would take off willy-nilly and Alexia wasn't even angry! She's his wife! They're supposed to be partners! I just can't believe that's what their relationship turned into! We only saw him when he had sex with her or flirted. Any conversation that involved actual information sharing or conversation was skipped. I was pissed!

I was also extremely irritated that everything could have been solved much earlier in the book if Conall had been more open with Alexia about the information he had learned in all the years he had been alive. He doesn't have to talk about everything he's ever encountered, but maybe it would have been nice to share information specific to her. It's not like she can go up to someone on the corner and ask about them! The Soulless are kind of rare. I just felt it was pretty thoughtless that he never even considered it.

Also, what happened to Ivy? She was funny and a bit ditzy in the first book, but she turned outright stupid in this book. It really casts Alexia in a bad light to be best friends with someone that dumb. She wasn't just a little dumb either. She was like I-just-got-ran-over-by-a-car-because-I-wanted-to-see-if-it-would-hurt dumb. She seemed completely different from her character in the first book. Maybe it would have been easier to ignore if she hadn't had such a huge part in the book. But she was everywhere. *shudder*

I liked getting to meet Madame Lefoux. I had fun trying to figure out what was going on with her sexuality. It seemed blatant, but then I kept getting stray comments throwing me off the trail and making me think that something else entirely was going on. Alas my original supposition was correct. I don't know whether I'm disappointed or not... ;)

The plot point involving Alexia felt a bit like I was being beaten over the head with "clues." The first time I saw a comment about it I knew what was going on. I didn't need it shoved in my face constantly. The same goes for the identity of the villain.

Once we found out some new information about Alexia's interaction with her father, I really had the uncomfortable feeling I knew where that storyline was going. Thankfully it didn't, but I'm not positive it won't come up in the next book.

I really didn't suspect what would cause the cliffhanger that I've heard so much about, but I was pretty angry. It didn't whet my appetite for the third book though. It actually just made me disgusted with the whole experience. If I hadn't bought the third book in advance that would have been the end of my association with this series. Now I just have to decide if I'll get my money's worth and read the book or if I'll pass it on without even trying it.

That end...how can the author bring up that jacked up situation and have it all go to hell only FOUR PAGES from the end. It made me really pissed off at the author. It felt like blatant manipulation. I do NOT enjoy being jerked around to ensure I'll buy the next book. I really wish I hadn't bought that third book...

Even if the author "fixes" the situation in the next book, I'm never going to feel the same about it. I'll always have doubt and a faint disgust for it. I wish I would have quit at book one so I could have been left with that warm happy feeling with no taint.

Loved it! Cannot wait for Blameless to get here! I've read sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy (vampires, etc) & a little steampunk for years. This is one of the few I've found recently that has a fresh approach, solid characters & a great story.