Soulless by Gail Carriger

Synopsis: Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.


Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.


With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?


SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

Warning: Spoilers

Soulless is the first in the Parasol Protectorate series. It is hilarious. I delayed in reading this because I thought it would be silly, because how do you kill vampires accidently with a fancy umbrella? All in a Victorian society. But it wasn’t. It really wasn’t and I am so glad I read this. Soulless is one the funniest stories I’ve read in ages.

I knew it would be funny when Alexia is holding her wooden hairpin to the vampire throat, hitting him with her parasol and saying, “Manners!” She hit a little too hard, the hairpin went through his throat. And that was just the first few pages.

I am not sure whether to call Soulless paranormal romance or urban fantasy. The romance isn’t the focus, not really, but it is a very important of the story and they end up married by the end. The mystery aspect is just as, if not more important, than the romance. Without the mystery there wouldn’t be a romance, because I don’t think the romance would have happened at all without it. Or happened at a glacial slow pace. Both Alexia and Lord Maccon needed a kick in the butt for the romance to get going.

If this story as weakness, it is that sometimes the POV changes quickly in the same scene (usually to forward the romance). Even that wasn’t confusing, not really, so it is not that much of a black mark.

I want to read the next book! I wish it were already published. It is not. According to the Amazon, Changeless, Parasol Protectorate book 2, comes out on March 30 2010.

Grade: B