Alexia Tarabotti is a fatherless spinster living with a self serving mother, stepfather, and two half sisters. To add insult to injury, Alexia has inherited her father’s Italian blood, making her much darker than is considered “fashionable”. Oh, and she has no soul. This doesn’t make her much different from other people, except that she can negate supernatural abilities, and she often speaks her mind in a very unladylike way, occasionally even using such terms as “You pea-brained lack-witted ninny-hammer!”
Alexia is quite used to being ignored on the fringes of the ballroom, and often escapes to the library in avoidance of such social prejudices. However, things go from bad to worse when her sanctuary is disturbed by a vampire who attempts to bite her (without an introduction!!). In a combination of self defense and anger at her attacker’s advances, she smartly taps him with her trusty parasol, thus killing her attacker. When the arrogant Lord Maccon (who is also a werewolf) appears at the scene to investigate on behalf of the queen, Alexia isn’t sure which is worse: his bark or his bite. So she fakes a faint (but not before comfortably inserting a pillow between her and the floor). From then on, the relationship between Alexia and the insufferable Lord Maccon begins to get stickier than treacle tart. Further, werewolf loners and vampire roves all over London have been disappearing at a most alarming rate. To make Lord Maccon’s job even more difficult, Alexia begins to investigate on her own. Who is behind the disappearances? And where did Alexia last leave her trusty parasol?
Soulless is an absolutely delightful debut that combines “urbane” fantasy, romance, and a hint of steampunk. The world building is well done, and I expect it will be fleshed out even more in future books. Victorian era London houses vampires, ghosts, and werewolves, along with its high society. The characters were enjoyable–from a flamboyantly gay vampire who speaks in italics to Alexia’s stoic butler (inherited from her dead father) who quickly and efficiently ushers the “Young Miss” out the servant’s door during her escapades.
Soulless is a laugh out loud ride for the thrill seekers among us–full of twists, turns, and werewolf fur. Just don’t spill your tea.
Gail Carriger’s Soulless will be released in the US September 29, 2009, though many copies were given out at this year’s BEA. Two more books are slated to be part of the Parasol Protectorate series, with Changeless (Book #2) coming out in April of 2010.
