Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger, is a historical steampunk novel following a mischievous young girl named Sophronia Temminnick. She was picked to join an elite and exclusive finishing school with their main curriculum being espionage and training assassins. Sophronia excels at her school, and unravels a technological mystery along the way. 

Etiquette & Espionage is different from the previous SPSCC Book Club picks, in that it’s a part of a larger, finished series. It is the first in a prequel series. First, Etiquette & Espionage, then Curtsies & Conspiracies, and Waistcoats & Weaponry, then finally Manners & Mutiny. Then there’s the main series, the Parasol Protectorate series, which is Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, and Timeless.

This book is about 107,000 words long, which should take the average reader about 5 and a half hours to read. There are no serious warnings or triggers for this book. It’s based on Victorian customs, so the expectations of womanhood and femininity are closely followed. If that’s not your cup of tea, then feel free to pass.

This is not a book I would have picked out on my own. My bread and butter is Sci-Fi, Contemporary fiction, or Fantasy. Although, Etiquette & Espionage isn’t something I would read if I saw it on a shelf at Barnes & Noble, it is really funny. Carriger’s writing style is extremely fun to read, and I had to stop reading several times to laugh. The proper Victorian tone of how everyone speaks contrasted with the spying and steampunk elements and makes for a comical read. 

Sophronia as a character is also pretty funny, but clever in her own right. She clearly has good instincts for spy craft, though she was a little bland for my tastes. Her flaws or more unique character traits weren’t elaborated on much in this book. Her character may be better explored in the later books, of which I have not read.

The side characters were also a little one-note at points. Dimity is a very proper lady, not very devious. I forgot that the character, Preshea, existed, but Sidheag stood out to me the most. She’s descended from a werewolf, and is the most tomboy-ish of the group. Sidheag’s werewolf ancestor shows up in the sequel series of the Parasol Protectorate, which I found rather neat. I wanted to hit Monique with a frying pan. She’s the classic older bully who thinks she’s better than everyone else. I’ve heard that she becomes a better person in later books, so if you are interested then I suggest further reading.

There isn’t much to dislike about this book. The things that I didn’t quite like are matters of taste. While I enjoy historical features, Steampunk wasn’t something I’d ever paid much attention to. While I enjoy some aspects of steampunk in other shows, Arcane being the prime example, it’s not a genre I would actively seek out. For my first foray into this genre, I had a fun time, but I don’t think I’ll read the other books in the series.

The highlight of March’s book club was that it wasn’t just a book club meeting, it was also a Q&A with the author of Etiquette & Espionage, Gail Carriger herself. She was a delight to talk to, and her answers regarding AI, her books, and authorship were fascinating to hear.

April’s Book is “Camp Zero” by Michelle Min Sterling. It follows Rose, a high-end escort from the glamorous Floating City. She is climate-displaced along with her Korean immigrant mother. It also follows Grant, a College Professor who’s running from his past and family fame. Rose agrees to spy on the architect who’s creating the titular Camp Zero in Northern Canada. They learn that not everything is as it seems, and that there are bigger mysteries that lurk beneath the ice and snow. With White Alice creeping closer to present day, who will survive long enough to flee Camp Zero.

April’s Book Club meeting will be held on April 29th, 2024 in the Library.