Book Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies

Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2)
Gail Carriger

Release Date: November 5, 2013

Book Description:
Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a school trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

In this sequel to bestselling author Gail Carriger's YA debut Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season.

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Review:
The Finishing School series is heating up my must read list with a delightful follow-up novel! Curtsies & Conspiracies is full of adventures, secrets, mischievous characters, and lessons in etiquette, espionage and most importantly – friendship. So, if you haven’t started on this series yet – you are definitely missing out!



Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is back in session and so are Sophronia and friends. This time around the boys from Bunson and Lacroix’s Boys’ Polytechnique join them on board the floating school for a trip to London where they are to witness the innovation in air travel. But something is amiss here and not only with this mysterious London trip. So, what’s a young lady of quality to do? Use her newly acquired espionage skills of course!

Many adventures and misadventures ensue while Sophronia puts her skills to the test, and she’ll need all the help she can get which, at times proves more difficult than not. There are Vieve and the sooties to think of, and kidnapping plans to thwart, not to mention the boys, of whom Lord Felix Mersey proves a wonderful new addition to the cast [I do hope we see more of him in future installments.] As vampires take more of the center stage this time around, we begin to see more of the supernatural side of this fantasy world; a few of the favorite Parasol characters make an appearance as well to the delight of many fans, myself included.

So, what can I say my darlings? I absolutely adore and can’t get enough of this steampunk(ish) fantasy world that Ms. Carriger so masterfully concocted in her earlier adult series – The Parasol Protectorate [which, by the way, is one of my favorites and another must read!] But don’t be mistaken, The Finishing School got enough spunk and quirkiness, not to mention a very curious and inventive heroine to earn its own place on my list. I’m sure many will find the series and Ms. Carriger’s unique and playful story telling style enjoyable so I highly recommend you check out these books.

Happy reading!

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Finishing School Series:
Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)
Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2)
Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School #3)
Expected Publication: 2014
Manners & Mutiny (Finishing School #4)
Expected Publication: Unknown