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    Etiquette & Espionage
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    Etiquette & Espionage
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    Etiquette & Espionage
    Audiobook8 hours

    Etiquette & Espionage

    Written by Gail Carriger

    Narrated by Moira Quirk

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

    Fourteen-year old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. More interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea – and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy - Mrs. Temminnick is desperate her daughter become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

    But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish all right – but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in how to finish in other ways: the fine art of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

    A Hachette Audio production.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateFeb 5, 2013
    ISBN9781619693166
    Unavailable
    Etiquette & Espionage

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    Reviews for Etiquette & Espionage

    4/5

    919 ratings130 reviews

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    • 3/5
      From my Cannonball Read VI review ...

      So, I screwed up. Somehow I managed to read the second book in this series before reading the first book. On the one hand, I'm bummed as I know what happens after this book, but on the other hand I was happy to get some more background on the characters. However, having read them out of order, I'd probably say that there's now no excuse for the super quick wrap-up of the plot in the second book. I thought it was because the author was taking her time introducing the characters; turns out that's not the case.

      This book is a fun, quick read. I'm on vacation right now and between naps and big meals I read this book in one day. I enjoyed the introduction to the character I came to like in the second book, and I liked getting some explanation about the other girls at this school, which is ostensibly a finishing school set in steampunk England, but is also an intelligencer training program.

      One really odd component, though, was the introduction of the only character that the author felt it necessary to assign an ethnicity, making me think that the author suffers from the same color-blindness that so many authors have - her characters are white, and she assumes everyone will think they are white, so she only really needs to offer descriptions of the 'others.' I do not like that, and really wish more authors would create richer, more diverse worlds. If you're writing fiction, especially fiction with an alternate view of the universe, there's no need to default to the racial stereotypes and heirarchies that exist. Or, if you're going to, spend time dissecting those hierarchies and how problematic they are. But describing the one Black character by saying he was covered in soot and then having the main character express shock that he was from Africa once she realized that his skin was also a darker tone? That's weird and comes across as super ignorant. If the character making that observation were one we weren't supposed to like, or who didn't have any complex view of the universe, or if there were any more exploration of the racial structure of the society, maaaaaaaaybe it would work. But it really doesn't work in this book, and kind of pulled me out of the book for a while as I tried to figure out why the author thought that was an appropriate.

      I think having read both books I still would recommend the series with that caveat; I think I might explore her adult stories set in the same type of world and see if she builds a more complex and diverse world there.
    • 4/5
      Started a little slow for me but once it started moving I was hooked. Great ending, which left you wanting more.
    • 4/5
      What great fun! I defiantly need to read more Gail Carriger! MannerPunk for the win!
    • 3/5
      Fun and cute, but don't read this looking for depth. The story and characters are extremely simplistic. Struck me as more Middle Grade than YA. My overall favorite was character was Bumbersnoot, naturally.
    • 3/5
      Fun YA prequel.
    • 4/5
      Victorian England meets Steam punk with werewolves and vampires thrown in for good measure. Wonderful start to a new series.
    • 4/5
      I picked this book up at my local Dollar Tree store. I had heard of this series before so when I saw it I just had to get it. I have never read the Parasol Protectorate series so I was a bit unfamiliar with the world. Regardless, this book was still lot of fun. My only issue was that the ending felt rushed.
    • 5/5
      Sophronia isn't the proper, dignified young lady her mother wants her to be. Instead, the fourteen-year-old is happiest taking things apart, climbing things, or otherwise making a mess of her -- or someone else's -- person. That's not even mentioning her dreadful curtsy.When the opportunity comes to enroll her daughter in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, Sophronia's mother seizes it. Only the school isn't like any Finishing School Sophonia's ever heard of -- and she's sure it isn't what her mother thought she was going to.Along with the quadrille and to always, always have a handkerchief, they also learn about diversion and finishing much more than just school.Etiquette and Espionage is wildly imaginative and draws readers in from the very beginning. Sophronia is a fun character, one you know right away is not the typical Victorian teenage girl. She's a great lead character as she's daring, inquisitive and not one for the conventions of the period. The secondary characters, some whom I won't name as it might be spoilery, and the girls at school have nicely varied personalities. The way they interact with each other and deal with the school is interesting to see.Despite my feeling that the characters seemed a bit older than their stated ages (Sophronia was fourteen and some were younger than her), Etiquette and Espionage should appeal to Middle Grade readers. There's nothing I can recall in the content that would make it inappropriate for those younger readers. I think it would also be very appealing to adult readers, at least those who will read YA.There may be a few readers in the group between those two ages who want some more drama or something more salacious than what they'll find here. The characters do feel more high school aged, but the content stays pretty PG/PG-13. Not to its hindrance.(egalley received from the publisher)
    • 3/5
      An enjoyable steampunk series! I'm glad I found this humorous and imaginative author on a fellow Goodreads friend's list.
    • 4/5
      Once in a while, I come across a book like this, where I debate very early on whether or not to ditch it. Usually, I come to regret not ditching it. This is oddball-out. I'm very grateful I stuck with this. The beginning was painful to get into, but it definitely improved immensely as the plot continued.
    • 3/5
      A new series in the same world as [Soulless] features a floating finishing school and a star pupil. Lightweight and Lively.
    • 5/5
      Sophronia Timminick is a rather ... active girl. After accidentally custardizing a visitor, her parents send her to Mme. Geraldines's, a finnishing school floating above Dartmoor. Sophronia soon starts to wonder what she is really being trained to be: assassin or spy?These often hilarious books are set in a steampunk world with werewolves and vampires. I will definitely buy the rest of the series.
    • 3/5
      As a fan of the adult series, The Parasol Protectorate, I really looked forward to enjoying this book. Toned down a little for a younger audience, this was still a wonderful steampunk, paranormal, Victorian romp. Sophorina is the youngest daughter and a bit of a tomboy. When a mysterious woman comes to their house, Sophorina's mother is more than happy to let her take her daughter to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. Maybe they could do something with her!It turns out that this school does more than offer dance instruction and Sophorina's curiosity and talent for getting herself in trouble have alerted the school to the possibility that she would make an excellent spy. The action starts as she is on her way to the school and her wagon is attacked by flywaymen. It seems that the recruiter had an item of value on her, a prototype, that they wanted. Due to the quick action of Sophorina and the other passengers, the flywaymen are dettered and everyone makes it to the school safely, albeit without luggage.Obviously, a complex world full of complicated machinery and types of paranormals requires a bit of setting up in what is the first of a series. Once the introductions are past, we are treated to a lively and witty story.
    • 5/5
      I was a little nervous about 1) Gail Carriger's first attempt at young adult fiction, and 2) my first attempt at reading young adult fiction. As a huge fan of Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, I am delighted to say that I was not disappointed. I was laughing hysterically by page 2. I loved how Carriger included characters from the Parasol Protectorate novels. Knowledge of that series isn't necessary for understanding this one, but it was a nice nod to those readers who have familiarity with them. I just think it's a crying shame that Alexia Tarabotti didn't get to go to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality!
    • 4/5
      This dirigible, steampunk, boarding school book was just so much fun. I had read the first of the author's Parasol Protectorate series, and liked it well enough. But unusual boarding schools are still a bit of a weak spot for me, and Sophronia, the plucky young woman at the center of this book is just so rowdily good.
    • 5/5
      Highly entertaining first in a series. Sophronia, a young girl in Victorian times (with some steampunk thrown in), is sent to a finishing school that, unbeknownst to her parents, trains the girls for espionage. She takes to it like a duck to water. She learns to use her feminine charms not to secure a proper husband but to succeed in whatever covert operation she is working on. Werewolves, vampires, and a school that floats all are involved in her training.
    • 5/5
      This one was just a lot of fun. Some adventure, some humor, some alternate history - I was a happy camper. I haven't read the adult series that this series is an offshoot from, the Parasol Protectorate, so I am not sure how these line up with those or how the two series compare.
    • 2/5
      You know that awkward moment when you read a Gail Carriger book you had such high expectations from - and you are all *meh* while you get through with it?

      Yup. This is one of them for me.

      The book was all spy school and prototype and learning how to kill along with curtsying and all promises of action and thrills along with steampunk. So why, I wonder, I was half asleep for the most of the book?

      Etiqutte & Espionage had all the makings of a good book - and yet it failed to hold my interest. I knew exactly what to expect from this and that was exactly what I got. Except maybe for action - I definitely wanted more of it.

      To sum it up? Think of Gallahger Girls series in Victorian Era minus the action and the love angle. Ta-da you haz this book.

      2.5 Stars

      I'm looking out for the sequel though this book did not impress me much - the series still has promise if Calliger can make good on it.
    • 4/5
      Etiquette & Espionage is the first book I've read by Gail Carriger but most certainly won't be the last! Sophronia Temminnick is a bit of a tomboy who is constantly being reprimanded by her mother and older sisters for being unladylike. When a friend of Sophronia's Mumsy, Mrs. Barnaclegoose , suggests sending her to finishing school, her mother thinks it's s great idea. Luckily, for Sophronia this is no ordinary finishing school. Unbeknownst to the girls parents in addition to learning how to curtsy they are being trained to be skilled intelligencers. This book is packed full of wit and adventure. I am rating it a well deserved 4 stars
    • 5/5
      Plot: 4 stars
      Characters: 4 1/2 stars
      Style: 5 stars
      Pace: 4 1/2 stars

      Funny, almost middle grade level, but funny. Good for killing time in an airport. ;)
    • 4/5
      I'm a big fan of Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate series, I love most of the characters and the story (and found the latest book to be the best). But I was apprehensive about her forays into YA -- I shouldn't have been. Etiquette & Espionage is fantastic and fun -- even if you know nothing about the original world. But I found that because I was a fan, I felt like I was getting a big treat. Carriger does a great job with her young adult characters and the adults in their lives. I adored the main characters and cannot wait for the next book. A promising series which I hope will get even better.
    • 4/5
      I love this author. Since I adore her adult series, I knew without a doubt that this book must be read!First off, her writing it about the same as her adult series expect for teens. Talk over tea, handsome gentlemen and of course a secret society under the guise of a school. I love it. Every plot twist and new exploration of the world the author created only lead me deeper into the story. It flowed nicely, never wavering or leaving the reader behind. I really enjoyed the main character Sophronia. Her spunky attitude and quick remarks always had me laughing or snickering.There's not really a love interest yet still, I'm anxious to see what will happen ext. Sophronia made both friends and enemies quick. She is a fast learner who will have her work cut out for her.This is a great steampunk story. With amazing world-building and great adventure, I'm glad that I took this journey. A pleasant and sophisticated adventure, Etiquette & Espionage is quite the story!
    • 4/5
      Sophronia is fourteen and forever getting into trouble at home and is less than pleased when her mother sends her to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But it quickly becomes apparent that this is no ordinary finishing school as Sophronia learns not only how to curtsy and flutter her eyelashes but also knife-throwing and the best means of only poisoning certain guests at a dinner party. Of course, her penchant for getting into trouble also lands her in the midst of mystery that may take more than her own skills to solve.A delightful first entry in Carriger's new young adult series, fans of the Parasol Protectorate series will enjoy it thoroughly. Sophronia is a charming heroine (although she does act a bit older than her 14 years) and Carriger creates yet another cast of well-rounded and entertaining characters with just a few familiar faces tossed into the mix. The steampunk element adds a particularly nice twist to the boarding school genre and Carriger's wit is in strong evidence. I definitely look forward to future books in the series.
    • 4/5
      [[Ettiquette & Espionage]]: Another humorous and successful book by [[Gail Carriger]] Set in the same alternate history universe as her Parasol Protectorate Series, it is written in a similar vein, with vampires, werewolves, and steampunk contraptions contending for the reader's attention. Ostensibly set in 1852 in a girls finishing school, this is no 1852 that we know. Rather it is a world of schools floating by means of dirigibles as large as ships, espionage conducted by vampires, as well as nubile young ladies who are taught to throw knives as well as curtsey.Along with rolicking bon mots, the story is supported by a fast paced narrative and captivating characters like the 14 year old lead Sophronia and her friend Dimity. Please try at least one of Gail Carriger's books!
    • 5/5
      What a fun, fast read. While the beginning took a little getting used to -- after all, I'm used to Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, which pretty much focused on Alexia Tarabotti -- but once I found my footing (and the timeline, as this is set prior to the events of the Parasol Protectorate series), I found myself having a blast reading this. For fans of Carriger, there's a lot of cameos from Parasol Protectorate to delight over, historical connections to be made. For readers not already familiar with Carriger's work, I'm not sure how this comes off: it's a standard YA trope in which a teenager gets picked to do something for an unknown gift of theirs and then develops said gift in a setting far away from home, a setting that lends itself to adventures. For this particular intro to a trilogy/series, the stakes aren't exactly high, but it is fun and entertaining to see our heroine, Sophronia, figure out what's going on, why it's going on, and how to stop it. Carriger's narrative can be rather delightful. Seriously. Some of her phrases make me cackle. And I think the best way to describe this book to readers unfamiliar with Carriger is that it's a hyrbid of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy (minus the war, of course). I'll definitely be picking up the sequel, Curtsies & Conspiracies, when it comes out in November. In fact, I've already pre-ordered it.
    • 4/5
      Gail Carriger never fails to make me laugh. This, her first YA novel and the first in a new "steampunk lite" series set in the Parasol Protectorate universe, is no exception. There are delightful things afoot here, both for those who have read her other books and for newcomers. First, for old hands, we find some of the side characters we enjoyed in Carriger's 'Soulless' books are front and center now, engaging us with their intriguing histories. (Since this series is set several decades earlier than Carriger's first, those folks are younger and the reader is even treated to some childhood moments for one key character, but I won't spoil it by saying which one.) For new readers, this world is as rich and fun as one could hope, populated by airships and mechanical dogs and very cumbersome Victorian clothing.Amid this delight there are, unfortunately, some flaws. Carriger has never been the world's most consistent author and there are some decidedly wobbly moments here. Some of the inconsistencies of the novel, however, may have root in its parent genre -- and I do not mean steampunk. At heart, this is a school story, in the same vein as Tom Brown and even Harry Potter, where the bulk of the first book is always taken up with making friends and breaking rules and finding one's way to classes -- classes which, in this case, take place in a floating boarding school of dubious moral character -- and the climax and denouement are all too swift, passing in the space of a few packed pages. Without the context of that tradition, the pacing of this book feels incredibly uneven and the tone a bit stilted. Within that context, however, those choices at least make sense. I'm not sure the explanation makes it any less annoying to have such a quick conclusion, but there it is.Overall, I enjoyed this book both more and less than I thought I would, but I am happy to report that it is typical Carriger and, if you liked her previous books, you will likely find this one just as enjoyable. If you have never read her work before, however, I would still suggest you start with her very first -- 'Soulless' -- because much of the fun here is in recognition and revision.
    • 4/5
      Sophronia Temminnick is more interested in machines than fashion and etiquette, so she's concerned when her mother packs her off to finishing school to - apparently - learn to be a lady. However, with an airship as a school, immortals for teachers, and classes in poisoning alongside classes in dance, it isn't quite what Sophronia was expecting.Etiquette & Espionage is great fun and absolutely charming. I can't wait for the sequels!
    • 5/5
      I've enjoyed the "Parasol Protectorate" novels a lot, but this one was even more fun.It's set in the same world, I think somewhat before the PP series, and focuses more on intrigue and steampunk, and less on the vamps and weres.Plus- as an American who went to local public schools, I have always ADORED boarding-school fiction! And a boarding school on an airship??? with the companion school for boys devoted to developing Evil Geniuses??? What's not to love?OK, the kids don't Save The World. What kids really can expect to? but they do rise to their challenges, outwit the adults, and have a grand time doing it.A good ending, but with enough threads left that #2 can pick up nicely.I think a lot of Harry Potter fans could love this, if they're OK with the focus being on GIRLS (the horror!).Highly recommended. And for YA's, too!
    • 5/5
      This was a super fun read. Previously I had read Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series and really enjoyed it. So, I was very excited to see that Carriger was starting a young adult series set in the same world. The second book in this series, Curtsies and Conspiracies, is scheduled to publish in November 2013. This story is about a girl named Sophronia Temminnick who is sent to boarding school for being an unmanageable young woman. When she gets there she finds that the boarding school isn't teaching exactly what she expected.This book is fast-paced and well written. It is a bit of a mystery in a Victorian setting and has steampunk elements throughout. Sophronia is an interesting heroine. There's nothing extraordinary about her except for the fact that she sees opportunities where others don't and she's practically fearless. I really enjoyed her pluckiness and her willingness to have fun and try new things. The girls go to finishing school basically in a floating dirigible, this is super creative and interesting and provides a wonderful setting for the story.There really isn't any romance in this book, but Sophronia does make friends with many of the other girls. All of the girls are interesting characters and add a lot to the story. There is a lot about friendship and loyalty addressed throughout the book. Along the way Sophronia meets a young girl named Genevieve who likes to dress as a boy and invent things...this is a character that we meet as an adult in the Parasol Protectorate series. It was kind of fun, having read the Parasol Protectorate series, to try and guess who was related to who from that series.The book moves at a fast paced and is a super fun read. The story is well written and the plot keeps you guessing. I found the characters to be engaging and easy to relate to.Overall this book was a great, light-hearted read and a wonderful beginning to new steampunk series. Sophronia goes on a number of wild capers and is just pure fun to read about. There is a lot of humor in this book but it never goes over the top. Highly recommended to steampunk fans.
    • 4/5
      Sophronia is more interested in how things work than in learning to be a lady. When she is accepted to a finishing school, her mother is thrilled. What her family doesn't realize is that this particular finishing school trains spies and assassins, and Sophronia seems to have a particular talent in the field.