Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate, 3) Mass Market Paperback – September 1, 2010

I love this author and all these characters! They're so vivid, and their interactions are quite belivable. Well done again, Gail Carriger!

** SPOILERS ahead of book #2 `Changeless' **Gail Carriger's second instalment of the Parasol Protectorate ended on a doozy of a cliff-hanger. At the end of `Changeless' our buxom heroine discovered she was pregnant, and her werewolf husband Conall Maccon accused her of infidelity and kicked her out of his house.When `Blameless' begins Alexia is living in the aftermath of scandal. She has become the talk of London town for Conall's abandonment, and when word gets out about Alexia's delicate condition, she is kicked out of her mother's house too. Everyone is convinced that Alexia was unfaithful to Lord Maccon because he is a werewolf and therefore dead, and thereby unable to procreate. But everyone seems to be forgetting that Alexia Tarabotti is a prenatural soulless - the first female soulless in history, and therefore an anomaly.Desperate to prove everyone (namely Conall) wrong about the legitimacy of her unborn child, Alexia decides to travel to Italy and uncover information about her prenatural self.Gail Carriger's books are a breath of fresh air. Her `Parasol Protectorate' series is historical paranormal romance with a healthy dose of Steampunk. In a word: `fabulous'. Gail Carriger is probably the most unique voice in the paranormal genre to date, and she continues her magnificence in `Blameless'.This instalment sees Alexia Tarabotti in the uncomfortable quandary of being abandoned and pregnant. But Alexia is a heroine made of tough stuff, with a backbone of steel and enviable etiquette. In `Blameless' Alexia really shines and proves her mettle - she faces down London gossip-mongers, nightgown-wearing Templars, rampaging vampires and killer ladybugs. Oh yes, Alexia Tarabotti is probably at her finest when she is backed into a corner, armed only with her Italian fortitude and weaponized parasol.But `Blameless' also reveals a softer side to Alexia, mainly triggered by her `infant-inconvenience'. The moments when Alexia allows herself to crumble and wallow are wonderful if only because they make her recovery that much braver.`Blameless' also concentrates a lot on the series secondary characters. Accompanying Alexia to Italy is Madame Lefoux, the androgynous French inventor and hat-shop owner. I love Lefoux for her top-hat costuming, but also because she cares so deeply (and unrequitedly) for Alexia. There's definite chemistry on Lefoux's side for Alexia, and I love reading the heated remarks and undercurrents between these two women... I can't wait for the time when those unreturned feelings boil to the surface.Then there's Professor Lyall, Beta werewolf-second to Lord Conall Maccon. Poor Lyall has a lot to contend with in this book, looking after his depressed Alpha while trying to navigate vampire politics. I absolutely adore Lyall; he's an immaculately dressed sheep-enthusiast (don't go getting the wrong idea...) who can turn into a proficient and vicious fighter when needs be. I really like the contrasting combination of Lyall's Beta ruthlessness - he's at once a well-dressed intellectual, and a formidable werewolf. I would love to read Lyall get a love-interest at some point in the series, because I think he would be very interesting when he falls in love. I'd even like it if Lyall got his own spin-off series, because I think he's interesting enough to be his own protagonist (provided he gets his own love interest).Everybody's favourite secondary character, Lord Akeldama, does make an appearance in `Blameless', albeit a small one. However, his storyline in the book will have repercussions in future novels... I don't want to give anything away, but Akeldama's love life just got interesting.Conall Macon has a relatively small role in `Blameless'. But his minimalist role is understandable, what with being heartbroken and all. Regardless, Conall is at his absolute funniest in `Blameless'. Once again I don't want to give anything away, but look forward to formaldehyde-soaked musings and a drunken werewolf fight. Hilarious!One of the best things in any Parasol Protectorate novel is the ludicrously ingenious Steampunk inventions. In `Changeless' it was the introduction of the dirigible (complete with attached teapot), and in `Blameless' it is "homicidal mechanical dripping ladybugs" (yes, they are as cool as they sound!). Carriger seems to have an endless imagination for Steampunk contraptions, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.My one complaint with `Blameless' was not enough Conall/Alexia goodness. Of course the storyline explains the reason for their lack of page-time together... but I love their relationship so much and they bounce off one another with such charming velocity that the book is a little lacking for not having enough scenes with the two of them. The need is further highlighted by their short time together which is entirely romantic, sweet and leaves you wanting *more* of the mushy stuff.One thing that Gail Carriger does very successfully in `Blameless' is secure the longevity of her Parasol Protectorate series. I don't want to give anything away, but Carriger has set up a storyline of ensured durability that will likely take many more books (fingers crossed!) to unfold. The last page of `Blameless' will have you jitterbugging for the next instalment, a far-away July 2011 wait (entitled `Heartless')... but it will be well worth it!

This is the third book in the Parasole Protectorate series by Carriger. The fourth book "Heartless" is supposed to be released in July of 2011. The fifth and final book "Timeless" is supposed to release some time in 2012. This book was a great addition to the series, not quite as fun as the two previous books, but more of a transition novel in which Alexia searches out the "why?" behind her pregnancy while fleeing both English hostility and vampires bent on her death.After the bombshell dropped on us poor readers at the end of  Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate) , this book picks up shortly after that book leaves off. Alexia is living with her family and scorned by English society. Things take a turn for the worse when she is thrown out of the family home, removed from the Shadow Council by the Queen, and attacked by homicidal ladybugs. She finds that for some reason all of London's vampires are out to kill her. With Floote and Madame Lefoux as traveling companions Alexia is forced to flee to Italy and try to find the why, how, and what behind her infant inconvenience. Meanwhile Lord Maccon spends the majority of the time sloshed as he realizes his mistake in tossing his wife out because of her supposedly impossible pregnancy; this leaves poor Professor Lyall with a huge mess to hold together.This was a fun book, but not quite as fun as the previous books in this series. I really missed some of my favorite characters; for example Lord Akeldama was absent most of the book and the insufferable Lord Maccon was sloshed. I missed the witty interplay between Lord Maccon and Alexia. I did enjoy spending more time with Floote, but although I find Madame Lefoux interesting, she is not one of my favorite characters in this book.I continue to vastly enjoy Carriger's writing style. I love all the crazy steampunk contraptions she comes up with to incorporate into the story, I love her witty dialogue, and how her characters try to achieve English dignity in the craziest of situations. The pace of this story was good, it was a page turner and kept me fully engaged. I liked how it wrapped up, without a horrible cliffhanger like  Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate)  had.You learn a lot about the background of many of the characters here. You learn a lot about Alexia's father and how Floote ties in to all that. You learn more about what it means for Alexia to be a Preternatural, and many crazy Victorian theories are discussed as to how her improbable pregnancy occurred. Alexia shows a venerability that she hasn't shown in previous books. Usually she is so practical and shrewd that you wonder at her emotional depth; this book explores that a bit more...it's not obnoxious about it but there are scenes where the whole pregnancy, abandonment, etc just becomes too much for her. Which is entirely reasonable under the circumstances.I continue to get a lot of joy out of reading this series. It is interesting, witty, funny, and thoughtful all at once. I am very excited to see what Heartless will bring us and find out the outcome of Alexia's pregnancy.

This is book three of the series, with much happening in the last two books. But suffice to say, in the interest of avoiding spoilers, Lady Maccon go d's herself in a research journey with scientist Madame Lefoux, across France to Italy to research a new "inconvenience" in her life. Of course she gets up to lots of mischief and dangerous adventures whilst at home Lord Maccon is incapacitated and Beta Lyall has to keep everything together.Scenes early on with Maccon out of sorts are very funny, and poor old Lyall is run ragged sorting out disappeared vampires and kidnapped drones.As always, there's much humour, of polite nature, mayhem, tea and werewolves.Great fun.

Alexia is back with an 'infant inconvenience', an inebriated absent husband, some murderous vampires and a group of mechanical ladybird assassins. This novel continues straight after its prequel Changeless and launches itself straight into the action. Alexia has become exiled from her husband due to his doubts over the paternity of her unborn child, while he proceeds to beome the drunkest werewolf in England she immediately becomes the most scandalous woman in London. Turned out of the family home, unable to return to Lord Maccon, Alexia finds herself in the company of her remaining friends, the ever faithful valet Floote and hat shop inventor Madame Lefoux. With their help our heroine travels to Italy in search of information as to how her pregnant state is possible, sadly that knowledge must be extracted from the Templar Knights - and they aren't too keen on soulless women.This is the third novel in Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series and her characters have all hit their stride. Alexia is as feisty, stubborn, endangered and resourceful as ever. An excellent all round heroine. Her supporting characters are always a main source of comedy, wit and extreme etiquette; in particular Floote and Professor Lyall are my favourites. Both valet and werewolf Beta have the perfect combination of put upon servant and smart know it all.Carriger's novels are perfect for those readers looking for something a little different in their fantasy genre. Their mixture of adventure, steampunk, alternative history, romance and action makes them unputdownable (if such a term exists). Im already looking forward to the next novel Heartless.

Having purchased what I didn't realise was the fifth book in this very witty series some time ago, it had sat in my TBR pile waiting to to read. I purchased the first book in the series Soulless and was hooked!Alexis and Conall's latest adventure sees Alexis leaving England with Genevieve and Floote after Conall's rejection of the now pregnant Alexis. Their travels in Europe are dogged by vampires determined to kill Alexis. Meanwhile Conall realises his mistake and issues a very pubic apology...throw into this mix the disappearance of Lord Akeldama, a cross Queen Victoria and a very put upon Beta Randolf Lyall and a very drunk werewolf who has to go groveling after his wife.... and you get a very entertaining and funny tale!😀

So refreshing to have a heroine who gets out of breath. Interesting plot, and some nice character development.The americanisms continue to be distracting. This time, the worst was the repeated use of 'ladybug' instead of the English word 'ladybird'. Since it was relevant to the plot, it cropped up often enough to be very irritating.I realise that I would have exactly the same problem If I were writing a novel requiring Americanisms, but the solution is simple - get a proof reader of the right nationality! I volunteer! These are great books, it is such a pity they are consistently interrupted with distracting terms.

Read the series, very dry humour, loved it