Curtsies & Conspiracies

With the school's dirigible heading toward London for a liaison with an inventor studying aetherospheric travel, Sophronia (Etiquette & Espionage) is convinced that her professors are Up To Something. Is the academy affiliated with vampire hives, werewolf packs, the anti-supernatural Picklemen, or the Crown--all of whom would benefit from controlling aether technology? A witty and suspenseful steampunk romp.

A practical exam at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality proves what readers already knew: Sophronia (Etiquette & Espionage, rev. 1/13) is an eminently capable student of espionage. During the assessment, Sophronia glimpses a gadget oddly similar to the mysterious "prototype" so sought after in the first book. With the school's dirigible heading toward London for a liaison with an inventor studying aetherospheric travel, Sophronia is convinced that her professors are Up To Something. Is the academy affiliated with vampire hives, werewolf packs, the anti-supernatural Picklemen, or the Crown--all of whom would benefit from controlling aether technology? Carriger relies a bit heavily on exposition to communicate the rival groups' complex political machinations, and the action occasionally lacks clear context. But Sophronia, availing herself of every opportunity to hone her skills in intelligence and social manipulation (the boys from an evil genius academy provide good practice), is a charismatic heroine whose faults--including a nonchalant disregard for consequences--make her all the more engaging. Like the first installment, this is a witty and suspenseful steampunk romp. katie bircher