Scan barcode
lbecker's review
5.0
Loved the premise of this book: a girl's finishing school that also teaches espionage (and its brother school that teaches boy to become evil geniuses). I just giggled the whole way through this book, especially whenever the completely oblivious headmistress was mentioned. Since I can't go to Hogwarts, I want to go to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality! Great read!
kmthomas06's review
4.0
This was delightful! Sophronia is a bit like another of my favorite intrepid detectives/spies, Flavia de Luce. However, Sophronia's world is admittedly cooler and she has a fun band of cohorts to sneak around with as she tries to solve a mystery and learn how to curtsey properly. Looking forward to the rest of the series! [I also need to check out Parasol Protectorate again since this is based in the same world]
celiapowell's review
2.0
This was a little disappointing - I enjoyed a few of Carriger's other series for adults, but I didn't find this nearly as engaging. The plot is a little bit all over the place, with lots of threads that don't get resolved. And speaking of resolution, it tends rather abruptly, without feeling like a story that has any containment in itself - and I realise it's part of a series, but it just seems to end a bit out of nowhere.
leasummer's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - I think this is YA but it felt more middle grade to me. The students seem very young. Maybe because the world building seems to take precedence over the characters. It was a fun back to school vibes read and I was entertained by their shenanigans and the mystery they were trying to solve/find.
merrieberrie's review
2.0
I was prepared to love this just as much as Carriger's Parisol Protectorate series but I just... didn't. It felt like a poor imitation of what could have been. The main character, Sophronia wasn't as likeable and her wit fell flat.
niawriteswords's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thefamousjb's review
5.0
This review was originally published at thegirlsinplaidskirts.com
Carriger does an excellent job at building a fascinating world that is a mix between the Victorian era with some more advanced technology. Not only is her world-building fantastic, but so is her writing style. I take notes as I read, marking down my favorite lines, and I had a lot for this one, so I simply must include a few of my favorite quotes, which fellow Gallagher Girls (and non-Gallagher Girls, of course) will appreciate and enjoy:
This book didn’t exactly keep me on the edge of my seat, but that’s not a bad thing. I wasn’t rushing to read it to find out what happens next, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of getting to know Sophronia and explore Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. The school is such a fascinating thing in and of itself, with lots of interesting teachers and staff and rooms (which Sophronia finds herself in even during non-class hours). Mademoiselle Geraldine’s truly has character, with teachers who care equally about one’s ability to perfect a curtsy as they do one’s knowledge of poisons. It is a finishing school in every sense—of girls, of lives.
There were a lot of lovely characters, but I sometimes had trouble telling them apart, because I kept forgetting their names. (They tend to have really strange names, like Mrs. Barnaclegoose, but they aren’t regarded as strange in this world.) However, the little team that Sophronia winds up with with is an entertaining bunch who find themselves in some very interesting situations. Entertainment abounds. There is also a very classy werewolf who fastens his top hat to his head so when he morphs into his wolf form, he is still impeccably dressed. (something to note: If he is not extremely well-dressed, he is not a werewolf.)
One thing I liked very much about this book was its lack of romance. Now don’t get me wrong—I love a good romance, but it was quite refreshing to read a book that focused more on friendship. Though there isn’t a romantic relationship, the book is set up so that there could possibly be one in future books. I would very much like to see how that plays out.
I enjoyed this book very much and will absolutely be reading Curtsies and Conspiracies
Carriger does an excellent job at building a fascinating world that is a mix between the Victorian era with some more advanced technology. Not only is her world-building fantastic, but so is her writing style. I take notes as I read, marking down my favorite lines, and I had a lot for this one, so I simply must include a few of my favorite quotes, which fellow Gallagher Girls (and non-Gallagher Girls, of course) will appreciate and enjoy:
“If we have time, I will move us on how to properly judge a gentleman by the color and knot of his cravat. Believe you me, ladies, the two subjects are far more intimately entangled than you might first suppose.”
“Perhaps, Miss Pelouse, as you know everything so well, you would like to demonstrate fainting in a crowded ballroom in a manner that might attract only the attention of a specific gentleman? Without wrinkling your dress.”
“It’s no good choosing your first husband from a school for evil geniuses. Much too difficult to kill.”
This book didn’t exactly keep me on the edge of my seat, but that’s not a bad thing. I wasn’t rushing to read it to find out what happens next, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of getting to know Sophronia and explore Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. The school is such a fascinating thing in and of itself, with lots of interesting teachers and staff and rooms (which Sophronia finds herself in even during non-class hours). Mademoiselle Geraldine’s truly has character, with teachers who care equally about one’s ability to perfect a curtsy as they do one’s knowledge of poisons. It is a finishing school in every sense—of girls, of lives.
There were a lot of lovely characters, but I sometimes had trouble telling them apart, because I kept forgetting their names. (They tend to have really strange names, like Mrs. Barnaclegoose, but they aren’t regarded as strange in this world.) However, the little team that Sophronia winds up with with is an entertaining bunch who find themselves in some very interesting situations. Entertainment abounds. There is also a very classy werewolf who fastens his top hat to his head so when he morphs into his wolf form, he is still impeccably dressed. (something to note: If he is not extremely well-dressed, he is not a werewolf.)
One thing I liked very much about this book was its lack of romance. Now don’t get me wrong—I love a good romance, but it was quite refreshing to read a book that focused more on friendship. Though there isn’t a romantic relationship, the book is set up so that there could possibly be one in future books. I would very much like to see how that plays out.
I enjoyed this book very much and will absolutely be reading Curtsies and Conspiracies