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Soulless
228 pages
A delightfully arch comedy of manners where strict Victorian etiquette clashes with supernatural chaos and crackling romantic tension.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like attending a highly improper Victorian tea party where the scones are excellent but the guests might bite. It moves at a brisk, delightfully chaotic clip, propelled by razor-sharp banter and a deeply satirical approach to nineteenth-century social mores. The atmosphere is gaslamp-lit and whimsical, balancing the cozy comforts of high society with the bustling danger of a supernatural underworld. The prose itself is a star player, dripping with an arch, prim affectation that makes the frequent descents into bawdy romance and werewolf brawls all the more hilarious. It is an absolute treat for anyone who delights in fiercely pragmatic heroines, exasperated love interests, and the sheer absurdity of maintaining perfect manners during a vampire attack.
- Mood
- gaslamp-lit
- whimsical
- bustling
- cozy yet chaotic
- Tone
- wry
- satirical
- cheeky
- irreverent
- arch
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the absurdity of etiquette · defying social expectations · enemies-to-lovers tension · embracing one's quirks
- The writing
- The prose is highly stylized and dripping with dry British wit, employing a prim, Victorian affectation to deliver sharp comedic timing.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from exasperated, fiercely guarded independence to a begrudgingly passionate partnership, learning to weaponize her unique nature along the way.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love their supernatural mysteries served with a heavy dose of sarcasm, corsets, and crackling enemies-to-lovers banter.
Content notes
- mild violence
- supernatural peril
- sexual innuendo
About the book
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.
Description from Open Library.
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