Books › Waistcoats & weaponry
Waistcoats & weaponry
320 pages
A delightful romp through a steampunk Victorian landscape where a properly thrown teacup is just as deadly as a dagger.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like attending a high-society tea party that suddenly turns into a high-speed train heist. It is a delightfully brisk and cheeky adventure that balances the rigid absurdities of Victorian etiquette with the thrilling chaos of steampunk espionage. The atmosphere is bustling and whimsical, filled with mechanical contraptions, supernatural creatures, and impeccably dressed spies. Beneath the bubbly, arch prose and the constant barrage of witty banter, there is a genuine coming-of-age emotional core as the protagonist wrestles with shifting loyalties and the heavy burden of leadership. It is an absolute treat for anyone who loves their historical fantasy served with a wink, a corset, and a healthy dose of supernatural shenanigans.
- Mood
- whimsical
- steampunk-infused
- bustling
- charming
- Tone
- witty
- cheeky
- adventurous
- satirical
- breezy
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- navigating societal expectations · loyalty to friends versus duty · coming of age · the absurdity of manners
- The writing
- Bubbly, arch, and heavily stylized with Victorian affectations and clever wordplay.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from confident mischief-making to grappling with the heavy weight of true loyalty and the consequences of her choices.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love their high-stakes espionage served with a side of tea, corsets, and supernatural shenanigans.
Content notes
- mild fantasy violence
- peril
About the book
In her alternate England of 1851, while taking her friend Sidheag by train to her werewolf pack in Scotland, fifteen-year-old Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to dissolve all of London into chaos and must decide where her loyalties lie once and for all.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Waistcoats & weaponry
See why they match
Etiquette & espionage (Finishing School #1)Gail CarrigerA delightfully cheeky romp where corsets, curtsies, and poisoned tea are the ultimate weapons of choice.
SoullessGail CarrigerA delightfully arch comedy of manners where strict Victorian etiquette clashes with supernatural chaos and crackling romantic tension.
A curious beginningDeanna RaybournA spirited romp through Victorian England featuring a fiercely independent heroine, a grumpy natural historian, and a deadly mystery.
Beastly bonesWilliam RitterA quirky, atmospheric romp through 1892 New England where eccentric detectives hunt supernatural beasts and solve gruesome mysteries.
The Sweet Far ThingLibba BrayA dark, enchanting collision of strict societal expectations and wild, perilous magic.
Stalking Jack the RipperKerri ManiscalcoA fog-drenched, blood-spattered romp through Victorian London that balances gruesome forensic science with swoony romantic banter.