Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate Book The Third) by Gail Carriger (book review).
‘Blameless’ is book three in ‘The Parasol Protectorate’ preceded by ‘Soulless’ and ‘Changeless’ and followed on by
‘Heartless’ and ‘Timeless’. As this is book three of a series, I would advise that the previous books are read before this one as this do follow quite closely on from one another. I would also like to point out that this review will contain spoilers.
In this book, we’re following Alexia Tarabotti in her journey to becoming a single mother with the imminent arrival of her ‘infant-inconvenience’ as she likes to call it. After having told her husband of their imminent arrival, she has been evicted from her marital home and forced to return to live with her mother, step-father and two step-sisters. This is a situation that Alexia is incredibly unhappy with. Firstly, the return to home to reside with her family, who are constantly shocked and horrified by everything she does, apart from her step-father who mostly tries to stay hidden behind his newspaper. Secondly, to be in the family way, something which horrifies her! Not only has she been kicked out of pack, but the rest of her supernatural high-life is falling apart around her as well, Queen Victoria no longer requires her services, basically she has become a preternatural social pregnant pariah. Nothing for it but to go on a little trip around Europe then!
After finishing the last book, ‘Changeless’, on the cliff-hanger of Alexia and her baby bombshell, I honestly could not wait to start into this book, I want to know how it’s possible (not the ins and outs, but the supernatural elements of it) and what the baby will be like when it’s born and will Lord Maccon accept Alexia’s word that the baby is his? So many questions! To be honest, not all of them are answered in this book, but those that are really do pose some new and interesting problems for Alexia and her husband.
I do love the odd chapter headings Carriger gives to each chapter ‘The Great Scotch Egg Under The Thames’, they just make you want to dive into the chapter to find out what the heck they mean! They really fit in with Carriger’s weird and wonderful sense of humour and I wish more authors would give their chapters titles rather than just boring old numbers.
Throughout the book’ we’re watching two sides of the same story first from Alexia and her friends and then from Lord Maccon and Professor Lyall. Mostly Professor Lyall to be honest, as Lord Maccon has a few sobriety problems. I really enjoyed this way of setting out the book because I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything with any of the characters. The only person I would like to have seen more of would be Lord Akeldama but, given the ending of this book, I can only imagine we’re going to see lots more of him in the next book.
I still love this series of books, even after reading the three of them, I can’t see that any of them are weak links in the series and knowing that there are only two left really makes me want to pick them up so I can get some more answers to the baby questions.
Oh and who knew the real reason for garlic and basil being made into that delicious paste known as pesto? I will never look at Italian food in the same way again!
Sarah Bruch
June 2013
(pub: Orbit. 294 page paperback. Price: £ 7.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-84149-973-4)
check out website: www.orbitbooks.net