Soulless

Soulless

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit (2009)

ISBN: 0316056634

pages: 357

genre: fantasy

subgenre: steampunk

4.5 (out of 5) STARS

Annotation: When Alexia, a soulless spinster with the ability to negate supernatural powers, accidentally kills a vampire, her life goes from bad to worse when Lord Maccon, a gorgeous werewolf, is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

Summary: Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.

In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries—from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them. (www.goodreads.com)

Evaluation: Soulless was a brand new experience for me. I had not read anything of the subgenre steampunk before but I found it to be a very enjoyable experience. I really like Victorian England and then adding in the supernatural was especially fun. This book also has a great romance story. I particularly like romances where the two main characters have a love/hate relationship. I cannot wait to read the other two books in this series.

Read-a-likes:

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carriger

1- Soulless

2- Changeless

3- Blameless