1) Ivy Hisselpenny turns into a real dope. Not a little flighty, as in the first novel, just...dumb and annoying. I really liked her in Soulless, but not at all in this one.
2) Other characters were slightly off-kilter, including werewolf husband. No, he was more than just off-kilter at the end. It will be difficult to see him in any other light.
3) Some of the wit that was fresh in Soulless, was repetitious and stale in this second go round.
4) Wrapped up current sequence of events, then a bad cliffhanger.
Can't say I didn't enjoy it to a degree, but certainly disappointing.
Blameless didn't much improve my attitude. If at all. Ivy Hisselpenny improves some, but not enough. The reconciliation made me doubt Alexia's sanity. The plot races from England to France to Italy and new characters are added (and some are subtracted), but I didn't really feel any suspense. I still like Professor Lyall, Lord Akeldama, Floote, and Madame Lefoux.
I had so looked forward to these books, but won't be waiting breathlessly for the next two in the series.
Other Reviews:
Kalaidoglide (neat name, eh?)
What I'm Reading
Steamed
I tried Soulless, but couldn't get into it. The Victorian London setting didn't work for me. There were too many things about dialogue and society that were subtly wrong and kept throwing me. I know it's an alternative London! I'm happy to have vampires and werewolves, but if these are going to be set against a historical background, I think you have to get the details right. Or use a modern setting after all. I guess I'm saying more research? It's like those historical TV dramas where respectable Georgian or Victorian girls DO wear lipstick and DON'T wear bonnets or hats when they walk outdoors - which would have branded them streetwalkers...
ReplyDeleteI really liked her first book Soulless! But I am a sucker for anything set in Victorian London. I have not read Changeless or Blameless yet, but now I think I might pass. I am sad that these two weren't as good as the first. Thanks for your review!
ReplyDeleteKtherine - I really liked Soulless and thought it was a fun, funny read, but the other two much less so.
ReplyDeleteI know know what you mean about historical discrepancies and sometimes they bother me a great deal; other times they just get a mental note.
Romantic Books -- Check out other reviews before giving up on the next two books. Some people loved them!