Title: Soulless

Author: Gail Carriger

Genre: Romance, Horror/Fantasy

Publisher: Orbit
Publishing Date: September 29, 2009
Paperback: 384 pages

Stand Alone or series: Book one in a planned series, titled The Parasol Protectorate.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
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.

REVIEW:

We are doing something different with this here review: instead of our usual joint template, we are going with a more laid-back layout, due to our mixed feelings concerning Soulless. Warning: There may be some very MINOR spoilers ahead!

Ana’s Take:

Soulless was one of my most anticipated reads of 2009 ever since I heard about it towards the end of the last year. The setting is Victorian times with steampunk elements, with werewolves and vampires, a quirky spinster soulless heroine who can cancel the aforementioned creatures’ supernaturality (yay, new made-up word) and whose “power” would lead her to be a major player in the supernatural world. For all intents and purposes, I was supposed to absolutely adore this book. Even the very manner in which I came by to own an arc of it was, to me, an indication that this book and I were meant to be: I was on Twitter one day, back when folks were at the BEA and Sarah from the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books tweeted that she was in line to talk to the author, I tweeted saying “OMG I SO want her book” and Sarah, whom I have never met, nor exchanged emails with or anything, offered to get me a signed copy and mail it to me. (seriously, how awesome is that?) . I got the book and kept it until last week when it was the time to read it.

I opened the book and started to read. It begins with our intrepid heroine, Miss Alexia Tarabotti who is a half-Italian, dark haired, somewhat ugly, spinster (I could feel something stirring at the back of my mind) sitting alone in a room trying to eat treacle tarts when she is attacked by a vampire. Her first reaction is to think how inappropriate it was to be attacked so and how the tarts were going to be wasted like that (a warning signal started to sound in my ears), then a fight ensues and she kills him with her trusted parasol. Before I could recover from the shock of that revelation, a man walks into the room, one Lord Maccon who was described as a huge, gruff man who could not abide Alexia’s logic and their dialogue is replete with half bickering half attraction.

At that very moment, I felt like I was struck by lightning.

Because, if you remove the “vampire” from the equation and replace the character names with “Amelia” and “Emerson,” you have Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody set up right there! From the characters’ physical description, to Alexia’s quirkiness, to the H/H dynamics, DOWN TO THE TRUSTED PARASOL.

I had a moment of utter befuddlement then. I sent Thea a flurry of emails in which I went through a Grief Cycle. First it was Denial: “This can’t be happening.” Then, it was Anger: “I can’t believe this. Down to the trusted parasol??????” Then it was Depression: “I so wanted to love this book, Thea,” and finally, Acceptance: in which I decided to resume reading. Because of the premise of the soulless character, because of my expectations, I decided to carry on. I hoped that the characters would grow on their own, that the story itself would be sufficient to nullify this first impression.

I read another 200 pages of it. I really tried to get involved in the story but two things prevented me from doing so. One, every time Alexia thought or spoke I had Amelia Peabody’s voice at the back of my mind. I am aware of being completely unfair here – she is not EXACTLY like Amelia, but her quirkiness is close enough, familiar enough for me not to be comfortable with it. Plus at some parts it felt SO forced. The success of this book relies heavily in the reader’s ability to fall in love with Alexia’s originality – but she is not an Original to me. I don’t know. Maybe other people who read Amelia Peabody would like Soulless because it reminds them of Peabody.

The other point that made me step back and not enjoy this as much: there is a lot of romance here. Like, a LOT. I have no problem with romance, heck it is my favourite genre and even in other genres, whenever there is romance , I am happy. But the spine of the book says: Horror/Fantasy. And there is no HORROR in this book at all. Yes, there are Fantasy elements but in my not so modest opinion, Soulless was completely mislabeled. This should be Paranormal Romance. The mislabeling makes me angry: what is wrong with labeling a book for what it is? If you are publishing something that is clearly Paranormal Romance, OWN IT. The worst thing is this: I can see that people who like Paranormal Romance and would completely enjoy Soulless will give this a pass and not pick it up because of the Horror/Fantasy label!

Having said that, if I like romance why did it prevent me from liking this? Because there was one scene where Alexia and Maccon have been captured, are locked in a cell, were given one hour to live and they decide that it was the best time for making out. COME ON.

That was when I realised that I was predisposed NOT to like this book from the get go and decided to put it away. It made me sad, but I was aware that perhaps I was not being fair. I needed a second opinion, preferably from someone who also loves Amelia Peabody. I needed Thea. And so I sent the book to her.

Thea’s Take:

As Ana’s said before me, Soulless was a book we were BOTH very excited about (in fact, I’m the one that alerted Ana’s attention to said book). I was more than a little jealous when she told me she received an ARC, but I waited patiently for my turn with the book. And then, when Ana finally started to read it, the emails started to pour in. Ana was completely dejected and let down – and she desperately needed a second opinion. And, thus, she immediately sent the book to me after she could not finish it. At this point, I was very nervous, and had brought my reader expectations down a whole bunch. But, I was willing to give Soulless a fair shot.

And…the result? I’m left with mixed feelings.

On the dominant side of these mixed emotions is a firm agreement with Ana. Alexia Tarabotti is indeed very much Amelia Peabody, right down to the physical descriptions: long, unruly dark locks, a lack of self-esteem in the appearance department, darker tanned skin, the generous curves so out of vogue with the current fashions, and of course, the Parasol. If you’ve read Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody books, you will recognize this immediately. Heck, even the names are similar, phonetically: Alexia Tarabotti vs. Amelia Peabody. Perhaps Ms. Carriger is a huge fan of Amelia’s – I know that both Ana and I certainly are! – and this was an homage of sorts. But there’s a difference between homage and that uncomfortable too-close sensation, and unfortunately, Alexia inspired the latter in me. Keep in mind, there’s also Lord Maccon who is every bit Emerson Radcliffe to Alexia’s Amelia. He’s growly and loud and brawny and attractive, and of course, completely taken with Alexia’s pigheaded, logical nature.

In itself, this isn’t too bad – I found that I could keep reading despite some disappointment in the originality department. But then…other things started to pop up. Other Amelia-isms, for example:

‘Alexia!’ Lord Maccon groaned his frustration. Miss Tarabotti realized that the earl’s use of her given name indicated a certain degree of irritation on his part.
~ from Soulless

versus

‘Forget Ramses,’ Emerson said. ‘I insist, Amelia, that you tell me what is worrying you.’ Despite his smile he was not in good temper with me; his use of my proper name indicated as much. ‘Peabody,’ my maiden name, is the one he uses in moments of marital or professional approbation. With a sigh, I yielded.
~ from Lion in the Valley

It’s more than a little bit distracting, and I could immediately understand Ana’s frustration with the book. I have to concur with Ana’s claim that the lynchpin of Soulless is in the quirkiness and originality of its heroine, Alexia, and the awkward affections of Lord Maccon. And I’m cool with trying to emulate Amelia Peabody’s quirky narrative. BUT, unfortunately, the sparkle of the dynamic between Alexia and Maccon is not nearly so vibrant when you’ve seen it before – and done much better, even – with Amelia and her dear Emerson.

There were also a number of stylistic and plotting things that bothered me. Alexia’s heritage as a half-italian with tanned skin and a prominent nose and ample bosoms were on a constant loop throughout the book; the hideousness of Miss Ivy’s hats were also emphasized at every appearance of the character; the vampire Lord Akaldama’s flamboyance was flared at every possible occasion. In fact, this is what bothered me the most – more so than the Amelia similarities, Soulless suffered from EXCESS. The repetitiveness of the same descriptions, the excessive discussion of the clothes so and so was wearing, or anytime Lord Akaldama opened his mouth to speak (every other word was italicized, and punctuated with some silly endearment like “sugarplumb!“).

Too much.

Also, thematically, Soulless suffers from this excess. As Ana mentioned above, the fantasy/horror label is something of a misnomer – this is much more of a paranormal romance, with fantasy elements (not so much any horror, at least, not in my opinion). And it is a damn shame because doubtless, the eager fantasy and horror fans who have been waiting for this book or who decide to give it a shot will be scratching their heads, and the romance readers who are more likely to love this book will bypass it entirely!

Also, there are the steampunk fans to take into consideration. You may have seen that Soulless is also marketed as a Steampunk novel, and this is, in my opinion, one of the most egregious flaws.

There is really nothing steampunk about it. Yes, there is an appearance of ONE dirigible, but it’s in the periphery, as two characters are walking in Hyde Park. There’s an automaton, and some dramatic steam powered machines and theories at the end of the novel, but it none of it seems necessary or integral to the plot in the slightest. There’s no reason why this could not have simply been a Victorian Era novel. Not to mention, Soulless tries to blend Vampires, Werewolves, a Victorian B.P.R.D., AND Steampunk all in a single book! It’s a little too much (again, the excess), and though not impossible to pull off (see Mike Mignola’s Hellboy), it’s a tall order and just doesn’t work here.

Instead, the sparse and shakily integrated steampunk elements come across as trying to take advantage of a burgeoning new market, as opposed to having artistic integrity to the novel. And it’s a shame, because the paranormal element was actually quite intriguing. Which brings me to my final point…

Now, it appears like Ana and I have been ragging on this book for an entire review. Well, we have. BUT while it is important to note these weaknesses, I have to say that Soulless is not without its strengths. Even though I found myself less than impressed with the writing, the mislabeled genre, and the eerily familiar characters, I cannot deny that there was something in this novel that kept me reading. I think that the paranormal aspect of the book was fascinating – I loved the idea of a “soulless” protagonist who has the ability to nullify supernatural powers with a single touch, and the history behind the vampires and werewolves and their full integration into English society (even if Ms. Carriger didn’t quite pull this off believably). I wish that Ms. Carriger focused less on trying to integrate the unnecessary steampunk elements into the book, less on the repetition of descriptions and character quirks that felt forced, and instead focused on this brilliant premise. I loved the idea of an octopus being the moniker of a zealous anti-supernatural faction. While I thought that certain passages were awkward and clunky, and that neither Alexia nor Maccon come off as entirely genuine (Alexia’s use of certain anachronisms, such as:

“Huh, she thought. I do not buy it. I definitely do not feel protected.“

…were jarringly out of place with the time period, and Lord Maccon’s “Scottish” heritage never really felt genuine either), I still felt drawn to these characters against all odds. I love the Amelia Peabody and Emerson-type dynamic, so even this paler imitation was admittedly fun.

And, most importantly, I finished the book.

Now keep in mind, I also felt a compulsion to finish the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, and those certainly were not good books. But the point is, there’s something there. Ms. Carriger, like Ms. Meyer, has the ability to keep a reader wanting to read the book. And, given the good ideas that were buried underneath the disappointments and less-than-impressive writing, I think there’s something worthwhile here, and Ms. Carriger can only improve as an author. So, I will be picking up the next novel – I can’t help myself.

Rating:

Ana: DNF

Thea: 4 – Bad, but not without merit / 6 – Good, with reservations It’s a schizophrenic rating for me because on the whole, the novel had serious problems. BUT there’s promise in there, and I’ll be reading the next book just to see where it goes.

Reading Next: Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Welcome to our May Guest Dare. The Guest Dare is a Monthly feature in which we “dare” guest reviewers to read & review books outside of their comfort zones.

This month’s victim guest is our good friend Harry from Temple Library Reviews. who doesn’t like mysteries and usually doesn’t do “funny” – with these two bits of information, our single track brains immediately zeroed on the Amelia Peabody series.

We give the floor to Harry who will be reviewing Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters.

Harry:

The Dare: I feel very lucky to be invited over another blog, which has never happened before, and I felt overjoyed when Ana, the cheeky little devil she is, propositioned me to participate in the Dare. This strikes as a sort of reviewer blog barter system, in which I give the girls their three days of royal party time on my blog and they would have me post a review for a book which is outside of my comfort zone. In what turned out to be a rapid succession of e-mails, I said ‘sure why not’ without thinking much, and soon a book was decided upon: “Crocodile on the Sandbank” by Elizabeth Peters.

The Author: It turns out that Elizabeth Peters is one of three alter egos of author Barbara Mertz. Mertz publishes nonfiction, whereas her pen names Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels write mystery suspense and thrillers with a supernatural vibe, respectively. With 68 titles in total under her belt, you kinda start to think that there is a reason that MPM [as the author likes to refers to her multiple aliases] has managed to stay so long in the industry, and I am glad to confirm it as well.

The Plot: Set in 1884, this is the first installment in what has become a beloved bestselling series. At thirty-two, strong-willed Amelia Peabody, a self-proclaimed spinster, decides to use her ample inheritance to indulge her passion, Egyptology. On her way to Egypt, Amelia encounters a young woman named Evelyn Barton-Forbes. The two become fast friends and travel on together, encountering mysteries, missing mummies, and Radcliffe Emerson, a dashing and opinionated archaeologist who doesn’t need a woman’s help — or so he thinks.

The Review: Despite this being a novel written early in Peters writing career and a first in a series that stretches to 18 volumes, “Crocodile on the Sandbank” is a very enjoyable mystery novel with a humorous undertone. Considering that the author is born and bred in Illinois, I was delighted to find the distinctive Victorian manner of speech incorporated both in the narrative and conversations. This, packed along with the easily accessible, but not overly simplistic writing style, contributed to the believability of the story being told. You could imagine yourself sitting alongside Miss Peabody and enjoying a cup of tea.

And speaking of Amelia Peabody, it’s a good time to start off with the characters. The story is told through Peabody’s first person point of view exclusively, so the reader will see a whole lot of her character. I think that with the ever growing popularity of sarcasm, smartass punch lines and witty repartee wars in modern culture, many of the readers will be able to identify themselves with Amelia or at the very least like her. She represents the independent woman, which in Victorian society pretty much strikes horror in the hearts of British gentlemen and ladies alike. However she remains strong, stoic under strains and quite perceptive without crossing the line of what is believable, or what is just wacky fiction.

Her entourage also consists of likable characters, who are essentially more or less different from Amelia, but Peters achieves to create a fine balance, wherein weaknesses and strengths complement each other. Evelyn Barton-Forbes is a disgraced young noble with a flair for the dramatic and unmatched beauty. Her role, more or less, is to act as a contrast to Peabody among other things such as proving that love can overlook one or two mistakes in a very complicated social landscape. The brothers Emerson to me strike as the male equivalent of the Amelia–Evelyn duo, with the older one Radcliffe being the wild, commanding one with a shocking reputation as an agitator, whereas Walter is the calm artistic dreamer.

“Crocodile on the Sandbank” is a well written book, but I struggled with it through the middle up until the beginning of the buildup for the ending. The start was fun and promised dynamic travelogue encounters, but as the story progressed and there was no hint of a mystery I got a bit less interested a bit more bored. I realized that the author was planting clues and red herrings as in every good mystery books before the actual mindboggling puzzle comes along. Since I am no mystery fan, these subtle hints went unnoticed and for me the story was just some socializing and Egyptology themed scenes knitted together. This went on until an actual mummy walked and scared people.

From then on I was in heaven, since I had the slight hope that things will go either zombie related or at the very least Hitchcock-esque. Nevertheless, I wracked my brain who stood behind the walking bandaged villain and his motifs for wanting to kidnap young Evelyn. To avoid spoilers I skipped mentioning some of the back story and additional characters, lest a smarter reader figures it out. From my Scooby Doo fandom days I learned a valuable lesson: the culprit is always the most innocent and harmless looking character and I was I pretty much right at the very end, but without proper deduction. The mystery itself was awesomely crafted and nothing is left to chance here, which I always love to see in a novel, even if it has a slow buildup and the reader a much depleted pool of patience.

Nevertheless, the process of unmasking the villain offers quite the action and adrenaline rush with shooting scenes, casualties, kidnappings and the ominous mummy, which quite frankly remind me of the good old days, when Indiana Jones ruled. I had my skeptical moments and my bored moments, but overall this was an interesting diversion from what I normally read and quite frankly I have read far less well thought out and plotted books, so it’s a win-win.

_________

Thank you Harry, for a most entertaining review of one of our favorite books! *Ana and Thea highfive over another one brought to the Dark Side*

Next Month: Our guest is Tia from Fantasy Debut who shall be reading a horror novel: Peter Straub’s Ghost Story.

And Tia dared us back (the nerve) to read Fantasy classic The Once and Future King by T.H. White.

Till next month!

Title: Crocodile on the Sandbank

Author: Elizabeth Peters

Genre: Historical Mystery

Stand alone or series: Book 1 in the Amelia Peabody series.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Thirty-one-year-old Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody has not only inherited her father’s fortune, but she is also blessed with his strong will as well. Now she’s headed for Cairo, accompanied by a girl with a tarnished past, to indulge her passion for Egyptology. Little did she know that murder and a homicidal mummy lay in wait for her.

Why did we read this book: Thea had heard a lot of good things about Elizabeth Peters from Li over at her blog, and so decided to pick up the first Amelia Peabody book (the unanimously high recommendations on amazon helped too). And, wouldn’t you know it, Thea loved the series SO much, she immediately mailed a copy to Ana…and here we are.

Review:

First Impressions:

Thea: My dear, dear Peabody. I think I’m in love. (Of course, I wouldn’t tell Amelia that since she’d bash me over the head with her parasol and convince me that I’m seriously ill.) From the very opening line of Crocodile on the Sandbank, I was a goner. Amelia Peabody is quirky, sensible (though with a flair for the dramatic and sensational–though she would never admit that), and a delightful narrator. I absolutely adored this book, immediately running out to buy the next four books in the series. If you took Miss Marple, Indiana Jones, Rick O’Connell, and stuck them in a blender, then made the result in the form of a thirty year old Victorian Era woman…well, you’d sort of have Amelia Peabody. Of course, then you’d have to throw in a breathtaking knowledge of Egyptian antiquity, witty dialogue, and hilarious characterizations.

Ana: And Romance Thea, Romance!

Honestly, I am forever puzzled about how Thea finds these books I never heard of before but I am ever so grateful the she starts campaigning for me to read them. I was freaking out earlier this week because I had to read and review a book for today but I had tried out three romance novels and all three turned out to be such meh reads I couldn’t even be bothered with a review. Then Tuesday’s post arrived and with it, Amelia. Such an odd-looking little book that was. I opened it, and The Amelia Hurricane burst into my life to stay. My darling, darling Peabody. I think I am in love too.

On the Plot:

Amelia Peabody is a thirty-ish “spinster”. Completely sensible, Amelia knows that she is no great beauty, but has been gifted with keen intellect and no delusions of grandeur. When her elderly father passes away, Amelia suddenly becomes a woman of means–as he, unbeknownst to Amelia and the rest of the family, has invested his money and has made a tidy sum, which he leaves entirely to Amelia in his will. Tired of grubbing family members and dull England, Amelia turns to adventure–fueled by her newfound archaeological passion, she decides to spend the season in Egypt. Before she makes it to Cairo, however, Amelia stops in Italy to procure supplies and other means for her trip–and it is here that she meets the unfortunate Evelyn Barton-Forbes, a beautiful English Rose who has fallen (literally) after being seduced by her vile Italian art instructor lover. Touched by the honesty and determination Evelyn shows her, Amelia adopts the young lady as her companion and together they set off for their grand adventure along the Nile.

Once in Cairo, Peabody and Evelyn make the acquaintance of the renowned archaeological team, Radcliffe and Walter Emerson. Immediately, Evelyn and Walter (the younger Emerson) hit it off, and young love begins to bloom. Peabody and Emerson (the elder), hit it off in their own way–Emerson is a very loud, very opinionated (but highly intelligent and competent) man. Upon their first meeting, he berates Peabody for handling the antiquities (of course the sensible Peabody was not mishandling them, contrary to Emerson’s shouting accusations). Amelia and Evelyn soon part ways with the Emersons, and set sail on a dahabeeyah down river (apparently, the best way to travel in Egypt). Fate reunites the Emerson brothers with our intrepid duo, as Radcliffe has fallen ill, and Amelia is quite the amateur doctor. Together, the four proceed with the Emerson excavation–only to be terrorized at night by a ghostly mummy…

Thea: If you couldn’t tell by my “First Impressions” section, I love this book. The writing style is flawless–I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud reading some of Amelia’s descriptions and thoughts. As the book is actually Amelia’s memoirs of the event, everything is filtered through her delightful narrative as she addresses her audience, the anonymous dear reader.

Crocodile on the Sandbank is also rich in Egyptian history, and cleverly set in 1884. It is abundantly clear through each descriptive passage and each archaeological theory discussed in this book that Ms. Peters is no slouch–upon examining her biography, I discovered Ms. Peters has a Ph.D from the University of Chicago in Egyptology (which she earned at the age of 23). This author’s expertise in Egyptology never comes across as stuffy or academic though; Amelia’s Egypt is vibrant and completely winsome. Whether she be crawling on hands and knees in dark, musty pyramids or painstakingly preserving an artifact, Egypt becomes wholly alive–I felt as though I was right beside Amelia as she gradually unravelled the mystery of the moaning mummy.

Which brings me to the one flaw in the book–if you can call it a flaw. The mystery part of the story, while stumping Amelia and her cohorts, is not very complex or difficult to solve. That is not to say it is poorly written! No, even though I had deduced the villain(s) fairly early in the story, the fun was in watching Amelia, Emerson, Evelyn and Walter try to capture the fiend. I loved every second of it.

Ana: Delightful and funny from the get go, Crocodile on the Sandbank was a surprise. Everything works in this book, from the narrative by one of the funniest, unconventional “voices” I have ever had the pleasure to read to the description of Egyptian life and archaeology. The mystery of the moaning mummy is the plotline that set other things in motion and even though not very complex, it still came as a surprise when we learn the “how” and the “why”. But really, what made the book for me? The romance between Peabody and Emerson.

Even though the romance is presumably not at heart of things, it is still what gives heart to Crocodile on the Sandbank (the title itself is a line from an Egyptian love poem) . There is plenty of adventure and humour but you will be rooting for Walter and Evelyn to finally be able to be together and for Emerson and Peabody to realise how right they are for each other. In other words, The Crocodile on the Sandbank has the best of all worlds and with a fantastic romantic sub-plot that is organic and believable.

In fact, with this book came a realisation. I have been reading more and more books that are not tagged as Romance Novels and some of them have romance in it. I realise how the engine for those work in a way that sets things in motion in a very organic and non-contrived way. I unfortunately, have come to realise that many of my beloved romance novels fail to do just that. I admit that I read Romance Novels for the emotional factor that is so important to me but in no way, I think the emotional factor must come at the expense of plot, characterisations, world-building or historical believability.

I have said this before, I can and I will suspend disbelief, but only when there are factors to counter-balance that.

The more good non-romance novels I read, the more demanding I become about the romance novels. In my mind, this is a good thing but it also means that out of say, each 5 romance novels I read, at least 3 are proving to be DNF or low rated books. You will start noticing that more and more in my reviews from now on.
The gist of it? The higher expectations for better romance novels. Is this too much to ask, I wonder?

Phew. How digressing was that? But it only proves how good Crocodile on the Sandbank is: that it ignites such ponderings about books in general whilst being great fun.

On the Characters:

Thea: This is where Crocodile truly shines–in its eccentric, intensely lovable characters. As you probably have surmised, I have something of a crush on Amelia Peabody. Ever so practical–and yet truly a romantic for all her practicality–Amelia masterfully navigates Egypt with her own wit, common sense, and bullying approach. Even though Amelia is highly intelligent and fully understands she is no great beauty, she never comes across as cynical or self-pitying, and her honesty is a welcome breath of fresh air. Plus…she’s just hilarious.

The other characters are brilliantly done as well, and over the course of a single book have grown close to my heart. The beautiful, delicate Evelyn, though prone to fainting and other silliness as a true lady of her time is tempered with her brutal self-reproach and determination to be completely forthright with everyone about her foolish love affair. Her strength is touching, as is her devotion to Amelia; the camaraderie between these two very different women is a delight to read. Evelyn is well matched with the gentlemanly scholar Walter Emerson–both are young and hopelessly idealistic.

The real treat, however, is with Radcliffe Emerson (or, as Amelia calls him, Emerson). Abrasive, LOUD, and completely driven by his passion for archaeology, Amelia finds her match in the boisterous big baby. The two are perfectly matched against each other, with Amelia’s level headedness and Radcliffe’s short temper. Watching their relationship unfold is a true delight–even writing this review and thinking about both of them I have a huge smile on my face. They had me from when Amelia states she can only ever think of him as “Emerson”, and Emerson only ever calls Amelia “Peabody” (except, of course, when he’s truly annoyed and refers to her by her first name).

Ana: Amelia Peabody goes traipsing around the world being a nosy busybody, poking people with her parasol, and driving some of them crazy. Amelia could have been somewhat irritating (and I am sure some will think so) but she is so captivating and funny, it is a complete joy to read her thoughts.

She is one of those Victorian ladies, out of the first wave of feminism with the suffragist movement and the like, believing that women have an equal standing in society. She believes she would never marry because she could not stand to be ruled by a man nor could she stand a man who would be ruled by her. And believe you me, this is a very reasonable concern to the meddlesome, strong, rather cynical Amelia.

She is ever so peculiar and eccentric and I am completely in love with her. I love how cynical she can be – like, for example when she thinks about Evelyn’s kindness and truthfulness which “both, I have found, are inconvenient character traits” . Of course, she is as much as loyal and truthful as Evelyn is and their friendship and camaraderie is really sweet to read about.

Now. Radcliff Emerson. Dear, dear Emerson. I am in love….no, wait. I am not. I adore you and you are perfect for Peabody but honestly, a hero could not be more “wrong“ than you.

Hairy, big, LOUD, obnoxious, many times behaving like a demented child. There are outbursts of unjust accusations at Peabody as if everything is the woman’s fault given her interfering habits, ordering everyone about in HIS excavation site, there are cries of despair at other people’s way of dealing with antiques; there are times when he gets so mad that foam appear around his mouth and beard. And yet, there could not possibly have anyone else for Peabody – these two when put together in a room? Come on baby, light my fire. There are sparks, yelling and it’s clear that while driving each other crazy they are also having the time of their lives and they are PERFECT for each other. To root for them and for those moments when they are together was the most fun I had with a couple in ages.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: What else can I say? I loved this book. Really loved it. Since reading this first Amelia Peabody mystery, I have finished books 2 and 3 with the same verdict. Amelia is a keeper, and I cannot wait to read other books by the very talented Ms. Peters!

Ana: Crocodile on the Sandbank is a delightful, funny read. Perfect to wind down, by spending some time with a few of the quirkiest characters I ever read. I had a huge smile on my face whilst reading and the very same smile reappears every time I think of Amelia Peabody (and Radcliff Emerson).

Notable Quotes/Parts:

Thea: The very last scene on the dahabeeyah involving my two favorite characters. I won’t spoil it…but it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (and makes me laugh at the same time).

Ana: : It has to be all of the interactions between Peabody and Emerson – it is so wrong that it is right. I love how she, for example, ogles his body and claims it’s because it would be “interesting to a student of anatomy” or all of the “almost” scenes. When they get trapped inside a tomb and he throws himself at her to protect her from falling rocks and at first she is hopeful that he is embracing her for other purposes only to dismiss it as “absurd notions” . Or how they have two interrupted conversations that could have led to …..something else. The best? The one that Thea alludes to above. I keep replaying THAT one in my mind ever since I read it – it is just so heart-warming and hilariously funny at the same time – again so wrong that it is so right.

Additional Thoughts:

Thea: Ms. Peters has been praised for her authenticity in creating Egypt of the 1880s; and I certainly must concur. Not that I know much of anything about Egypt at the turn of the century, but everything feels incredibly authentic–from the customs and speech of the people, to even the simple logistics of supplies and travel. This is a very smart, very entertaining novel…and how I wish I was on Amelia and Evelyn’s dahabeeyah!

Ana: Crocodile reminded me of two other great books set in Egypt that are funny, romantic and adventurous: Mara, Daughter of the Nile (reviewed here) and Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase (Rupert!) . I highly recommend both.

Rating:

Thea: 8 Excellent!

Ana:8 Excellent

Reading Next: It by Stephen King