The Friday Society

by Adrienne Kress

• ISBN10: 0803737610
• ISBN13: 9780803737617
• Publish Date: 6 December 2012 (first published 1 December 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dial Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

A friend of mine loaned this book to me, and I’m so glad she did. Entertaining, a bit silly, and full of things that explode, this book is a ton of fun.


What first interested me in this book was the steampunk aesthetic although, after reading it, I’d call it steampunk light (that’s a term, right? Well, it is now). The Friday Society follows three incorrigible ladies as they attempt to solve a murder.

The plot was the weakest point in the book. That’s not to say it wasn’t there, just that the twists weren’t all that twisty, and the perpetrator was easy to call. That being said, it didn’t dim my enjoyment in the slightest. In fact, it allowed the characters to shine through.

And what characters! Some of the situations these girls got into were hilarious. It did get a bit over the top from time to time, but it never went into full-blown ridiculous mode. Nellie was the most charming of the bunch, and also a magician’s assistant. Michiko was training to be a samurai (probably the hardest part of the book for me to believe), while Cora was the lab assistant for a scientist. She was my favorite. She was snarky and sarcastic, but also competent and confident in her abilities. It was a good mix.

Another thing that I appreciated about the book was the lack of over-the-top, saccharine romance. There were ye random love interests, but they kind of hovered in the background, instead of taking the focus away from the main characters. I’m glad it didn’t descend into mooning over potential boyfriends, since I truly hate that sort of thing.

Be aware that this is one of those books with a vaguely Victorian English flair that’s layered under decidedly modern vernacular. It was a bit jarring at first, but once I stopped thinking of this book as attempting to be a period piece (it’s not), the juxtaposition worked well.

Altogether, this was a fun romp of a book. If you’re looking for a fun, fast read, this book is for you.

Have you read it? What did you think?

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2019/12/24/the-friday-society-by-adrienne-kress/

A magician's assistant, a lab assistant and a samurai become friends. What could go possibly go wrong? If you're looking for a book with steampunk, explosions, guns, explosions, costumes, and more explosions, then you've come to the right place!

Cora, Lab Assistant:

Intelligent, proactive and practical, Cora just wants to invent. If it's got gears, lasers, triggers or all three, then Cora's your girl! And when dangers got you down, this is the right girl for a pick-me-up!

Nellie, Magician's Assistant:

Lover of all things make-up, glitter and sparkles, Nellie's the girly-girl of the group. But don't let her feministic personality fool you. Oh, no. This girl's got fire in her soul and tricks up her sleeves. And her ability to get out of tight situations is a great aid to this group.

Michiko, Samurai:

She's got a katana. Automatic awesomeness points for that! Sure, she may not speak English, but this girls got a great heart. Her determination mixed with her deadly skill makes her a force to be reckoned with!


Honestly, plot-wise, the plot had it's ups and downs. Was it perfect? No. It definitely had some imperfections (the modern language being one). And I didn't care (nor really understand) the villains and their motivations. But there is no denying that this is an entertaining read.

Is this book a work of literary genius? No. But it sure is chock full of fun, exciting adventures! Three seemingly different girls come together to solve a mystery in this adventure-packed murder mystery explosion of steampunk awesomeness.

Overall:

A word of warning: Don't go in expecting this to be some fantastic work of historical/steampunk fiction with an awesome murder mystery. Because, quite frankly, it's not. I didn't really care for the mystery once I actually found out about the villain, but that doesn't take away from how much fun this book is! Honestly, if you just read this book for what it is, a fun, easy adventure with girl-power, then you'll really enjoy it.

All the best ♥
Mackenzie @ Oh, For the Love of Books!

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Source:ARC

The Friday Society is the perfect book for any reader looking for an adventure full of girl power. Cora, Michiko, and Nellie are fantastic protagonists with great personalities and a wide variety of unusual skills. Alone, each one of them is talented, capable, and uniquely charming: Cora is an intelligent lab assistance, Michiko is a deadly warrior, and Nellie is a glamorous magician’s assistant/escape artist. Together, the three form a perfectly balanced team, bound by their sense of justice and desire to break the boundaries placed on women and make a difference in their world.

And their world is quite interesting, as well. The Friday Society is steampunk, but though there are some very cool weapons and inventions featuring cavorite, a newly discovered glowing material that defies gravity, the story remains character-driven. The inventions and alternate history provide a colorful backdrop for the story, but never overpower it. Kress also very skillfully creates a world where it is believable a few women like Cora, Michiko, and Nellie might be in fairly influential positions, but where women in general are still looked down upon by men. The protagonists, then, stand out as independent and bold, without coming across as complete anomalies.

The story itself is an exciting mixture of mystery, action, adventure, history, and romance. Essentially, this book has everything in just about the right proportions. Kress writes it all in a straightforward style reminiscent of her protagonists’ energetic personalities, and also includes some wonderfully humorous references about what would happen…if all this were in a book. It turns out that this book is not always what one would expect.

It is a book that deserves to be read! With spunky characters, creepy villains, and a ton of crazy scenarios that only Cora, Michiko, and Nellie could possibly find themselves in, it offers a lot of entertainment, as well as a lot of heart.

This review is also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.