The Friday Society

by Adrienne Kress

[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/