Becky's View: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress
♦publisher: Dial Press
♦release date: Decemeber 6, 2012
♦hardcover, 440 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦standalone
 ♦source: from publisher for honest review

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all.

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Review:  Look at the cover of The Friday Society. Looks fun, doesn't it?  Looks like a fantastic Steampunk romp (yes, romp... I believe that is the perfect word for this book) through London, featuring three strong, kick-butt characters with distinct talents that are about to set off an adventure, no matter who or what tries to stand in their way. Well, dear readers, what you see is what you get.  Well, except for Nelly (the girl with the playing card)---her character is way more joyful and sparky that she looks there.  But everything else? Perfect. And call me crazy, but I love when a cover perfectly depicts the story inside. 

With an author that also has one foot in acting and directing, I think it would be awesome to someday see this one played out on stage or screen! The atmosphere and imagery is wonderfully described, whether it was a grand crowded party, a mystical magician's act, an intricate piece of weaponry, or a grisly murder scene, Kress's words conjured just the right picture in your mind. 

I loved all three main characters,  all of them are overflowing with attitude and spunk.  Each one has their own strengths and distinct backgrounds: Cora, a lab assistant, has an incredible knack with gadgets and machinery and very practical head on her shoulders.  Nelly, a magician's assistant, has a crazy fun silliness to her while still being incredibly sharp, a flamboyant fashion sense (she adores her stage costumes!) and uses her escape-artist talents both on and off the stage.  Michiko is the most introverted of them, partly because she barely speaks the same language, but also because she has been trained in the art and mentality of a samurai.  She is constantly flabbergasted by how much these two crazy girls she's become friends with like to talk. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but it was fun watching them grow and learn to trust eachother.  The men in their lives are an interesting mix, most of them a little hard to like (except for Raheem, the magician. I loved his fatherly relationship with Nelly and how he encouraged the girls.)

My few complaints were these:  a few draggy moments in the pacing, a few times where the dialogue seemed just a little out of place, and one or two instances where the silliness put one toe across the line to utter absurdity.  Also, monologuing villians tend to bother me. BUT despite these few minor setbacks, The Friday Society was one entertaining, humorous read that I highly recommend!  This is currently a stand-alone, but I definitely wouldn't mind going on a few more adventures with The Friday Society!

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Purchase The Friday Society: Amazon  •  BN.com  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound