Review: Soulless The Manga, Vol. 1 (The Parasol Protectorate Manga)

Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 by Gail Carriger

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: borrowed
Publication Date: March 1st 2012
Publisher: Yen Press
Genres & Themes: YA, Manga, Romance, Steampunk, Vampires, Werewolves, Mystery.

BLURB:

The life of a spinster in Victorian London isn’t an easy one on the best of days, but such a life becomes infinitely more complicated when said spinster is “soulless” – a preternatural bridging the gap between the natural and supernatural worlds. Miss Alexia Tarabotti has this unique distinction, and when she is assailed at a formal gathering by a rove vampire, an encounter that results in the death of the half-starved creature, her circumstances become exponentially more complicated indeed! Now caught up in an intrigue with life or death stakes, Alexia must rely on all her talents to outmatch the forces conspiring against her, but it may be the man who has caught her eye – Lord Conall Maccon – and their budding flirtation that truly drives her to her wit’s end!

REVIEW:

The art is amazing!

Of all the different manga that I’ve read in my life, I must say that I haven’t seen many having these kind of beautiful graphics that you just want to look at over and over again.

The main characters
:

Lord Akeldama

And professor Lyall

There were some characters that I didn’t imagine being pictured that way, for example Lord Maccon, but I got used to their appearance and now find that it works pretty well with their personality.

The setting

The story takes place in an historial steampunk Victorian England in which features humans, vampires, werewolves and some others.

There is a quite developped world-building in this manga as well as in the novel. That’s what I liked the most about it: it very well follows the novel and tried to include everything or as much as possible.

The plot

Yes, like I said, it follows the main story with success and I even found it more interesting in the manga for there was no unnecessary descriptions that grew heavy on the plot. Things were explained well enough, in my opinion, but I do think that you would enjoy this more even you read Soulless, the novel, first.

The writing

I actually prefered the manga’s writing style because the one in the novel is one I’m not used to and it kinda felt absurd or on the humor side from time to time which didn’t work for me very much. I know I already said it, but I don’t like absurdity. But, in general, the writing is good both in the manga and novel.

The romance

Oh, it was wonderful! I mean, reading the orignal story, I already fell in love with Maccon but, after finishing the manga, I am more than ever bewitched by him and his charms! Him and Alexia make such a perfect couple! Also, there is a bit of a M/M couple…but it’s not very clear. Although, I think it will be official, if not in the sequel, in book (or manga) 3 for sure.

Absolutely worth reading.

My review on Goodreads.

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