The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

The Friday Society
by Adrienne Kress
Pages: 440
Source: B&N
Format: Hardback

My Rating: What fun!

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

My Review:

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.