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Defy or Defend

Book 2 in the series:Delightfully Deadly

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In "Defy or Defend", Dimity, a former character from the Finishing School series, is assigned a mission to infiltrate and save a vampire hive from going goth. Tasked with fixing the disarray in the hive, Dimity teams up with Sir Crispin as her safety while navigating humor, light-hearted romance, and a touch of steampunk in the delightful world of the Parasolverse. The plot unfolds with a perfect balance of romantic elements and a quirky writing style that keeps the readers engaged, culminating in a fun and charming story that showcases Dimity's talents and character growth.

Characters:

The characters are vibrant, with Dimity being a charming and effective spy, and Cris serving as her engaging love interest.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is accessible, humorous, and engaging, making it a delight to read.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Dimity's mission to save a disordered vampire hive with humor, romance, and adventure.

Setting:

The setting primarily takes place in a dilapidated castle, enhancing the whimsical tone and the story's transformative element.

Pacing:

The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for character development and plot progression without feeling rushed.
Sir Crispin Bontwee chivvied up to an impressively large chartreuse front door with a sense of overwhelming relief. Not because of the color of the door, mind you (which was a touch assertive, frankly...

Notes:

The book "Defy or Defend" is part of Gail Carriger's Delightfully Deadly series.
It centers around a character named Dimity, previously seen in the Finishing School series.
Readers have described Dimity as a fun character who is effective in her spy work.
The story is set in a vampire hive in Nottingham, England, that is experiencing a goth crisis.
Dimity's mission is to save the hive from going out of control or face dire consequences from the Bureau for Unnatural Registry.
The book captures a steampunk vibe with humor and romance, although it's noted to be less steamy than the previous book.
Cris, Dimity's love interest, is assigned to protect her during her mission, creating a dynamic tension.
Many readers expressed a desire for a full series featuring Dimity and Cris after finishing the book.
The author is praised for her witty writing style and well-developed characters, contributing to an engaging narrative.
Some readers noted that Dimity's character development is significant as she emerges from being overshadowed by others in her previous series.

Has Romance?

The romance between Dimity and Sir Crispin is a central theme in the book, exemplified through their development as characters and relationship dynamics.

From The Publisher:

A vampire hive descending into madness. A beautiful spy with a sparkly plan. The bodyguard who must keep them from killing each other.

New York Times bestselling comedy author Gail Carriger brings you a charming story of love, espionage, and Gothic makeovers set in her popular Parasolverse.

SPY

Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, code name Honey Bee, is the War Office's best and most decorative fixer. She's sweet and chipper, but oddly stealthy, and surprisingly effective given the right incentives.

VERSUS KNIGHT

Sir Crispin Bontwee was knighted for his military service, but instead of retiring, he secretly went to work for the War Office. Mostly he enjoys his job, except when he must safeguard the Honey Bee.

Neither one is a vampire expert, but when the Nottingham Hive goes badly Goth, only Dimity can stop their darkness from turning bloody. And only Crispin can stop an enthusiastic Dimity from death by vampire.

In a battle for survival (and wallpaper), Dimity must learn that not all that sparkles is good, while Cris discovers he likes honey a lot more than he thought.

"This intoxicatingly witty parody will appeal to a wide cross-section of romance, fantasy and steampunk fans." ~ Publishers Weekly, starred review ( Soulless )

Spinning off from the Finishing School series, featuring deadly ladies of quality, this story stands alone, but chronologically follows Poison or Protect before the start of the Parasol Protectorate Series. It's Cold Comfort Farm meets Queer Eye meets What We Do In The Shadows from the hilarious author of the Parasol Protectorate books, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Jodi Taylor, or Meljean Brook.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains fraternizing vampires and one very curious young lady, who asks about seduction, sometimes in detail but mostly in retrospect. May also involve excessive use of velvet, melodramatic poetry, and the strategic application of interpretive ballet.

Also by Gail Carriger set in the Parasolverse

The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn't

The Finishing School series (start with Etiquette & Espionage)

The Delightfully Deadly stories

The Parasol Protectorate series (start with Soulless)

The Supernatural Society stories

The Custard Protocol series (start with Prudence)

The Claw & Courtship stories

As G L Carriger

The San Andreas Shifter series (start with The Sumage Solution)

The 5th Gender

April 2020
263 pages

Reader Stats (1):

Not Interested (1)
 
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