From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes the final book in the Custard Protocol series. Percy is off to Japan, but will Japan survive Percy?Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion the Custard Protocol series.Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and … plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion the Custard Protocol series.
Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and friends are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he’d never admit that he belongs among them.
Percy has always been on the outside – dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life. Except hats.
He’s done with hats. Thank you very much.
”Carriger’s prose is playful and droll, with frequent laugh-worthy moments, tongue-in-cheek humor, and sparkling repartee.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly
The Custard Protocol series is Firefly goes steampunk fantasy and it’s perfect for fans of Lindsay Broker, Richelle Mead, or Genevieve Cogman. If you like Percy and Arsenic’s awkward but sweet dynamic and want more romantic comedy of manners, then you should also try Carriger’s Poison or Protect.
The Custard Protocol Series
Prudence
Imprudence
Competence
Reticence
Also by Gail Carriger set in the Parasolverse
The Finishing School series (start with Etiquette & Espionage)
The Delightfully Deadly novellas
The Parasol Protectorate series (start with Soulless)
The Supernatural Society novellas
The Claw & Courtship novellas (try How to Marry a Werewolf)
As G L Carriger
The San Andreas Shifter series (start with The Sumage Solution)
The 5th Gender
more
Since this is the last book, in the third series, in this world I will be as vague as possible so I don’t spoil a lot of what happens just in case you would like to go back to the beginning and start from there. With that said there are somethings that I spoil because there is no way to put something down without telling you something.
If you have been following my journey with this read-along to this point you know this is a bittersweet ending for me. I love this author’s books and I look forward to all that she has coming in this universe in the future. No matter how I am feeling these books always put a smile on my face and over the last year and a half these books have helped me through some tough times. For that, I will always be glad that I began this journey and I am sad to see it end but be sure I will continue to review anything she puts out in this world.
To date, there are three completed series and multiple novellas all within this world, the Parasolverse. This book is the perfect ending to this series and this Era. Everything wraps up so well and yet leaves the author room to expand if she wants to in the future.
As much as Competence is about Prim, this story is about Percy. Oh, our Percy has no interest in romance Percy only needs his books and to have his papers recognized within the scientific community to be happy. He tends to not even notice all the attention that he gets from the other sex to their frustration. I did not realize how much I wanted a Percy love story until I read this book. It was everything that I did not know I needed, and I am so glad that it exists. Percy finds his match in Arsenic, whose mother we know from the Finishing School series. Oh, and guess who we see…Prim and Percy’s Aunt Softy AKA Sophronia!!!! Yes, there are connections through the three different series. I would love to have the time to sit down and map them all out. At the beginning of this story, you see all these women sitting at a table talking and I just squealed. Really, I squealed. This book brought everyone together. It just wrapped up everything so well, which seemed right being the story ends at the end of the Victorian Era. So, I am going to assume we may have reached the end of the timeline but that does not mean we aren’t going to get novellas about the characters.
This book starts with a very pregnant Rue and Quesnel getting married, they are holding interviews for a doctor on board the Spotted Custard due to Rue’s condition. With all the trouble they seem to get themselves in Prim is right in forcing this issue. Where would Rue be without Prim watching out for her? The last doctor they see that day is Arsenic and is everything they could have hoped for, she passed their “test” without flinching, what they did not expect was that she would steal Percy’s heart as well. I know that this book ends at the end of the Victorian Era, so I know the likelihood a series about Rue’s and possibly Percy’s children is unlikely but I so want it. The descriptions of the floating city in Japan was so beautifully written the description was just so magical. I loved the shifters that we see in this book and I feel like if she wanted to the author could expand on those too. There are so many possibilities for future books and I am here for all of it.
This was an excellent end to a fun series! I didn’t expect this, but Percy and Arsenic had some excellent POV chapters. There’s definitely a lot of absurdity that goes on in Carriger’s books (sometimes at the expense of character development or cohesive plot), but it’s enjoyable, and I liked seeing how nicely things were wrapped up this time. The only drawback is that a lot of this series is reliant on characters from the previous series (Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School), which I can appreciate but did require some character research on the wiki for clarification because it’s been so long since I started this.
What a lovely book, perfect for the Gail Carriger fan. So many characters from other series show up and the ending is very sweet. Definitely recommend.
A little different pace due to Percy being the main character, but still a spiffing good read!
One way I can judge a book is how I read it. This was a blend of rushing to find out what came next and a great need for it not to end.
That, I think, is about as good as it gets.
The usual characters are present with their unique foibles.
The addition of a very sharp ship’s doctor, who happens to be a woman, is great fun.
I’m sorry this series is finished but I’m confident that Ms. Carriger will come up with more reading goodies for us all.
Charming ending for the series. A fairly straightforward plot, especially compared with the earlier books in the series, and most main Parasolverse characters made an appearance. Percy was my favourite from the start and he really shined in this one. Arsenic was a good match for him, and their courtship was cute. The romance was fairly subdued though, perhaps to match the title of the book, and didn’t really come to life until at the end of the book. There were some revelations too, especially concerning Lord Akeldama that I hadn’t seen coming. No new characters were introduced to launch a spin-off series, but Arsenic has three sister, so who knows, maybe we’ll meet them one day. All in all, a satisfying book.
Most of the Parasolverse doesn’t feature male protagonists (at least for a very large portion of the story). I really liked how this one was mostly Percy. Plus, the vibe between Percy and Arsenic was fantastic!
“These People are Insane and I Adore Them”
My heading is a direct quote from the book and expresses my feelings quite well.
Appropriate for Teens (maybe mature teen?) – Adult
No harsh language
Sexual preferences of characters are made known but never described in any detail.
Action. Lots of action
Books should be read in order. First read the Parasol Protectorate series, then The Finishing School series, and finally these in the Custard Protocol
Main Settings of this installment: Floating aboard the dirigible The Spotted Custard, briefly in London and Egypt, and then in Japan
One criticism: I wish Ms. Carriger had provided a preface devoted to a review of characters from previous series’ books. Remembering names and character quirks from The Parasol Protectorate (I read these starting in about 2012) and The Finishing School was more than a bit challenging. However, I see that they can be found on the internet if a reader happens to desperately need to know.
Plot no Spoilers
We are introduced to the Spotted Custard’s new on-board doctor, Arsenic. (it goes without saying her mother was eccentric.) She’s been hired on the spot and ushered forthwith to the wedding of the obviously pregnant Rue, the captain of the Custard. At the wedding reception we learn that the Custard is going to be going on a rescue mission.
Let the fun begin!
Arsenic and Percy, both awkward, are clearly attracted to each other. Will they ever just kiss?
Rue is probably going to have that baby sooner than she thinks.
A battle of life and death is sure to come.
Enjoyable, clever, fantastical, and highly recommended.
I only wish there were more! Percy is wonderful character who deserved his own story. I must read for any Parasol Protectorate fans, as we learn what happens to so many favorites.