I might have to try the first book of Finishing School before returning for more Custard.I don't know when I've been so disappointed in a book. Seeing favorite characters from the first series was also nice.I wonder if reading this series out of publication order hurt my enjoyment at all.

The part of the plot related to the politics that our characters are fairly oblivious of was also interesting and a pity it wasn't focused on. There are so many options for Carriger to pull from mythology. The introduction of other were-forms into the Parasol universe was also brilliant and something I hope gets explored more. Percy was OK and quite possibly the hero of this one through his research though Rue gets credit in the end where she actually resolves what little there is of the plot.So what did I enjoy? The supporting characters were fantastic. I am not a fan of Quesnel, who is obviously going to be the romantic interest for later in the series. Prim was very like early Ivy, completely focused on the right clothes and social niceties. She seemed rather to stumble from event to event haphazardly instead of through any actual plan. It took her forever to realize that there was a lot more going on than tea. Yes, the sly wit of Parasol has been traded for fart jokes.The main characters aren't much better. A good 75% of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of dresses and hats, society gossip and fart jokes. Gifted her very own dirigible by her adopted father Dama, Rue immediately paints it like a lady bug, names it The Spotted Custard and is off to India in search of some tea plants her Dama is interested in.I wish I could say there was more to the plot but, alas, that's basically it. Twenty years have passed and little Prudence (Rue to her friends) is all grown up.

'When all else failed – overwhelm with inanities.'And that basically sums up Prudence the first book in The Custard Protocol by Gail Carriger. While we do get some metanatural running amuck, what mostly happens is a lot of silly nonsense. Prudence's metanatural abilities showed promise of many hi-jinks to come, especially if she ended up as adventuresome as her mother. I enjoyed The Parsol Protectorate enough that was excited to see Gail Carriger had written a follow up series starring the infant inconvenient of the main characters in Parasol.

Prudence by Gail Carriger