User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
How have I never heard of these books?Interesting mash-up of several different genres that worked (shockingly!) well together.
I'm going to be 100% honest, I really didn't think I was actually going to listen to this one when I downloaded it. It was one of those Hoopla Bonus Borrows that
sort of caught my eye, so I went ahead and snagged it
just in case I ran low on listening material.
Which I inevitably did.So I started flipping through a few things I had, then stopped on
Manners and Monsters after a few minutes of listening. It was throwing off this really
good cozy mystery vibe while being set in an alternate Victorian England that had mages and werewolves and a really different take on zombies.
So, the French sent infected face power over to England during the Napoleonic Wars and this stuff turned hundreds of women (and a few men) of the ton into brain craving undead. Now, as long as they get a steady diet of brains (from the already dead bodies whose family's have been financially compensated) these gently bred ladies can stave off
the rot.
It's a whole thing. <--but don't worry, it's all explained.
The story picks up with our Plain Jane heroine at her BFF's engagement soiree. All is going well until...
MURDER!
A footman is murdered and all of his brains are scooped out!
Hannah gets involved for REASONS that totally make sense and helps uncover the perpetrator with a very broody noble who works for the police department. <--he has reasons, as well.
And there's a whole lot more to the story but I don't want to spoil the fun.
An this
was fun.
Not change-your-life fun but fun nonetheless. I'm genuinely curious to listen to the next book in the series and see what secrets it reveals about our hero and heroine. Because a lot was hinted at that piqued my interest in finding out more about what these characters are hiding.
I'm in, Ms. Wallace.
Recommended!
Rating: really liked it
Halloween 2021
I just love historical mysteries. And this one is truly a treasure. And watching unadulterated hatred turn slightly into romance is a great pleasure.
During Regency England (one of my favorite historical periods), a curse is placed on the British upper-class women, during the Napoleonic War.
Using witchcraft to curse expensive face powder causes death and reanimation. So, the dead can only exist on human brains, not animals, but the “donor” is already dead.
Except someone or something is killing people and consuming living brains. And that’s the gist of the story. Lots of fun and suspenseful things happen that you will enjoy reading.
Zombie lovers, who don’t mind a little witchcraft and a bit of urban fantasy might enjoy this treasure.
Rating: really liked it
Very enjoyable, not as quirky as Gail Carriger, but in the same spirit. If you think you might enjoy a zombie story set in Regency London and written with a whimsical sensibility, than definitely try this series! 🙂👍
Rating: really liked it
A sliver a day keeps the rot away,” Sir Hugh said. Usually I avoid the zombi's books, but I was intrigued by a review and, well, it's was very entertaining.
This is a regency/mystery/monsters/magic mashup, where Miss Hannah Miles is the only daughter of the great mage Seraphina, but she doesn't have magic, nor beauty, or much money, however her mother is one of the 'Afflicted' , a nice way to call the
walking-dead zombis. This is after the Napoleonic wars, and those awful evil french people invented a curse to do that. But they (in a strange movement decided to attack the upper class and not use that for create
inferi a army of dead or something like that - weird). Because of the way in which the curse or virus was applied, anyone would say that they intended to make a moral lesson against vanity (they used face powder).
If the plague had struck the working class, Parliament would have dispatched the army to deal with them and the Afflicted would have been eradicated in short order. But because a small number of ladies of the ton were infected, a whole new industry had sprung up to service their needs. They needed veils, expensive porcelain masks, pomanders and, more disturbingly, pickled cauliflower.Where 'pickled cauliflowers' is a euphemism for 'braaains'. This is an open secret in the society, but protected by the upper class so they stay , divorced in many cases because the law allowed it, and to became at the mercy of husbands or parents, because the diet is not cheap.
The action really started because of a violent death at Hannah's best friend's engagement party with a Duke. The ton are present and a servant is murdered and the brain is absent. So then an inquiry begins, an investigation led by Viscount Wycliff, who with that name can only represent a gothic character, absent of manners, who dresses in dark, a hero pursued by his personal demons of war, bankrupt and blah blah. And, furthermore, he thinks sensibly in my opinion and with that initial information, that all the Afflicted should be burned. Hannah is vehemently against it, of course, her father is a doctor whom investigates a cure for her wife and the rest of the Afflicted, and she is her assistant (which does not make her look very good in society either ).
Then in the tone of any mystery they unravel the plot to find the culprit, investigating, doing interviews, and colliding with each other.
This goes dark humor several times, with some things hinting at possible romance, and angst on both sides, but like I said, it's entertaining.
But one thing I raged about all the time was because they were (view spoiler)
[focused on the ladies, because Hannah says from the beginning that some men were affected, and they don't mention it until almost the end, well it will be part of the mystery but it seemed too obvious that they skip that knowledge
That gave us three men and two women who could not control their hunger and who had to be interred. Then there were another five women who could not reconcile what they had become with their religious beliefs. They have refused to allow any brain matter to pass their lips and your father closely monitors their condition.”
“Only three men infected, and they were all unable to control themselves. What does that say about us?” Ten in total and still short of the ninety-odd who were ghosts in her thoughts.
(hide spoiler)]No cliffhanger but still we leave with questions about the H/h to know, and if it will be a cure .
--------------------------------------------
{Esta vez en castellano:}
Una tajada al día evita que se pudra”, dijo Sir Hugh.Normalmente evito los libros de zombis, pero me intrigó una reseña y, bueno, esto estuvo muy entretenido.
Este es un mashup de regencia/misterio/monstruos/magia, donde la señorita Hannah Miles es la única hija de la gran maga Seraphina, pero ella no posee magia, ni belleza, ni mucho dinero, sin embargo su madre es una de las 'Afligidas' , una forma politica de llamar a los
muertos vivientes zombis. Esto es después de las guerras napoleónicas, y esos horribles y malvados franceses inventaron una maldición para hacer eso. Pero ellos (en una movida extraño decidieron atacar a la clase alta y no usar eso para crear
inferi un ejército de muertos o algo así . Raro). Por la forma en que se aplicó la maldición o el virus, cualquiera diría que pretendían hacer una lección moral contra la vanidad (usaron polvos para la cara).
Muchas veces se comenta en el libro que de haber pasado esto a las clases bajas, el ejercito los hubiera reunido y exterminado, pero como afecto a las damas de clase alta, son protegidas por la nobleza. Sorpresa, otras reglas se aplican a ellos.
Esta traduccion es de mi cosecha:
Si la peste hubiera golpeado a la clase obrera, el Parlamento habría enviado al ejército para tratar con ellos y los Afligidos habrían sido erradicados en poco tiempo. Pero debido a que un pequeño número de damas de la alta sociedad estaban infectadas, había surgido una industria completamente nueva para satisfacer sus necesidades. Necesitaban velos, costosas máscaras de porcelana, pomanders y, lo que es más inquietante, coliflor en escabeche.Donde 'coliflores en escabeche' es un eufemismo para 'cerebros'. Esto es un secreto a voces en la sociedad, pero protegida por la clase alta para que se queden entre el resto de la gente, divorciadas en muchos casos porque la ley lo permite, y quedar a merced de maridos o padres, porque la dieta no es barata.
La acción realmente comenzó debido a una muerte violenta en la fiesta de compromiso de la mejor amiga de Hannah con un duque. La alta sociedad está presente y un sirviente es asesinado y el cerebro está ausente. Entonces inicia una indagatoria, una investigación encabezada por el vizconde Wycliff, quien con ese nombre solo puede representar a un personaje gótico, falto de modales, que viste de oscuro, un héroe perseguido por sus propios demonios de guerra, arruinado y bla, bla. Y, además, piensa sensatamente en mi opinión y con esa información inicial, que todos los Afligidos deberían ser quemados. Hannah se opone con vehemencia, eso sí, su padre es un médico que investiga una cura para su esposa y el resto de los Afligidos, y ella es su ayudante (lo que tampoco la hace quedar muy bien en sociedad).
Luego en tono de cualquier misterio desentrañan la trama para encontrar al culpable, investigando, haciendo entrevistas y chocando entre sí.
Esto se vuelve humor negro varias veces, con algunas cosas que insinúan un posible romance y angustia por ambos lados, pero como dije, es entretenido.
Pero una cosa con la que rabie todo el rato era porque (view spoiler)
[se centraban en las damas, porque Hannah dice desde el principio que algunos hombres fueron afectados, y ellos no lo mencionan sino hasta casi el final, bueno sera parte del misterio pero parecia demasiado obvio que se saltaran ese conocimiento...
That gave us three men and two women who could not control their hunger and who had to be interred. Then there were another five women who could not reconcile what they had become with their religious beliefs. They have refused to allow any brain matter to pass their lips and your father closely monitors their condition.”
“Only three men infected, and they were all unable to control themselves. What does that say about us?” Ten in total and still short of the ninety-odd who were ghosts in her thoughts. (hide spoiler)]Aunque no nos deja en suspenso, y se conoce al culpable igual quedan muchas preguntas en el aire, sin contar por saber si existira una cura.
Rating: really liked it
An enjoyable mystery with an original take on Regency England. While the story was intriguing, the pacing was slow. Having said that I do look forward to reading the second novel. I gave the book 3.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
O.M.G. I freaking loved this start to a new series and author for me!!!
" a lady never reveals the true extent of her decay .... "
What an excitingly different take on a "cosy" mystery, one where it blends the solving of a murder with an urban fantasy premise, all set in the burgeoning scientific advancements of the early 1800's, mixed with more than a little magic.
My pennies will be saved so that I can read more of the series!
Rating: really liked it
Oh my, I would never ever have guessed I'd enjoy this as much. I never liked any of the "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" books or movies - I like either or.
Tilly Wallace managed the impossible though, and wrote a Regency England book with zombies, that had me enthralled all the way through! Maybe because it also has mages, and it's more fantasy than "horror"?
It's quirky and fun, has nice banter and is an all around quick and entertaining read.
I loved the twist in how zombies are portrayed. It's not yet proven, but scientists do believe the cause was dark magic. They do know the Ladies who have been "afflicted" all used a specific, very expensive face powder, which the enemy delivered to the English.
Now if you're a lady of quality, you don't just slaughter people willy nilly. You have control over yourself, and instead you buy "pickled cauliflower" and thereby eat your necessary brain in small orderly doses.
Seems to work well so far, untill there's a dead servant at a ball, and the brain is missing...
We have a man with a dark mysterious past, and the daughter of a doctor and an afflicted high mage, and the two will have to work together to solve the murder mystery.
I liked the twists and turns and the humour, and more or less inhaled the whole book. I will definitely read more of these!
(PS when I got it, it was free on kindle)
Rating: really liked it
I picked up
Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace while looking for something to fill the "fantasy of manners" void I've been feeling since finishing up the Gail Carriger series.
A curse has been placed on British upper-class women by diabolical French scientists. Hannah Miles spends most of her days helping her parents research the terrible affliction. When a gruesome murder is committed during her best friend's engagement party, Hannah realizes she must help with the investigation as it appears one of the afflicted may be suspect. If only the horrible Viscount Wycliff wasn't also assigned to the case!
Overall
Manners and Monsters is a nice, light paranormal mystery with a hint of potential romance. I'm glad the author didn't go the obvious route with zombies as it seems so hard to do something new with these monsters. While not as quirky or clever as the Gail Carriger books, the story is enjoyable and Hannah is a competent heroine. I also liked that the romance is going to be a slow build. I'll likely give the second book a try.
Rating: really liked it
I wasn’t a huge fan of this one. The leading male character isn’t even remotely likable. He carries considerable prejudice against the inflicted, but beyond that he really seems to hate women. A lot of his thoughts throughout the book carried misogynistic undertones. He falls in love with Hannah because she’s “not like other girls”. And Hannah’s own mother encourages her to be kind to him because kindness might heal him and improve his attitude. Women aren’t rehabilitation centers for poorly behaved men. The premise of this book was great, but unfortunately one bad main character ruined it for me.
Rating: really liked it
'A lady never reveals the true extent of her decay...
Hannah Miles lives a quiet existence, helping her parents conduct research into a most terrible affliction - until a gruesome murder during her best friend's engagement party pulls her from the shadows. With her specialist's knowledge and demure disposition, Hannah is requested to aid the investigation.
Except Hannah discovers her role is to apologise in the wake of the rude and disgraced man tasked with finding the murderer. The obnoxious Viscount Wycliff thinks to employ Hannah purely as a front to satisfy Whitehall, but she'll have none of that.
The two must work together to find the murderer before the season is ruined. But the viscount is about to meet his greatest challenge, and it's not a member of the ton with a hankering for brains.'
____________________________
Manners and Monsters is the first book in Tilly Wallace's Manners and Monsters series, which is a historical mystery series set in a London in which supernatural and magical beings co-exist within society.
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I picked up a copy of it forever ago when it was on sale. I have been meaning to read it for some time now, but I was anxious it wouldn't live up to my high hopes(as my favorite kind of book blends historical mystery and the paranormal) and so it kept falling further back on my TBR. But in fact, I'm glad that I got around to reading it now because I loved it. I am really intruiged by the blending of the realistic and the paranormal in the world of this series. Plus there is a light tone of humor woven in that made the reading that much more amusing and enjoyable.
My one complaint, which realy bothered me for maybe the first half of the book, was that the author is very repetitive in explaining how the noblewomen of London became infected and turned to zombies. I understood why she was doing it, she was gradually giving more and more detail to the situation so as not to give it all away at once, but she started back at square one whenever she would reintroduce the background information before elaborating on it. I felt myself sigh by about this fifth time the tainted face powder was explained once again. But once the story really got underway, this issue became less and less or a problema dn so I can make my peace with it. I will definitely be reading more of the series and hope that the repetitive rehashing of background information will be less of an issue as the series goes forward.
Rating: really liked it
I'm in a group that does a monthly challenge. For April the challenge was to read the books I’ve been saving for a rainy day, with the intent being that I find something I love. This was one of the books I read for the challenge.
This was a delightful book that feels like a historical fantasy/paranormal/cozy mystery mashup. It reminded me a little of the Parasol Protectorate books, but without the steampunk element. It also made me think of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I love the regency setting and the take on zombies. Face powder, who knew? 😂 The brooding love interest with secrets was also a plus. I'll definitely be reading more of this series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
Rating: really liked it
This book is the perfect blend of Jane Austen Regency Era England and Zombies. The origins for and world building around the "Afflicted" and other magical beings are quite original and interesting to learn about. I love both Hannah Miles and Lord Wycliffe and can't wait to see how their love story plays out in future books. There's definitely too much zombie gore for my taste, but it's not terrible.
Rating: really liked it
I didn't hate this book! It was better than some of the other choices we've read for this book club. 😆
I liked it overall, just didn't love the zombie gore. I might consider reading the sequel...
Rating: really liked it
This was such an interesting pick. But a damn good one! I found myself enjoying it way more than I should since I am not into zombies and the like. This was far superior to Once Upon A Gothic. And much better written. Even if the "romance" part is minor is HEAPS better than what Gothic offered.
I like the fact that Hannah is not of the meek and weak kind of lass and that Wycliff is a dark, bitter arsehole. Fuck. Now I'm compelled to read the rest of the series.
Tee-hee, Hannah didn't get the puppy she wanted but got a hellhound instead.
Rating: really liked it
I adored this little book! A cozy mystery with zombies and Regency frocks. Yes, really!
A shipment of cursed powders sent shockwaves through the ton, when 200 or so 'ladies of quality' were struck and became The Afflicted (ie zombies). But that doesn't stop them getting invited to balls.
Hannah, our wallflower heroine, is the daughter of a powerful mage (her mother, deceased and Afflicted) and a mad scientist which means she hardly EVER gets invited to balls.
Thanks to assisting her father with his work in trying to understand (and cure) the Afflicted, Hannah is the perfect person to assist the very rude Lord Wycliff as he tries to solve a High Society Murder/zombie attack. He can't be allowed to interview aristocrats (especially dead ones) on his own, because he has horrible manners, and Hannah's job is mostly to apologise for his rudeness...
AND THEY SOLVE CRIME
I'm excited to continue with this series as the first novel was so cleverly written, fast-paced and enjoyable. The worldbuilding is really interesting, too, I love the idea of the 'aftermages' (grand-children of magic, which skips a generation), not to mention a magical curse that mostly affects aristocratic women, and I'm very invested in the continual wellbeing of Hannah's brilliant, loving and ever so slightly rotting mother Seraphina.
