Etiquette & Espionage book cover
The Finishing School series is set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate series, only twenty-two years earlier and ten years after The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn't. It features a finishing academy located in a giant caterpillar-like dirigible floating over Dartmoor. The main character's name is Sophronia. Some characters from the Parasol Protectorate series, such as Sidheag Maccon, Beatrice Lefoux, Madame Lefoux, and Lord Akeldama, are key players. The books are well-received by critics and readers alike. The book is credited as a revival of female steam-punk prose.
Curtsies & Conspiracies book cover
Books[]
Waistcoats & Weaponry won Steampunk Chronicle’s 2015 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Young Adult Steampunk Fiction. All four books in this series were New York Times best sellers.
Sales and Awards[]
- Etiquette & Espionage hit the New York Times Young Adult bestseller list at #9 on February 24, 2013.
- Curtsies & Conspiracies hit the New York Times Young Adult bestseller list at #5 on November 24, 2013, the best standing on the list for the Finishing School series.
Waistcoats & Weaponry book cover
- Waistcoats & Weaponry won Steampunk Chronicle’s 2015 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Young Adult Steampunk Fiction.
Audio[]
The Finishing School books are available as downloads from Audible, read by Moira Quirk. They were released on audio at the same time as print. All of the Finishing School audiobooks were produced by Hachette Audio. These are not available on CD.
The Etiquette & Espionage audiobook received a top ten honor on the YALSA Amazing Audiobooks List in 2014. The Curtsies & Conspiracies audiobook received a top ten honor on the YALSA Amazing Audiobooks list in 2015. The Waistcoats & Weaponry audiobook received a top ten honor on the YALSA Amazing Audiobooks list in 2016.
Foreign Language Editions[]
Would you like to find foreign translations? They occasionally turn up on Amazon and Gail donates all of hers, signed, to the Worldbuilders charity.
UK Commonwealth ~ Atom[]
- Etiquette & Espionage ~ Feb. 5, 2013
- Curtsies & Conspiracies ~ Nov. 5, 2013
- Waistcoats & Weaponry ~ Nov. 4, 2014
- Manners & Mutiny ~ Nov. 3, 2015
Croatia ~ Školska knjiga, Lumen imprint, Zagreb[]
- Šarm i špijunaža (Etiquette & Espionage) ~ release date unknown
Czech Republic ~ Albatros Media/CooBoo, Prague Slovakia ~ Albatros Media/CooBoo, Bratislava[]
- Etiketa & Spionáz (Etiquette & Espionage) ~ Czech Edition
- Poklony & Sprisahania (Curtsies & Conspiracies) ~ Czech Edition
- Úklony & Úklady (Curtsies & Conspiracies) ~ Slovak Edition
The paperwork for these two publishers gets very confusing. They both show up as CooBoo.
France ~ Orbit / Le Livre de Poche[]
- Étiquette & Espionnage ~ March 12, 2014
- Corsets & Complots ~ September 24, 2014
- Jupons & Poisons ~ June 10, 2015
- Artifices & Arbalètes ~ June 15, 2016
Japan ~ Hayakawa[]
- (Etiquette & Espionage) ~ out
- (Curtsies & Conspiracies) ~ out
- (Waistcoats & Weaponry) ~ April 22, 2015
- (Manners & Mutiny) ~ out 2016
Turkey ~ Pegasus[]
- Görgü ve Casusluk ~ out
- (Curtsies & Conspiracies) ~ release date unknown
Manners & Mutiny book cover
Links[]
Extras[]
Videos[]
Finishing School Book the First Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
Finishing School book trailer
FINISHING SCHOOL by Gail Carriger (MUSIC VIDEO)
The Finishing School music video
Links[]
- Curtsies & Conspiracies Music Video ~ A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
- Pinterest Character Board for the Finishing School Series
- 12 Days of Finishing School
- Etiquette & Espionage ~ Miscellany & Minutia
- 10 Questions About Etiquette & Espionage, Answered
- Etiquette & Espionage~ FAQ the Second
- Etiquette & Espionage~ On NYT
- Etiquette & Espionage~ Reviews & Praise
- Etiquette & Espionage ~ The Cover Copy!
- Etiquette & Espionage ~ Book Trailer & Tumblr
- Etiquette & Espionage ~ Reviews versus 1872 Godey's Reviews
- 6 Questions About Curtsies & Conspiracies ~ Answered
- Curtsies & Conspiracies ~ Release Blog Post
- Curtsies & Conspiracies ~ Pre Release and FAQ Info
- Peek at Sophronia's Dress Design Process
- Behind the research for Sophronia and her sisters
- Manners & Mutiny ~ 1850s Fashion Mocked in the Press
- Victorian Clothing Terms Used in the Finishing School Books & What They Mean
- Some Thoughts on Fashion in the Finishing School Books
- Manners & Mutiny Extras ~Women's Education
- All Finished Young Ladies Have Chatelaines
- But What Were Bunson's Boys Wearing?
- Finishing School Extras ~Behind the Scenes
- Take a look at Gail's sketch of Sophronia's Map in Manners & Mutiny
- Reading Guide & Vocabulary List for Etiquette & Espionage for educators
- Reading Guide includes fun activities, discussion questions, and Common Core details
- Extensive Vocabulary List
- Finishing School Deleted Scenes
- Dressing Sophronia from the Corset Up
- Dresses in Curtsies & Conspiracies
- Waistcoats & Weaponry Breaking Down the Cover ~ Sophronia's Fan
- Fans For Sophronia ~ A Historical Retrospective
- Finishing School Characters & Clothes
- Waistcoats & Weaponry: Peek at Sophronia's Dress Design Process?
Classes/Lessons Taught at the School[]
- Catching & Compromising to a Permanent End
- Tips on Wielding a Cane v. Parasol v. Umbrella with Professor Braithwope
- Quadrille with Mademoiselle Geraldine
- Captain Niall on Knife Fighting
- Proper Manners & Dress at the Theatre with Mademoiselle Geraldine
- Opera Glasse with Lady Linette
- Garrotes - Killing while Seated with Captain Niall
- Advanced Eyelash Fluttering
- Buying Poison & Planning Dinner on Limited Budget
- Court Etiquette
- Handkerchief Starching
- French Letter Writing with Lady Linette
- Fainting in a Crowed to Attract Attention/Focus with Lady Linette
- Lady Never Shoots First, Ask Questions then Shoots with Lady Linette