She blunders from disaster to disaster, never understanding clearly what's going on around her and surrounded by political factions who are under the bizarre impression that when this blunt-spoken young twit says she doesn't understand something, she's being subtle. Unfortunately, Rue is not remotely prepared for her role as spy and never shows the slightest inclination to change. And, to be fair, a plotlet involving werebeings from India who want autonomy and who do NOT want to be allied with the British Crown, thanks ever so, does show up…eventually. This sounds so studiously innocuous that I was certain for most of the book that it was merely an inane cover story and that Prudence-pardon me, Rue-would deduce this at some point and then get involved in something dashing and adventurous and not remotely respectable. The premise is that Alexia's daughter, Prudence, is sent to India by Lord Akeldama, ostensibly to investigate some tea plants.

This is definitely not the book I was expecting. I pre-ordered this book precisely because I loved Alexia's story so much and I couldn't wait to read more about her and her daughter being awesome together in steampunk supernatural London. I don't know when I've been so disappointed in a book.

Prudence by gail carriger