In Alexia Tarabotti’s steam driven London, courting danger means liaisons with vampires and werewolves.
Creative Staff
Story: Gail Carriger
Art/Adaptation: Rem
What They Say
The life of a spinster in Victorian London isn’t an easy one on the best of days, but such a life becomes infinitely more complicated when said spinster is “soulless” — a preternatural bridging the gap between the natural and supernatural worlds. Miss Alexia Tarabotti has this unique distinction, and when she is assailed at a formal gathering by a rove vampire, an encounter that results in the death of the half-starved creature, her circumstances become exponentially more complicated indeed! Now caught up in an intrigue with life or death stakes, Alexia must rely on all her talents to outmatch the forces conspiring against her, but it may be the man who has caught her eye — Lord Conall Maccon — and their budding flirtation that truly drives her to her wit’s end!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Let me start by saying that I haven’t read Gail Carriger’s ‘Parasol Protectorate’ novel series, which spawned this lovely adaptation. I was aware of it before Yen announced it was their latest project in adapting mass market young adult fiction into manga form, however I’m several years behind in my prose reading list. I’m certain fans of the novel have already followed the serialization online in Yen+, and have eagerly snatched up the book, which leaves the latecomers like me to be swayed either toward or against it.
We’re introduced to the lead, Alexia, in the middle of the event which sets off a mystery. Alexia is a typical headstrong protagonist, a lady who doesn’t like to play by her mother’s rules. We don’t find out why she’s shunned the usual path of a lady of the gentry. We do find out that she has a complicated past with a Lord Maccon, alpha of a pack of werewolves and an agent in the Bureau of Unnatural Registry. She also happens to be a rare human known as a soulless, someone who isn’t affected by the supernatural and can negate their powers. This leads to many interesting moments where just her touch can turn vampires and werewolves temporarily mortal.
She becomes deeply involved in an ongoing series of disappearances of supernatural beings. She’s both a suspect and a potential victim to be, but rather than sit back and take a passive role in the conflict she attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery. Even when it means tangling with less-than-nobel aristocratic vampires and potentially putting her vampire friend Lord Akeldama in harms way as well.
Soulless treads some familiar territory. Most of the internal politics of the the werewolves and vampires are vague, leading the reader to delve into what they might recall from modern media on such things. The vampires are the sort you’d find in an Ann Rice novel, attractive high society bloodsuckers. The werewolves are left more more in the dark for the reader, only noting that females seem to be in short supply. Don’t go in expecting a complicated political drama, Soulless is first and foremost an escapist romance with elements of the supernatural.
And what a romance it is. There’s a great deal of not quite discreet pursuit and literal bodice-ripping, or in Conall’s case button popping, because Alexia is just as dogged in her pursuit for a suitor despite her internal conflict over Conall’s intentions. There’s also hints of some guy on guy action behind the scenes from Lord Akeldama and his retinue of young, attractive male retainers.
This is also a story which you can’t take too seriously. Alexia’s cleavage defies the laws of physics and for someone with little to no experience with men, she seems to be very well read indeed! Her indignation of Lord Maccon’s affections is overly theatrical, and for an immortal Conall seems to have a distinct disregard for scandal. There’s also the occasional anachronistic word or phrase that crops up to remind the reader that this is a fantasy world, despite the trappings of victorian England.
Artist Rem brings delicate linework and practiced paneling to the project, as well as what must have been a great deal of research into victorian dress and architecture. She doesn’t shy away from scenic backgrounds and the occasional retro-future style steampunk contraption, not to mention the very steamy scenes between Conall and Alexia. Everyone is stylish and attractive, maybe overly so, but isn’t that what manga is for?
The mystery isn’t very complex, it’s clear from the opening pages who the bad guys are, but it’s great fun and the characters are very likable. I only wish there was a heavier emphasis on political maneuverings and a deeper explanation of the workings of Alexia’s world. I guess I’ll have to go read the novels for that.
In Summary
In Soulless, Yen Press has found a strong contender for their best young adult manga adaptation yet. The wonderful expressive and highly detailed art captures the setting extremely well and meshes with the source material in a totally organic way. There isn’t much in the way of mystery, although there is a fair bit of action and plenty of romance for the readers to watch unfold. Fans of the novel series should be happy to see how the manga has faired, and for the new readers like myself it stands alone as an enjoyable but somewhat predictable and kinky supernatural love story. If vampires, werewolves, and the like are your cup of tea, I highly recommend it.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: B +
Readers Rating: [ratings]
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: March 1st, 2012
MSRP: $12.99
