Hello Gemmies! I have a new book review to share with you today. Competence by Gail Carriger is the third book in the Custard Protocol series. We follow the continued adventures of Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama aka Rue and her ragtag dirigible crew. This is a series and as such I recommend reading the books in order. Competence takes place a short while after the events in Imprudence. You can read this series as a stand alone, but to get the most out of the characters and events, you really should read the Parasol Protectorate series first and then the first two books in this series.
Competence is a great addition to the Custard Protocol universe. It also flows a little differently from the first two books. This edition opens up to immediate action and does not let go of the breakneck pace until the end. Our crew finds themselves first in Singapore and then in Peru. I wish we spent a little bit more time in Singapore and find out why the Spotted Custard was there in the first place. The main narratives in Competence come from Prim and Percy's perspectives. This was a welcome change for me as Rue is not my favorite character. The focus also seems to be more on the relationships between various characters rather than the main storyline. As a result we get a lot more heartwarming and laugh out loud moments. The downside was a slight hit to the main storyline, making the reason for going to Peru and the resolution to the "vampire issue" there feel a bit rushed. Overall this is still quite an enjoyable read and there is a big surprise at the end which makes me very excited to read Book Four! Trigger Warning: this is an adult book and as such there is an abundance of heavy flirtation and steamy sexy scenes.
This gem published by Gail Carriger LLC is available for purchase from all major booksellers. I give Competence 4 out of 5 gems. If you like fashion, fat sucking vampires, lovesick werecats, friendship, dirigible travel, plot twists, and action, then go read this book! I'm really looking forward to continuing on with this series. Happy Reading!
