The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

I saw "The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science," and I KNEW I had to have it! Especially when I realized that Kate McKinnon wrote it...sort of. ;) The first Millicent Quibb book is technically by G. Edwina Candlestick (and "as told by" by Kate), which makes it all that much more quirky and magical. 

["So, you want to be a young mad scientist. Congratulations! Admitting it is the first step. The second step is reading the (definitely true) tale of the Porch sisters…  

Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee Porch do not belong. They don’t belong in the snooty town of Antiquarium, where all girls have to go to etiquette school and the only dog allowed is the bichon frise. They don’t belong with their adoptive family, where all their cousins are named Lavinia and their Aunt has more brooches than books. And they certainly don’t belong at Mrs. Wintermacher’s etiquette school—they’re far more interested in science. After getting kicked out of the last etiquette school that would take them, the girls expect to be sent away for good... until they receive a mysterious invitation to a new school.

Suddenly the girls are under the tutelage of the infamous Millicent Quibb—a mad scientist with worms in her hair and oysters in her bathtub. At 231 Mysterium Way, the pizza is fatal, the bus is powered by Gerbils, and the Dean of Students is a hermit crab.  Dangerous? Yes! More fun than they’ve ever had? Absolutely! But when the sisters are asked to save their town from an evil cabal of nefarious mad scientists, they must learn to embrace what has always made them stand out, and determine what side they’re on—before it’s too late!"]

I loooooove the narrator in this! I'm obsessed!! And all of the footnotes and the appendixes?!?! It's so science-y without being over the top. Though, it is over the top (its MAD science after all ;) ). 

The book and all of the characters (especially Millicent and the "sisters") are weird and odd and unapologetic about it. It's (the book, each other, Mysterium Way) a home for those who don't fit in, even if they don't want to 100% stand out (yet). The ladies learn that they are important and special just the way they are, even with their rather unique interests. They are finally given a place to flourish and grow. 

There are sooo many layers to this novel. The secrets, the secrets's secrets, the found family, the STEAM, the individualism, the straightforward lessons, the subtle lessons. It's perfect.

This book is slightly reminiscent of the Series of Unfortunate Events series, with the orphans thing and special talents and the sense of steam-punk meets science. Don't forget about the untrustworthy and downright even adults (except for a special few). 

I'm obsessed. You all NEEEEEEEED to check this novel out!! Seriously. Please, I want to talk about it with people. I also need the second book, but I have a feeling that will be a while. :( 

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