Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories, #1)

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Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories #1)

by Mary Robinette Kowal (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 3,516 ratings · 953 reviews

Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a version of Regency England where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still re...more

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 3rd 2010 by Tor Books (first published July 26th 2010)

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Jul 29, 2010 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: fantasy, siver-fork

This very talented writer has written a Regency romance that features a few of Jane Austen's spellings, adding in a truly nifty magical system. Unfortunately, the magic seems little integrated with the world, having almost no impact on the culture--probably that's being saved for the sequel.

The comparison with Jane Austen might sell books, but that's also kind of a high bar. This story feels more like a Regency romance, without much of Austenesque irony or complication of character; on the othe...more

25 likes · like · see review

Sep 27, 2010 Liviu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010_release_read, review_fbc, read_2010, genre-fantasy

I finished Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal and I was bit mixed; from early word of mouth and reviews I have expected a more substantial book rather than the very light beach reading novel this turned out to be; it is pretty much Jane Austen light, without any real social commentary or depth to the world building, all revolving around relationships and romance, while magic is pretty in-essential to the story except as a vehicle of allowing the main character to 'shine" as a "plai...more

8 likes · like · see review

Aug 13, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio

I thoroughly enjoyed Shades of Milk and Honey. Kowal does an excellent job of mixing the fantastic with the elements of a Regency novel. The plot is familiar enough for the reader to feel comfortable with the magical additions which have been added.

I will admit that I have been looking forward to listening to this title since I heard that the author would be reading it. I have attended panels led by Kowal which covered public reading, creating different character voices, and podcasting. The audi...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 30, 2010 Eh?Eh! rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreaders-made-me, goodreader-gave-to-me, babble-added

Thank you, brian tanabe!

Have you ever slapped someone, good and hard? I can still remember the one and only time I did, the anger boiling up and over, the near involuntary windup of the arm and spring-loaded swing-through, the crack of the hand on the offender's cheek, the numb and then sting in the palm, the blipping rush of incredible satisfaction instantaneously followed by a gushing of fear and guilt? Yeah. It felt good and solid before the last fear and guilt part. I still remember all that...more Thank you, brian tanabe!

Have you ever slapped someone, good and hard? I can still remember the one and only time I did, the anger boiling up and over, the near involuntary windup of the arm and spring-loaded swing-through, the crack of the hand on the offender's cheek, the numb and then sting in the palm, the blipping rush of incredible satisfaction instantaneously followed by a gushing of fear and guilt? Yeah. It felt good and solid before the last fear and guilt part. I still remember all that from when I slapped the little brat (who was bigger than me) in preschool, when I was four. This book brought it all back, because I wanted to slap every one of the characters. Idiots! All of them!

I think this is a YA novel, in particular because of the large and well-spaced font which seems to be characteristic of books for youths. Is this a false impression? It's like how crayons/text get slimmer/smaller as you get older and then graduate to colored pencils.

Presented as being inspired by Jane Austen, I think this book leans more heavily on her than that. The main character is named Jane, fcol (= for crying out loud, is that an acceptable abbr. yet? I'm not up on txtmsg speak), and she's a mush of all of Austen's main ladies (that I can recall, and my recollection is mostly from movies). The sister character is a mush of all the other sisters, the mother and father, the dashing but shady gentleman, the stiffly honorable gentleman with a sister, the misunderstood but in the end very appropriate gentleman, the noble neighboring lady and her nearly silent daughter, all mushed together from all of Austen's works. The situation and plotline are also cribbed but with the detail and minutiae stripped away, all the density of Austen's works gone. It's Austen lite.

Little magics are part of daily household life. It's not well-explained, but it looks like magic is meant to be for peasants, artists, and women in this world? Some men are described as working with their abilities to keep things cold...and actually, I think that's it. Well-bred gentlemen didn't seem to take part in it. But women and artists create beauty out of it, and a lady should be able to create illusions for the home just as she should be able to make conversation and play the piano forte.

The main character is such a damn pushover, gaaahhhhhh!!! Too accommodating, too polite, too rug-like. There were so many moments where the whole mess could've been cleared up with a few short sentences...gahhhh! The character, Jane, has magical talent but it wasn't a story where her abilities make her a heroine. She gets her happy ending, although the author seems to have gotten tired at the end and wraps the story up too swiftly after the big climactic confrontation, with a surpisingly curt last page. And she did that thing like in The Princess Bride (I automatically typed Bridge in there, again), where a potentially satisfying scene is skipped over like this: "Though he denied a skill at words, everything Mr. [spoiler] said in that tender moment brought Jane unbearable joy." Nooooo! Why can't you tell us what was said? I think I loved Juliet Marillier when I was younger because she didn't cut away from these moments with cop-out summaries of how wonderful it was, too wonderful to write here. Boo! There are moments when the overblown is appropriate, when you say "forever" and "always" and mean it. Isn't this the kind of book where you'd want to include that sort of speech?

This is more negative than I mean to be. It's a very pretty story and a quick, pleasant read. Maybe I'm cranky because I stayed up to finish it.(less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 Stars. Mary Robinette Kowal's debut novel, Shades of Milk and Honey, is described as "Jane Austen with magic" -- while I wouldn't go quite that far, Kowal's premise sets Shades apart from typical Austen-esque tributes and retellings. In an age when women were taught all manner of drawing room accomplishments in the hope of securing a good marriage, the most desirable skill of all is the use and manipulation of glamour. Glamour folds are pulled from the atmosphere and woven into murals, used...more 3.5 Stars. Mary Robinette Kowal's debut novel, Shades of Milk and Honey, is described as "Jane Austen with magic" -- while I wouldn't go quite that far, Kowal's premise sets Shades apart from typical Austen-esque tributes and retellings. In an age when women were taught all manner of drawing room accomplishments in the hope of securing a good marriage, the most desirable skill of all is the use and manipulation of glamour. Glamour folds are pulled from the atmosphere and woven into murals, used to enhance art or redecorate a room, create skits, or even change an individual's appearance. At the age of twenty-eight and plain of face, Jane Ellsworth is used to being overlooked in favor of her fairer sister Melody's fine form. But plain Jane possesses a skill her more beautiful sister cannot hope to surpass -- she is gifted and skilled glamourist. When Jane's impressive skill unwittingly draws the attention of not one but two gentlemen, arousing Melody's ire, driving a wedge between the formerly inseperable sisters. Jane finds herself navigating the murky waters of previously unimaginable romantic possibility while using all her skill and wits to save her rasher sister from making a tragic error in judgment.

What's most refreshing about Kowal's debut is how she peppers her story with Austen-inspired references without resorting to a straight retelling of a classic storyline. And the subtle use of glamour is an inspired touch -- going into the novel I expected an out-and-out fantasy, and was instead pleasantly surprised at the way Kowal develops glamour as a craft, a skill to be learned and practiced rather than an arbitrary or convenient plot device. Kowal possesses a decent grasp of the style and tone of the time period; however, she has an unfortunate habit of utilizing antiquated spellings of common words such as "shew" instead of "show" that weigh down her otherwise mostly serviceable prose. Her plotting and characterization could also use refining and tightening. The novel opens strong but lags in the second act, while the third and final section possesses such a tone of suspense and almost high adventure that while enjoyable is something of a surprise given the strict drawing room parameters of the storyline's setup.

Anyone familiar with Austen's novels or the films upon which they are based will recognize certain characters or story beats within Kowal's world. There is the henpecked, harried father whose estate is entailed away from his daughters and the flighty mother suffering from unspecified "nervous ailments" (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice), the flighty sister obsessed with transient beauty (suggestive of Marianne in Sense and Sensibility), and engagements kept secret from fear of scandal (think Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill in Emma). But my favorite nod to all things Austen is the character of Jane Ellsworth herself, an amalgamation of Elinor Dashwood's sense, Elizabeth Bennet's intelligence, and Anne Elliot's quiet fortitude. While I could wish for a less repetitive self-doubt/examination, Kowal sketches all of Jane's strengths and weaknesses in a highly relatable and period-appropriate fashion. I would've preferred more time devoted to the development of Jane's relationship with her chosen beau, but those issues aside as a light, diverting twist designed to feed the public's hunger for all things Austen related and inspired, Shades of Milk and Honey delivers a unique offering. With the promise of Jane's increasing confidence and aptitude as a glamourist, I look forward to the sequel! (less)

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Aug 02, 2010 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, regency, illusion

Interesting premise, Regency era fiction with a splash of magic. The story and characters are very very very derivative of Austen. Much of the wit and depth is lacking.
An enjoyable light read. The ending feels rushed which leaves a taste of dissatisfaction as you finish this book.
I would read this book again and recommend it to people but it must definitely be taken with a grain of salt.

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Oct 15, 2012 Res rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sff

The Regency-plus-magic in which Jane takes us through the tiniest shades of her emotions regarding her plainness, her relationship with her beautiful sister, Melody, and her marriage prospects, while the magic is confined to literally decorative use.

I didn't care for this. The pacing was such that for almost two hundred pages nothing happens but feeeeelings, and then suddenly revelations and chases and duelling pistols and so on are rushing by so quickly that the characters don't seem to be abl...more

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Jun 08, 2012 One Pushy Fox rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Jane Austen and illusions are seamlessly woven together in this amazing historical fantasy.

Magic comes to Pemberley
Not literally of course! Shades of Milk and Honey is not a fan-fiction style homage to Jane Austen but rather the blending of that world, full of sense and sensibility, with one where magic is so common place that's considered one of the arts of refinement any lady would practice, like watercolors or music. In this world, illusions are spun out of "glamour", a sort of blend betwee...more Jane Austen and illusions are seamlessly woven together in this amazing historical fantasy.

Magic comes to Pemberley
Not literally of course! Shades of Milk and Honey is not a fan-fiction style homage to Jane Austen but rather the blending of that world, full of sense and sensibility, with one where magic is so common place that's considered one of the arts of refinement any lady would practice, like watercolors or music. In this world, illusions are spun out of "glamour", a sort of blend between the ether or magic and the fabric of the air around everyone.

Jane Austen...meet Jane Ellsworth
It is in this world where we meet Jane Ellsworth, a woman worthy to bear the name of one of the most beloved authors of the Regency era. Jane Ellsworth is the older sister to the younger, prettier Melody. While Jane excells at the womanly arts, particularly that of working glamours, Melody is the beauty of her family, the one to whom much comes easier with a lovely smile or a sweet word. The one whom every one simple assumes will make an advantageous match. And so it is with a nearly resigned heart that Jane watches her sister play at flirting with the one man she feels she might love.

A True Master Arrives
It is into this society of staid country folks that a true master of glamour arrives. Mr. Vincent is the very picture of the cranky, reclusive artist. He has a sort of dark, handome allure that immediately attracts attention, but not always of the admiring sort. Jane seems inclined to like him, if in no other way than to appreciate the artistry of his work, but his personality is so off putting that she resigns herself to remaining aloof from his great talent. However, Mr. Vincent is so innovative in his use of glamour and Jane so intuitive and full of untapped talent, that these two can barely keep from crossing paths everytime they enter into society.

Friends and Lovers
The main drama of this story is that of secret lovers: who has an understanding with whom, who wants an understanding with whom and who should really just stay away from whom. In the classic Jane Austen style, the romance is at the forefront. It's done with a deft hand, making it both light and filled with some dramatic twists and turns. And I will admit, I was totally surprised to see which couples made it to the finish line.

One Must Have a Strong Character
I absolutely adored Jane. She's such a wonderful, full character, filled with an insightful mind and a loving heart. I loved her particularly when she would get angry at the injustices around her, hinting at the steel hidden beneath the lawn and lace exterior. I don't have the book with me so I'll have to write more about the male characters when I get home (so I name them all correctly) but they're absolutely fantastic in their own rights.

Bottom Line
If you like Jane Austen's world but also enjoy a hint of magic you will simply adore this book. I know I did!(less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Sara added it

Shelves: 100-in-2012, audio, 2013, favorites

I looked at this book in hardcover two years ago, but for whatever reason, never got around to buying it. I can’t think why. It’s right up my alley; Jane Austen-ish, but with magic. Sign me up! Maybe the cover was understated enough that I thought it wouldn’t be fun? I think it’s a beautiful cover, don’t get me wrong. I can’t really explain why I didn’t pick it up. The reason I got it this year is because the sequel came out and, obviously, the series has been repackaged. Glamour in Glass was mi...more I looked at this book in hardcover two years ago, but for whatever reason, never got around to buying it. I can’t think why. It’s right up my alley; Jane Austen-ish, but with magic. Sign me up! Maybe the cover was understated enough that I thought it wouldn’t be fun? I think it’s a beautiful cover, don’t get me wrong. I can’t really explain why I didn’t pick it up. The reason I got it this year is because the sequel came out and, obviously, the series has been repackaged. Glamour in Glass was mistakenly shelved in the YA section and when I went to move it I thought, ‘Gee, that looks awesome.’ Then I saw that it was the follow up to that other book I had never gotten around to picking up. So, I got both. Congratulations cover design department, you did your job!
The set up of the story is straight out of Jane Austen. The Ellsworth family has two daughters; Jane, the older sister is more talented, but Melody is the family beauty. Jane has more or less resigned herself to being an old maid and someday living on the charity of her sister’s husband. The difference between this book and your average Regency era novel of manners is the world that Kowal has built. In this world magic is readily available and young ladies of breeding are taught how to weave glamour the same way they are taught to play the piano forte or cover screens. Drawing rooms are decorated with glamour tapestries and debutantes with slightly less than perfect physical features can cover them with magic, for a short time.
Jane, though plain, eschews such deception and meets the world with her own face. If her skills and personality cannot persuade a man to marry her then nothing shall. Melody, though somewhat ham fisted with her magic is lovely enough that she should find a husband with no difficulty. Difficulties arise when both girls develop an attachment to their neighbor, Mr. Dunkirk. There are also the complications of Mr. Vincent, a master glamourist working on a tapestry for the Lady FitzCameron, and the lady’s nephew, Captain Livingston. Secrets, meetings, betrayals, and magic all weave together in this most excellent novel.
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Feb 26, 2013 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fantasy, romantic

An enjoyable enough book, though a bit thinner than I had hoped for.

I think I expected something more like The Magicians and Mrs. Quent or even Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell where the society, manners and romance stuff are all covered, but which has a foundation of mystery, adventure, political intrigue or, heck, considering this is heavily based on Austen, some social commentary/satire and biting wit.

Sadly, we're pretty much left with only the society, manners and romance - the biggest twi...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Suz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dtb-own, fantasy, historical, romance, women-sff-authors

I want, so badly to give this book 5 stars, but I can't quite do it.

Don't get me wrong, I love this book, but I can't quite bring it to the "it's amazing" level.

It is precisely what everyone says it is (including the author herself) - a book modeled on Jane Austen's writing. I adore Austen's writing, so it didn't surprise me when I enjoyed it. It's a beautiful regency romance, with magic thrown in. There's the whole upper-class society stratification and intrigue with that. There is a whole lot...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, unfinished-series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shades of Milk and Honey is a Regency-era romance with magic, called glamour, added in as an essential skill for an accomplished young lady. It is very obviously influenced by the works of Jane Austen. While an enjoyable read overall, it suffers in the inevitable comparison to Austen.

For example, the main protagonist, Jane Ellsworth, has a younger sister, Melody. Melody is obviously meant to remind you of Marianne Dashwood. However, while Marianne was foolish due to her youth, she clearly loved...more Shades of Milk and Honey is a Regency-era romance with magic, called glamour, added in as an essential skill for an accomplished young lady. It is very obviously influenced by the works of Jane Austen. While an enjoyable read overall, it suffers in the inevitable comparison to Austen.

For example, the main protagonist, Jane Ellsworth, has a younger sister, Melody. Melody is obviously meant to remind you of Marianne Dashwood. However, while Marianne was foolish due to her youth, she clearly loved her family and was never intentionally hurtful. Melody, on the other hand, is spiteful and petty. This is supposedly because she is jealous of her older sister who, although not blessed with looks as she is, is a much more accomplished glamourist and artist. Instead of reminding me of Marianne, Melody began to remind me of Lydia Bennett, who also behaved with no regard for her family. However, while Lydia is married off to Mr. Wickham (which she initially sees as a success but the reader knows is actually a horrible fate), Melody eventually realizes the error of her ways and is almost immediately restored to her sister's good graces. In fact, the only one who really suffers for Melody's actions is her sister, who winds up having a gun held to her neck by the man Melody has been meeting in secret.

Aside from Melody Ellsworth, another characterization that bothered me was that of the romantic male lead, Mr. Vincent. Mr. Vincent is clearly modeled after Mr. Darcy, and is initially quite rude to Jane. What makes Pride and Prejudice a wonderful love story is both parties made the realization that they had acted poorly and made a genuine effort to improve themselves. In Shades of Milk and Honey Mr. Vincent's bad behavior seems to be forgiven as soon as Jane realizes that he is in love with her (which raises the distasteful suggestion that all that is required for a man to be a good person is to love a woman not considered attractive by society). If simply loving someone were enough, Pride and Prejudice would have ended with Elizabeth Bennett accepting Mr. Darcy's initial proposal at Rosings.

I don't mean for these (and other characterization issues I have) to indicate I didn't like the book at all. I enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind seeing Kowal write more, with less of Austen's stories and more of her own.(less)

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Jan 24, 2011 Avrelia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fantasy, already-forgotten, regency

This is the book I was looking forward to love. It had wonderful reviews from people I trust, it had that lovely mash of ingredients I love, it had an interesting magic concept... I read and was underwhelmed, and now, a month and a half later I can hardly remember what it was about. It is a regency novel with magic in it. But it seemed that the regency part and the magic part were too diluted to give space for each other that that the whole book seems too empty. I liked the characters well enoug...more This is the book I was looking forward to love. It had wonderful reviews from people I trust, it had that lovely mash of ingredients I love, it had an interesting magic concept... I read and was underwhelmed, and now, a month and a half later I can hardly remember what it was about. It is a regency novel with magic in it. But it seemed that the regency part and the magic part were too diluted to give space for each other that that the whole book seems too empty. I liked the characters well enough, but they didn't look significantly different or memorable which makes me sad. There are definite allusions to Jane Austen – who else we start thinking about when reading a book set in early 19th century England? But comparison isn't flattering – for all their simplicity, Austen's novels are so rich – in details, in characters, in humour, in inner connections between everything. This story feels like an enchanted mural, an amusing illusion that would dissipate by the nest day, by comparison. But maybe it is supposed to?
So we have not-so young Jane, who is plain, but has a great talent for magic and art. And we have her young sister Melody who is very beautiful, but talentless. Both are somewhat resentful of each other and both have formed attachment to one gentleman (don't remember the name). There is also his very young sister, another dashing your officer, a disapproving viscountess with her long-nosed daughter, patient father, silly mother, and the regular assortment of figures one can find in any book set in the era. There is also an artist who is making a glamural for the viscountess and is angry with Jane for prying into his secrets. So we have all this fun ingredients – and nothing fun happens. Oh, the book moves smoothly from one chapter to another, with no loss of momentum, no straying of your attention everywhere, but when you get to the end, nothing much stays with you, either.
It is not a bad book. It is not uninteresting book. I probably suffered from my own overblown expectations. But I don't really feel like ever re-reading it.(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Joy (Cheery♡Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, historical-romance-highlanders

This was dubbed as the perfect blend of Jane Austen's works with a dash of magic. I totally am in love with this story. I've always had a passion for classics - writings, arts and music - so this book was just a perfect and refreshing break from all the drama of YAs' I've been indulging in. It's so good to go back to the roots for my passion to reading.

As I have mentioned in my status, Jane is a very lovable character. I am glad that she was portrayed as sensible, simple and plain but rich in th...more This was dubbed as the perfect blend of Jane Austen's works with a dash of magic. I totally am in love with this story. I've always had a passion for classics - writings, arts and music - so this book was just a perfect and refreshing break from all the drama of YAs' I've been indulging in. It's so good to go back to the roots for my passion to reading.

As I have mentioned in my status, Jane is a very lovable character. I am glad that she was portrayed as sensible, simple and plain but rich in the womanly arts. It's nice to read of simple and plain heroines now and then as most are described as gorgeous and beautiful in books nowadays. Jane's family is a well-rounded family with a sensible father figure. Thank god for that. I have a love and hate relationship with her mother and sister Melody. Both are the exact epitome of women in that period. Melody infuriated me with her selfishness and self-pity but I was glad to see her mature and realized her wrongs near the end of the book. Jane's mother is rather silly - in a good way - and surprising as she showed sensibleness and calm when certain situation arose.

I enjoyed reading about Mr. Vincent and the rest of the secondary characters. They were crafted uniquely; possessing their own individualities. Thus, making them memorable even after finishing the book.

What I enjoyed and relished most about Miss Kowal's writing was the romance. It was simple yet could invoke such strong and hidden passions of emotions. I love it. I love how an old-fashioned romance (I am not ashamed to admit that I am one at heart) could be so beautiful. Truth be told, I read that particular scene several times. It made love as it is supposed to be. Pure and simple without all the triangles or rectangles involved. The only thing was I wished that it didn't have to include a scene of them already in their golden years. It somehow sapped me back to reality and pulled me out of the fairy tale realm I created while reading this. It's not a problem though. Just what I thought at first but seemed sweet after rereading the ending again and again.

Others compared Kowal's works with Austen's and judged her. To me, the writings and style may be similar but it isn't fair to criticize her that it isn't up to par with Austen's. Each author has their own distinct style no matter how similar it is to another legendary author just as how everyone seems to enjoy praising or criticizing paranormal YAs with Twilight. Jeez..it's as if Twilight is the ONLY 'awesome' title out there.

I am so ecstatic to know that there will be a sequel. *squeals in delight* If only 2012 would approached sooner. Now, I shall withdraw to the pleasant imaginaries that have sprouted from this story.
*Dreamy sigh*

P/s: I adore the cover. It perfectly conveys the essence of the story.
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Oct 14, 2010 Carolyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

2.5 stars
First, let me say that I am not a Jane Austen-ophile. I've enjoyed some of the movies made from her books, but I don't think I've yet actually read one.
Having said that, this novel of manners feels very typical of the type, with thankful little 'bridges' - after a particular bit of dialogue, saying 'they further conversed upon the weather, the party and the luck of the party to have such good weather', instead of forcing us to hear every meaningless exchange between them.
I liked the m...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Chriss rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for something new in Fantasy

Shelves: fantasy

LOVED this book. On the one hand you have a regency manor romance very much in the flavor of Jane Austin. On the other you have a fantasy novel about magic as art form.

The magic in the series is called 'glamour' and I love how it is described as fabric; they pull 'folds' of glamour from the ether and tie them off. Really creative.

The author is a puppeteer and made her own book trailer using puppetry (which you can find on YouTube). There's also a little nod to puppetry in one of the scenes which...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Christine Edison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: magicians-and-mrs-quent

Usually I don't care for books that claim to be written like Jane Austen's novels, but Kowal's work seems authentic in terms of language and social mores of the time. I really like this "pre-Steampunk" story, which read a bit like "Pride and Prejudice" with the addition of the manipulation of glamour included as one of the womanly arts. I recommend it highly as a gentle literary fantasy with a strong romantic twist.

Jane Ellsworth wishes for her sister Melody’s beauty, while Melody envies Jane’s...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, art, austenia, fantasy, feminism, fiction, format-ebooks, friendship, humor, magic, music, romance, sisters, strong-smart-female-protagonist

Jane is the elder, plainer, and more talented of two sisters. Over the course of a few months Jane and Melody fight, flirt, spend time with their neighbors, fall in love, and see their loves confounded. And then, in the midst of a Regency novel worthy of Austen, there is magic, of a special sort called glamour. there are happy endings for the good, and unhappy endings for the wicked.

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Mar 26, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

Dan Wells, you should be punished! Why didn't you say in the blog post that this book isn't out yet? It sounds like the perfect book for me!

**Finished**

Obviously, the book is out now and it was fantastic! If you think Jane Austen with magic sounds awesome but are afraid that it won't feel like Austen, fear not! This book is amazingly well done, so detailed that you start to wonder why Elizabeth Bennett never called upon her glamour skills.

I listened to this as an audiobook, read by the author, a...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Jeana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jeana by: Kami

Shelves: book-club-books

While I really liked the Jane Austen-hodgepodge (you can't really tell which Austen novel is most influencing this story) and the Austen-esque tone, I just can't accept this much magic in the story. It just seemed wrong. I get it. We're a generation that likes to take our favorites and add something completely foreign to it (Pride & Prejudice with zombies/I'm worried Austen is turning over in her grave now) but I just don't like it. I'm a purist. Give me the original classic any day. But eno...more

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Aug 17, 2010 Yvonne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Shades of Milk and Honey is a regency romance with a dash of magic. It's a light, quick read with fun characters and "small" problems - problems that affect the characters in the book but won't necessarily affect the broader world. It's refreshing to read a fantasy novel in which the heroine doesn't have to save the world.

The book has been compared (often unfavourably) to Jane Austen's work. This, I think, is somewhat unfair, as comparing any book to an acknowledged classic inevitably sells the...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, magic, romance, teen

Jane is considered a spinster. She has only a small dowry and is not pretty like her younger sister Melody. The only thing that makes her stand out is her skill with Glamour. She is very talented at creating illusions. Then some new people come to the village. One is Captain Henry Livingston. He lived in the area before joining the army and thus the girls already know him. He is very charming, but rumored to be engaged to his hostess’ daughter. The other is Mr. Vincent, a leading Glamour artist....more

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Jun 07, 2013 Siew Ee rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a big tribute to Jane Austen, because the plot, the style and the characters are so reminiscent of Austen’s works, yet it has a touch of paranormal that makes it refreshingly different. In a way, I am glad that Jane is plain (the main character in the book & not Jane Austen!) - a straightforward romance between good-looking characters would not have worked well with me in such a story. Sure, Jane may not be the strongest character for a female protagonist, but what she lacks in...more

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May 24, 2013 Joy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't usually put my light reading up on Goodreads, but this is one of the few exceptions. For starters, it's definitely G-rated and so is appropriate to share, and additionally it has a fascinating addition of magic into a lovely little Regency-style story. Our main character is a plain Jane with a beautiful sister, who is sure to become an old maid despite her considerable skill weaving glamour, which is used to enhance comfort and beauty amongst the nobility. All of the typical Regency roma...more

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May 19, 2013 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Such a satisfying listen after several disappointing books; I've loved the things done by the other Writing Excuses authors, and Kowal proved with this that she deserves her place in the cast. There is all the language, tone, and humor of an Austen book with little deviations and touches that make it individual and modern. I loved how the magic is never explained; it is such an everyday part of life that we just see it in action and come up with the explanations ourselves, shaped by our observat...more

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May 17, 2013 Sarah Delacueva rated it 4 of 5 stars

This charming book is basically Pride and Prejudice with Magic. Taking place in the drawing rooms of an alternate Regency England, the setup seems largely familiar. A family with only daughters visits with neighbors and attends balls in an attempt to make suitable matches. The twist is that the talents of refined women, along with piano and needlepoint, are supposed to include magical the application of glamours. Glamours are used to amuse party guests, as well as to spruce up the house. One par...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Jill Williamson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was cool. It's Jane Austen with magic. I know, right?

The story is about Jane, the older, and somewhat homely, sister of Melody. Jane is twenty-eight and still unmarried. She'd like to get married, but she isn't pretty enough to attract the amount of suitors that her sister seems to always have around her. But Jane is gifted in Glamour, a magic that, like art, allows one to create illusions for entertainment and decoration. Melody's Glamour skills are mediocre, and she is continually je...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Nadia Graham rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternate-universe

I really enjoyed this book. I'll admit that I picked it up partly because Mary Robinette Kowal is the narrator on the audiobooks for Seanan McGuire's Toby Daye series(and I love both that series and her reading of it). The other part of the reason that I picked up a copy of this book was that it was mentioned on the SF Squeecast and the premise sounded really interesting. Jane Austen with magic, but just a touch of magic.

It is very much a Jane Austen re-telling in the sense that the plot is clea...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Michele Bolay rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am taking a class on romance genre this week, and one of my assignments was to read things in the sub-genres, including romance that combines speculative fiction elements (scifi, fantasy, paranormal, etc.). Which is not a sub-genre that I read extensively. So I chose this. First of all because it is Austen-inspired, second of all because Kowal's most recent book in the series was nominated for a Nebula Award.

The review posted by commenter "Colleen ± (of the Crawling Chaos)" so perfectly encap...more I am taking a class on romance genre this week, and one of my assignments was to read things in the sub-genres, including romance that combines speculative fiction elements (scifi, fantasy, paranormal, etc.). Which is not a sub-genre that I read extensively. So I chose this. First of all because it is Austen-inspired, second of all because Kowal's most recent book in the series was nominated for a Nebula Award.

The review posted by commenter "Colleen ± (of the Crawling Chaos)" so perfectly encapsulates my feelings that I am going to reprint it here. FYI, I read both of the other books she mentions and enjoyed them very much, so put those on your list. ;-)

"An enjoyable enough book, though a bit thinner than I had hoped for. I think I expected something more like The Magicians and Mrs. Quent or even Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell where the society, manners and romance stuff are all covered, but which has a foundation of mystery, adventure, political intrigue or, heck, considering this is heavily based on Austen, some social commentary/satire and biting wit.

"Sadly, we're pretty much left with only the society, manners and romance - the biggest twists being about who is in love with who, and whatnot.

"The magic in the story, glamour, is more illusion than anything else, and is more just an art that people do than having any major relevance in the story. I mean, it could've easily been substituted for a more mundane kind of art. (That said, the physical toll is takes does remind me a bit of Mrs. Quent's Illusionists, and I did think that the tolls of glamour being a cause of lady's fainting spells was a nice touch.)

"Aside from it lacking in other facets of the story, I found the characters - mish-mashes of several familiar characters - a bit too familiar and everything far too predictable. We know this story. We've seen it before. And there's nothing new or original about it.

"That said, I found it well written enough to be entertaining, I never really found myself bored, despite the overt familiarity (and pat HEA ending), and I will probably pick up the next in the series to see how it fares. I may pick that one up from the library instead of buying it, though."
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Mar 08, 2013 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-books

Interesting book with a lot going on, but I didn’t absolutely love it.

It’s a Jan Austen fanfic type book. Set in regency with a cast of characters right out of the Austen novels, it’s about an almost-spinster, her younger (foolish) sister and the new neighbors in town. The sisters were clearly Sense and Sensibility. Much of the plot elements are P&P. Etc.

The author did a really good job of making this book bleed Austen. When a new character arrives on scene, I know within sentences which Aus...more

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About Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal was the 2008 recipient of the Campbell Award for Best New Writer and her short story "For Want of a Nail" won the 2011 Hugo. Her stories have appeared in Strange Horizons, Asimov’s, and several Year's Best anthologies. She is the author of Shades of Milk and Honey and Glamour in Glass (Tor 2012).

Mary, a professional puppeteer and voice actor, has performed for LazyTown (CBS)...more

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Books by Mary Robinette Kowal

Glamour in Glass (Glamourist Histories, #2)

Without a Summer (Glamourist Histories, #3)

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