I'm not familiar with the genre of Jane Austen imitations, but this one caught my eye at the library, because it was in the fantasy/scifi section. Plot and character-wise, it borrows very heavily indeed from Jane Austen. Unfortunately, Austen's subtle, wry humor and sharp perceptiveness are conspicuously lacking, as is her effortless eloquence.

Despite these deficiencies, the novel worked well enough for me, especially since I'm also fond of fantasy. The "magic" that lands this novel in the fantasy genre is a cleverly conceived artistic pursuit called Glamour. In Kowal's alternate-reality Regency period world, Glamour is just one more of the accomplishments demanded of well-bred young ladies. It's a very clever premise, really, and a highlight of the book.

At times, I felt like I was truly reading a cut-and-pasted collection of Austen scenes, but I guess that's kind of the intended effect. This is not a polished novel (even apart from the obvious errata that mark it as a first edition), but it's a fun, light summer read, and as squeaky clean as Jane Austen herself.