Status
Available
Call number
Series
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Publication
TOR (2012), Epub, 320 pages
Description
Newlyweds Jane and David Vincent travel to Belgium and their ability to create invisibility via glamour makes them a target for emperor Napoleon's returning forces.
User reviews
LibraryThing member beserene
While I enjoyed the Heyer-esque Regency fluff of the first in this series, the Austen-with-magic world bumps up against my suspension of disbelief a little too often in this, the second installment. In this book, our (literally) plain Jane heroine is living the life of a newlywed, creating magical
As sophomore efforts go, this isn't bad -- the characters, details, and historical contexts are all interesting enough and there is a fair bit of intrigue to the plot, which adds pleasant momentum -- but neither is it as good as it could have been. While I still like the engaging differences -- such as the main character not needing to be the most beautiful woman in the room -- my main frustration here is that the rules of magic in this particular world simply don't make that much sense. In the first book, we could look past that, distracted by the newness of it all, but this time the constraints of wielding "glamour" are front and center, essential to the various plots (I shan't spoil them), and it all ends up feeling a bit forced.
I am, however, curious to see where the series goes, not just with story, but also with the extent of magic in the modified history that Kowal has built. I hope that all of these rules and limits that now feel so affected will eventually coalesce into a coherent plan. Even if they don't, however, the series is jolly enough as an innocuous romance to keep reading. This is one of those books, however, that you will wish was just a bit more than it is, because its premise is so promising and so unfulfilled.
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art alongside her gruff yet tender husband. Political machinations are afoot, however, and the pair are soon caught up in Napoleonic problems. As sophomore efforts go, this isn't bad -- the characters, details, and historical contexts are all interesting enough and there is a fair bit of intrigue to the plot, which adds pleasant momentum -- but neither is it as good as it could have been. While I still like the engaging differences -- such as the main character not needing to be the most beautiful woman in the room -- my main frustration here is that the rules of magic in this particular world simply don't make that much sense. In the first book, we could look past that, distracted by the newness of it all, but this time the constraints of wielding "glamour" are front and center, essential to the various plots (I shan't spoil them), and it all ends up feeling a bit forced.
I am, however, curious to see where the series goes, not just with story, but also with the extent of magic in the modified history that Kowal has built. I hope that all of these rules and limits that now feel so affected will eventually coalesce into a coherent plan. Even if they don't, however, the series is jolly enough as an innocuous romance to keep reading. This is one of those books, however, that you will wish was just a bit more than it is, because its premise is so promising and so unfulfilled.
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LibraryThing member srearley
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one was definitely better. I think maybe the pace was a bit faster.
LibraryThing member John_Pappas
Well done. I had difficulty picking this book up, despite enjoying the previous installment so very much. The setting and period was perfect; the move away from familial dynamics to more domestic also fine (although the feel of the language and attachment to Austen is lost a bit in this novel); the
What irked me was the cover. Really. We have a heroine that is strong and resilient and by all description plain (albeit clever, brave and intelligence) yet we have little miss hot-tits on the cover. Why? I don't get it. The cover of the first novel really portrayed the topic and tone of the material well. This one just was gloss.
So. To sum up. Loved it less than the first but still on board for a continuing series (excited, even). Wonderful magical realism encapsulated in a fold of Austen that nurtures but doesn't smother (for smothering see "Death Comes to Pemberley" by P.D. James). Irked at the cover photo and design.
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spy-game portion moved slowly and first built up to an appropriate tenor but was lost a tad at the end (I always seem to feel that the follow-through is lacking in books I read but I tend to prefer build-up to the actual explosion anyway).What irked me was the cover. Really. We have a heroine that is strong and resilient and by all description plain (albeit clever, brave and intelligence) yet we have little miss hot-tits on the cover. Why? I don't get it. The cover of the first novel really portrayed the topic and tone of the material well. This one just was gloss.
So. To sum up. Loved it less than the first but still on board for a continuing series (excited, even). Wonderful magical realism encapsulated in a fold of Austen that nurtures but doesn't smother (for smothering see "Death Comes to Pemberley" by P.D. James). Irked at the cover photo and design.
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LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
Well, I got the expanded scope that I wanted, and I'm reasonably satisfied with it. I am probably not the perfect audience for these books, in that I would have preferred the proportions of domesticity to spying be completely reversed, but both parts worked well enough to suit me, and the
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characters and setting continue to charm me despite myself. Show Less
LibraryThing member stefferoo
I think 2013 has seen me branching out into more sub-genres of fantasy than any other year, thanks to participating in events like the Worlds Without End's Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge. Once, Mary Robinette Kowal fell into the category of "An author I've never read before, but would
Someone once told me that when writing a review, it helps to think about what makes a book different and why readers should care. For this one, the thing that struck me right away was the setting. But while I may have read fantasy fiction aplenty that takes place in this time period, this is the first time I've actually ventured into something with strong elements of Regency romance, complete with the stylistic conventions that bring to mind the works of Jane Austen. This is also the first time I've ever heard the term "Fantasy of manners". Hooray for discovering new things!
It wasn't until after I picked up Glamour in Glass that I discovered it was actually the second book of a sequence called the Glamourist Histories. Normally, I dislike reading books in a series out of order, more out of a fear that I'd get lost than anything. That's why I was happy to learn that you don't have to read the first book Shades of Milk and Honey to follow the story and understand what's going on. The magic system in this book, called Glamour weaving and described with textile-related metaphors, was sufficiently explained and the general idea of it is easy to pick up. I also quickly got that our main characters, Jane and Vincent, were newly married since the last book, and now they're looking forward to settling down to a life of nuptial bliss and doing Glamour together.
However, at the start of this book is also the period following the abdication of Napoleon. While Jane and Vincent are on their honeymoon in Belgium, the deposed emperor escapes exile and makes his return to France, leaving the newlyweds with no easy way to return to England.
Certainly, this book was somewhat of a departure from the kind of fantasy I usually read and the experience was very new and different for me. The language and characters' mannerisms are definitely in keeping with the time period, which I have to admit was delightful and yet frustrating at the same time. Mostly, the frustrations come from the narrator Jane and the way she dwells on issues for a long time and perceives every little indignity as a personal slight to her, especially those pertaining to marriage and her husband.
I find this still bothers me even when taking into account the era in which these books take place, a time when men and women's statuses vastly differ, so I'm not holding that against Jane. Instead, my dissatisfaction of her character stems from from her relationship with Vincent and how often their marriage feels "off". First of all, a big chunk of the novel's conflict is the result of a breakdown of communication between the two of them. I've seen this trope commonly used in romances, but I'm personally not a fan of it.
Also, despite being madly in love, the two of them don't seem to know each other very well. Awkwardly, Jane is still constantly discovering new things about her husband that surprises her or makes her doubt him, and I also found myself questioning why she so often feels the need to seek permission or approval from him for every little decision. I have to assume their courtship mustn't have lasted very long, but perhaps this is where I need to pick up Shades of Milk and Honey to find out.
Speaking of the first book, I do intend to go back and read it. Despite my problems with the main character, I thought this book was well-written and contains interesting ideas. I can't really talk about some of the issues in it without giving away too many spoilers, but suffice to say the emotional reactions of the characters are very well-described, deep, and most importantly, realistic and believable. I also love the idea of Glamour magic, which is just abstract enough to give one the sense that it's so much more than can be put into words. I'm looking forward to learning more details about Glamour in the first book, as well as in future installments of this series.
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really like to" and so the book I chose for the challenge was 2012 Nebula Award nominated Glamour in Glass.Someone once told me that when writing a review, it helps to think about what makes a book different and why readers should care. For this one, the thing that struck me right away was the setting. But while I may have read fantasy fiction aplenty that takes place in this time period, this is the first time I've actually ventured into something with strong elements of Regency romance, complete with the stylistic conventions that bring to mind the works of Jane Austen. This is also the first time I've ever heard the term "Fantasy of manners". Hooray for discovering new things!
It wasn't until after I picked up Glamour in Glass that I discovered it was actually the second book of a sequence called the Glamourist Histories. Normally, I dislike reading books in a series out of order, more out of a fear that I'd get lost than anything. That's why I was happy to learn that you don't have to read the first book Shades of Milk and Honey to follow the story and understand what's going on. The magic system in this book, called Glamour weaving and described with textile-related metaphors, was sufficiently explained and the general idea of it is easy to pick up. I also quickly got that our main characters, Jane and Vincent, were newly married since the last book, and now they're looking forward to settling down to a life of nuptial bliss and doing Glamour together.
However, at the start of this book is also the period following the abdication of Napoleon. While Jane and Vincent are on their honeymoon in Belgium, the deposed emperor escapes exile and makes his return to France, leaving the newlyweds with no easy way to return to England.
Certainly, this book was somewhat of a departure from the kind of fantasy I usually read and the experience was very new and different for me. The language and characters' mannerisms are definitely in keeping with the time period, which I have to admit was delightful and yet frustrating at the same time. Mostly, the frustrations come from the narrator Jane and the way she dwells on issues for a long time and perceives every little indignity as a personal slight to her, especially those pertaining to marriage and her husband.
I find this still bothers me even when taking into account the era in which these books take place, a time when men and women's statuses vastly differ, so I'm not holding that against Jane. Instead, my dissatisfaction of her character stems from from her relationship with Vincent and how often their marriage feels "off". First of all, a big chunk of the novel's conflict is the result of a breakdown of communication between the two of them. I've seen this trope commonly used in romances, but I'm personally not a fan of it.
Also, despite being madly in love, the two of them don't seem to know each other very well. Awkwardly, Jane is still constantly discovering new things about her husband that surprises her or makes her doubt him, and I also found myself questioning why she so often feels the need to seek permission or approval from him for every little decision. I have to assume their courtship mustn't have lasted very long, but perhaps this is where I need to pick up Shades of Milk and Honey to find out.
Speaking of the first book, I do intend to go back and read it. Despite my problems with the main character, I thought this book was well-written and contains interesting ideas. I can't really talk about some of the issues in it without giving away too many spoilers, but suffice to say the emotional reactions of the characters are very well-described, deep, and most importantly, realistic and believable. I also love the idea of Glamour magic, which is just abstract enough to give one the sense that it's so much more than can be put into words. I'm looking forward to learning more details about Glamour in the first book, as well as in future installments of this series.
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LibraryThing member Jaylia3
I enjoyed this second book in the Glamourist History series even more than the first--by the end I had to delay dinner for over an hour because the story was so heart-in-the-throat exciting that I could not put the book down. While Shades of Milk and Honey was sort of a Jane Austen lite with magic,
Now that (SPOILER ALERT FOR THE FIRST BOOK) Jane and Vincent are newlyweds, part of the character development involves the two of them figuring out how to be a couple while working together doing glamour for wealthy clients like the Prince Regent. Vincent is not used to having anyone in his life he can trust, and Jane, though talented and determined, has insecurities, so there are some misunderstandings. For most of the book Jane and Vincent are on a working honeymoon in Brussels, which leads them into danger because its people are sharply, sometimes violently, divided in their loyalty between the newly liberated Napoleon and William I of the Netherlands.
As in the first book there are lovely descriptions of the beautiful, moving illusions that are part the magical art form Jane and Vincent are masters of, but there is also more “glamour science” because Jane and Vincent are working on an idea that would greatly expand the practical uses of their craft. Unfortunately, some players in the political conflicts are interested in the possibilities of glamour too, which ratchets up the plot tension. Book three in this charming series is Without a Summer, which I am looking forward to enjoying.
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Glamour in a Glass is more like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell lite (one of my favorite books ever) and is set in 1815 while Napoleon is on the march after escaping from Elba. Now that (SPOILER ALERT FOR THE FIRST BOOK) Jane and Vincent are newlyweds, part of the character development involves the two of them figuring out how to be a couple while working together doing glamour for wealthy clients like the Prince Regent. Vincent is not used to having anyone in his life he can trust, and Jane, though talented and determined, has insecurities, so there are some misunderstandings. For most of the book Jane and Vincent are on a working honeymoon in Brussels, which leads them into danger because its people are sharply, sometimes violently, divided in their loyalty between the newly liberated Napoleon and William I of the Netherlands.
As in the first book there are lovely descriptions of the beautiful, moving illusions that are part the magical art form Jane and Vincent are masters of, but there is also more “glamour science” because Jane and Vincent are working on an idea that would greatly expand the practical uses of their craft. Unfortunately, some players in the political conflicts are interested in the possibilities of glamour too, which ratchets up the plot tension. Book three in this charming series is Without a Summer, which I am looking forward to enjoying.
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LibraryThing member newskepticx
Charming, ot the best I've read but compared to the drivel I've read lately this was enjoyable.
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
*sighs* I'm loving these books... The style is very Jane Austen, but with magic. I like how the author keeps quite faithful to the style, even when she digresses from the typical Jane Austen subjects. And how she sticks to those subjects, even when magic or war are discussed. Jane's outlook remains
What I almost always dislike in books is when being pregnant diminishes a woman's capability of performing magic. Although that is also the case in Glamour in glass, I must admit that in this case, it makes sense. In other books it often seems just a ploy to introduce weakness for a woman, particularly if that woman is strong and powerful (in some cases, even a period results in weakness, for instance in the Daughter of the blood books by Anne Bishop.) Here though, it seems inevitable that performing glamour is a bad idea if you are pregnant, since already in the first book it was made quite clear that it can be dangerous to your health if overdone. Both Vincent and Jane are overcome by excessive glamour use before the author every thought of having anyone become pregnant.
Although I didn't really like the pregnancy, I love both Jane and Vincent, and even lack of glamour didn't stop Jane from contributing to science and to the war efforts. The glitches in their marriage that Jane and Vincent experience are natural to their characters and situation, and I like that even though it results in momentary unhappiness, their arguments are honest and performed with mutual respect, without unnecesary misunderstandings. And I definitely like how Jane grows character-wise, losing her pain over being plain and becoming more secure in her relationship with Vincent.
I've already started part 3 in this series, and I can totally see me reading all of them. If they keep up this level, that won't be any problem!
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firmly Jane-Austen like, even though she does change her mind about things due to her new profession and circumstances. For instance, Jane remains very conscious of propriety, even if she is sometimes annoyed by people who dismiss her because she is a woman, or when she observes different social rules in Belgium. What I almost always dislike in books is when being pregnant diminishes a woman's capability of performing magic. Although that is also the case in Glamour in glass, I must admit that in this case, it makes sense. In other books it often seems just a ploy to introduce weakness for a woman, particularly if that woman is strong and powerful (in some cases, even a period results in weakness, for instance in the Daughter of the blood books by Anne Bishop.) Here though, it seems inevitable that performing glamour is a bad idea if you are pregnant, since already in the first book it was made quite clear that it can be dangerous to your health if overdone. Both Vincent and Jane are overcome by excessive glamour use before the author every thought of having anyone become pregnant.
Although I didn't really like the pregnancy, I love both Jane and Vincent, and even lack of glamour didn't stop Jane from contributing to science and to the war efforts. The glitches in their marriage that Jane and Vincent experience are natural to their characters and situation, and I like that even though it results in momentary unhappiness, their arguments are honest and performed with mutual respect, without unnecesary misunderstandings. And I definitely like how Jane grows character-wise, losing her pain over being plain and becoming more secure in her relationship with Vincent.
I've already started part 3 in this series, and I can totally see me reading all of them. If they keep up this level, that won't be any problem!
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LibraryThing member DWWilkin
Kowal is finding her stride as she delves into her love story set amidst a Regency World where an overlay of fantasy has taken some hold.
That the concept of glamour is her entrée into the world of fantasy is deftly handled, though here, with the application of war perhaps not enough forethought
A further subplot that could have been stronger was the Binge/Spy subplot for the town does not seem worthy of so much intrigue. These thoughts perhaps should have been given some deeper reflection before penning the novel. The last quibble is perhaps the most major of all and reason that this detracts from being perfect is the reaction to the couples progeny and it seems rather quickly handled, more as a man would do without thought to the emotions a woman would have over it, though pregnancy and Ms. Kowal's magic system is what she decided was to be the heart of her tale.
That there are so many other elements in this unique presentation of the Regency Era, and that she brings characters to life is wonderful and dazzling as is her glamours. Though perhaps Prinny in 1815 might not be the same as the Prinny that was portrayed in the story, I find I rather like her fictitious view of the Regent who seems full of life and respectful of his subjects much more than the class society might have led him to be.
If one also takes into account that the tone of the Regency is what is being provided, through an Austen like rendition of it, and that some of the history (Belgium? a term for 1830 not 1815) is wrong but that since this is a fantasy world things can be changed, then this world is a wonderful place to visit. And were we in our own world able to have talented people who could create glamours from the ether, ours might be a better place for it.
Kowal's world is worth a visit should you love Austen, the Regency, or light fantasy.
That the concept of glamour is her entrée into the world of fantasy is deftly handled, though here, with the application of war perhaps not enough forethought
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has been given since the remark that only one application has ever been found seems slim. But we can overlook that as this is not the key to the story.A further subplot that could have been stronger was the Binge/Spy subplot for the town does not seem worthy of so much intrigue. These thoughts perhaps should have been given some deeper reflection before penning the novel. The last quibble is perhaps the most major of all and reason that this detracts from being perfect is the reaction to the couples progeny and it seems rather quickly handled, more as a man would do without thought to the emotions a woman would have over it, though pregnancy and Ms. Kowal's magic system is what she decided was to be the heart of her tale.
That there are so many other elements in this unique presentation of the Regency Era, and that she brings characters to life is wonderful and dazzling as is her glamours. Though perhaps Prinny in 1815 might not be the same as the Prinny that was portrayed in the story, I find I rather like her fictitious view of the Regent who seems full of life and respectful of his subjects much more than the class society might have led him to be.
If one also takes into account that the tone of the Regency is what is being provided, through an Austen like rendition of it, and that some of the history (Belgium? a term for 1830 not 1815) is wrong but that since this is a fantasy world things can be changed, then this world is a wonderful place to visit. And were we in our own world able to have talented people who could create glamours from the ether, ours might be a better place for it.
Kowal's world is worth a visit should you love Austen, the Regency, or light fantasy.
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LibraryThing member ellen.w
As with the first one, a readable enough story that lacks cleverness.
LibraryThing member ellen.w
As with the first one, a readable enough story that lacks cleverness.
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
The second book finds Jane and her husband off on a delayed honeymoon that has him seeing one of his old Glamourist friends in Belgium. Just in time for Napoleon to return for France. Vincent is also doing some glamour work for British citizens and as it turns out some work for his friend the
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Prince as well. Jane does some amazing things in this book for the love of her husband but it does come at a price. A really good read that has me all ready reading the third book. Show Less
LibraryThing member EJAYS17
This is the second in the Glamourist Histories (not sure if I like this as a series title, but it is descriptive, I guess), I bought & read the first one Shades of Milk and Honey last year, I'm trying to remember where I found out about it. After consulting with SLOC (who's sick at the moment with
Anyway, the premise of Shades intrigued me - think Jane Austen with added magic, and I really enjoyed that, so was very happy to see that there was a sequel.
The thing about this book that was particularly interesting to me was it tackles the idea of what happens in the "after" of the "happily ever after" that ends Jane Austen-type romances (or most romances, for that matter!). I guess it's especially true of period romances, in that they generally end on the wedding, and you never see the life afterwards.
With this book, you know that the two main characters love each other, but they don't know each other very well yet. Jane is constrained by the society values of the time, which means that her skill at glamour (the magic system) is thought to be an excellent accomplishment to have (like painting or playing music) but not something to pursue as a career. And it also is a dangerous thing to perform whilst pregnant - an extra fun thing to have to worry about on top of all the "normal" problems that can be associated with child-bearing of the time!
Jane is worried that she is becoming a burden on David and his work when he seems to be deliberately excluding her from a commission they have received from an english emigree in Brussells (they're in Belgium for their honeymoon just before Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo), and he's terribly secretive about what he's doing and who he's seeing. And David doesn't seem to realise that he's hurting her feelings when he does this. She also starts to doubt her abilities as a glamourist as David dismisses her suggestions for the commission without much thought.
All-in-all, there's lots of misunderstandings between the two of them before things are resolved happily (again)
It's not just about the "after" of the "happily ever after", as the story is set in Belgium just before the Battle of Waterloo, there's stuff about leading up to the battle; the development of new ways of working with glamour; spies on all sides of the conflict.
This will go into my "books to stay on the shelves" - of which we have many, but still have piles of books on the floor of the library! - and will look forward to others in the series.
And as an aside, I loved the cover of the book. The woman in period costume with the soap bubbles around her head is something that jumped out at me from the shelves. Possibly becuase I bought this at the local SF/Fantasy/Comics/Pop Culture shop, and a historical cover is more likely to stand out in that particular instance.
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a cold, and as such, his powers of remembery are lower than usual), we think I heard about it at Aussiecon4, as according to my book-list last year, I read it at the start of July.Anyway, the premise of Shades intrigued me - think Jane Austen with added magic, and I really enjoyed that, so was very happy to see that there was a sequel.
The thing about this book that was particularly interesting to me was it tackles the idea of what happens in the "after" of the "happily ever after" that ends Jane Austen-type romances (or most romances, for that matter!). I guess it's especially true of period romances, in that they generally end on the wedding, and you never see the life afterwards.
With this book, you know that the two main characters love each other, but they don't know each other very well yet. Jane is constrained by the society values of the time, which means that her skill at glamour (the magic system) is thought to be an excellent accomplishment to have (like painting or playing music) but not something to pursue as a career. And it also is a dangerous thing to perform whilst pregnant - an extra fun thing to have to worry about on top of all the "normal" problems that can be associated with child-bearing of the time!
Jane is worried that she is becoming a burden on David and his work when he seems to be deliberately excluding her from a commission they have received from an english emigree in Brussells (they're in Belgium for their honeymoon just before Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo), and he's terribly secretive about what he's doing and who he's seeing. And David doesn't seem to realise that he's hurting her feelings when he does this. She also starts to doubt her abilities as a glamourist as David dismisses her suggestions for the commission without much thought.
All-in-all, there's lots of misunderstandings between the two of them before things are resolved happily (again)
It's not just about the "after" of the "happily ever after", as the story is set in Belgium just before the Battle of Waterloo, there's stuff about leading up to the battle; the development of new ways of working with glamour; spies on all sides of the conflict.
This will go into my "books to stay on the shelves" - of which we have many, but still have piles of books on the floor of the library! - and will look forward to others in the series.
And as an aside, I loved the cover of the book. The woman in period costume with the soap bubbles around her head is something that jumped out at me from the shelves. Possibly becuase I bought this at the local SF/Fantasy/Comics/Pop Culture shop, and a historical cover is more likely to stand out in that particular instance.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
GLAMOUR IN GLASS was a worthy sequel to SHADES OF MILK AND HONEY. This volume finds Jane and Vincent married and on a honeymoon to France since Napoleon has been defeated and imprisoned on Elba. Vincent is eager to visit with a colleague. Jane is somewhat at sea because her spoken French is lacking
Jane and Vincent have some issues because he seems to be keeping secrets from her. Along with Jane's discomfort at being in a strange place, this new habit of Vincent's makes her even uneasier and more uncertain of her value to him. When she learns that she is expecting a child, things get even more difficult because women who are pregnant can't do any glamour at all because of danger to the baby.
Jane is also uncertain because she doesn't know if Vincent wants children. He is having enough trouble adjusting to the idea of a family that cares about its members which is so different from his own family. Jane is also worried because of the way Vincent was raised. Her father punished him brutally if he didn't measure up to his father's standards.
Jane discovers a way to make glamours movable which was thought to be impossible. I liked the passages when she and Vincent were working with the glassblower as they refined Jane's theory. However, her discovery makes Vincent very desirable to the French. They kidnap him so that he can share his glamour which makes people invisible to assist with Napoleon's new revolution.
It is up to Jane to rescue her husband from the French which she does despite the heavy cost she has to pay. I love the Regency setting and manners combined with magic. I can't wait to read more books in this series to learn more about Jane and Vincent's further adventures.
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but her maid is a Parisian who speaks excellent English because her mother was English. Jane and Vincent have some issues because he seems to be keeping secrets from her. Along with Jane's discomfort at being in a strange place, this new habit of Vincent's makes her even uneasier and more uncertain of her value to him. When she learns that she is expecting a child, things get even more difficult because women who are pregnant can't do any glamour at all because of danger to the baby.
Jane is also uncertain because she doesn't know if Vincent wants children. He is having enough trouble adjusting to the idea of a family that cares about its members which is so different from his own family. Jane is also worried because of the way Vincent was raised. Her father punished him brutally if he didn't measure up to his father's standards.
Jane discovers a way to make glamours movable which was thought to be impossible. I liked the passages when she and Vincent were working with the glassblower as they refined Jane's theory. However, her discovery makes Vincent very desirable to the French. They kidnap him so that he can share his glamour which makes people invisible to assist with Napoleon's new revolution.
It is up to Jane to rescue her husband from the French which she does despite the heavy cost she has to pay. I love the Regency setting and manners combined with magic. I can't wait to read more books in this series to learn more about Jane and Vincent's further adventures.
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LibraryThing member ladypembroke
A great follow up to her first novel! Just a wonderful, luxurious combination of Jane Austen's Regency England and magic... that doesn't FEEL like magic because it is so perfectly woven into the reality.
LibraryThing member Sarah_Gruwell
4.5 Stars
I gotta say I enjoyed this volume a TON better than book one.
The author’s writing style has smoothed out from her awkward tendencies in book one. No strange exchanges or showdowns here! I think it’s from not trying so hard to emulate Jane Austen. The atmosphere and the details of the
I also still enjoyed her main characters and their relationship. The secondary ones still didn’t make all that much of an impression on me; I can hardly remember most of their names. But the leads were still great. The author threw some pretty harsh circumstances and story twists at our characters, and I found how they dealt with them realistic. Especially with Jane’s twist, I think I can safely say that I would have dealt with her tribulations in almost exactly the same way.
My favorite part of this book, though, was the more in depth look at glamour that we got. Details on how it works, postulations on its uses outside of pretty colors and decoration, more on the cost users pay to utilize it, and theorizing on how to adapt it to current technologies all play a part in the story. The fantasy geek in me was thrilled to see all this stuff on the magic system.
To me, this book was worth wading through the first book for. While that one had some good points, it was mostly a slog through. But book two?! Vast improvement and a fantastic book overall. I loved the main characters still, enjoyed the new twists on glamour, and enjoyed the different story and situations presented for our leads to overcome. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fantasy with a side of romance. Look forward to the rest of the series!
I gotta say I enjoyed this volume a TON better than book one.
The author’s writing style has smoothed out from her awkward tendencies in book one. No strange exchanges or showdowns here! I think it’s from not trying so hard to emulate Jane Austen. The atmosphere and the details of the
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Regency are still very firmly present; yet, the author isn’t trying to incorporate exact phrasing and spelling choices to the story nor is she forcing Jane Austen-esque character interactions into the story.I also still enjoyed her main characters and their relationship. The secondary ones still didn’t make all that much of an impression on me; I can hardly remember most of their names. But the leads were still great. The author threw some pretty harsh circumstances and story twists at our characters, and I found how they dealt with them realistic. Especially with Jane’s twist, I think I can safely say that I would have dealt with her tribulations in almost exactly the same way.
My favorite part of this book, though, was the more in depth look at glamour that we got. Details on how it works, postulations on its uses outside of pretty colors and decoration, more on the cost users pay to utilize it, and theorizing on how to adapt it to current technologies all play a part in the story. The fantasy geek in me was thrilled to see all this stuff on the magic system.
To me, this book was worth wading through the first book for. While that one had some good points, it was mostly a slog through. But book two?! Vast improvement and a fantastic book overall. I loved the main characters still, enjoyed the new twists on glamour, and enjoyed the different story and situations presented for our leads to overcome. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fantasy with a side of romance. Look forward to the rest of the series!
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Newlyweds Jane and Vincent are off to a grand start in their marriage -- the Prince Regent has hired them to create a large-scale glamour for his New Year's Eve celebration. The book begins with a dinner party celebrating their achievements, and sets the tone for the rest of the book. Jane and
I enjoyed this book, just as I did its predecessor. Jane and Vincent really develop as characters in this book, the portrayal of their marriage is well-balanced, and there's plenty of intrigue and adventure to keep the plot moving along. If you're unfamiliar with this series, I definitely recommend starting with Shades of Milk and Honey, as the characters and magic system are more thoroughly explained in that book. Fans of fantasy and Jane Austen are sure to enjoy this series.
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Vincent, though deeply in love, have many issues to work through. Vincent is used to being a solitary artist, and does not always find it easy to work with another glamourist, even his beloved (and talented) wife -- nor does he find it easy to discuss his feelings, plans, or ambitions. Jane still struggles with deep-seated insecurity, not only over her plain features, but in comparing her own work as a glamourist to that of her husband. With the war seemingly over and Napoleon confined to the island of Elba, Jane and Vincent travel to Belgium to work with another glamourist, an old friend of Vincent's. However, many unexpected events await them in Belgium. . . .I enjoyed this book, just as I did its predecessor. Jane and Vincent really develop as characters in this book, the portrayal of their marriage is well-balanced, and there's plenty of intrigue and adventure to keep the plot moving along. If you're unfamiliar with this series, I definitely recommend starting with Shades of Milk and Honey, as the characters and magic system are more thoroughly explained in that book. Fans of fantasy and Jane Austen are sure to enjoy this series.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I liked this follow up story because it explores more of the relationship between Jane & Vincent. Their marriage at the end of the last novel took me a bit by surprise, because we never really see much interaction between the two. Throw in some historical intrigue and more on the magic of glamours
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and you've got a worth waiting for sequel. Show Less
LibraryThing member iansales
I read the first book of this series a while ago, and a conversation on Twitter in late 2017 persuaded me to carry on with the series. So I bought book two. Which is Glamour in Glass. (Amusingly, according to the spine, it’s the second book in the “lamourist Histories”. Oops.) At the end of
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the first book, plain-but-talented Jane married estranged-earl David, and the two make their living as among the best glamourists in England. One of their clients is the Prince Regent,. He reveals to Jane that she will finally get her postponed honeymoon. In Belgium. Ostensibly there to study a new glamourist technique which can make things invisible, it turns out David is spying for the British Crown – since Napoleon has escaped and is expected to retake France… The end result is less Jane Austen and more Georgette Heyer, and I do love me some Heyer, but the Heyer of An Infamous Army rather than Cotillion. Which is no bad thing, although the change in tone between the first half of the book and the second did jar a little. And the final scene wasn’t quite as dramatic as the lead-up had suggested. (On the other hand, a modern eye does mean some of the more skeevy aspects of Heyer’s fiction are avoided.) But I did enjoy the book, and I’m glad I was persuaded to give them another go. I think I’ll carry on reading them. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
After completing a major commission for the Prince Regent, Jane Vincent and her husband take the opportunity in the wake of the defeat of Napoleon to travel to Belgium to visit a colleague of Vincent's who has invented a new method of creating glamours. During their journey, Jane and Vincent also
This second entry in the series has lost a bit of its Jane Austen-esque feel in comparison with the first but as I was attached to characters and the alternate world that Kowal has built, I enjoyed the novel for its own sake. There is obviously a lot of research rolled into the plot of this one and Kowal interweaves the return of Napoleon onto the scene of Europe during the 100 Days in ways that are fun for any history nerd. The magic continues to be fascinating although some of the technical details the characters explain went over this reader's head. Highly recommended if you enjoyed the first novel.
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make their own attempts at new methods while also working to discover how their lives work now that they're married. When the spectre of Napoleon rises again, a shadow falls over their lives in Belgium that will have serious repercussions for the couple.This second entry in the series has lost a bit of its Jane Austen-esque feel in comparison with the first but as I was attached to characters and the alternate world that Kowal has built, I enjoyed the novel for its own sake. There is obviously a lot of research rolled into the plot of this one and Kowal interweaves the return of Napoleon onto the scene of Europe during the 100 Days in ways that are fun for any history nerd. The magic continues to be fascinating although some of the technical details the characters explain went over this reader's head. Highly recommended if you enjoyed the first novel.
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LibraryThing member Daumari
Once again, ran into a due date I couldn't renew. Luckily, YA is easily digestible in an evening. This takes place within a year after Shades of Milk and Honey, when the Vincents decide to take a delayed honeymoon to Belgium... right when Napoleon returns to France. I enjoyed this more than SoMaH,
Jane's pregnancy and miscarriage in the last chapter were well done, I thought. As Kowal mentions in the afterward, it's not a subject that comes up often in fiction of the time but something that would've been present in the era. I appreciated that our heroine had the feeling of relief that she could form glamours again instead of just grief- pregnancy and loss of are often nuanced and not as black and white as some would like to believe.
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but can't put my finger on why. Maybe the expanded universe- no longer a sleepy British town, but a sleepy Flemish town like a powderkeg? Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
If you also have the first hardcover edition in front of you, check the author's website for the first line that was omitted.
It was a lovely continuation of Shades of Milk and Honey - an Austen-lite romantic adventure. Exactly what I was expecting, in a good way. Kowal dropped the awkward
It was a lovely continuation of Shades of Milk and Honey - an Austen-lite romantic adventure. Exactly what I was expecting, in a good way. Kowal dropped the awkward
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spellings. Yay! Show Less
LibraryThing member tldegray
Not quite as charming as the first book, but, then, the first book wasn't set during a war. I find I enjoy the lesser characters in these books as much as I enjoy Jane.
LibraryThing member DrFuriosa
I am madly in love with Mary Robinette Kowal.
LibraryThing member Daumari
Once again, ran into a due date I couldn't renew. Luckily, YA is easily digestible in an evening. This takes place within a year after Shades of Milk and Honey, when the Vincents decide to take a delayed honeymoon to Belgium... right when Napoleon returns to France. I enjoyed this more than SoMaH,
Jane's pregnancy and miscarriage in the last chapter were well done, I thought. As Kowal mentions in the afterward, it's not a subject that comes up often in fiction of the time but something that would've been present in the era. I appreciated that our heroine had the feeling of relief that she could form glamours again instead of just grief- pregnancy and loss of are often nuanced and not as black and white as some would like to believe.
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but can't put my finger on why. Maybe the expanded universe- no longer a sleepy British town, but a sleepy Flemish town like a powderkeg? Show Less
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2012)
Locus Award (Finalist — Fantasy Novel — 2013)
Language
Original publication date
2012-04-10
Physical description
336 p.; 5.51 inches
ISBN
0765325578 / 9780765325570
Local notes
In the tumultuous months after Napoleon abdicates his throne, Jane and Vincent go to Belgium for their honeymoon. While there, the deposed emperor escapes his exile in Elba, throwing the continent into turmoil. With no easy way back to England, Jane and Vincent’s concerns turn from enjoying their honeymoon to escaping it. Jane must persevere over trying personal circumstances and use her glamour to rescue her husband from prison.
Simple and sweet.
Simple and sweet.