Book Thoughts - Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
published 1/31/13
336 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Mary Robinette Kowal stunned readers with her charming first novel Shades of Milk and Honey, a loving tribute to the works of Jane Austen in a world where magic is an everyday occurrence. This magic comes in the form of glamour, which allows talented users to form practically any illusion they can imagine. Shades debuted to great acclaim and left readers eagerly awaiting its sequel. Glamour in Glass follows the lives of beloved main characters Jane and Vincent, with a much deeper vein of drama and intrigue.

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.

Left with no outward salvation, Jane must persevere over her trying personal circumstances and use her glamour to rescue her husband from prison…and hopefully prevent her newly built marriage from getting stranded on the shoals of another country's war.

My thoughts -

This certainly felt like a more mature book. Kowal gives readers a glimpse into a conversation that sparked the core of this novel, and I think in many ways this book shows how she is settling into and becoming comfortable with the world she has created.

While the first novel was very much lighthearted fun, this second book tackles some fairly serious issues, and doesn't give readers a completely rosy, fairy tale ending. I think Kowal gives readers a good deal more substance in this second novel, and while it took me longer to get into the meat of the tale, it also offered more satisfaction at its conclusion.

I think Jane and Vincent are a great literary couple, and their relationship feels authentic and believable. I am still enchanted with Kowal's use of glamour, and the interesting and sometimes perilous situations it can create.

I think this is a great series, and I hope it continues for many more novels to come.

Finished - 9/21/13
Source - South Side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for violence and use of magic
My rating - 7/10