I don't think I'm in the target demographic for this book. But I enjoyed it, anyway. I bought it as a gift for my daughter with the degree in English Lit and read it before she could take it home. Since I don't have much background in historical romance, specifically Jane Austen, it's difficult for me to make comparisons in that realm. I just allowed the story to take me where it wanted.

Where it took me was to a genteel world of preaning society, where appearances and reputations are put above personal needs and desires. It's a world where art and culture take precedence over doing real work and the magical art of glamour has been added to the mix. To my naive perceptions and untrained modern eye, the author does a fine job of bringing this world alive, weaving together the fantasy and romantic aspects of the novel in a way that kept me turning pages right through to the end.

I wish a few more mysteries had been introduced sooner. It took a while for the tension to build, other than the romantic frustrations of the main character. Some reviewers argue that the impact of this magical art ought to have had a greater impact on society than what is depicted here. But since we are seeing only a small corner of the world, essentially a couple of country estates, I think it is difficult to make that judgement. And while the actual Jane Austen may have intended to make deeper commentary on her society, I don't think that's how this homage was intended at all. It's really just a light entertainment, and (to quote Mr. Vincent from the novel) "Illusions should be entrancing without someone looking behind the scenes to see how they are made." ( )

Re-reading so I can finally finish this series! An excellent regency romance with magic. I love how Jane's use of magic directly plays into the ending climax/shenanigans. ( )

Shades of Milk and Honey
4 Stars

"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." - Emma

The Ellsworth sisters, Jane and Melody, are as different as two siblings could be. Quiet, reserved and plain, Jane is well aware that she will never attract the notice of a man yet longs for marriage and family. In contrast, flighty and frivolous Melody is an acknowledged beauty with more suitors than she can handle. Nevertheless, it is Jane whose skill with glamour will play a pivotal role in saving her family from ruin.

Mary Robinette Kowal's debut novel is a well-written and engaging Austen-style Regency romance that closely adheres to the language, setting, tone and mannerisms of the historical time period (which is not always the case with recent historical romances). Fans of Austen's works will recognize some of the classic character types and plot tropes inherent to her works, yet Kowal has added a unique touch of her own to the traditional format with the inclusion of glamour, i.e., an ability to reshape reality that is a mix of art, music and science.

In terms of the specific plot, the heroine, Jane, is a compelling mix of Marianne Dashwood and Lizzie Bennett while her sister, Melody is an obvious simulacrum of Kitty Bennett with her inability to consider the consequences of her selfish actions. The two sisters appear to vie for the same suitors, yet it is clear that despite her feelings of inadequacy as compared to her beautiful sister, it is actually Jane who is the more accomplished, and therefore, the more appealing sister to men capable of discerning her true worth. Who will Jane end up with - the charming yet artful Captain Livingston, the elegant and proud Mr. Dunkirk, or the abrasive Mr. Vincent?

As with Austen's works, there is a great deal of social critique with depictions of shallow, superficial and hypocritical society alongside the revelations of various characters and their questionable pasts.

All in all, Kowal has captured the true essence of Austen's writing with her delightful mix of wit, romance, and social criticism. I look forward to continuing with the series. ( )

I’ve not previously read anything by the author, although I’d put a couple of her books on my wishlist. I decided to start with Shades of Milk and Honey since I was in a fantasy of manners mood.

The prose was easy to read, though some repetitions stood out. In places, the language seemed to stray between period(ish) and more modern.

The setup and environment will be familiar to anyone who’s read Austen—though with the addition of magic, and a reduced level of “formality” compared to what we might expect. I liked the idea of glamour as an additional tool in social interactions, and I’d guess in future books we might see more practical (military?) applications.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters. They did not feel fleshed out. We spend the entire story in Jane’s point of view, and I found her rather tiresome. She was pretty passive and kept belabouring her problems, with a combination of feeling put-upon, gaslighting herself and feeling somehow smugly martyred. OK, the last might have been my imagination, but her ruminations tended to reinforce that impression.

The pacing was sedate until just before the final confrontation, when the tone flipped into melodrama with a rush towards the end.

I came away feeling that the book hadn’t quite decided what sort of book it wanted to be and so it wavered in its direction. Maybe a bit like Jane.

REALLY ENJOYABLE. DEFINITELY AN ODE TO JANE AUSTEN. NOT THE WITTY AUSTEN, BUT RATHER IT TAKES ON THE MORE SERIOUS TONES OF "SENSE & SENSIBILITY & PERSUASION" BUT WITH A BOW TO EACH OF THE BOOKS. I LOVE THE TWIST OF MAGIC, IT'S THE PERFECT COMBINATION WITH THE WORLD IT LIVES IN. ( )