Review:: Glamour in Glass, by Mary Robinette Kowal

Title: Glamour in Glass

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal

Series: Glamourist Histories, #2

Format: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★☆

Previously:

Shades of Milk and Honey

Wow. I was really unhappy with how Shades of Milk and Honey turned out, but it seems Glamour in Glass is more my taste. Mary Robinette Kowal seems to come into her own with this novel; rather than seeing a Jane Austen homage, I feel like I can really see her own writing shine through. Glamour in Glass deals with all sorts of issues, while being an easy and quick read. Some spoilers towards the end of the review.

Glamour in Glass picks up where Shades of Milk and Honey leaves off. Jane has been wed to Mr. Vincent and they are working on how to make their long-term relationship work. And it does take work. Things aren't picture perfect, even though the previous book ended with a HEA. And it's not that issues are just tossed in here and there.

There are trust issues and Jane and Vincent have to deal with the calming down of the romance and settling into married life. Of course, being the book it is, they work these things out (at least for now!), which is all the better. It's wonderful to see couples quarrel over real-world issues and then work things out like mature adults.

Also unsurprisingly, Jane becomes pregnant (increasing) in this book, which Mary Robinette Kowal handles brilliantly. It's uncommon for authors to put in the hardships of pregnancy instead of working it out with glowing terms. Jane is unhappy at being pregnant; she's unhappy at the idea of confinement and not being able to do glamour. Which makes sense! Glamour is her life and the main tie she has with her husband. Giving it up is very, very difficult.

I also really liked how things were handled later, but they're spoilers, so be warned!

Jane ends up miscarrying, and rather than treating a complex situation plainly, Mary Robinette Kowal manages to write an evocative portrayal of Jane's conflicting emotions and guilt in her pages long denouement.

All in all, I really, really enjoyed this installment of the Glamourist Histories. It may be some time before I can get into Without a Summer, simply because I don't have access to the eBooks via the library and will have to manage to read them hardcover.