Shades of Milk and Honey [Hardcover]

Mary Robinette Kowal (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 3, 2010

The fantasy novel you’ve always wished Jane Austen had written

Shades of Milk and Honey is exactly what we could expect from Jane Austen if she had been a fantasy writer: Pride and Prejudice meets Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. It is an intimate portrait of a woman, Jane, and her quest for love in a world where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality.

Jane and her sister Melody vie for the attentions of eligible men, and while Jane’s skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face. When Jane realizes that one of Melody’s suitors is set on taking advantage of her sister for the sake of her dowry, she pushes her skills to the limit of what her body can withstand in order to set things right—and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Kowal's quasi-Regency fantasy debut, plain Miss Jane Ellsworth envies her sister's looks, while flighty Melody envies Jane's talent with magical glamour. Rude, mysterious Mr. Vincent, a brilliant glamour artist hired to create living murals in a nearby mansion, shows little interest in the niceties of society, and none (it seems) in Jane. As Jane shyly seeks Mr. Vincent's tutelage and approval, Melody pursues a disastrous romance. A sprinkling of Jane Austen's idiosyncratic spellings (shew, teaze, etc.) doesn't hide the lack of her trenchant wit or distinctive characters, and period errors abound. Despite the tremendous potential in the magical manipulation of light and temperature, glamour is used solely for decoration and entertainment, with implausibly little effect on history or culture. The story plods at a wooden pace until the climax, which achieves a sprightly comedy-of-errors froth.
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From Booklist

Take Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and add a dash of magic and you have this delightful story by Mary Kowal. This is the story of two sisters, Jane, who is more magically talented, and Melody, a stunning beauty, and their quest to find love and stability. Both girls hope to marry well despite their lack of inheritance, and are pursued by various suitors. They are quickly embroiled into the intricacies of their neighbors’ lives, and the resulting series of events is sure to entrance the reader. For those who love reading Jane Austen’s books, this will at least temporarily satisfy the craving. A touch of magic inserted into the story is enough to enhance, but not overwhelm the story line. A quick, light read, with characters that the reader will feel right at home with. --Rebecca Gerber

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076532556X
• ISBN-13: 978-0765325563
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #771,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of Shades of Milk and Honey (Tor 2010). In 2008 she won the Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and in 2011, her short story "For Want of a Nail" won the Hugo Award for Short Story. Her work has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. Stories have appeared in Strange Horizons, Asimov's, and several Year's Best anthologies as well as in her collection Scenting the Dark and Other Stories from Subterranean.

Mary, a professional puppeteer and voice actor, has performed for LazyTown (CBS), the Center for Puppetry Arts, Jim Henson Pictures and founded Other Hand Productions. Her designs have garnered two UNIMA-USA Citations of Excellence, the highest award an American puppeteer can achieve. She also records fiction for authors such as Kage Baker, Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi.

She is the Vice President of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Mary lives in Portland, OR with her husband Rob and over a dozen manual typewriters. Visit www.maryrobinettekowal.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Light, enjoyable reading January 26, 2011

By J. Hilton

Format:Hardcover

I agree whole-heartedly with Sherry Livingston's review. I enjoyed the light ease with which "Shades of Milk and Honey" flowed through my mind. I couldn't put it down. I'd hoped to read it before bed, over the course of several nights, but finished it within just 2 days. It's become rare for me to read a modern novel and simply enjoy it -- without feeling confused, bored, manipulated, disappointed, repulsed, or overwhelmed. Not every book has to be chock full of action, suspense, violence, angsty emo self-centered fixation, social commentary, incredible magic/super powers, monsters, and sex. If that's what you want, this isn't it. This is a charming, romantic story which -- like many of my favorite costume dramas -- is all about subtlety. "Shades" of romance, despair, misunderstanding, insult, honor and meaning. The main character is a very selfless, humble, kind person -- another rarity in modern storytelling. And the magic -- called "glamour" within the novel -- was a beautiful, entirely believable element of the story. I eagerly await the sequel, "Glamour in Glass."

46 of 58 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Premise, flawed execution August 9, 2010

By George

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I would give the book 3.5 stars. But I can see where some would rate it higher.
Premise is excellent.
Easy read - but then as I note below - I found that distracting.
Characters - most needed more development
Plot - pleasant
The premise of the novel is marvelous. Take a regency England family, and make magic (called glamour) an accomplishment pursued by the ton women. I think I may have come to the book with a high expectation. I love Austen and I love Georgette Heyer. I was unconsciously setting the bar pretty high.

From my view point, a book like this should be written with more intricate prose. Kowal wrote her book, the way the vast majority of books are written today - for the 8th grade reading level. (Its not a YA novel, its just short sentences, easy repeatable words) Frankly, she probably couldn't have sold the book if she had written it with complex sentences that go on for a paragraph. But to me that is what the era calls for. That is what evokes that air of sophisticated snobbery, the elitist condescension,and the beautiful culture.

I longed for more detailed history, a more in depth characterization, a reason to like Melody - the beautiful sister, a better and more entertaining character study of the mother.

None of the characters are particularly original, but I don't demand that. I just demand that I get to know them and not end up defining them off characters in other novels to which they are similar.

Kowal's description of glamour is wonderful. Her description of its creation and the finished illusions make you long to see it in person. And she did a nice job of creating & building interest in the mysterious and scowling Mr. Vincent....

As I say, my biggest problem with the novel is one that most would count in its favor. Its easy to read. If Kowal develops this world with more stories, I will undoubtedly test the waters again, because its hard not to love such an idea as magic as an accomplishment for ladies of the ton. Read more ›

34 of 43 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars An OK Debut Novel August 9, 2010

By Sherrie Benjamin

Format:Hardcover

I picked this up on a recommendation from one of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy sites. I have to agree with the reviewer who gave it one star: the characters are bland at best, one dimensional stereotypes at worst. I was hoping for some real character growth, or to show more to the characters personalities as the story went on. There was very little, and what little there was was painfully predictable. That's the problem with this novel: its TOO predictable. You've seen all the characters and plot before, and even the addition of magic adds little to make it much different.

The novel is slowly paced, and I felt like I was waiting for something to happen. Austen could be accused of this, but her writing was witty enough to carry it. There are some interesting ideas, but nothing that really gripped me or made me excited for the climax. I didn't love the novel, but I didn't hate it either. It's a decent read, but easily forgettable. Wait for the paperback edition, or if its on sale to get it.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars I Love Regencies, and Fantasy, But This One Just Doesn't Cut It October 1, 2010

By Gazelle

Format:Hardcover

I really wanted to like this--the beginning was promising, and I am very forgiving when it comes to non-harlequin regency romances and light fantasy.

But unfortunately the book is dragged down by its own inertia. Characters are underdeveloped, the plot goes nowhere for the first 80% of the book, and in the last 20 pages a number of the characters undergo radical changes in temperament and personality that are never resolved or fully explained.

Unfortunately, I think the author's fame and connections in the entertainment business were what got this book published, and not any merit of the book itself. The main character makes Fanny Price look gutsy by comparison.

If you're looking for good historical "romance" stick with Jane Austen, Joan Aiken, and Georgette Heyer. Not this.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful surprise February 14, 2011

By Bryan T. Schmidt

Format:Hardcover

First, a couple of disclaimers might be appropriate: I like Mary Robinette Kowal. She's a nice person, the kind who is easy to converse with and who doesn't take herself too seriously. Vice President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, she penned one of my favorite short stories of the past few years, "Clockwork Chickadee," a story which delights me each time I read it and is even more delightful hearing her read it out loud. She's very giving of her time to help up and coming writers from teaching them how to do readings to answering basic questions. And she spends a lot of time with puppets. Who can help but like someone who spends her time entertaining and delighting children?

Second disclaimer: other than perhaps a passage or two in English literature classes, I have never read a Jane Austen book, and I think I have only seen one movie based on her work. Despite my weakness for romantic comedies and enjoyment of Nicholas Sparks, I just never felt drawn to Victorian romances. But when Kowal agreed to be with us on Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's Chat on Twitter, I had to read "Shades of Milk and Honey," out of an obligation to make the discussion as fruitful for everyone as possible.

Am I glad I did.

The prose captures the feel of Victorian writing beautifully, yet remains simple and accessible for readers who might not be familiar with it. Her characters are well drawn and interesting, and although before I read it I'd have thought I wouldn't be drawn in by the personal politics of a female spinster and her family and neighbors, I literally couldn't put this one down....

A delight from start to finish, "Shades of Milk & Honey" has been aptly described as Jane Austen with magic, but the magic, the manipulation of light through a technique called glamouring, fits in naturally with the story. Although it flows through and undergirds much of the narrative, Kowal maintains a sense of mystery about it by not telling us too much about how it works and instead focusing more attention on how it is used and how it affects the characters themselves.

The story of Jane Ellsworth, twenty-eight, a gifted glamourist in her own right, who dreams of love and happiness as she watches her much younger sister, Melody, and neighbors Beth Dunkirk and Livie FitzCameron wooed by men. When a few men take notice of her for various reasons, hope rises in her, but she always finds the possibilities threatened by others. Jane is too kind and mannered to wallop in her own jealousy and disappointment, however, and continues fighting her baser urges by befriending and caring for her sister Melody and neighbor Beth Dunkirk, whose brother Edmund seems Jane's most likely suitor.

Then the mysterious galmourist, Mr. Vincent, hired by Lady FitzCameron, the Viscountess, to create a glamour for her dining hall, becomes an intriguing challenge. Jane compares her own skills at glamour to his, while examining his artistry and striving to improve her own. When his response seems to be resentment at her questions and attention, she begins to feel resentment of her own. Especially after he implies her art shows talent without any heart behind it.

There were times I felt Kowal's foreshadowing made later developments predictable, but in the end, I discovered her plotting to be far more clever than I'd imagined. The ending certainly was different than I had expected in several respects, and the book maintains a sense of suspense and motion which kept me riveted and wanting to know what would happen next. In spite of my lack of commonality with these characters, they captured my heart--I cared about them and what happened to them far more than I'd imagined I would.

For a book which I'd not have chosen on its own based on what I knew of it and my own literary preferences to have so held my interest and charmed me, I feel confident in saying it will likely surprise and charm others as well. Kowal is a smart writer, whose gift for words and understanding of people are readily evident on every page. While one can find small deficiencies with which to quibble in her first novel (as in any other), the book shows great promise and is a great diversion. If anything it's greatest weakness is its lightness. There is no heavy moral here. And the story does not create a great set of questions one is left to ponder for months after. Instead, the questions and story are light yet still manage to rise beyond mere entertainment.

Truly a worthwhile read from a worthwhile talent. I look greatly forward to what the future will bring from her. Read more ›