When you want some light Jane Austen. Basically a mash-up of many Austen stories, twisted ankles and all. ( )

I might have finished this (I liked the fun premise), but I tried the audiobook and the narration was not good. I think the author is American and decided to narrate herself -- despite the fact that she can't really do a British accent. It seemed like she was only pronouncing certain words with an accent ("May I have the this dAAAHnce?") and it really annoyed me. ( )

An excellent book. Written in the style of Jane Austen (and very well done), yet including magic. I liked that the magic was subtle, just one of the many accomplishments young women of breeding were supposed to have at that time. ( )

full disclosure this is a 2 star book for content but Kowal's narration merited it's own star.

I think most of my problems lay in the abrupt turn the book took in the last 25%. for 75% of the book Jane finds herself in love with one man (contemplating how best to encourage his use of her given name without seeming forward) and with the sudden introduction of another's regard spends brief moments confused before suddenly he is all she can think of.

granted the first guy all but acted as if her opinion mattered very little in the face of his own resolve, but all her feelings for him disappeared.

Where the book excelled and intrigued me the most was in the art of glamour. Otherwise it's no different then any other Regency I read from years past. Also the end is quite definitive in how each character fares in the future. I don't particularly feel a need to read more as a result :/ ( )

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." ( )