This book was better than the first, in my opinion. The magic system is better explained, and Kowal really expanded on her world rather than keeping with Austen's. Of course, Austen never went past the happy couple becoming engaged/married. I adored Jane's development over the book. She started off as a Fanny Price (I have to make the comparison) but then BAM! WOMEN ARE PEOPLE TOO! YEAH! Plot was a little absurd, but who doesn't love a little absurdity in this type of book? :) The second of Kowal's Glamourist Histories is a vast improvement on the first book. We move away from her almost plagiaristic homage to Jane Austen into something entirely new and original - within the same magical world of Glamour I found so appealing.Jane and Vincent are now married and this book takes them on their honeymoon in Belgium where they work on the attempt to capture glamour in glass to make it transportable. Meanwhile Napoleon has escaped exile and is headed to Belgium. The ability of invisibility would be very helpful to his cause and he kidnaps Vincent causing Jane to mount a daring rescue mission.There's so much about this to admire. I still love the magical set up here and the use of trying to capture glamour seemed a little like creating holograms. It's interesting, makes sense and best yet dovetails perfectly into the Regency universe. Big tick on the fantasy element.I also like the themes this deals with - making a marriage work, women having to juggle between parenthood and career.The alternative history is also fun. Couldn't put this down once Vincent gets kidnapped and Jane has to use all her resources to mount a rescue. That was fast paced and exciting.So why only three stars? I think its a matter of character. Particularly Vincent. I just don't feel he deserves the kind of devotion Jane offers. He doesn't come off well in this one either - he's autocratic and plain rude to Jane. Now we do get his unhappy childhood revealed which excuses his behaviour to some extent, but... I want a more dashing and heroic hero. While I love the tables being turned and Jane showing us her strengths as she goes to rescue him... He does nothing to help himself and we don't see any strength of character or virtues on his part. Physical intimacy is beyond skimmed over, which is perfectly acceptable given the Jane Austen style/universe, but it takes the passion dynamic from Jane and Vincent giving the reader little to work with in feeling their devotion for one another. I didn't feel the romance in the first book and its again lacking here. Although I did really like the lengths Jane was willing to go to, to get her husband back.I also wasn't keen on Jane's negative reaction to impending motherhood and how her first thought is her inability to work glamour.The characters are flawed and whilst I'm not too keen on those flaws it does make them reasonably three dimensional and that combined with an excellent alternative Regency-with-magic universe kept me hooked. This series is most certainly interesting and refreshingly original. Looking forward to book 3.
What do You think about Glamour In Glass (2012)?
I give up. I'm bored and it's not enough of an improvement from book 1 to keep me interested.
—rocketgirl
Disappointing. No more life or soul than the first book. I'm done with this series.
—bcramer
Tried #2 after a late night / early morning. Not offensive, but meh.
—Tina
If you liked the first one, you'll like this one, too.
—florenciaaa
