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nancyboy's review against another edition
3.0
3 to 3.5 stars
I understand why someone hate this book and some love it. Pretty much this is pride and prejudice with magic. I don’t get my wrong I love Pride and Prejudice, it’s one of my favourites and I literally re-watched the bbc miniseries this morning! So I was pretty excited to read this book, and overall I did quite enjoy it.
What I did really like about Shades of Milk and Honey was the writing Kowal wonderfully captures Jane Austen style of writing, but still added her own personality to it. I also loved the magic, glamour, and how it played a big part of the characters lives. I did overall like the characters, but at times I think Kowal tried to mirror the characters of pride and prejudice a bit too much, when they are really very different people.
My main problem with Shades of Milk and Honey is that romance is way too underdeveloped and so the ending, even though predictable, kinda of comes out of no where.
I would say that the strongest parts of the novel are when the plot lines, events and characters deviate from pride and prejudice. I wish there was just a bit more originality in the novel, and I didn’t have to compare it heavily to pride and prejudice. Some people have also compared to to Jane Eyre, but I haven’t read Jane Eyre so I can’t speak on that front.
But in saying all that there is a lot to like in Shades of Milk and Honey, if the novel does interest you I would say you should give it a shot, it only took me a few hours to read. And I will definitely be continuing on with the series and definitely reading more of Kowal’s novels.
I understand why someone hate this book and some love it. Pretty much this is pride and prejudice with magic. I don’t get my wrong I love Pride and Prejudice, it’s one of my favourites and I literally re-watched the bbc miniseries this morning! So I was pretty excited to read this book, and overall I did quite enjoy it.
What I did really like about Shades of Milk and Honey was the writing Kowal wonderfully captures Jane Austen style of writing, but still added her own personality to it. I also loved the magic, glamour, and how it played a big part of the characters lives. I did overall like the characters, but at times I think Kowal tried to mirror the characters of pride and prejudice a bit too much, when they are really very different people.
My main problem with Shades of Milk and Honey is that romance is way too underdeveloped and so the ending, even though predictable, kinda of comes out of no where.
I would say that the strongest parts of the novel are when the plot lines, events and characters deviate from pride and prejudice. I wish there was just a bit more originality in the novel, and I didn’t have to compare it heavily to pride and prejudice. Some people have also compared to to Jane Eyre, but I haven’t read Jane Eyre so I can’t speak on that front.
But in saying all that there is a lot to like in Shades of Milk and Honey, if the novel does interest you I would say you should give it a shot, it only took me a few hours to read. And I will definitely be continuing on with the series and definitely reading more of Kowal’s novels.
nancyboy56's review against another edition
3.0
3 to 3.5 stars
I understand why someone hate this book and some love it. Pretty much this is pride and prejudice with magic. I don’t get my wrong I love Pride and Prejudice, it’s one of my favourites and I literally re-watched the bbc miniseries this morning! So I was pretty excited to read this book, and overall I did quite enjoy it.
What I did really like about Shades of Milk and Honey was the writing Kowal wonderfully captures Jane Austen style of writing, but still added her own personality to it. I also loved the magic, glamour, and how it played a big part of the characters lives. I did overall like the characters, but at times I think Kowal tried to mirror the characters of pride and prejudice a bit too much, when they are really very different people.
My main problem with Shades of Milk and Honey is that romance is way too underdeveloped and so the ending, even though predictable, kinda of comes out of no where.
I would say that the strongest parts of the novel are when the plot lines, events and characters deviate from pride and prejudice. I wish there was just a bit more originality in the novel, and I didn’t have to compare it heavily to pride and prejudice. Some people have also compared to to Jane Eyre, but I haven’t read Jane Eyre so I can’t speak on that front.
But in saying all that there is a lot to like in Shades of Milk and Honey, if the novel does interest you I would say you should give it a shot, it only took me a few hours to read. And I will definitely be continuing on with the series and definitely reading more of Kowal’s novels.
I understand why someone hate this book and some love it. Pretty much this is pride and prejudice with magic. I don’t get my wrong I love Pride and Prejudice, it’s one of my favourites and I literally re-watched the bbc miniseries this morning! So I was pretty excited to read this book, and overall I did quite enjoy it.
What I did really like about Shades of Milk and Honey was the writing Kowal wonderfully captures Jane Austen style of writing, but still added her own personality to it. I also loved the magic, glamour, and how it played a big part of the characters lives. I did overall like the characters, but at times I think Kowal tried to mirror the characters of pride and prejudice a bit too much, when they are really very different people.
My main problem with Shades of Milk and Honey is that romance is way too underdeveloped and so the ending, even though predictable, kinda of comes out of no where.
I would say that the strongest parts of the novel are when the plot lines, events and characters deviate from pride and prejudice. I wish there was just a bit more originality in the novel, and I didn’t have to compare it heavily to pride and prejudice. Some people have also compared to to Jane Eyre, but I haven’t read Jane Eyre so I can’t speak on that front.
But in saying all that there is a lot to like in Shades of Milk and Honey, if the novel does interest you I would say you should give it a shot, it only took me a few hours to read. And I will definitely be continuing on with the series and definitely reading more of Kowal’s novels.
ev_asive's review against another edition
3.0
regency era magical realism romance! great beach read and world-building but ends wayyy too quickly. not enough pining.
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
This was cheesy but just the sort of light read I needed right now. I wish the romance had been a little more developed but maybe the sequel will help with that.
hunnyontoast's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
timinbc's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable light read, and with this as her first novel I look forward to more from Kowal.
I want to award her points for daring to write a Jane-Austen-like novel, knowing that a certain percentage of readers would be all over it like ugly on an ape, complaining that it isn't up to Austen's standard. Pfui, of course it isn't. I wouldn't have enjoyed it if it had been. I don't WANT to read Lit'r'ture in my spare time, I want a good story; and this is one.
Many reviewers here note that some of the characters are stupid, and one-dimensional, and predictable. Well, boy howdy, I guess those are the people who have never read anything set in the Regency era, where those characteristic are almost compulsory.
The magic is a nice touch, not overdone. The main plotline is predictable at the broad level but not in detail, and Kowal keeps us guessing about how it wil play out.
I want to award her points for daring to write a Jane-Austen-like novel, knowing that a certain percentage of readers would be all over it like ugly on an ape, complaining that it isn't up to Austen's standard. Pfui, of course it isn't. I wouldn't have enjoyed it if it had been. I don't WANT to read Lit'r'ture in my spare time, I want a good story; and this is one.
Many reviewers here note that some of the characters are stupid, and one-dimensional, and predictable. Well, boy howdy, I guess those are the people who have never read anything set in the Regency era, where those characteristic are almost compulsory.
The magic is a nice touch, not overdone. The main plotline is predictable at the broad level but not in detail, and Kowal keeps us guessing about how it wil play out.
theween's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I know the inspiration was Jane Austen, but this was just awful. If I saw the word “glamour” one more time…it was just an odd choice of word to describe the ability to create illusions. And got VERY tiring.
Characters were shallow and one dimensional and just plain unlikable.
Characters were shallow and one dimensional and just plain unlikable.
trin's review against another edition
2.0
This book is slow. S L O W. And repetitive. For the first 3/4ths -- or maybe even 5/6ths -- every few chapters cycle through the same scenes.
JANE demonstrates skill at the magical art form of glamour, but lacks confidence and represses her emotions!
MR. VINCENT slouches onstage only to be gruff and standoffish!
MELODY says something horribly catty to Jane, or performs an attention-seeking melodramatic action that makes Lydia Bennet seem like a fun sibling to have!
MR. DUNKIRK somehow suggests that he is too good to be true!
co-starring:
MR. and MRS. ELLSWORTH as COMMUNITY THEATRE MR. and MRS. BENNET! BETH DUNKIRK as GEORGIANA DARCY, albeit with slightly more screentime and personality! And CAPTAIN LIVINGSTONE as TRANSPARENTLY MR. WICKHAM!
There's finally some action toward the end, but the entire climax felt rushed and thrown off by the pace of the rest of the novel. Further, I was frustrated that we never got a look at how this type of magic works outside the artistic realm -- surely it has other applications? I had hoped that the novel's slow pace and Regency milieu would lead to some subtle reveals, possibly to do with how magic is treated within women's limited private sphere versus the wider world, but -- no, not so much. Let's just make sure everyone gets married!
This is more like Austen fanfic with a spackle of magic dusted over it, and less magic being used as a means of social commentary. You can guess my feelings about which the original Jane would have preferred.
JANE demonstrates skill at the magical art form of glamour, but lacks confidence and represses her emotions!
MR. VINCENT slouches onstage only to be gruff and standoffish!
MELODY says something horribly catty to Jane, or performs an attention-seeking melodramatic action that makes Lydia Bennet seem like a fun sibling to have!
MR. DUNKIRK somehow suggests that he is too good to be true!
co-starring:
MR. and MRS. ELLSWORTH as COMMUNITY THEATRE MR. and MRS. BENNET! BETH DUNKIRK as GEORGIANA DARCY, albeit with slightly more screentime and personality! And CAPTAIN LIVINGSTONE as TRANSPARENTLY MR. WICKHAM!
There's finally some action toward the end, but the entire climax felt rushed and thrown off by the pace of the rest of the novel. Further, I was frustrated that we never got a look at how this type of magic works outside the artistic realm -- surely it has other applications? I had hoped that the novel's slow pace and Regency milieu would lead to some subtle reveals, possibly to do with how magic is treated within women's limited private sphere versus the wider world, but -- no, not so much. Let's just make sure everyone gets married!
This is more like Austen fanfic with a spackle of magic dusted over it, and less magic being used as a means of social commentary. You can guess my feelings about which the original Jane would have preferred.
oxlabyrinthxo's review against another edition
2.0
This book had a very interesting system of magic, but that's about all I found interesting. Sure the book is an easy read. The description says it's a cross between Pride and Prejudice and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and that is very accurate. However I felt as if I was simply reading Pride and Prejudice fanfiction; which is not to say that it was bad. No I enjoyed the plot and the characters, but overall it felt stiff. Like the author was trying to hard to color inside the lines. I'm curious about how the sequels are since the book ends with the characters being old and gray.
Shades of Milk and Honey is the story of Jane and her sister Melody. Jane is well, a Plain Jane and Melody is lovelier than all the world's beauties apparently. So Jane is the elder sister and is clearly supposed to be Elizabeth Bennett and Melody is supposed to be Mary mixed with Lydia. Basically the two sisters are jealous of each other while trying to navigate the social niceties of the regency period. They both are introduced to a revolving door of handsome suitors, some who turn out well, and others who reveal themselves to be rouges.
Despite my snarkniess I really did enjoy this book. I just have been so set in finding fantasy read a likes to Howl's Moving Castle that this one just struck me as only "okay". I think the problem is that the story was too grounded in reality where as I seem to like the more fantastical and whimsy of magic. As I said earlier I am curious about the sequels, and maybe someday I will read them but as for now I'm closing the book on this story and moving on to the next.
Shades of Milk and Honey is the story of Jane and her sister Melody. Jane is well, a Plain Jane and Melody is lovelier than all the world's beauties apparently. So Jane is the elder sister and is clearly supposed to be Elizabeth Bennett and Melody is supposed to be Mary mixed with Lydia. Basically the two sisters are jealous of each other while trying to navigate the social niceties of the regency period. They both are introduced to a revolving door of handsome suitors, some who turn out well, and others who reveal themselves to be rouges.
Despite my snarkniess I really did enjoy this book. I just have been so set in finding fantasy read a likes to Howl's Moving Castle that this one just struck me as only "okay". I think the problem is that the story was too grounded in reality where as I seem to like the more fantastical and whimsy of magic. As I said earlier I am curious about the sequels, and maybe someday I will read them but as for now I'm closing the book on this story and moving on to the next.