Shades of Milk and Honey

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

The fantasy novel you’ve always wished Jane Austen had written, Shades of Milk and Honey is exactly what we could expect from 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.

©2010 Mary Robinette Kowal (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

A really fun story but with audio issues

I enjoyed this story and it’s written in an Austen style prose with a hint of magic. I really liked that. The narrator had a voice that suited the character. The climax was a little strange but didn’t detract from the rest of the story. My one great complaint is that there are audio hiccups throughout the entire narration. It sounded as if the audio would just fade in and out.

Delightful story, Awful reader

What did you like best about Shades of Milk and Honey? What did you like least?

This was a light and frothy alternate-universe take on the Jane Austen formula, artfully weaving a single fantasy element into the familiar setting of Regency England.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

This audiobook is narrated by the author, and while her reading is actually quite good, her insistence on using a TERRIBLE faux-British accent nearly ruins the whole thing. She is American, as American as apple pie and trillion dollar debt, and her attempt at a British accent is so horrible it's not even laughable. She weaves in and out of it, sometimes reverting to her American voice then afterwards reasserting her faux-British voice with a vengeance, but the fact that we as listeners hear how this book COULD have sounded had she simply narrated it without attempted embellishment -- well, it makes it very hard to focus on the narrative or the characters. They either needed to get her to stick to her American accent or hire a proper British woman to narrate in her stead.

Excellent narration for an excellent story

I’ve enjoyed this story for several years as it combines two of my favorite type of fiction- clean historical romances & fantasy. Ms Kowal did a wonderful job developing the characters and plot.

While I’ve read this story several time, I found that the narration brought additional depth and life to the story. Would definitely recommend.

My favorite audio book yet

Where does Shades of Milk and Honey rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I tend to like it when authors read their own work as you get more of an insight into how they envisioned the characters, but Mary Robinette Kowal's reading is beyond the best. Her voices are consistent through out the whole book and her narration is full of feeling. It really held my attention.

What other book might you compare Shades of Milk and Honey to and why?

It is like Jane Austen meets "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel"

A Must for Austen Fans

This book is a rare treat to Jane Austen fans - a wonderful story, full of fun references and great, original characters. An absolute must!

Light Version of Sense and Sensibility with Magic

This has been called Jane Austen with magic, and for the most part I will agree.

Although it has less of the intrigue, gossip, and societal analysis of Austen, and more of a light thriller romance in it.

While not terribly captivating, I did enjoy it, and would recommend it to anyone who likes a light read. I like this book, but won't be reading the sequels

Narration was actually physically painful

I'm sorry. I love Mary Robinette Kowal. I listen to her on writing excuses and think she is brilliant. I'm certain she has good narration skills regardless of her inability to do a casually British accent. Please, if you want to support her, buy her book and read it yourself. The fake British accent was excruciating.

Wonderfully Austen-esque!

What did you love best about Shades of Milk and Honey?

While I enjoy reading Jane Austen's novels, I always miss the fantasy elements from my other favorite novels. This story has the fantasy elements that I always wanted in Pride and Prejudice. The story is sweet and engaging. Mary Robinette Kowal does an amazing job narrating her own story. I can't wait to listen to the next one!

Really liked this

This is a regency romance for fantasy lovers. Truly enjoyed this! I will be looking for more from this author.

five stars? for a victorian romance?

If I had read this book first, I would have sight out Pride and Prejudice and other similar books, and been disappointed. The writing and characters were so brilliantly done I couldn't put it down.