Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal is set in England and Belgium during the Napoleonic Wars, but it cannot be considered historical fiction because there is an element of magic. So instead, let’s call it magical realism. The magic is in the form of a talent shared by the protagonist Jane and her husband Vincent. It is called glamour and involves making intricate pictures out of something called ether. While their talent makes them very popular among English nobility, it gets them into trouble when they are on a working vacation in Belgium.
Once on vacation, Jane finds herself pregnant which restricts her ability to work in the family business of glamour. This leaves her alone with strangers much of the time her husband is off working, strangers she doesn’t quite trust. She begins to wonder if any of these strangers are spies for the Bonapartes and also has doubts about her own husband, thinking that he is lying to her.
Glamour in Glass was a fun book to read, but also quite important. It shows how a Victorian woman who finds herself alone in crisis rises to the challenge that no man will accept. After Napoleon escapes from Elba, everyone tells Jane to flee to England, but she remains behind to help her husband. The situation is difficult, almost impossible, but she rises to the occasion and shows just how strong a woman can be. An excellent read, especially for our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters.