read: Valour and Vanity (5 stars)

Valour and Vanity by Mary Robinette Kowal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The author promises historical Ocean's Eleven with magic and delivers. She does this while remaining true to her Glamourist Histories characters and setting. With a small twist of circumstances, the main characters Jane and Vincent are forced into position of, in the words of the book, 'no position'. They are without friends, family or resources and must rely on their own devices to survive.

Circumstances become twistier and twistier as the causes of their misfortunes are further revealed. Finally, with new found friends and allies they take action and the fun really begins (I'm trying not to reveal any of the plot, since that is what makes the story fun).

The tension and action hardly ever flag. The dialog, characters and setting all feel period-authentic. The heist is devious, well-contrived and well-delivered. There are spots where it pays to have read the previous books in the series. But this is not required to enjoy this one by itself.

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