Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal

Jane and Vincent have finally gotten some much-needed rest after their adventures in Italy when Vincent receives word that his estranged father has passed away on one of his properties in the West Indies. His brother, who manages the estate, is overwhelmed, and no one else in his family can help. Grudgingly, out of filial duty the couple decides to go.

The sea voyage is long, and Jane spends enough time unable to perform glamour that toward the end of the trip she discovers she is with child. The are overjoyed, but when they finally arrive at the estate to complete what they expect to be routine legal tasks, they realize that nearly everything they came expecting to find had been a lie. Also, the entire estate is in disarray, with horrifying conditions and tensions with the local slave population so high that they are close to revolt.

Jane and Vincent's sense of peril is screaming out for them to flee, but Vincent cannot stand to leave an estate connected with his family in such a condition. They have survived many grand and terrifying adventures in their time, but this one will test their skills and wits more than any they have ever encountered before, this time with a new life hanging in the balance.

This description comes from the publisher. *Of Noble Family* is the fifth book in the Glamourist Histories, the first of which is *Shades of Milk and Honey*.

It's been a long time since I started this series. Usually I tend to not read books by the same author directly after each other. This, is a great series, though, and I thoroughly recommend it.

Pros: considerate treatment of several... delicate issues, wonderful depiction of a loving relationship, interesting plot

Cons: last of the series

Vincent receives word of his father's demise. His brother, the new Earl of Verbury, has suffered a recent accident and requests that Vincent go to Antigua to deal with affairs on their estate there and look for a possible updated will. Reluctantly Vincent and Jane take ship, where Jane becomes increasingly ill. It's soon apparent that she's with child. It's equally apparent, when they arrive on the island, that affairs on the plantation are not as they expected.

You'll want to refresh your memory of the events of the previous books, particularly book three, Without a Summer, before reading this one, as Vincent's family plays an important role and his childhood and other events from his past are revisited. Similarly, Jane's problems from the end of book two, Glamour in Glass, are brought up a lot with regards to her pregnancy.

Kowal writes with consideration about the treatment of the slaves on the plantation, showing Vincent and Jane's ignorance and reaction to what's going on, from disciplinary measures and substandard housing to the ever present threat of rape from their owners and overseers. There are a few scenes that are uncomfortable to read in the way that it's easier to look away than to face the realities of the past, even when delivered through fiction. This is equally true with regards to some of the difficulties Jane faces with her pregnancy.

It's such a pleasure seeing a loving marital relationship in a fantasy book depicted with such intimacy (by which I mean openness, not graphic content). The way they know each others habits and can understand their moods based on small gestures and noises is wonderful to see in print, as is their honest desire to help each other cope with the difficulties they face.

It's sad to see such a wonderful series end. I really enjoyed the touch of magic Kowal brought to the Regency period and can't wait to see what she does next.