On paper, this looked like something I should like. A book about magic, a book set in the Regency period, a book that seemed erudite and intelligently written. And I liked the fact that the author took her time over it – ten years.

But, unfortunately, it didn’t do it for me. It was ok. The best bit for me by far are the footnotes, otherwise I thought the main story rather dry. I put the book done halfway through and it took me a while to pick it up again. It didn’t carry me away, nor did I find the world it created completely believable, and for a fantasy novel, those two things mean that I wouldn’t recommend it.