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It's hard to be happy about the fact you spent a day vomiting your guts up. But, when, a couple of days later, being too ill still to leave the house allows you to stay home and listen to the audiobook instead of going to see a show, it certainly makes you a little more grateful for sickness. That's how much I enjoyed this.

I can only describe this book as being a total delight. For someone who isn't a fan of Austen, a fantasy of manners is often hit-and-miss for me. This was all hits. The characters were charming, full of bravado and secrets and gossip. They came fully voiced - both metaphorically in Ellen's writing, and literally in the full-cast audiobook - and incredibly vibrant. How can anyone not love the rakish and studious Alec who slums it in the dodgy town of Riverside, and, more importantly, his companion, the honourable Richard St. Vier, a swordsman who has a great capacity for love, and little patience for politics.

The cast of nobles on the Hill is too numerous to distill in a review, but every one leaves a lasting impression - even Lord Carlie who has fled the imaginary city before the book begins.

Acts from the very first page build up into the crescendo of the final act, slowly and satisfyingly. That's always the best thing about a fantasy of manners, is that slow burn of a plot where everything has importance and intrigue much beyond a singular character's ken is afoot.

Oh, and my personal favourite thing is noblemen and women and the upper class speak in constant double meaning and double entendre. While I felt sometimes Kushner's dialogue left a little to be desired, it was made up for by how much I was rooting for the characters in each sparring match.

I'll say again: seriously delightful. I'm both grateful for a somewhat-standalone (since to my knowledge, the series is more of an anthology series than a true sequel-prequel deal) in a world of constant trilogies and series, but also upset that I won't be following these characters anymore - particularly St. Vier and Alec.

While I was first hesitant of "ambient" audiobook, with sound effects and ambient sounds, once you're past the first, crowded chapter, it becomes much more easy on the ear. I learned to really like it, and while it might not be my first choice in audio recording, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book using this technique as it added a nice 3rd dimension to it all.