So after my slightly lackluster review of [b:Whiskey and Water|185639|Whiskey and Water (Promethean Age, #2)|Elizabeth Bear|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388975269s/185639.jpg|179437], I'm glad to note that this felt entirely like a return to form - I may have enjoyed this even more than the first book.

This is one of those stories that works best as a retrospective; knowing what I do about what happens in the first two books, this sudden switch to "here's how everything started and how Kit Marlowe became the man we've known for a book" was perfect. I know the responses to Bear's language choices was...mixed, but I'm reserving judgement until the epilogue of the next book, when she says she'll explain it.

Finally, this book gave me the historical poetical ship I never knew I wanted and it made me so very happy. And it reminded me why it's a bad idea to finish the third book in a series of four right before Shabbat when my copy of the fourth book is digital.