The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove Review
Title: The Glass Sentence
Author: S.E. Grove
Age Group: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Mapmakers, book one
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
I heard about The Glass Sentence the way I usually do, reading up on popular books. Frankly, after reading about it, it's been on my mind quite often since. It's been sitting in my library stack, patiently waiting to be read. It's due today at the library, actually, so last night, after I got done with my Christmas shopping, I was in a mad rush to finish the last hundred pages. This book was an ambitious, exciting debut, a delicious puzzle wrapped inside excellent worldbuilding and an adventure that captivated me totally--I loved it, though it wasn't completely perfect.
Sophia lives in a world not quite like ours. She has lived after an event called The Great Disruption, the event that caused all of the world's ages to be split across different eras. When her uncle is mysteriously kidnapped, she realizes that her family secrets are so much deeper than she ever could've imagined. Forced to rely on her wits and a few allies, Sophia realizes that the fate of the world as she knows it is resting on her shoulders...
This book was so good! Where do I begin? First of all, I loved the ambition of Grove, especially considering that this book is her first. She created a whole world inside of this book, and it was wonderful. It was absolutely fascinating, and the pacing was breakneck--I couldn't put the book down. It was exciting, and even when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it, constantly pondering it in the back of my mind. I also really liked the way this book blended genres: fantasy, science fiction, and more than a little metaphysics.
I also really enjoyed the characters: determined, willful, loving Sophia, her mysterious companion, Theo, who has secrets of his own to hide, and the allies they meet across ages. There's also the mysterious villain, Blanca, who is determined to turn back the clock and make things right, even if it means shedding blood. Sophia's character development was wonderful--I loved the way she grew from frightened, helpless little girl into a heroine in her own right. And that ending--holy crap, I wish I had the sequel! Right now.
But this book wasn't entirely perfect: There were times when the worldbuilding got a little bit confusing, and towards the end the threat in the book didn't seem to make sense, at first. Nonetheless, this book was a real treat, recommended for all ages! I can't wait to read the sequel! The bottom line: An ambitious new series debut, The Glass Sentence has it all: adventure, deep worldbuilding, exciting characters, and a nail-biter of an ending--I can't wait for the next book! Next on deck: The Midnight Star by Marie Lu
Author: S.E. Grove
Age Group: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Mapmakers, book one
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
I heard about The Glass Sentence the way I usually do, reading up on popular books. Frankly, after reading about it, it's been on my mind quite often since. It's been sitting in my library stack, patiently waiting to be read. It's due today at the library, actually, so last night, after I got done with my Christmas shopping, I was in a mad rush to finish the last hundred pages. This book was an ambitious, exciting debut, a delicious puzzle wrapped inside excellent worldbuilding and an adventure that captivated me totally--I loved it, though it wasn't completely perfect.
Sophia lives in a world not quite like ours. She has lived after an event called The Great Disruption, the event that caused all of the world's ages to be split across different eras. When her uncle is mysteriously kidnapped, she realizes that her family secrets are so much deeper than she ever could've imagined. Forced to rely on her wits and a few allies, Sophia realizes that the fate of the world as she knows it is resting on her shoulders...
This book was so good! Where do I begin? First of all, I loved the ambition of Grove, especially considering that this book is her first. She created a whole world inside of this book, and it was wonderful. It was absolutely fascinating, and the pacing was breakneck--I couldn't put the book down. It was exciting, and even when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it, constantly pondering it in the back of my mind. I also really liked the way this book blended genres: fantasy, science fiction, and more than a little metaphysics.
I also really enjoyed the characters: determined, willful, loving Sophia, her mysterious companion, Theo, who has secrets of his own to hide, and the allies they meet across ages. There's also the mysterious villain, Blanca, who is determined to turn back the clock and make things right, even if it means shedding blood. Sophia's character development was wonderful--I loved the way she grew from frightened, helpless little girl into a heroine in her own right. And that ending--holy crap, I wish I had the sequel! Right now.
But this book wasn't entirely perfect: There were times when the worldbuilding got a little bit confusing, and towards the end the threat in the book didn't seem to make sense, at first. Nonetheless, this book was a real treat, recommended for all ages! I can't wait to read the sequel! The bottom line: An ambitious new series debut, The Glass Sentence has it all: adventure, deep worldbuilding, exciting characters, and a nail-biter of an ending--I can't wait for the next book! Next on deck: The Midnight Star by Marie Lu
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