“I was born to kill a king, to end a reign of terror before it can truly begin. If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different. Mare’s blood is red – the colour of common folk – but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court wants to control. Pursued by Maven, the vengeful Silver king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join the rebellion. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.”
What is the book about?
Mare Barrow is safe, or as safe as she can be with Maven, the traitorous Silver king, and all of his followers hunting her down. Mare knows that she is different, dangerous, powerful, and that people (mainly Maven) want to control her. But there are other like her, with Red blood but Silver abilities, yet stronger than both. On the run from the Silvers and everyone else that wants her dead, Mare sets out to find other Red-and-Silver fighters and recruit them for the rebellion. But the king is also on a mission, desperate to destroy every newblood before Mare can get to them, so he can keep his country running in the same blood-segregated way. But Mare is not only trying to escape Maven and all his murderous Silvers, she is also on the run from her own path trying to keep herself off a deadly path to becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to destroy.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
After reading Red Queen, I was anxious to learn more and carry on with Mare on her mission to make the world equal for everyone. I was left on a cliff-hanger, which annoyed me immensely, but made me even more excited and agitated to begin reading the next book. Before beginning Glass Sword, I read the blurb and only became even more intrigued to start reading. I had many questions, even more after reading the blurb, and I was desperately in need of some answers. Glass Sword started instantly, carrying on from basically the moment it finished in Red Queen. From the very first sentence, I was once again transported into Mare’s world and it felt as though I had never left. I was once again attached to the story and the characters waiting impatiently to learn what would happen next. Every word, sentence, paragraph and chapter was perfectly written to attract the reader and I loved every single second from the very start. The start was so mesmerising that soon I was halfway through the book wondering which world was real.
Who was your favourite character and why?
I don’t think that I really have a favourite character in this book because, although I liked a lot of the characters, all of them had clear flaws that were constantly showing. I know that no one is perfect but these flaws were ruining too much in the story that none of the characters really stood out to me. One of the characters I liked was Cal because of how, even though he didn’t believe in the cause and was a Silver and always will be, he still helped Mare and everyone else in any way that he could. I liked how friendly he was with the young newbloods and how much he helped and cared for the little kids, I know that Cal has a brutal side but this showed me that even the most ruthless soldiers can have a sweet and sensitive side. Another character that I liked was Kilorn because of how he kept fighting even though he didn’t have any ability. He was normal but he was just as brave as any of the powerful newbloods. Kilorn only ever had a gun at his side to protect himself but he still put his own life on the line to help the rebellion and I really admire his courage to stand with the newbloods even though he is not one of them. I also liked Mare at times when she was showing her old self and being the brave and kind girl who never gave up, putting her life on the line to save others, but most of the time I didn’t really like her as much because of how much she changed throughout the book.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Although the whole book was really good it doesn’t mean that the whole book was happy, in fact there weren’t really any parts of the book that weren’t sad or full of death, which makes choosing a favourite part very difficult. However if I look closely, I think that my favourite part would have to be when Mare and all the other newbloods are training to get ready for a new mission. At that moment they are all full of hope that this will be a successful mission and they look past all their fear that they will fail to put on a brave face and show that they are ready for anything. I liked this part because it showed how even though people were scared they were strong enough to ignore it and hope for the best. They were brave enough to go on a mission that they didn’t have much faith in because they knew if they succeeded they would help lots of people escape horrible fates like death or worse, and I think that shows true commitment to your cause and to your people.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, Glass Sword was one of the most marvellous books I have ever read and I enjoyed almost everything about it. One of the things that I really loved about the book was all the character development I got to see. Lots of character, new and old, became stronger and braver and faced their fears to stand up for their cause. I loved seeing how they all came together to not just help each other but help all the other Reds who don’t have the courage to stand up and show that they are just as strong as Silvers and deserve to be treated equally. Another thing I liked about the characters was that although they were almost always in a near death situation, some of them still managed to have a smile on their face and enjoy the times when they weren’t on the run. Some of the characters looked past their fear and were able to be happy showing that even though everything had been taken away from them, they could still find happiness in the darkest of times. The ending was a shock and I definitely did not see what happened coming. I never thought it would end that way and I was expecting a much more hopeful finish. The ending was not only a cliff-hanger but it was also sad and gave off the idea that there was no hope left and that it was the end of not just the book but the rebellion. But I know that there is still a chance that Mare will succeed and that she will get past everything that has happened; I still believe there is hope even if she might not. There is only one thing in the whole book that I wish I could change. Now there were a few things that I didn’t exactly like but I know that they had to happen for the story to be as it is, or at least I hope there was a reason or else I will be extremely angry. The one thing that really annoyed me was how Mare changed in the book. I know that she went through a lot and that she could no longer be Mare Barrow the girl from the Stilts or Mareena Titanos the long-lost Silver princess, she had to change and adapt to her new role and new life, but why did she have to have such darkness in her. She had been trying to avoid being a monster and scaring people but in the end all the hiding just led to the same fate, and that ruined the brave, kind girl I knew and I just wish she could have been strong enough to get past all of that. Apart from that one small thing, Glass Sword was perfect and I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read on!
Which book did you like better, the first or the second?
Although both Red Queen and Glass Sword were incredible books, I think that Glass Sword was the better book. Red Queen was indeed amazing and I loved every part of if but I think that it was too full of betrayal and that the whole purpose was mainly to show Mare that even the people closest to you can betray you. I think that it had a rather muddled plot, mainly because of all the plot twists that made the story suddenly change, and though Glass Sword was full of surprises it had a much clearer plot. Glass Sword also made me a lot more emotional and I think that the plot was a lot better than in Red Queen. Red Queen did had some sad parts but I didn’t react that much because, for some reason, I still had hope that it wasn’t really true, but with Glass Sword there was no doubt in my mind about what had happened and I could nothing but feel sad with the characters. Glass Sword also had a lot more action without too much of being death. Mare and the rest of the Scarlet Guard had a deeper purpose and mission than just scaring some people with a few terrorist attacks and I think that game the plot more meaning. I think that both books were perfect but, in my opinion, Glass Sword was the better book.
Would you recommend this book?
I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good book and likes action, adventure, romance and doesn’t mind a bit of bloodshed. I suggest reading Red Queen (the first book in this electrifying series) before Glass Sword or else you are sure to be rather confused and I also think that this book is best suited for anyone 13 or over but if you have read similar books then I am sure you will enjoy this one.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A captivating and imaginative thriller, impossible to put down and full of surprises.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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