Review - Glimmerglass

Glimmerglass

Jenna Black



From Booklist

This new series begins smartly with 16-year-old Dana, tired of coping with her alcoholic single mother, running away to find her father in Avalon, which, in this arch and insightful version, is situated between twenty-first-century London and the world of faerie. Black handles the mash-up of genres and cultures deftly, giving Dana a credibility that keeps readers cheering her on through such dismal adventures as being dogged by a bodyguard while trying to spend her newfound father’s euros and getting attacked by would-be assassins, as well as those of a more delicious variety, like discovering that bad-boy hunk Ethan may not be all that bad after all. The world building here is brisk but accessible, the issues range from teen angst to faerie politics, and the skills needed to negotiate both include some magic-spell work and some sharp-tongue work. This is a promising start to a series that should have broad appeal among teens tiring of vampires but not dangerous romance. Grades 8-11. --Francisca Goldsmith

 

Different.  This book was different.  Okay, I like different...but I'm not sure if I liked this 'different' book...

 

Dana's mom sucks.  She's an alcoholic, and for anybody who's ever had someone they loved suffer from alcoholism, this book really is a punch in the gut in the first couple chapters.  Dana's mom shows up SHWASTED at her recital and embarrasses the hell out of her.  Dana kinda shrugs it off, because it's a regular occurrence.   Ouch.

 

Well, Dana thinks that's about enough...and packs up and heads all the way across the Atlantic to go see her dear old dad, whom she has never met.  All the sudden, she's this important "Faeriewalker" who everybody wants to have on their team, through friendship or force...oh, and she is the only one in like 75 years.  Do you see what I mean?  A little far fetched? 

 

Maybe I'm just PMSing...

 

The romance in this book REALLY threw me off.  It seemed almost EVERY character not related to Dana seemed to have some kind of sexual undertones when interacting with her, including a father/son couple.  I didn't know which character to route for in a relationship.  Ethan?  No, not that twit.  He's just using her!! 

 

Well, maybe because I'm so worked up about this book I will have to get the next...damn you Jenna Black.  You win. 

 

Honestly, not a BAD book.  Just something I felt was too far fetched and had SOOOO much more promise.  Yes, I'll be reading the 2nd because I am somewhat invested into these characters now...