Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Book Description:

Hardcover, 444 pages
Published February 9th 2016 by HarperTeen

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

My Thoughts:

Red Queen was an enjoyable read for me. Magic pulsed in the pages. I loved the setting of the story. Glass Sword was an entirely different story. The rebellion had grown deep into the story, its roots tangling with the lives of the characters. I appreciated the straight forward expansion and focus on the rebellion side - this was familiar territory for me. But then, I felt that the sequel was more of a dystopian novel now, with just a sprinkle of fantasy. The magic and the fuzzy, lovey feeling that I felt and enjoyed in Red Queen was replaced with the adrenaline rush of rebellion. It was not unpleasant, however, I felt that it was a startling change to what I had come to expect.

Mare just went through a damaging journey. She survived the battle but she was not left unscathed. She was licking her wounds, trying to get past what she went through in the Silver court of Norta. She left the battlefield with a weapon, though, and she won't go down without taking someone with her. Mare was a whole new level of lethal in Glass Sword. She was a bit snappy. Her temper was like a dynamite, ready to explode at any moment. I liked that she was more cautious and suspicious this time around - it was just a healthy dose of being careful - however, as the story progressed, she trusted less and less, until she didn't trust anyone at all. It was the breakdown of Mare, her weakest point and I ached for her. In addition to this, there was a demarcation line between Reds and Silvers, and between Reds and newbloods. Despite being a newblood herself, Mare felt that she didn't truly belong. She was "Other." She was the lightning girl in the eyes of Reds, Silvers and newbloods. She was on a kind of platform, raised up and set apart from the rest. It was a dark and lonely place for her.

Cal was the only person who understood Mare in her entirety. He knew all about her past, her complicated situation as Mareena Titanos, her connection with Maven and her desire to bring the Silver world down. He was forced to runaway, framed for a crime that he was equally forced to do. He lost his crown and his family. The only place he had left was at Mare's side, in the rebellion. The Reds tolerated him because of his connection with Mare, but he just didn't know his place in the world anymore. He could walk out of the Scarlet Guard's hideout anytime he wanted to. Cal being lost was equally painful as Mare's being alone. Both were hurting and the emotion was palpable, wrapping hands around my own heart.

The Scarlet Guard was such a massive movement. The exploration of the extent of the rebel group in Glass Sword could just be the tip of the iceberg. I could sense it stretching deep into an ocean, moving and functioning beyond what I had originally imagined. The Guard was strong, with aid from various countries. There were still questions in my head about "Command," how the Scarlet Guard came to be, its origin and its organizational chart. I enjoyed reading about the little steps that they took towards equality. Each step was heavy and bloody, coated with Silver and Red blood alike. Their was was costly and excruciatingly slow. The rebel group was very organized and patient, biding their time to take the Silvers down.

Glass Sword is an explosion of adrenaline, blood and tattered hearts. Readers will keep reading, sitting on the edge of their seats, jumping straight to the next scene with Glass Sword's full-blown rebel movement and cinematic action sequences. If you are a fantasy reader and if you like action scenes, this book would work for you.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!