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Dragonfly Trilogy #2
The Glass Swallow
Living above her father's workshop, Rain secretly designs stained glass but when she is discovered she must go to the strange new land of Magharna. Bandits roam the lonely roads and when Rain is ambushed she knows that she cannot win the fight. That is until a boy with a falcon saves her and an adventure of a lifetime begins.
318 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2010
36 people are currently reading
1414 people want to read
About the author
Julia Golding
84 books864 followersMy journey to becoming an author has been a roundabout one, taking in many other careers. I grew up on the edge of Epping Forest and was that dreamy kind of child who was always writing stories. After reading English at Cambridge, I decided to find out as much as I could about the wider world so joined the Foreign Office and served in Poland. My work as a diplomat took me from the high point of town twinning in the Tatra Mountains to the low of inspecting the bottom of a Silesian coal mine.
On leaving Poland, I exchanged diplomacy for academia and took a doctorate in the literature of the English Romantic Period at Oxford. I then joined Oxfam as a lobbyist on conflict issues, campaigning at the UN and with governments to lessen the impact of conflict on civilians living in war zones - a cause about which I still feel very passionate.
Married with three children, I now live in Oxford between two rivers, surrounded by gargoyles, beautiful sandstone buildings and ancient trees.
My first novel, 'The Diamond of Drury Lane', won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2006 and the Nestle Children's Book Prize 2006 (formerly known as the Smarties Prize). I was also chosen by Waterstone's in 2007 as one of their 'Twenty-five authors for the future'. In the US, 'Secret of the Sirens' won the honor book medal of the Green Earth Book Award.
My latest series, which starts with Mel Foster and the Demon Butler, about an intrepid Victorian orphan who lives in a household of monsters, won Bronze in the Primary Teacher awards in 2015. The next part, Mel Foster and the Time Machine, has set the time-dial to arrive in 2016.
On leaving Poland, I exchanged diplomacy for academia and took a doctorate in the literature of the English Romantic Period at Oxford. I then joined Oxfam as a lobbyist on conflict issues, campaigning at the UN and with governments to lessen the impact of conflict on civilians living in war zones - a cause about which I still feel very passionate.
Married with three children, I now live in Oxford between two rivers, surrounded by gargoyles, beautiful sandstone buildings and ancient trees.
My first novel, 'The Diamond of Drury Lane', won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2006 and the Nestle Children's Book Prize 2006 (formerly known as the Smarties Prize). I was also chosen by Waterstone's in 2007 as one of their 'Twenty-five authors for the future'. In the US, 'Secret of the Sirens' won the honor book medal of the Green Earth Book Award.
My latest series, which starts with Mel Foster and the Demon Butler, about an intrepid Victorian orphan who lives in a household of monsters, won Bronze in the Primary Teacher awards in 2015. The next part, Mel Foster and the Time Machine, has set the time-dial to arrive in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
May 29, 2012
UPDATE:
all done.
Well, four stars.
I was hoping for ... more. From this book. Dragonfly was a story of cruelty, survival, and clinging to faith when it's all you have. TGS just seems to be about a pretty girl who's good at getting her way.
Peri came across as clingy and sexist. Whenever Rain was determined to do something, he just had to step in and save his "little girl" (note: if Rain was Tris, someone would have been punched by now) and screw everything up.
In contrast to Dragonfly once again, Ramil came off as likeable and sweet. Peri... not so much.
Also, there really was no climax to be heard of. The jettans came and surrendered like the bunch of cowards they are. I was hoping for some battles, maybe murder.
Yeah no.
-------
Mkay, so I'm about halfway through it. Right now it's getting a pretty steady four star rating.
Let me tell you one thing: I just finished Eon by Alison Goodman. Trust me, a more kick-butt heroine you'll never find. (except MAYBE Tris from Divergent.) So when I began TGS, I became somewhat disappointed at the heroine.
Don't get me wrong: I LOVED Dragonfly. It's was gorgeously written, Taoshira was a perfect balance of sarcastic and sweet, and all that fun stuff.
But Rain... I mean, come on. You put a foreign chick, a language she doesn't understand, a bunch of murderers, and a country that's falling to pieces together and you get a lot of whimpering and trying not to exist.
Seriously, though. I keep expecting her to be all "DON'T CALL ME LITTLE GIRL OR I'LL BREAK YOUR FACE" like Tris.
Yeah no.
We'll see if it improves. Maybe I do like the Ramil/Taoshira pairing better. Or you know, maybe they just have cooler names.
February 18, 2012
Rating: I liked it… but wouldn’t read it again (3 Stars)
Interestingly this sequel to Dragonfly seems to be aimed at a younger audience – I would’ve thought it would be the other way around! There aren’t really any major spoilers if you happen to read the books in the wrong order – although people and events from the first story are mentioned in this book it’s set about 18 years later in another country with new characters.
Although it’s a perfectly well written book it’s just not complex enough for my tastes. It reads like a bit of a moralistic right vs wrong, instant-love piece of fluff. Usually I love fluff, but this was too unrealistic to me given its many potentially heavy themes. Perhaps it would be a good book for early teens to initiate them into stories that have moral values and to highlight injustice in the world without going into the nitty-gritty depressing detail of what those situations would really be like.
The story seemed to lack any overall threat of danger or evil; there were smaller evils, more incidental to the story as it progressed, but nothing overall. Similarly, the plot seemed to veer off in new directions and leave the old behind, changing the rules, which made it seem a bit choppy. The secondary characters didn’t interest me very much at all and only seemed to be there because they had to be; the Master got next to no view time and the Bandit seemed inconsistent .
Pet Peeves: Rain's prejudice and her 'wisdom' . Peri's 'Rescue' and his mother Katia . The Nobles and no other foreigners? Ever?
Enough complaining? Probably.
Content Rating: PG
There are potentially heavy themes in the book (racial prejudice, class discrimination, gender inequality, slavery and religion) but they are all touched on so lightly and superficially that I don’t think they merit more than a PG rating. A group of people are ruthlessly killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time but it's not too graphic and the characters aren't important ones.
Romance Rating: Weak
This was another of those disappointing Boy+Girl=Love stories. Merely by the fact that they are the main characters, are the right age and are physically attractive a romance is expected to blossom. But we don’t really know why or how this mutual regard came about. Sure they had a few tiffs which revealed a little of their personalities, but to go from that to being possessive and submitting to random kisses just doesn’t make sense. Maybe it does happen in real life to teenagers, but in fiction I prefer for there to a reason, and one that makes sense. It’s ok for teenagers who’re still young enough to enjoy this kind of superficial romance, but for anyone looking for something with more depth something else.
Interestingly this sequel to Dragonfly seems to be aimed at a younger audience – I would’ve thought it would be the other way around! There aren’t really any major spoilers if you happen to read the books in the wrong order – although people and events from the first story are mentioned in this book it’s set about 18 years later in another country with new characters.
Although it’s a perfectly well written book it’s just not complex enough for my tastes. It reads like a bit of a moralistic right vs wrong, instant-love piece of fluff. Usually I love fluff, but this was too unrealistic to me given its many potentially heavy themes. Perhaps it would be a good book for early teens to initiate them into stories that have moral values and to highlight injustice in the world without going into the nitty-gritty depressing detail of what those situations would really be like.
The story seemed to lack any overall threat of danger or evil; there were smaller evils, more incidental to the story as it progressed, but nothing overall. Similarly, the plot seemed to veer off in new directions and leave the old behind, changing the rules, which made it seem a bit choppy. The secondary characters didn’t interest me very much at all and only seemed to be there because they had to be; the Master got next to no view time and the Bandit seemed inconsistent .
Pet Peeves: Rain's prejudice and her 'wisdom' . Peri's 'Rescue' and his mother Katia . The Nobles and no other foreigners? Ever?
Enough complaining? Probably.
Content Rating: PG
There are potentially heavy themes in the book (racial prejudice, class discrimination, gender inequality, slavery and religion) but they are all touched on so lightly and superficially that I don’t think they merit more than a PG rating. A group of people are ruthlessly killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time but it's not too graphic and the characters aren't important ones.
Romance Rating: Weak
This was another of those disappointing Boy+Girl=Love stories. Merely by the fact that they are the main characters, are the right age and are physically attractive a romance is expected to blossom. But we don’t really know why or how this mutual regard came about. Sure they had a few tiffs which revealed a little of their personalities, but to go from that to being possessive and submitting to random kisses just doesn’t make sense. Maybe it does happen in real life to teenagers, but in fiction I prefer for there to a reason, and one that makes sense. It’s ok for teenagers who’re still young enough to enjoy this kind of superficial romance, but for anyone looking for something with more depth something else.
September 6, 2012
I liked it. Very readable.
It presents a thoughtful, if narrow, look at a political, social and economic breakdown in a country that has run itself into the ground paying for extravagances while the people starve every day. People are losing their jobs and homes. many are turning to robbery and bandits are rampant across the land attacking travelers and waylaying merchants. Everything is breaking down. To further complicate matters is the almost religious adherence to class and the strictures placed upon the citizens to never rise above the class they are born into.
Into this volatile situation comes Rain Glassmaker, the talented daughter of an artisan craftsman of Holt, where Queen Taoshira and King Ramil peacefully rule. She has come to help design stained glass windows for the Master, the deity king of Rolvint.
Rain is a lovely character and easy to like and root for. She is resourceful and even if she does indulge in the occasional fit of tears or uncertainty, she keeps going and insists on doing what she can to help others. She inspires other to do the right thing and to not simply wait for someone else to fix things or to merely look out for oneself.
I loved her elder sister relationship with Ret, the young Master. Ret himself is a fantastic character and who has such an inner core of duty and sacrifice when by all rights he should have been spoiled and ruined by the attitudes of those around him.
Mikel, the elderly bondsman who is a surrogate father for her when she is abandoned in this strange land with no friends or connections, not even speaking the language.
Then there is Peri, the falconer. Also the love interest. I really, REALLY struggled with that relationship because Peri is extremely controlling and high-handed with Rain for 87% of the book. That was irksome for me. I don't care if it is a common attitude. And I don't even believe that is was given his own parent's relationship. Regardless, it is demeaning and disrespectful in the extreme.
Example: First, he was going to find her, then shake some sense into her, and if that failed, kiss her until she forgot anything but him.
Seriously? There are many other small instances and some large ones where Peri demands to be allowed to make decisions for Rain and takes away her right to make her own choices. Not remotely balanced in his relationship with her. He does not trust not respect her enough to make her own judgements about where she should go or do. Is she always right in her actions? No. Does she take risks? Sometimes. But that never gives a person, especially a person claiming to love you, the right to take away your freedom and your ability to choose for yourself. Ugh. I'm sure it is not meant to be a controlling relationship and they do work things out, but for 4/5ths of this book I often just wanted to slap Peri in the back of the head.
So, pretty good read. A little heavy with all the killing and murdering, so be aware of that. Nice cameo from Ramil and Tashi for fans of Dragonfly.
It presents a thoughtful, if narrow, look at a political, social and economic breakdown in a country that has run itself into the ground paying for extravagances while the people starve every day. People are losing their jobs and homes. many are turning to robbery and bandits are rampant across the land attacking travelers and waylaying merchants. Everything is breaking down. To further complicate matters is the almost religious adherence to class and the strictures placed upon the citizens to never rise above the class they are born into.
Into this volatile situation comes Rain Glassmaker, the talented daughter of an artisan craftsman of Holt, where Queen Taoshira and King Ramil peacefully rule. She has come to help design stained glass windows for the Master, the deity king of Rolvint.
Rain is a lovely character and easy to like and root for. She is resourceful and even if she does indulge in the occasional fit of tears or uncertainty, she keeps going and insists on doing what she can to help others. She inspires other to do the right thing and to not simply wait for someone else to fix things or to merely look out for oneself.
I loved her elder sister relationship with Ret, the young Master. Ret himself is a fantastic character and who has such an inner core of duty and sacrifice when by all rights he should have been spoiled and ruined by the attitudes of those around him.
Mikel, the elderly bondsman who is a surrogate father for her when she is abandoned in this strange land with no friends or connections, not even speaking the language.
Then there is Peri, the falconer. Also the love interest. I really, REALLY struggled with that relationship because Peri is extremely controlling and high-handed with Rain for 87% of the book. That was irksome for me. I don't care if it is a common attitude. And I don't even believe that is was given his own parent's relationship. Regardless, it is demeaning and disrespectful in the extreme.
Example: First, he was going to find her, then shake some sense into her, and if that failed, kiss her until she forgot anything but him.
Seriously? There are many other small instances and some large ones where Peri demands to be allowed to make decisions for Rain and takes away her right to make her own choices. Not remotely balanced in his relationship with her. He does not trust not respect her enough to make her own judgements about where she should go or do. Is she always right in her actions? No. Does she take risks? Sometimes. But that never gives a person, especially a person claiming to love you, the right to take away your freedom and your ability to choose for yourself. Ugh. I'm sure it is not meant to be a controlling relationship and they do work things out, but for 4/5ths of this book I often just wanted to slap Peri in the back of the head.
So, pretty good read. A little heavy with all the killing and murdering, so be aware of that. Nice cameo from Ramil and Tashi for fans of Dragonfly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2016
While I liked The Glass Swallow ok it did have its flaws. It was not nearly as good as its companion novel Dragonfly. I was hoping for more of the adventure that was found in that story.
One thing I had a problem with was the part in the book where the main character decides that a murdering bandit was just forced into the life he leads. In her mind he had no choice, because he was thrown out of the city and had no other means to provide for himself. So she walks into his camp with a gift for him asking if he will come and lead an army of men to protect the city.
First, I cannot agree with this type of thinking. There is always a choice whether or not to become a murderer. There were plenty of other people who didn't go around murdering who were faced with the same hardships. In reality a person’s character isn't just built by the hardships and trials they face, it's also revealed. And yes sometimes people make the wrong choices when faced with them. But the fact that this guy was murdering people goes way beyond redeemable.
Second, I hardly think that bringing a gift to a murdering bandit is going to make him change his ways. I thought that was really laughable and naive. Thus a part of this book was rendered completely ridiculous to me.
The other thing that I had issues with is that it fell to a 16 year old girl to save a whole country. No one else had any brains?
I liked everything else about the book though. I liked the messages about everyone being worth something and about working together to overcome obstacles. I also liked once again seeing Taoshira and Ramil from Dragonfly, even if only briefly.
One thing I had a problem with was the part in the book where the main character decides that a murdering bandit was just forced into the life he leads. In her mind he had no choice, because he was thrown out of the city and had no other means to provide for himself. So she walks into his camp with a gift for him asking if he will come and lead an army of men to protect the city.
First, I cannot agree with this type of thinking. There is always a choice whether or not to become a murderer. There were plenty of other people who didn't go around murdering who were faced with the same hardships. In reality a person’s character isn't just built by the hardships and trials they face, it's also revealed. And yes sometimes people make the wrong choices when faced with them. But the fact that this guy was murdering people goes way beyond redeemable.
Second, I hardly think that bringing a gift to a murdering bandit is going to make him change his ways. I thought that was really laughable and naive. Thus a part of this book was rendered completely ridiculous to me.
The other thing that I had issues with is that it fell to a 16 year old girl to save a whole country. No one else had any brains?
I liked everything else about the book though. I liked the messages about everyone being worth something and about working together to overcome obstacles. I also liked once again seeing Taoshira and Ramil from Dragonfly, even if only briefly.
January 1, 2012
Rain has to leave, otherwise her family will be in danger. If she doesn't who will design the windows of the palace, in Magharna. However, when Rain arrives in the strange land of Magharna she and her companions are captured by a group of bandits. Everything has gone wrong wit a blink of an eye.
Will someone save her from these group of bandits . . .
Well, what a good good book to read when you need a break from all the vampires and werewolves and angels and demons and etc etc. The list will go on and on and on.
This book was enjoyable, to read. And i do have to say this book is with a lot of action and strange ideas. Particularly, Rains ideas. She wants to join forces with the bandits, when they tried to kill her! That is wrong, girl. Wrong, wrong, wrong. But, in the end, i will say that it was a good idea. I mean, i wouldn't think of it. If, i was in front of a person that tried to kill me, then i would be scared to my bones.
If i was a glass designer, like her, i would love to do it. Every time, i got to a church or see a stained glass i think it's made by the hands of angels. I know i'm crazy. But, that's how my brain works. =D
In conclusion, i would like to say if you need a break from vampires and werewolves etc, then read this book!
Will someone save her from these group of bandits . . .
Well, what a good good book to read when you need a break from all the vampires and werewolves and angels and demons and etc etc. The list will go on and on and on.
This book was enjoyable, to read. And i do have to say this book is with a lot of action and strange ideas. Particularly, Rains ideas. She wants to join forces with the bandits, when they tried to kill her! That is wrong, girl. Wrong, wrong, wrong. But, in the end, i will say that it was a good idea. I mean, i wouldn't think of it. If, i was in front of a person that tried to kill me, then i would be scared to my bones.
If i was a glass designer, like her, i would love to do it. Every time, i got to a church or see a stained glass i think it's made by the hands of angels. I know i'm crazy. But, that's how my brain works. =D
In conclusion, i would like to say if you need a break from vampires and werewolves etc, then read this book!
March 31, 2012
I only read this book because I enjoyed Golding's other fantasy novel, "Dragonfly". however, compared to that book, "The Glass Swallow" was very disappointing. The romance was bland, and I really disliked Peri, the falconer who becomes Rain's love interest. He treated her like a child who couldn't do anything for herself. He limited her with his overprotectiveness, shut down every idea she had as "too dangerous", and acted as though he knew better than her, like he thought he was her dad or something. I couldn't shake my discomfort with this behavior, and it kind of ruined my reading experience. Rain deserved someone who regarded her as an equal, not as a fragile little doll that needed protecting. Two stars.
November 27, 2011
I really liked the first book in this series. It is a different story and has different people in it so you can read them on there own. This one takes place about 15 years after the first book. This one was a little slower paced. I enjoy the way this writer writes her characters and the setting of the stories. These are tween-teen reads very clean and well written.
August 26, 2012
im a big fan of jualia goldings work, and she didnt disappoint with this latest book. as always she has creative plots that meld perfectly with her characters, this book was no exception. i liked it just a little more than its comapanion book "dragonfly". which is saying alot, because i really LOVED that book.
August 31, 2018
The hero is more controlling than I remembered, but not too much that it’s problematic! I wouldn’t call it a favourite any more, but overall I’d say it lived up to my memory of it!
March 3, 2020
TW/CW:
Grief, past loss of a parent, slight fatphobia, classism, oppression, violence, corrupt government, slurs (s*vage), sexism/misogyny.
This was surprisingly enjoyable considering the reviews. Most of them are due to the fact that Peri, who is the love interest of Rain, the protagonist, is a controlling ass for most of the book. Most of the book tbh, he doesn’t learn until he he accidentally risks her life. Which I found so ironic considering that the reason he is so overprotective is because he wants to keep her safe and away from harm. I can say that the statements criticizing his alphaholery behavior are true, and I wish I could’ve seen more grovel and development for his character, but that still didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I went into this book knowing beforehand the disappointment readers got from his character so that helped. He was still infuriating and deserved some good bitchslaps though.
Anyways, I really enjoyed the “eat the rich!” sentiments this book gave. The decimation of a classist society is always enjoyable to read about because fuck rich people who don’t care for the poor. And unlike the first book, this one was actually short and easier to read. I’m glad I read it!
Grief, past loss of a parent, slight fatphobia, classism, oppression, violence, corrupt government, slurs (s*vage), sexism/misogyny.
This was surprisingly enjoyable considering the reviews. Most of them are due to the fact that Peri, who is the love interest of Rain, the protagonist, is a controlling ass for most of the book. Most of the book tbh, he doesn’t learn until he he accidentally risks her life. Which I found so ironic considering that the reason he is so overprotective is because he wants to keep her safe and away from harm. I can say that the statements criticizing his alphaholery behavior are true, and I wish I could’ve seen more grovel and development for his character, but that still didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I went into this book knowing beforehand the disappointment readers got from his character so that helped. He was still infuriating and deserved some good bitchslaps though.
Anyways, I really enjoyed the “eat the rich!” sentiments this book gave. The decimation of a classist society is always enjoyable to read about because fuck rich people who don’t care for the poor. And unlike the first book, this one was actually short and easier to read. I’m glad I read it!
September 6, 2012
3 1\2 stars. I enjoyed reading this and will probably end up re reading at some point but it was lacking in some respects. I liked characters over all; loved Mikal and Ret. Their father\daughter(Mikal and Rain) and brother\sister (Ret and Rain) relationships were well done and very nice to read. Rain was good. Peri was too annoying and over protective at times and I just felt like hitting him on the head, yelling,"You don't even know her!You can't tell her what to do. Lay off." And Rain, stubborn and rash, going off to do what she feels is right or that she realizes needs to get done and if no one else, *sniff* in this entire place will do it, she will. I liked her. The plot could have been a little more exciting and there. I liked reading it the whole way through. I was just never thinking,*in Medea's voice* "Oh my Lord, I was so scared..." And I like that sometimes. This could have used some of that. I actually liked that the bandits were just people. Cold and ruthless sometimes, but they were people who wanted a better life. The feminism was just a titch strong in the epilogue. Could have done without that. Another thing, I've noticed that Julia Golding's book that I have read: The Cat Royal series mainly along with this one. The main girls, Cat and Rain, are loved, both romantically by one or possibly two or three(looking at you, Cat) and as platonic friends as well by all the male characters in their books. No one is that likable. I felt it worked better in this than the Cat Royal series. Yay for that! But back to the point, The Glass Swallow is a nice followup companion book to Dragonfly. Recommended to fans of Julia Golding.
December 18, 2024
I love Julia Golding's writing. I read 'Dragonfly' when I was, oh I don't know, 19 or so and even almost a decade later, I very much enjoyed re-reading it. So imagine my surprise and delight to learn that 'Dragonfly' wasn't a stand-alone (I wasn't into Goodreads as much back then, so I had no idea until recently). I have to say I really enjoyed this one too. I think that Julia has a talent for putting you into the world and with its people and genuinely making almost every character likeable--even the ones who aren't the friendliest (see Peri's mother, Katia). Something I can appreciate about Julia's work is that every character is exquisitely human and even if you don't agree with their perspective, you can understand it. Even while listening to the audiobook, which is not my most favorite medium, it was very easy to envision what was happening, what it looked like, and how people interacted with each other. I adored the glassmaking concept and how Rain incorporated her talent in ways to bring people together in unexpected ways. That said, there were some things that made this one not as enjoyable as 'Dragonfly'.
The Two Main Characters
Rain pretty well does what she wants when she wants and people just kind of accept it. No matter how many times she's warned otherwise, she gets an idea in her head and, to her, it's the best thing to do so she just does it, even when it risks more than just her own life. Fortunately, her gambles pay off, but it could very easily have been the opposite. Rain doesn't really listen to anyone, and I don't like that, especially when she's in a country she didn't grow up in and didn't know the language of (at first, anyway). She also doesn't really come across as all that infatuated/in love with Peri. They spend a lot of time disagreeing/arguing, but not much time actually bonding/growing a relationship--at least not "on screen". She's stubborn to a fault and hardly ever accepts a opinions contrary to her own or different points of view. Also, EVERYONE who is longer-term part of the plot automatically likes and/or loves her (platonically, familial) except Peri's mom.
Peri. I liked Peri. I didn't LOVE Peri, not as a love interest anyway. I thought he was a good friend and good brother and a solid enough character, overall. I thought he was a DECENT enough love interest, but I will admit that he felt... lukewarm? Him falling for Rain is quick and feels pretty one-sided for a lot of the time. He was also pretty handsy pretty quickly when they reconnect later and are out of immediate danger, even though it didn't feel that Rain was anything more than begrudgingly attracted to him at the time. He spent more time arguing/disagreeing with Rain than courting her. I know that all relationships are different and some people tend to butt heads more than others, but I don't find it a particularly compelling romance when most of their conversations are being belligerent about one being more right than the other, and Peri spent a lot of his conversational time with Rain telling her she was wrong and why.
The Romance in General
Not my favorite. Besides the fact they were arguing a fair bit with secret kissing sessions in between to "patch" things up instead of actually communicating it out, I didn't feel like we actually saw depth to their relationship. Rain holds a massive grudge against him for a pretty long time, despite it being a misunderstanding/accident and Peri trying desperately to make up for it. If I put myself in her shoes, I can understand why she'd hold onto that and have trust issues but I also don't see how she couldn't have communicated that out before she and Peri started to fall for each other, or how her perspective wouldn't have shifted after spending so much time with Peri and realizing that he never would've done what he did on purpose.
The Two Main Characters
Rain pretty well does what she wants when she wants and people just kind of accept it. No matter how many times she's warned otherwise, she gets an idea in her head and, to her, it's the best thing to do so she just does it, even when it risks more than just her own life. Fortunately, her gambles pay off, but it could very easily have been the opposite. Rain doesn't really listen to anyone, and I don't like that, especially when she's in a country she didn't grow up in and didn't know the language of (at first, anyway). She also doesn't really come across as all that infatuated/in love with Peri. They spend a lot of time disagreeing/arguing, but not much time actually bonding/growing a relationship--at least not "on screen". She's stubborn to a fault and hardly ever accepts a opinions contrary to her own or different points of view. Also, EVERYONE who is longer-term part of the plot automatically likes and/or loves her (platonically, familial) except Peri's mom.
Peri. I liked Peri. I didn't LOVE Peri, not as a love interest anyway. I thought he was a good friend and good brother and a solid enough character, overall. I thought he was a DECENT enough love interest, but I will admit that he felt... lukewarm? Him falling for Rain is quick and feels pretty one-sided for a lot of the time. He was also pretty handsy pretty quickly when they reconnect later and are out of immediate danger, even though it didn't feel that Rain was anything more than begrudgingly attracted to him at the time. He spent more time arguing/disagreeing with Rain than courting her. I know that all relationships are different and some people tend to butt heads more than others, but I don't find it a particularly compelling romance when most of their conversations are being belligerent about one being more right than the other, and Peri spent a lot of his conversational time with Rain telling her she was wrong and why.
The Romance in General
Not my favorite. Besides the fact they were arguing a fair bit with secret kissing sessions in between to "patch" things up instead of actually communicating it out, I didn't feel like we actually saw depth to their relationship. Rain holds a massive grudge against him for a pretty long time, despite it being a misunderstanding/accident and Peri trying desperately to make up for it. If I put myself in her shoes, I can understand why she'd hold onto that and have trust issues but I also don't see how she couldn't have communicated that out before she and Peri started to fall for each other, or how her perspective wouldn't have shifted after spending so much time with Peri and realizing that he never would've done what he did on purpose.
June 27, 2013
Enjoyable fantasy. For some reason I went into it thinking it was set in a dystopian version of the USA but this is definitely second world. I suspect I got it mixed up with another book because even the synopsis makes it obvious that this is pure fantasy.
I enjoyed the story of a young girl, Rain, who's thrown into a different culture with no one to turn to, having to do everything all on her own. She never ceases to be amazed by the differences between her own culture and the Magharnan culture. Her adventure in this land, on the verge of self destruction, her fight for survival in an unknown, dangerous place was really appealing.
I didn't like that Rain picked up the language very quickly, or at least she was shown as using the language fluently within a very short time period. It doesn't happen this way, speaking from experience. Maybe the author chose to gloss over this in order to avoid grammatically poor sentences in the whole of her book, but I for one would have preferred the more realistic mistakes as it would have added to the character.
There's a male as well, Peri, who is a bit on the bigoted side, presented as being protective, but it always felt like he was talking down to Rain. Again, this was a culture difference thing but it became a bit oppressive at times.
The romance between them was a bit... dry as well. I didn't feel the romance at all. I wasn't wrapped up in them or invested in their interactions, and I didn't even really feel any particular feelings from either side. It was more of a cardboard cut out of a relationship. I wanted more from it than it delivered.
Beyond this, the story was let down by a pretty weak climax. Instead of a bang that had my heart caught in my throat, it was more of a weak fizzle that vaguely held my interest.
I enjoyed the story of a young girl, Rain, who's thrown into a different culture with no one to turn to, having to do everything all on her own. She never ceases to be amazed by the differences between her own culture and the Magharnan culture. Her adventure in this land, on the verge of self destruction, her fight for survival in an unknown, dangerous place was really appealing.
I didn't like that Rain picked up the language very quickly, or at least she was shown as using the language fluently within a very short time period. It doesn't happen this way, speaking from experience. Maybe the author chose to gloss over this in order to avoid grammatically poor sentences in the whole of her book, but I for one would have preferred the more realistic mistakes as it would have added to the character.
There's a male as well, Peri, who is a bit on the bigoted side, presented as being protective, but it always felt like he was talking down to Rain. Again, this was a culture difference thing but it became a bit oppressive at times.
The romance between them was a bit... dry as well. I didn't feel the romance at all. I wasn't wrapped up in them or invested in their interactions, and I didn't even really feel any particular feelings from either side. It was more of a cardboard cut out of a relationship. I wanted more from it than it delivered.
Beyond this, the story was let down by a pretty weak climax. Instead of a bang that had my heart caught in my throat, it was more of a weak fizzle that vaguely held my interest.
December 10, 2011
The Glass Swallow is a companion novel to Dragonfly, which I read, and loved, a couple years ago. The main characters from Dragonfly do make a brief appearance, but are, for the most part, quite distant. Nonetheless, this was quite a satisfying companion to that fantastic book.
What makes these books, and probably the others of Julia Golding that I have yet to read, so fantastic is how strong her heroines are. Rain lacks physical strength pretty much entirely. She is diminutive, especially in this new country, and certainly would stand no chance in a fight with most anyone. However, she is still most definitely a force to be reckoned with. Her intellect, talent and stubbornness are what make her shine and make people respect her.
Also super adorable was the romance between Peri and Rain. I've always been a sucker for the romance plot line where the couple didn't like each other at first. I wonder why. (cough...Pride and Prejudice...cough.) Plus, I really liked their dynamic together, the fact that being in love doesn't mean that they don't bicker and even have serious fights. Despite this being a fantasy, the romance seems much more realistic than those in so many young adult realistic fiction novels.
Fans of Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore should really consider giving Julia Golding's novels a try. Her books are a bit less dramatic perhaps, but I think the core of them is similar.
What makes these books, and probably the others of Julia Golding that I have yet to read, so fantastic is how strong her heroines are. Rain lacks physical strength pretty much entirely. She is diminutive, especially in this new country, and certainly would stand no chance in a fight with most anyone. However, she is still most definitely a force to be reckoned with. Her intellect, talent and stubbornness are what make her shine and make people respect her.
Also super adorable was the romance between Peri and Rain. I've always been a sucker for the romance plot line where the couple didn't like each other at first. I wonder why. (cough...Pride and Prejudice...cough.) Plus, I really liked their dynamic together, the fact that being in love doesn't mean that they don't bicker and even have serious fights. Despite this being a fantasy, the romance seems much more realistic than those in so many young adult realistic fiction novels.
Fans of Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore should really consider giving Julia Golding's novels a try. Her books are a bit less dramatic perhaps, but I think the core of them is similar.
January 20, 2013
This book started out SO well, it pains me to give it the rating I did. I even, before I finished it, recommended it to some of my bookish friends. But around the halfway point, at a critical point of rising action, the book jumps the tracks in a way that felt completely unbelievable and lacking in the groundwork that might have made a disbelief-damaging plot twist a little more okay.
But no.
The reader is offered very little context that would make this character shift palatable. This irks me SO much, because I found the characters likable, mostly, and the writing is terrific. It's just this plot twist/characterization fail that ruined what had been a really good, 4 or 5-star book for me.
I can't recommend it...but I DID go pick up Dragonfly and started it right away, so do with that what you will.
February 26, 2012
The story is quite ok but the romance is not well written. Don't insist putting it in if it won't end up good. I find their relationship progress is... dull. For everything else, from the caste conflict till the happy ending, it should have 4 stars. I'm cutting one for the disappointing romance.
February 28, 2016
Picked this book up for a reading challenge using the word Swallow in the title. Completely loved the story and the strong statements about social and gender issues that resonate in life. I just may have to check out other books by this author.
July 4, 2016
I should have never waited this long to write a review about a book I finished weeks ago... That was a terrible idea, but I can't help doing it lol (I didn't have time to)
Story:
After reading Dragonfly, I was really excited to see that there was a companion book to it! Maybe I'll see more of Ramil and Taoshira. I was disappointed that this book did not feature them again; instead being replaced by Rain and Peri... But I gave the book a chance, thinking that it's a companion book, after all, not a sequel.
It was nice to see Ramil and Taoshira (and the other characters of the previous book) here though. Seeing as they are now the King and Queen of their nation and has a kid of their own, The Glass Swallow occurs years later after Dragonfly.
I like how The Glass Swallow tackled themes like gender discrimination, gender roles, and social issues, but it was just badly executed, and that's mostly because of the characters.
In Rain's home nation, the glass maker guild does not allow women to work in their guild. Knowing this, Rain's father still allows Rain to design windows, albeit secretly. Once her cousins were let in on the secret, they first objected to Rain's work, but once they could see that working with her secret could earn them a lot of money, they saw Rain as nothing but that -- a source of wealth.
In the foreign nation, people who do "dirty" work (Ex: butchers and falconers) are considered the lowest of the low. These people are "tainted", and whoever touches them are too, so they must take a bath to purify themselves before entering the city.
That's just messed up.
Characters:
Rain Glassmaker is a young teenager who is raised by a doting single father in a glass maker shop. She lives in the peaceful nation where Ramil and Taoshira rules, and only has ever known kindness and good. After becoming stranded in the foreign nation, she begins to see that there are corrupt nations out there. However, that doesn't stop her from being optimistic and pure.
Throughout her journey, Rain's resolve and spirit never waned; she continued to be the kind girl that she is and fought her way through her obstacles.
In addition to her good-natured character, her looks are ethereal... People in the foreign nation literally think that she is a Fey! This is why she is loved (platonically and romantically) by all the men that she travels with.
Peri Falconer is the boy that rescues Rain from being sold by the bandits. After rescuing her, he leaves her in the city, thinking that she'll get help from the people who brought her in the nation in the first place. When he finally meets her again, he can't help but be protective of her because he felt guilty leaving her alone.
I hate his character... Peri is SO overprotective of Rain. He does not let her do the things that she can obviously do, even though she has done so many things to show her capability! Rain has survived on her own during the months that she was left alone! She drove off a mob out of the house she was hiding in.
And when Rain takes action to right this foreign nation's broken government by herself (since Peri is such an arrogant idiot and does not want to help her), he runs after her thinking that she is gonna get herself killed. WHEN IN FACT SHE WASN'T! EVERYTHING WAS GOING FINE BUT THEN HIS STUPID ASS CAME BARGING IN AND RUINED EVERYTHING!
I don't even get why these two got together. The only reason why they did was because Peri forced a kiss on her when they were arguing! WTF?!
Let's back up though. Peri has only developed "feelings" for Rain because he kept thinking about how she was doing after he left her in the city. Then they meet again via the man that watches over Peri as he drives away annoying birds from the Palace, aka Rain's adoptive father. The mob comes, Peri goes to find them two, THEN BAM! THEY KISS. And that forms their romantic relationship.
Their relationship after that did not even bloom. Peri and Rain are not compatible at all! Peri continues to treat Rain as if she is a powerless child. He does not support Rain's ideas to save his broken nation, but he goes through with it because of his She's-gonna-get-herself-killed-if-I'm-not-there attitude. They don't even get along well; they argue a lot! The only time they are "OK" is when they are kissing or cuddling or in their calm moments.
How is that romantic? I am a sucker for romantic stories, and I was hoping this was going to be really good. But it's absolutely stupid.
All the characters in this book irritated me so much! I hated the way they were portrayed, how they were used to convey a message. I mean, I like that Golding wanted to get the message out about the gender imbalance in society, but execution of her message was just bad...
The men in this story are all portrayed as arrogant bastards who view women as incapable or weak -- the only exceptions were the older men, like Rain's dad and her adoptive dad (who, again, I forgot the name of). Rain, being the only female in the group, is portrayed as the quintessential lady. She's not exactly a Mary Sue since she still has some flaws, but she's put on such a high pedestal by the rest of the men that she might as well be considered a Mary Sue.
Rain being like this is also supposed to give the feel of her being a "strong female lead", but it fails so much... Just showing that she's a kind and strong-willed female does not make her a strong female lead. There is more to it than that!
Characters who are considered "strong" face many obstacles during their journey. These characters fall and fail, until they have reached their lowest point, past their breaking point, but still find the resolve to continue on. They are the characters who continue climbing up with their bruises and scars, but still continue to believe in their own beliefs and ideals. Those are strong characters.
Rain did not suffer. She lived a good life with her father in a country with just rulers. Yes, she got isolated in a foreign nation and had to survive on her own, but that's not enough... She is brave, yes, but she is not considered a strong characters.
The only character that I actually thought was OK was the Master, or Retsam/Ret. He's a child who was given the responsibility of being the ruler of a broken nation at such a young age, and, as a result, become more mature than kids his age. Characters like these are my favorites. They remind me of Livius Orvinus Ifrikia (from The World is Still Beautiful) and Ciel Phantomhive (from Black Butler), characters who are too young to be so mature, but still has a playful side.
Ret is the only character to undergo some noticeable character development, too.
Just a random note: The names of the characters are just ridiculous. I know that back in the day, people got their last name via the job their family has. For example, Rain comes from a family of glass makers, and thus her last name is Glassmaker; Peri is a falconer, and thus his last name is Falconer. But that's not the weird part, it's how the first names are picked... Rain was named that because she was born on a rainy day. Her mother has a worse name, but I forgot what it was.
Writing Style and Diction:
I can't even remember anything about the syntax and diction of this book... It was that mediocre...
I do remember that there were some nice descriptions, especially about the stained glass windows! Descriptions about the scenery were also quite notable.
But other than that, the writing was eh.
Overall Enjoyment
Did I enjoy this book?
Obviously not.
The only reason why I got through this book was that because I wanted to see if Rain ever got home and to see if all the social problems were ever fixed. To satiate my curiosity was the only reason I finished the book.
And I find that to be really sad...
I loathed the romantic subplot! I hated the actual plot! It didn't help that the characters were absolutely terrible either!
Shatter Me was actually better than this, and that's saying something since Shatter Me is atrocious. At least in that book, I had something to look forward to after I get through the first book. In The Glass Swallow, there isn't anything to look forward to (Thank the Lord a sequel doesn't exist!) -- only the ending.
Final Verdict
With all of these things considered, The Glass Swallow deserves 1 out of 5 Hidden Swallows because it's just that awful.
I really don't want to compare, but Dragonfly was a waaaaaaaaay better book than this one! Better characters, greater developments, plot was much more in-depth. It even tackled similar problems and it was better executed.
Story:
Rain Glassmaker travels to another nation (whose name I forgot), one that has newly opened their doors to outside nations, to design a stained glass window for that nation's ruler with her cousin. Unbeknownst to her, that nation has major economic problems. More people are losing their homes. Unemployment is rising. The number of bandits are increasing.
And those bandits attack Rain and the ambassador's entourage, leaving Rain the only survivor.
With the help from a falconer named Peri, Rain tries to accustom herself to this foreign nation, all the while finding ways to help fix it and finding ways to get back to her home country.
After reading Dragonfly, I was really excited to see that there was a companion book to it! Maybe I'll see more of Ramil and Taoshira. I was disappointed that this book did not feature them again; instead being replaced by Rain and Peri... But I gave the book a chance, thinking that it's a companion book, after all, not a sequel.
It was nice to see Ramil and Taoshira (and the other characters of the previous book) here though. Seeing as they are now the King and Queen of their nation and has a kid of their own, The Glass Swallow occurs years later after Dragonfly.
I like how The Glass Swallow tackled themes like gender discrimination, gender roles, and social issues, but it was just badly executed, and that's mostly because of the characters.
In Rain's home nation, the glass maker guild does not allow women to work in their guild. Knowing this, Rain's father still allows Rain to design windows, albeit secretly. Once her cousins were let in on the secret, they first objected to Rain's work, but once they could see that working with her secret could earn them a lot of money, they saw Rain as nothing but that -- a source of wealth.
In the foreign nation, people who do "dirty" work (Ex: butchers and falconers) are considered the lowest of the low. These people are "tainted", and whoever touches them are too, so they must take a bath to purify themselves before entering the city.
That's just messed up.
Characters:
Rain Glassmaker is a young teenager who is raised by a doting single father in a glass maker shop. She lives in the peaceful nation where Ramil and Taoshira rules, and only has ever known kindness and good. After becoming stranded in the foreign nation, she begins to see that there are corrupt nations out there. However, that doesn't stop her from being optimistic and pure.
Throughout her journey, Rain's resolve and spirit never waned; she continued to be the kind girl that she is and fought her way through her obstacles.
In addition to her good-natured character, her looks are ethereal... People in the foreign nation literally think that she is a Fey! This is why she is loved (platonically and romantically) by all the men that she travels with.
Peri Falconer is the boy that rescues Rain from being sold by the bandits. After rescuing her, he leaves her in the city, thinking that she'll get help from the people who brought her in the nation in the first place. When he finally meets her again, he can't help but be protective of her because he felt guilty leaving her alone.
I hate his character... Peri is SO overprotective of Rain. He does not let her do the things that she can obviously do, even though she has done so many things to show her capability! Rain has survived on her own during the months that she was left alone! She drove off a mob out of the house she was hiding in.
And when Rain takes action to right this foreign nation's broken government by herself (since Peri is such an arrogant idiot and does not want to help her), he runs after her thinking that she is gonna get herself killed. WHEN IN FACT SHE WASN'T! EVERYTHING WAS GOING FINE BUT THEN HIS STUPID ASS CAME BARGING IN AND RUINED EVERYTHING!
I don't even get why these two got together. The only reason why they did was because Peri forced a kiss on her when they were arguing! WTF?!
Let's back up though. Peri has only developed "feelings" for Rain because he kept thinking about how she was doing after he left her in the city. Then they meet again via the man that watches over Peri as he drives away annoying birds from the Palace, aka Rain's adoptive father. The mob comes, Peri goes to find them two, THEN BAM! THEY KISS. And that forms their romantic relationship.
Their relationship after that did not even bloom. Peri and Rain are not compatible at all! Peri continues to treat Rain as if she is a powerless child. He does not support Rain's ideas to save his broken nation, but he goes through with it because of his She's-gonna-get-herself-killed-if-I'm-not-there attitude. They don't even get along well; they argue a lot! The only time they are "OK" is when they are kissing or cuddling or in their calm moments.
How is that romantic? I am a sucker for romantic stories, and I was hoping this was going to be really good. But it's absolutely stupid.
All the characters in this book irritated me so much! I hated the way they were portrayed, how they were used to convey a message. I mean, I like that Golding wanted to get the message out about the gender imbalance in society, but execution of her message was just bad...
The men in this story are all portrayed as arrogant bastards who view women as incapable or weak -- the only exceptions were the older men, like Rain's dad and her adoptive dad (who, again, I forgot the name of). Rain, being the only female in the group, is portrayed as the quintessential lady. She's not exactly a Mary Sue since she still has some flaws, but she's put on such a high pedestal by the rest of the men that she might as well be considered a Mary Sue.
Rain being like this is also supposed to give the feel of her being a "strong female lead", but it fails so much... Just showing that she's a kind and strong-willed female does not make her a strong female lead. There is more to it than that!
Characters who are considered "strong" face many obstacles during their journey. These characters fall and fail, until they have reached their lowest point, past their breaking point, but still find the resolve to continue on. They are the characters who continue climbing up with their bruises and scars, but still continue to believe in their own beliefs and ideals. Those are strong characters.
Rain did not suffer. She lived a good life with her father in a country with just rulers. Yes, she got isolated in a foreign nation and had to survive on her own, but that's not enough... She is brave, yes, but she is not considered a strong characters.
The only character that I actually thought was OK was the Master, or Retsam/Ret. He's a child who was given the responsibility of being the ruler of a broken nation at such a young age, and, as a result, become more mature than kids his age. Characters like these are my favorites. They remind me of Livius Orvinus Ifrikia (from The World is Still Beautiful) and Ciel Phantomhive (from Black Butler), characters who are too young to be so mature, but still has a playful side.
Ret is the only character to undergo some noticeable character development, too.
Just a random note: The names of the characters are just ridiculous. I know that back in the day, people got their last name via the job their family has. For example, Rain comes from a family of glass makers, and thus her last name is Glassmaker; Peri is a falconer, and thus his last name is Falconer. But that's not the weird part, it's how the first names are picked... Rain was named that because she was born on a rainy day. Her mother has a worse name, but I forgot what it was.
Writing Style and Diction:
I can't even remember anything about the syntax and diction of this book... It was that mediocre...
I do remember that there were some nice descriptions, especially about the stained glass windows! Descriptions about the scenery were also quite notable.
But other than that, the writing was eh.
Overall Enjoyment
Did I enjoy this book?
Obviously not.
The only reason why I got through this book was that because I wanted to see if Rain ever got home and to see if all the social problems were ever fixed. To satiate my curiosity was the only reason I finished the book.
And I find that to be really sad...
I loathed the romantic subplot! I hated the actual plot! It didn't help that the characters were absolutely terrible either!
Shatter Me was actually better than this, and that's saying something since Shatter Me is atrocious. At least in that book, I had something to look forward to after I get through the first book. In The Glass Swallow, there isn't anything to look forward to (Thank the Lord a sequel doesn't exist!) -- only the ending.
Final Verdict
With all of these things considered, The Glass Swallow deserves 1 out of 5 Hidden Swallows because it's just that awful.
I really don't want to compare, but Dragonfly was a waaaaaaaaay better book than this one! Better characters, greater developments, plot was much more in-depth. It even tackled similar problems and it was better executed.
May 15, 2018
Rain isn't a bad character by any means - she had a bit of sass, but was somehow a bit bland. Sometimes her ideas were terrible or her reasoning was so flimsy.
Peri seemed cool at first, but was surprisingly a bit overbearing (yeah, I get that he was worried about her, but it got stale really quick).
I don't know. Story was decent - ordinary girl doing little things with extraordinary outcomes.
Just wasn't really feeling the characters I guess.
Peri seemed cool at first, but was surprisingly a bit overbearing (yeah, I get that he was worried about her, but it got stale really quick).
I don't know. Story was decent - ordinary girl doing little things with extraordinary outcomes.
Just wasn't really feeling the characters I guess.
November 25, 2018
I loved Dragonfly but The Glass Swallow was a disappointment. Rain was not a strong character, particularly in comparison with Tashi. Rain is the only one of her kind: a woman glassmaker and designer. She has the courage to defy tradition in order to practice a craft forbidden for her gender. She is brave enough to travel to a strange country without her father at her side...yet from the moment she sets foot outside her home, she becomes a shrinking violet.
Peri is condescending and sexist towards Rain. There is no chemistry between them and the romance felt forced. Peri's social class is similar to that of the Untouchables in India: he is considered "unclean" because he works as a hunter/falconer and handles dead flesh.
The story wasn't bad but I was unable to invest in the characters. Rain is too much of a doormat and Peri is a jerk. If you enjoyed Dragonfly, try The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley.
Peri is condescending and sexist towards Rain. There is no chemistry between them and the romance felt forced. Peri's social class is similar to that of the Untouchables in India: he is considered "unclean" because he works as a hunter/falconer and handles dead flesh.
The story wasn't bad but I was unable to invest in the characters. Rain is too much of a doormat and Peri is a jerk. If you enjoyed Dragonfly, try The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley.
May 26, 2017
Rain secretly designs stained glass under the tutelage of her father, leaving a glass swallow hidden in every piece she creates. When the king finds out her talent she is forced to journey to the strange land of Magharna to design for them, but on the way, she is ambushed by bandits. The Glass Swallow was a wonderful read and kept a steady pace throughout; however, the ending left much to be desired. Most of the characters seemed to have been well designed, with carefully thought out descriptions and personalities that added an element of realism to the story. This book was a nice light read.
July 26, 2022
Tenia molts dubtes de si m’agradaria o no i s’ha convertit en un dels meus preferits. La Rain és una noia que viu amb el seu pare (així una mica ambientat medieval) i es dediquen a fer vindre. Ella, tot i estar prohibit perquè és una dona, dissenya els vitralls i excerceix l’ofici i el seu pare els fabrica. Al seu pare, però, li encarreguen de dissenyar-ne un a un altre regne com a regal del rei en senyal de pau però ell no en sap. Llavors, és ella qui ha de marxar cap a terres desconegudes on li passaran moltes coses.
August 28, 2011
Although the blurb sounded interesting enough, I really wasn't expecting all that much from The Glass Swallow ... I mean, the cover's about as uninspired as it gets, IMHO, which shouldn't really make a difference, but - you know - IT DOES. Colour me surprised, though, because - although there are flaws aplenty - it turns out that the story's pretty darn entertaining!! :) :)
The blurb wants you to believe that The Glass Swallow revolves around the romance between Rain, a girl who - despite the laws of her country - practises glassmaking, and Peri, the falconer who saves her from death-by-bandit not long after she touches down on the shores of his exotic homeland, Magharna. Well, okay, so there IS a rescue, but it takes place a good quarter of the way into the book, after a whole lot of blah blah blah introductory stuff, since the characters start off with an OCEAN between them!! :o Also, you can forget about a believable romance, as Peri - obviously not much into heroic acts and the rescuing of damsels - summarily dumps Rain on the doorstep of Rolvint, the capital city, then just - well - goes. Yeah. Rain can barely speak the native language and all of her companions have just been slaughtered ... she also looks different, almost fey-like, to the superstitious Magharnans, with her curly red hair and blue eyes ... also, Rain's a freaking girl alone in a strange land, tiny and defenseless ... but Peri justifies abandoning her to her own devices, even though she asks to accompany him home, because he's so low in class that he's "untouchable", so - you know - she OBVIOUSLY doesn't want to be near him, EVEN THOUGH SHE CLEARLY INDICATED OTHERWISE, and there's probably someone waiting in the city for her. Probably. Nice.
Months later, after some half-hearted attempts to find out whether everything turned out okay for Rain (and hearing nothing), he discovers her working as an abused servant. Do you want to guess what he does next?? If you thought "NOTHING", you're right!! Oh, wait, he does try to convince her that he was right in leaving her at the city gates so many months ago. Ahem.
Throughout all of this, the cracks in the capital city's foundations are being revealed. The rigorous class system is cruel and the more people get thrown out of Rolvint, because the city no longer has work for them, the more bandits there are to stir up chaos in the surrounding countryside. One bandit strike too many and everything goes to hell in a handbasket. As one of the scavengers, looked down upon by the higher classes for working with hunting animals, Peri lives with his family outside of the city, therefore he's safe - for now. Rain, however, is not. That's what Peri thinks, at least. Rain's in fact totally awesomesauce. She's smart and cunning and - by the time Peri gets off his butt to search for her, as well as their mutual friend, an old man by the name of Mikel - she's done a splendid job of hoarding food and scaring away potential looters and just generally making sure that she and Mikel are safe. He demands that she go home with him ... she insists on swinging by the palace, to give the main dude in charge of Magharna a kick up the butt for letting his city degenerate to such a terrible degree ... and suddenly Peri's kissing her!! Wait, what?! Yeah. I was as surprised as Rain.
Then there's the bizarre class system, which is kooky TO PUT IT MILDLY. I mean, nobody is allowed to talk to anyone in a class beneath them, which is really dumb, especially since they just stand there ignoring people speaking to their faces. Also, the scavengers are considered unclean and treated like crap just because they work with hunting animals, even though the higher classes do actually eat the meat they procure. There are a lot of similar things and they all just come off as - well - stupid, especially since we are never told WHY the Magharnans follow these strange customs, or given any kind of an explanation, which might make the crazy a little more believable. Rain's homeland suffers from this same problem, too, as it apparently is so enlightened and fair, yet STILL does not allow women to do anything but marry and breed. Uh ... ?? There's a lot of telling, instead of showing, going on, too ... and I really wish that the author had expanded on her world-building, while she was at it, because that certainly would have been welcome!! :P
However, apart from all of this, the plot's pretty interesting and I did eventually get completely sucked in. Peri leaves much to be desired, as you can probably tell, but Rain's amazing. She's a foreigner in a country gone mad, but also apparently the only person with enough brains to look past the problems at hand and on to long-term solutions for everyone. I freaking heart her. Also, Mikel's a wonderful character, and I really like the children, too ... although I won't spoil who they are, hehe!! :D For the most part, though, the characters are largely stereotypical, often to the point of being silly, but - yeah - the story itself is good.
RATING: 4/5 ... The Glass Swallow is flawed, but I couldn't put it down after a point!! :) :)
P.S. You can read more of my reviews HERE!! (",)
The blurb wants you to believe that The Glass Swallow revolves around the romance between Rain, a girl who - despite the laws of her country - practises glassmaking, and Peri, the falconer who saves her from death-by-bandit not long after she touches down on the shores of his exotic homeland, Magharna. Well, okay, so there IS a rescue, but it takes place a good quarter of the way into the book, after a whole lot of blah blah blah introductory stuff, since the characters start off with an OCEAN between them!! :o Also, you can forget about a believable romance, as Peri - obviously not much into heroic acts and the rescuing of damsels - summarily dumps Rain on the doorstep of Rolvint, the capital city, then just - well - goes. Yeah. Rain can barely speak the native language and all of her companions have just been slaughtered ... she also looks different, almost fey-like, to the superstitious Magharnans, with her curly red hair and blue eyes ... also, Rain's a freaking girl alone in a strange land, tiny and defenseless ... but Peri justifies abandoning her to her own devices, even though she asks to accompany him home, because he's so low in class that he's "untouchable", so - you know - she OBVIOUSLY doesn't want to be near him, EVEN THOUGH SHE CLEARLY INDICATED OTHERWISE, and there's probably someone waiting in the city for her. Probably. Nice.
Months later, after some half-hearted attempts to find out whether everything turned out okay for Rain (and hearing nothing), he discovers her working as an abused servant. Do you want to guess what he does next?? If you thought "NOTHING", you're right!! Oh, wait, he does try to convince her that he was right in leaving her at the city gates so many months ago. Ahem.
Throughout all of this, the cracks in the capital city's foundations are being revealed. The rigorous class system is cruel and the more people get thrown out of Rolvint, because the city no longer has work for them, the more bandits there are to stir up chaos in the surrounding countryside. One bandit strike too many and everything goes to hell in a handbasket. As one of the scavengers, looked down upon by the higher classes for working with hunting animals, Peri lives with his family outside of the city, therefore he's safe - for now. Rain, however, is not. That's what Peri thinks, at least. Rain's in fact totally awesomesauce. She's smart and cunning and - by the time Peri gets off his butt to search for her, as well as their mutual friend, an old man by the name of Mikel - she's done a splendid job of hoarding food and scaring away potential looters and just generally making sure that she and Mikel are safe. He demands that she go home with him ... she insists on swinging by the palace, to give the main dude in charge of Magharna a kick up the butt for letting his city degenerate to such a terrible degree ... and suddenly Peri's kissing her!! Wait, what?! Yeah. I was as surprised as Rain.
Then there's the bizarre class system, which is kooky TO PUT IT MILDLY. I mean, nobody is allowed to talk to anyone in a class beneath them, which is really dumb, especially since they just stand there ignoring people speaking to their faces. Also, the scavengers are considered unclean and treated like crap just because they work with hunting animals, even though the higher classes do actually eat the meat they procure. There are a lot of similar things and they all just come off as - well - stupid, especially since we are never told WHY the Magharnans follow these strange customs, or given any kind of an explanation, which might make the crazy a little more believable. Rain's homeland suffers from this same problem, too, as it apparently is so enlightened and fair, yet STILL does not allow women to do anything but marry and breed. Uh ... ?? There's a lot of telling, instead of showing, going on, too ... and I really wish that the author had expanded on her world-building, while she was at it, because that certainly would have been welcome!! :P
However, apart from all of this, the plot's pretty interesting and I did eventually get completely sucked in. Peri leaves much to be desired, as you can probably tell, but Rain's amazing. She's a foreigner in a country gone mad, but also apparently the only person with enough brains to look past the problems at hand and on to long-term solutions for everyone. I freaking heart her. Also, Mikel's a wonderful character, and I really like the children, too ... although I won't spoil who they are, hehe!! :D For the most part, though, the characters are largely stereotypical, often to the point of being silly, but - yeah - the story itself is good.
RATING: 4/5 ... The Glass Swallow is flawed, but I couldn't put it down after a point!! :) :)
P.S. You can read more of my reviews HERE!! (",)
April 23, 2018
This is a companion novel to Dragonfly. The Glass Swallow seems to be written for a juvenile reader instead of a young adult. The story was dull and i skimmed a lot of pages. I loved th Dragonfly book. It is one of my favorites, but this story felt flat and a waste of my time.
June 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Dragonfly as well, but this book for sure makes the duology worth reading. Great story with an optimistic, feel-good vibe, and a really sweet romance.
Not a story full of terror and drama, definitely more on the light side.
Not a story full of terror and drama, definitely more on the light side.
August 31, 2017
I loved everything about this book! The characters and settings are so wonderful, especially Rain and Peri!
July 5, 2018
I barely liked this book. And I'm not even mad, I'm just disappointed.
Read
October 19, 2019Enjoyed the characters and the exploration of different cultures.
December 20, 2021
Not the strongest entry, but I did like it.
February 19, 2024
Childhood nostalgia book from reading in early teens.
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