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carolineroche's review
4.0
I find it hard to rate Francis Hardinge's books. Although they are YA and about young people they seem better read by adults. The writing is wonderful but the plots are dense and convoluted. This one is no different. I really loved the book myself but am wondering how many of the young people in my school would enjoy it. Her book The Lie Tree won the adult Costa but not the Carnegie and that shows my dilemma perfectly- where do you place her books?
brandypainter's review
5.0
Originally posted here on Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge was one of the books I had to read for the YAMG Book Challenge. It was the only book potentially destined to come my way in the brackets that I had not previously read. Why? Because it has not been published in the US yet. And this is a TRAGEDY.
This is the story of Neverfell, a wide-eyed, sheltered, compassionate, cheerful, inquisitive girl who longs to explore and see the world outside the front door she has been locked behind as long as she can remember. Characters like this usually drive me insane. There is so much goodness in her. An unbelievable amount of goodness. I normally can't stand this, but Neverfell caught me and held me and made me love her. And even though I knew she was heading for a host of awful discoveries that were going to change and disillusion her, I found I didn't want them to change her. She is naive and far too trusting. There were moments when I wanted to jump in the book and knock her upside the head, but her naiveté is so genuine and believable. She has no reason for cynicism or distrust. She was never taught the possible cruelties of the world, and her world is cruel indeed. Where she is, no one can show the emotions they feel in their facial expressions. Except for Neverfell. People pay to learn how to make expressions and tailor them for the appropriateness of a moment, so they are never genuine. Except for Neverfell. She is the perfect tool and in constant danger as a result. She utterly refuses to see this and stumbles through life with a warm generosity that ordinarily makes me want to walk away from a character and never look back. In this case I wanted to shelter her and help her, meaning I was very much able to relate to one of the other characters in the story she comes across. One more cynical and not quite trustworthy. There is more to Neverfell though. Part of her curiosity is a result of her scientific mind. She is an amazingly talented mechanic. She is also fiercely determined and, it turns out, capable of being sneaky and ruthless herself which made me like her even more. (I know. I obviously have issues.) Everyone thinks she's mad, but really her mind just works differently. So much is made about her appearance, but it is really the way she thinks and feels that throw the people around her off. She is different. Other. And that means she is to be feared or used. Both at the same time occasionally.
Which brings me to the themes in the book. Through Neverfell and the people she comes in contact with, those who want to use her, those who want to protect her, and those who end up working with her, Hardinge paints a picture of a society we all can recognize because we live in it. Despite the world of Carverna being distinctly different from our own, it is exactly like our own. The twisted political maneuverings, the exploitation and intentional subjugation of those that can be forced to work, the falseness of society, and the power of belief in a system is brought out in every word on every page. But it is not at all forced. It is rendered through the contrast of Neverfell and the world around her, thorough her desire to do good and her ability to spark the same in others, through the details in the world building. It is all brilliantly woven together.
Then there is the writing, which is as top-notch as it gets. Beautiful imagery, evocative descriptions, and soul searing emotion are all on display. The world of Caverna is one I could feel, see, taste, and smell. The twistiness of the writing mirrors the twistiness of the world, leaving the reader slightly confused and light-headed in places, exactly as I imagine life in Caverna would be. I felt at times like I was being smothered under the weight of it all just as Neverfell was. I wanted her to get out from underneath that mountain and feel the sun and wind and rain. Hear birds sing. I expect good writing when I sit down with a Frances Hardinge novel, but feel she outdid my fairly high expectations with this one.
Some examples:
No, despite her best efforts she was a skinny, long-boned tangle of fidget and frisk, with feet that would not stay still, and elbows made to knock things off shelves.
There were many who called the Court a jungle, and with good reason. It had a jungle's lush and glittering beauty. The people who dwelt in it, in their turn, were not unlike jungle creatures...There are many dangers in the jungle, but perhaps the greatest is forgetting that one is not the only hunter, and that one is probably not the largest.
He felt a shock, as if her faith was a golden axe and had struck right through his dusty husk of a heart. The heart did not bleed, however, and in the next moment its dry fibres were closing and knitting back together again.
A Face Like Glass has a lot of political intrigue and complexity to it as well. It demands a lot of its readers, whether adults or children. And I love that. Books intended for a child audience who don't talk down to them or underestimate them are the best books there are. It never shies away from the harder more difficult truths it is trying to convey, but simply puts them in a package a child can see, understand, and accept. And running through all of the darkness and hard truths is brightness of hope. This book is everything that I love and it will have a place on my bookshelf forever.
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge was one of the books I had to read for the YAMG Book Challenge. It was the only book potentially destined to come my way in the brackets that I had not previously read. Why? Because it has not been published in the US yet. And this is a TRAGEDY.
This is the story of Neverfell, a wide-eyed, sheltered, compassionate, cheerful, inquisitive girl who longs to explore and see the world outside the front door she has been locked behind as long as she can remember. Characters like this usually drive me insane. There is so much goodness in her. An unbelievable amount of goodness. I normally can't stand this, but Neverfell caught me and held me and made me love her. And even though I knew she was heading for a host of awful discoveries that were going to change and disillusion her, I found I didn't want them to change her. She is naive and far too trusting. There were moments when I wanted to jump in the book and knock her upside the head, but her naiveté is so genuine and believable. She has no reason for cynicism or distrust. She was never taught the possible cruelties of the world, and her world is cruel indeed. Where she is, no one can show the emotions they feel in their facial expressions. Except for Neverfell. People pay to learn how to make expressions and tailor them for the appropriateness of a moment, so they are never genuine. Except for Neverfell. She is the perfect tool and in constant danger as a result. She utterly refuses to see this and stumbles through life with a warm generosity that ordinarily makes me want to walk away from a character and never look back. In this case I wanted to shelter her and help her, meaning I was very much able to relate to one of the other characters in the story she comes across. One more cynical and not quite trustworthy. There is more to Neverfell though. Part of her curiosity is a result of her scientific mind. She is an amazingly talented mechanic. She is also fiercely determined and, it turns out, capable of being sneaky and ruthless herself which made me like her even more. (I know. I obviously have issues.) Everyone thinks she's mad, but really her mind just works differently. So much is made about her appearance, but it is really the way she thinks and feels that throw the people around her off. She is different. Other. And that means she is to be feared or used. Both at the same time occasionally.
Which brings me to the themes in the book. Through Neverfell and the people she comes in contact with, those who want to use her, those who want to protect her, and those who end up working with her, Hardinge paints a picture of a society we all can recognize because we live in it. Despite the world of Carverna being distinctly different from our own, it is exactly like our own. The twisted political maneuverings, the exploitation and intentional subjugation of those that can be forced to work, the falseness of society, and the power of belief in a system is brought out in every word on every page. But it is not at all forced. It is rendered through the contrast of Neverfell and the world around her, thorough her desire to do good and her ability to spark the same in others, through the details in the world building. It is all brilliantly woven together.
Then there is the writing, which is as top-notch as it gets. Beautiful imagery, evocative descriptions, and soul searing emotion are all on display. The world of Caverna is one I could feel, see, taste, and smell. The twistiness of the writing mirrors the twistiness of the world, leaving the reader slightly confused and light-headed in places, exactly as I imagine life in Caverna would be. I felt at times like I was being smothered under the weight of it all just as Neverfell was. I wanted her to get out from underneath that mountain and feel the sun and wind and rain. Hear birds sing. I expect good writing when I sit down with a Frances Hardinge novel, but feel she outdid my fairly high expectations with this one.
Some examples:
No, despite her best efforts she was a skinny, long-boned tangle of fidget and frisk, with feet that would not stay still, and elbows made to knock things off shelves.
There were many who called the Court a jungle, and with good reason. It had a jungle's lush and glittering beauty. The people who dwelt in it, in their turn, were not unlike jungle creatures...There are many dangers in the jungle, but perhaps the greatest is forgetting that one is not the only hunter, and that one is probably not the largest.
He felt a shock, as if her faith was a golden axe and had struck right through his dusty husk of a heart. The heart did not bleed, however, and in the next moment its dry fibres were closing and knitting back together again.
A Face Like Glass has a lot of political intrigue and complexity to it as well. It demands a lot of its readers, whether adults or children. And I love that. Books intended for a child audience who don't talk down to them or underestimate them are the best books there are. It never shies away from the harder more difficult truths it is trying to convey, but simply puts them in a package a child can see, understand, and accept. And running through all of the darkness and hard truths is brightness of hope. This book is everything that I love and it will have a place on my bookshelf forever.
nenya_kanadka's review
5.0
I'm really starting to love Frances Hardinge. I think my favourite thing about this one was the way the friendships came together in the end--they'd been seeded all along, but you weren't sure who would end up trusting who and whether there would be any kind of victory in the end or not. I also loved the Kleptomancer, who I felt had a good ending too. And the Cartographers were awesome, and all the worldbuilding was aces.
"I can't think straight. But why am I trying to do that anyway? Everybody else thinks straight. That's why nobody expects me to think zigzag-hop."
The protagonist--redhaired, slightly mad, with a tendency to trust everyone (not a safe tendency in Caverna!), full of questions, earnest and bouncy like a puppy, but also full of strong feelings she doesn't immediately know how to identify--I loved her and I think she has a lot more of me in her than many heroines I've read lately. So that definitely kept me engaged. And I know I listed her hair colour first, but it was honestly just the cherry on top of the "oh, I *get* you, kid!" sundae.
Hardinge has this brilliant ability to take adventures with a tinge of horror to them and write them in such a way as to NOT give me nightmares. I don't know if it's because it's YA or just the way she writes, but I found it true about both this one and Cuckoo Song, and I love it.
"I can't think straight. But why am I trying to do that anyway? Everybody else thinks straight. That's why nobody expects me to think zigzag-hop."
The protagonist--redhaired, slightly mad, with a tendency to trust everyone (not a safe tendency in Caverna!), full of questions, earnest and bouncy like a puppy, but also full of strong feelings she doesn't immediately know how to identify--I loved her and I think she has a lot more of me in her than many heroines I've read lately. So that definitely kept me engaged. And I know I listed her hair colour first, but it was honestly just the cherry on top of the "oh, I *get* you, kid!" sundae.
Hardinge has this brilliant ability to take adventures with a tinge of horror to them and write them in such a way as to NOT give me nightmares. I don't know if it's because it's YA or just the way she writes, but I found it true about both this one and Cuckoo Song, and I love it.
blairwithredhair's review
4.0
Wow. What an enjoyable read. I picked this up after having a book hangover from Legendary, wanting something in the same realm of fantastic. Boy, you can’t compare the two. A Face Like Glass was totally unpredictable, with bombshells dropped every few chapters (and that ending!). I loved redheaded Neverfell, her spunk, determination. Seeing a young character admittedly in way over her head (instead of having all the answers from the get-go) was refreshing. A beautiful tale. Highly recommend.
bridgetteramirez's review
5.0
The only thing negative I can say about this book is that it is very slow going for the first half.
sburchart's review
5.0
The kind of engrossing, creative fantasy that I was happy to return to for the first time in a while! The author's writing tickled at all my senses as she sculpted the details of this world in deceptive allures, subtle horrors and sparks of hope. By the end, I was satisfied with a story that felt complete; I would love to learn more about Neverfell or any of the other parts of Caverna and its surrounding world, but can also stay content with this adventure standing by itself. A promising introduction to an author I hope to read more of!
rachbarn98's review against another edition
4.0
I received this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I am currently having a slight writers block – so I apologize for how long this review took to write.
A Face Like Glass takes place in an underground world where faces are taught – in other words, babies are born with faces that cannot display any emotion. This place is called Caverna, and it is where a young girl lives in hiding with a cheese maker. This young girl thinks she is ugly, because the cheese maker will never let her leave the tunnels, and she must always wear a mask when others can see her. But the young girl is not ugly, just different, and that’s the most dangerous thing to be in Caverna…
This novel holds strong similarities to a popular tale that I will not name. I recommend not reading any other reviews on this novel, not because I am trying to gain loyal followers, but because that similar tale might be spoiled, and that would ruin a great surprise that you could come to later.
A Face Like Glass is an odd, odd book, but it comes with certain charms. The characters are not overly memorable, but the writing is exquisite and the plot is something that you struggle to imagine creating yourself. This novel is very long, but somehow it goes by quickly just by how interesting the plot is. You want to know what happens, even if you aren’t necessarily invested in the characters. Maybe that’s what good writing does?
I tend to not read novels that have characters that are younger than 15, but A Face Like Glass is an exception. I wasn’t reading it for the character, so it was really easy to get enraptured in the novel, even if the protagonist was immature.
I give A Face Like Glass 4/5 stars! I recommend this novel to those who just like reading a good tale every now and then.
A Face Like Glass will be published on May 9th.
You can find this review and more on my blog --> www.pinktorti.wordpress.com
I am currently having a slight writers block – so I apologize for how long this review took to write.
A Face Like Glass takes place in an underground world where faces are taught – in other words, babies are born with faces that cannot display any emotion. This place is called Caverna, and it is where a young girl lives in hiding with a cheese maker. This young girl thinks she is ugly, because the cheese maker will never let her leave the tunnels, and she must always wear a mask when others can see her. But the young girl is not ugly, just different, and that’s the most dangerous thing to be in Caverna…
This novel holds strong similarities to a popular tale that I will not name. I recommend not reading any other reviews on this novel, not because I am trying to gain loyal followers, but because that similar tale might be spoiled, and that would ruin a great surprise that you could come to later.
A Face Like Glass is an odd, odd book, but it comes with certain charms. The characters are not overly memorable, but the writing is exquisite and the plot is something that you struggle to imagine creating yourself. This novel is very long, but somehow it goes by quickly just by how interesting the plot is. You want to know what happens, even if you aren’t necessarily invested in the characters. Maybe that’s what good writing does?
I tend to not read novels that have characters that are younger than 15, but A Face Like Glass is an exception. I wasn’t reading it for the character, so it was really easy to get enraptured in the novel, even if the protagonist was immature.
I give A Face Like Glass 4/5 stars! I recommend this novel to those who just like reading a good tale every now and then.
A Face Like Glass will be published on May 9th.
You can find this review and more on my blog --> www.pinktorti.wordpress.com
bookgirl4ever's review
5.0
This review from NPR sums it up perfectly. A masterpiece!
'A Face Like Glass' Is A Magical, Perfectly Ticking Machine Of A Tale
'A Face Like Glass' Is A Magical, Perfectly Ticking Machine Of A Tale
kaylecorey's review
5.0
Totally bonkers, totally wonderful. I picked this up after seeing it described as being like Spirited Away. They are alike, in a relatively intangible way.