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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's unique premise captured me from the start - sci-fi, AI, futuristic, thriller.
The back-and-forth from before the plane crash, to what was happening on the island was a little clunky and didn't seem to fit in some places. It is best to go in without any expectations, because it's not really a whodunnit, rather a why-dunnit. There are plenty of plot-twists and surprises, regardless. Some plot points were confusing or seemed misplaced, but it didn't ruin the story overall.
In the end, Glass Houses was a fun, wild ride with moments of suspense that had me up late, needing to know what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor publishing for provding me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The back-and-forth from before the plane crash, to what was happening on the island was a little clunky and didn't seem to fit in some places. It is best to go in without any expectations, because it's not really a whodunnit, rather a why-dunnit. There are plenty of plot-twists and surprises, regardless. Some plot points were confusing or seemed misplaced, but it didn't ruin the story overall.
In the end, Glass Houses was a fun, wild ride with moments of suspense that had me up late, needing to know what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor publishing for provding me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Glass Houses is supposed to be a mystery/thriller; a CEO and his employees are on a private jet when it crashes onto a tropical island. There’s no one else there, but strangely there IS a giant, empty high-tech mansion. No wi-fi of course, but fully stocked with everything they need to survive.
Why is this house here and who built it? What’s with the janky tech that only works for some people? Was the plane crash REALLY an accident?
The premise was intriguing and I did enjoy the perspective of our protagonist Kristen. Women in tech encounter a lot of BS in our careers, and so I could relate to a lot of what she brought up and it made her a sympathetic character in part. Flashbacks are woven into the narrative to show us Kristen’s and the company’s past. But with a couple exceptions, most of the other characters felt like background noise and I couldn’t remember anyone’s name by the end. The final reveal at the end also fell flat for me. The Big Bad wasn’t necessarily a surprise, but the motive didn’t make any sense and the final confrontation just had me sorta scratching my head.
It's fast paced though and I think you could finish it in one sitting if you had a little time. If you’re into suspense and don’t mind unanswered questions at the end this may be up your alley. Personally, I was left saying “but… why?”
slow-paced
There were some really good twists and turns in this. It also pushed you to contemplate how far technology will/should go. The ending felt a bit rushed for me. It seems like most of the book was concerned with creating a back story for the characters but when it got to the reveal it was kinda out of left field because there were no real hints in the backstory we got. But still enjoyable.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was really intrigued by the premise of Glass House—a dark thriller starting with a plane crash in an AI house where people are mysteriously killed off. I definitely wanted more of that stranded-on-an-island, sci-fi vibe, but the story quickly shifted away from it, which was disappointing. While it was a quick read, I found myself skimming parts because it just didn’t capture my attention. I liked the dark atmosphere, but the writing felt distant, making it hard to connect with the characters. I empathized with the main character’s childhood trauma, yet she came off as cold and sociopathic, and the rest of the characters were either forgettable or unlikable. Overall, I was let down by what could have been a thrilling read.
Oh, loved reading this book, it was dark and twisted, and such a great story!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love murder girls! They’re the best and I did not see it coming! Like I had a feeling but I wasn’t sure what it meant and I was so happy when the truth was revealed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Transphobia, Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Shit, this was good.
The writing is really smart. There are digs at Musk/Tesla, Zuck/Meta, Holmes/Theranos, commentary on US/UK right-wing politics, and just really solid writing.
The writing is really smart. There are digs at Musk/Tesla, Zuck/Meta, Holmes/Theranos, commentary on US/UK right-wing politics, and just really solid writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes