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pointeshoebookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
As a fairytale girlie, I specifically chose this book to be the first book I read in 2024. To start off the year with something that I would fall in love with and there many aspects of this book that were great. But it ultimately fell incredibly flat. As mentioned by many others, the insane amount of plot holes, the potential they had!! The open ending . . . what? I understand wanting to leave the ending open to interpretation, but considering the rest of the book, it just didn't work. Most importantly, the main character . . . how power hungry or fool heardy (or both) do you have to be in order to completely ignore the reality of your situation. How cold hearted do you have to be, to continue on despite the lethal cost of your choices.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Classism, Sexism, Physical abuse, Animal death, Child death, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Homophobia
amalyndb's review against another edition
3.5
I need to remember that I do not enjoy Gothic novels in November with SAD.
This is very much a Gothic novel, the slow descent from reality into unraveling. It is well done, just not my cup of tea
This is very much a Gothic novel, the slow descent from reality into unraveling. It is well done, just not my cup of tea
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Classism, Gore, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Vomit, Incest, Murder, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage
secre's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The Shadow In the Glass is marketed as a dark re-telling of the Cinderella fairy tale. And whilst I can certainly agree that it is dark - trigger warnings include off-page rape, child abuse, abuse of power, physical abuse, miscarriage/abortion, alcoholism and drug use - I'm not so clear on the link with Cinderella. Faustus yes, but not really Cinderella. There's a tenuous link with a pair of shoes and that's about it.
Ella was once destined for greatness. Adopted by a wealthy couple when her parents died, she is brought up as a bonus daughter, moulded into what society expect of young women. But when her benefactor dies, Ella is left with the lecherous widower and finds her fortunes much changed. Thrown into the life of a servant, Ella spends much of her life trying to avoid Mr Pembroke's attentions, knowing all too well what happens to the girls he sets his eye on and inevitably gets pregnant.
So when a strange and forbidding woman appears out of a book one night - and of course it's Faustus - Ella finds herself offered a deal. She gets seven wishes. But once that seventh wish has been granted, she loses her soul. Talk about a deal with the devil. But Ella soon discovers that every wish comes with consequences, few turn out exactly as she would have wished and a trail of dead bodies soon litters her life. You'd have thought she's have got the message by the second wish. But nope, Ella is clearly not particularly good at using her brain cells.
Whilst I was interested in seeing how the story would pan out, I couldn't help but get frustrated at the characters - particularly Ella. There's a whole lot of 'I can't make a wish because someone might die', followed by 'I have to make the wish and someone might die', the guilt of her being responsible for these deaths is overshadowed by the fact that she just keeps on bleeding doing it! The first time she didn't realise the consequence, the second time it was made abundantly clear to her. After that there's no excuse and yet she is full of every excuse in the book.
I did enjoy how the historical context was woven together with the supernatural fantasy elements. Harwood does an excellent job at describing the stark and abject misery of a young serving girl under an abusive Master. It did help to round out the dilemma's that Ella kept finding herself in, but never quite justified the means.
I suspect my main complaint with the book comes down to the lack of subtlety. We all know that Ella is going to keep on making wishes, we all know - including her - that those wishes come with steep and tragic consequences. There's no grey area here. For Ella to continue behaving in the way she does, for her to keep using the wishes despite witnessing the cost, is frankly unforgivable. And so she's a difficult character to empathise with. If the consequences had been a little more grey scale and less absolutely horrific, maybe there'd be some wiggle room... but there isn't.
Either way, I did quite enjoy this and would be interested in reading the authors future works. But it lets itself down by making everything so starkly black and white. I also wasn't a fan of the ending, which felt like a cop out.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
Ella was once destined for greatness. Adopted by a wealthy couple when her parents died, she is brought up as a bonus daughter, moulded into what society expect of young women. But when her benefactor dies, Ella is left with the lecherous widower and finds her fortunes much changed. Thrown into the life of a servant, Ella spends much of her life trying to avoid Mr Pembroke's attentions, knowing all too well what happens to the girls he sets his eye on and inevitably gets pregnant.
So when a strange and forbidding woman appears out of a book one night - and of course it's Faustus - Ella finds herself offered a deal. She gets seven wishes. But once that seventh wish has been granted, she loses her soul. Talk about a deal with the devil. But Ella soon discovers that every wish comes with consequences, few turn out exactly as she would have wished and a trail of dead bodies soon litters her life. You'd have thought she's have got the message by the second wish. But nope, Ella is clearly not particularly good at using her brain cells.
Whilst I was interested in seeing how the story would pan out, I couldn't help but get frustrated at the characters - particularly Ella. There's a whole lot of 'I can't make a wish because someone might die', followed by 'I have to make the wish and someone might die', the guilt of her being responsible for these deaths is overshadowed by the fact that she just keeps on bleeding doing it! The first time she didn't realise the consequence, the second time it was made abundantly clear to her. After that there's no excuse and yet she is full of every excuse in the book.
I did enjoy how the historical context was woven together with the supernatural fantasy elements. Harwood does an excellent job at describing the stark and abject misery of a young serving girl under an abusive Master. It did help to round out the dilemma's that Ella kept finding herself in, but never quite justified the means.
I suspect my main complaint with the book comes down to the lack of subtlety. We all know that Ella is going to keep on making wishes, we all know - including her - that those wishes come with steep and tragic consequences. There's no grey area here. For Ella to continue behaving in the way she does, for her to keep using the wishes despite witnessing the cost, is frankly unforgivable. And so she's a difficult character to empathise with. If the consequences had been a little more grey scale and less absolutely horrific, maybe there'd be some wiggle room... but there isn't.
Either way, I did quite enjoy this and would be interested in reading the authors future works. But it lets itself down by making everything so starkly black and white. I also wasn't a fan of the ending, which felt like a cop out.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Miscarriage, Death, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Drug use, Abortion, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape
wordswitwonder's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Classism, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Pedophilia
Minor: Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Pregnancy
kaitlynnnng's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This review contains spoilers.
This is yet another book that’s difficult for me to review. I listened to the audiobook and followed along in the physical book. If it weren’t for the audiobook, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to finish this book as quickly as I did. It was very slow-paced (except for the last 80 pages or so), and I definitely got bored more than once. The writing style was not my favorite for when I’m reading for pleasure. However, this is a great example of gothic literature, and, as an English teacher/former English major, I can appreciate that. I can definitely see the Gender and Literature classes I took in college reading this book!
I’ve read many reviews where people said Eleanor, the main character, was a terrible, selfish person who made terrible choice after terrible choice. For most of the story, I completely disagreed with those reviews. While unfortunate things did happen as a result of Eleanor’s wishes, and while I didn’t necessarily connect with her, I completely understood why she made her choices/wishes she made, I felt bad for her, and I recognized that she tried to take care of those she cared for. However, in Parts Six and Seven, Eleanor was undeniably more selfish, and, at the very end, she refused to take any responsibility for her own actions, which I didn’t like.
The Epilogue creates a strangely satisfying ending, though it’s far from happy.
This is yet another book that’s difficult for me to review. I listened to the audiobook and followed along in the physical book. If it weren’t for the audiobook, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to finish this book as quickly as I did. It was very slow-paced (except for the last 80 pages or so), and I definitely got bored more than once. The writing style was not my favorite for when I’m reading for pleasure. However, this is a great example of gothic literature, and, as an English teacher/former English major, I can appreciate that. I can definitely see the Gender and Literature classes I took in college reading this book!
I’ve read many reviews where people said Eleanor, the main character, was a terrible, selfish person who made terrible choice after terrible choice. For most of the story, I completely disagreed with those reviews. While unfortunate things did happen as a result of Eleanor’s wishes, and while I didn’t necessarily connect with her, I completely understood why she made her choices/wishes she made, I felt bad for her, and I recognized that she tried to take care of those she cared for. However, in Parts Six and Seven, Eleanor was undeniably more selfish, and, at the very end, she refused to take any responsibility for her own actions, which I didn’t like.
The Epilogue creates a strangely satisfying ending, though it’s far from happy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Abortion, Car accident, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
madarauchiha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
If you're expecting a blow by blow, connect the dots retelling of Cinderella, this isn't really it. This is more a dark, fictional historical fantasy story that kind of has similarities to Cinderella.
The writing is quite pretty so far. The detail in environments is pretty but not overwhelming. At times it does feel like traumaporn / torture porn. There is something like a payoff to it, but it may not please everyone.
Honestly I hate the presence / use of ingrained societal misogyny and patriarchal systems in fantasy. For one it just feels unimaginative on the typically white authors part. That they cannot imagine any other type of social setting but the one that white people have created and enforced and benefit from.
And often it's a cheap, overused tactic to cause trouble for the mc or the cast of characters, especially when something else could be the cause of impulsion or difficulty to overcome. This book has that. So far the writing does make me forgive it enough to continue reading it. The plot twist of faustian deals soothes having a misogynistic social background. So far, anyhow.
I'm conflicted on the fairy godmother parts as I do loathe when mental illness is misrepresented is this manner. It was an interesting twist on the godmother character, making them into a darker Faustian specter.
I kind of question the ending because it reminds me of tolkien's use of master and servant, and how the servant character should remain a servant to the master character always, because that's how things should be, oi guvnah! And all that.
Content warnings:
minor single use of the anti Rromani g slur, human trafficking, unsanitary, poisoning, emetophobia, abortion, rape?, sexual harassment, blood, body horror, catholicism, religious bigotry,
medium emetophobia, death, orphaning / parental death, pregnancy, sexual harassment, child abuse, amputation, gore, drowning, alcohol, animal death, alcohol abuse,
major misogyny, victim blaming, parental death, orphaning, death, gore, animal death, police, child death, abuse, pregnancy, menstruation, abortion, police,
If you're expecting a blow by blow, connect the dots retelling of Cinderella, this isn't really it. This is more a dark, fictional historical fantasy story that kind of has similarities to Cinderella.
The writing is quite pretty so far. The detail in environments is pretty but not overwhelming. At times it does feel like traumaporn / torture porn. There is something like a payoff to it, but it may not please everyone.
Honestly I hate the presence / use of ingrained societal misogyny and patriarchal systems in fantasy. For one it just feels unimaginative on the typically white authors part. That they cannot imagine any other type of social setting but the one that white people have created and enforced and benefit from.
And often it's a cheap, overused tactic to cause trouble for the mc or the cast of characters, especially when something else could be the cause of impulsion or difficulty to overcome. This book has that. So far the writing does make me forgive it enough to continue reading it. The plot twist of faustian deals soothes having a misogynistic social background. So far, anyhow.
I'm conflicted on the fairy godmother parts as I do loathe when mental illness is misrepresented is this manner. It was an interesting twist on the godmother character, making them into a darker Faustian specter.
I kind of question the ending because it reminds me of tolkien's use of master and servant, and how the servant character should remain a servant to the master character always, because that's how things should be, oi guvnah! And all that.
Content warnings:
minor single use of the anti Rromani g slur, human trafficking, unsanitary, poisoning, emetophobia, abortion, rape?, sexual harassment, blood, body horror, catholicism, religious bigotry,
medium emetophobia, death, orphaning / parental death, pregnancy, sexual harassment, child abuse, amputation, gore, drowning, alcohol, animal death, alcohol abuse,
major misogyny, victim blaming, parental death, orphaning, death, gore, animal death, police, child death, abuse, pregnancy, menstruation, abortion, police,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Gore, Alcoholism, and Animal death
Minor: Religious bigotry, Trafficking, Body horror, and Blood
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