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bowdiesgirl's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Psychological thriller set in the 1950s. Good read. Makes you think throughout it
kabamango22's review against another edition
4.0
I usually have issues sometimes with POV changes - one chapter from Angie's point of view, another from Ruby's, a third from Silja's - it can be distracting. However, it was well done in this book. Not only did POVs change, but tenses, also. Angie chapters were in first person, past; Ruby had present tense, third person; Silja was the typical novel style of third person, past. It was a great way to get a true feel of the story in the novel.
I instinctively disliked one of the characters very early on, but not until the audience was given a reason to hate a second character did I hop onto that train.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. Be careful, however, as this is one of those books that can ensnare you and you find yourself saying "one more chapter, just one more chapter" until it's nearly 1 A.M., you have work the next morning, and you realize all that after you've finished the last page.
I instinctively disliked one of the characters very early on, but not until the audience was given a reason to hate a second character did I hop onto that train.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. Be careful, however, as this is one of those books that can ensnare you and you find yourself saying "one more chapter, just one more chapter" until it's nearly 1 A.M., you have work the next morning, and you realize all that after you've finished the last page.
kangguru's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jordiehicks's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an interesting one. It took me quite a while to get through as I was pretty bored for the first 75% of it. I thoroughly enjoy Cynthia’s writing style, however I found this book to go around in too many circles. Would have been a 2, however the ending is pretty damn clever.
qofdnz's review against another edition
4.0
I was never quite sure who dunnit right until near the end.
ahayes's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this twisty and dark mystery. The characters had depth and were developed, so that I was feeling all the anxiousness, tension and hopelessness as I read the story. Ruby kept me on my toes and I was never sure if I could trust her to not. The despicable characters were despicable and everything they did made me angrier and more frustrated as the story went on. The ending left some unanswered questions, which I'm not about since it added to the mysteriousness of the plot. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
fabmom52's review against another edition
4.0
Good and very dark.
The story of two brothers who let's just say have a very dark past that creates a horrid future for the two women in their lives, and affects an innocent daughter Ruby.
Page Turner-but not for those who are looking for anything light and fun and has a warm ending.
Very different from other psychological thrillers so liked that too.
Enjoy
The story of two brothers who let's just say have a very dark past that creates a horrid future for the two women in their lives, and affects an innocent daughter Ruby.
Page Turner-but not for those who are looking for anything light and fun and has a warm ending.
Very different from other psychological thrillers so liked that too.
Enjoy
littlemonster's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warning: murder, violence, death, domestic abuse (primarily verbal and emotional), incest, references to sexual assault, racism, misogyny.
It's 1960. Angie Glass is only 21, and has the perfect life: a beautiful cottage close to family, a charming artist husband, Paul, and a sweet newborn baby. When Paul receives a call from his niece, Ruby, that her father is dead and her mother has run off, Paul knows he has to go and figure out what's going on. Angie, of course, wants to go too -- it's a perfect opportunity for her to not only support Paul in a time of need, but also get to know Ruby better. And, perhaps, discover some new things about her husband's family. Things she might not like.
It isn't every day that one stumbles across an exquisitely done slow-burn mystery. This is a novel I've run across several times, and always found intriguing, but never picked up. I decided that it was time to finally give it a chance, particularly since I adore historical mysteries and this one is set in an oft-ignored time period. Let me say this: I am so, so glad I did.
Told from three perspectives, each of them equally powerful, Swanson slowly begins to reveal a plethora of ever darker family secrets. It's an almost-contemporary Gothic, replete with a house full to the brim with sinister atmosphere, although this one isn't quite the crumbling Victorian mansion we're used to. Instead, it's ultramodern, with huge panes of glass staring out into the dark forest that surrounds it. I think the house is just as important to the story as its cast of characters, with its heavy tension and the way it tells Angie so much about its inhabitants.
The three main characters -- Ruby, her mother Silja, and Angie -- were all fascinating in their own right, but it's Ruby who really pulls everything together. She's a force of nature, truly unforgettable in her quiet intelligence. One of the things that really pulled this together for me was that none of the twists in the plot felt out of the blue, but instead the result of Swanson slowly putting this puzzle together for us, piece by piece by piece.
The only reason I didn't give this novel the full five stars is simply because I think that sometimes it had a tendency to meander. While it's meant to be slow, and the last act in particular is wonderfully satisfying, there were moments where I thought that we would've benefitted from it all being a bit sped up.
In the end, though, this book is perfect for fans of Gothics, and it's one I highly recommend, especially if you like complex female characters. When people say a book is unputdownable, this is what they mean!
For more of my reviews, check out my blog!
It's 1960. Angie Glass is only 21, and has the perfect life: a beautiful cottage close to family, a charming artist husband, Paul, and a sweet newborn baby. When Paul receives a call from his niece, Ruby, that her father is dead and her mother has run off, Paul knows he has to go and figure out what's going on. Angie, of course, wants to go too -- it's a perfect opportunity for her to not only support Paul in a time of need, but also get to know Ruby better. And, perhaps, discover some new things about her husband's family. Things she might not like.
It isn't every day that one stumbles across an exquisitely done slow-burn mystery. This is a novel I've run across several times, and always found intriguing, but never picked up. I decided that it was time to finally give it a chance, particularly since I adore historical mysteries and this one is set in an oft-ignored time period. Let me say this: I am so, so glad I did.
Told from three perspectives, each of them equally powerful, Swanson slowly begins to reveal a plethora of ever darker family secrets. It's an almost-contemporary Gothic, replete with a house full to the brim with sinister atmosphere, although this one isn't quite the crumbling Victorian mansion we're used to. Instead, it's ultramodern, with huge panes of glass staring out into the dark forest that surrounds it. I think the house is just as important to the story as its cast of characters, with its heavy tension and the way it tells Angie so much about its inhabitants.
The three main characters -- Ruby, her mother Silja, and Angie -- were all fascinating in their own right, but it's Ruby who really pulls everything together. She's a force of nature, truly unforgettable in her quiet intelligence. One of the things that really pulled this together for me was that none of the twists in the plot felt out of the blue, but instead the result of Swanson slowly putting this puzzle together for us, piece by piece by piece.
The only reason I didn't give this novel the full five stars is simply because I think that sometimes it had a tendency to meander. While it's meant to be slow, and the last act in particular is wonderfully satisfying, there were moments where I thought that we would've benefitted from it all being a bit sped up.
In the end, though, this book is perfect for fans of Gothics, and it's one I highly recommend, especially if you like complex female characters. When people say a book is unputdownable, this is what they mean!
For more of my reviews, check out my blog!
sarahsbookstack's review against another edition
5.0
I love a good mystery! I felt bad for Silja,Ruby and Angie. I hated Henry and Paul... what a crazy bunch of brothers they turned out to be. Paul being the worst of the two, he turned out to be a big pervert! Kept me riveted the whole book
whatjenreads's review against another edition
4.0
What starts off as a seemingly family drama soon becomes a dark and twisted ride of suspense. The Glass Forest is the story of Angie Glass, a young newlywed and mother deeply in love with her family and her life. She gets a phone call that her husbands brother has died of a suspected suicide and his wife has gone missing, leaving behind a goodbye note and their 17 year old daughter. Angie and her husband travel to New York and the mystery starts to unfold. Told from different perspectives, the reader slowly unravels the story bit by bit through these different stories. This is not a fast moving thriller but one of suspense, with the author peeling back the layers bit by bit in the most delicious way. This book was dark and twisted, and I loved it! It was not what I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you @touchstonebooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.