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A review by gaderianne
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, Volume One by Gordon Dahlquist
5.0
This was a completely unexpected read - one that I expected to enjoy but not one that I expected to love! What was especially surprising to me was that after reading the first 2 chapters...I didn't like the book at all. But it sucked me in and I loved it! I liken it to the first time I watched Moulin Rouge. I spend 1/2 the movie thinking - what the heck is this? What the heck is going on? But by the end I was crying my eyes out absolutely loving every minute of the movie. It was sort of like that with this book - except the book ended so abruptly in the middle of the story I wasn't crying but dying to find out more. (I now know it ended so abruptly b/c the initial publication wasn't put out in 2 volumes but one...so volume 1 and vol 2 were part of the same book.)
Okay, into the book. First of all, I don't even know how to classify this book. It seems like historical fiction and it reads like a Victorian novel should. However, it's not really as there are no discernible dates nor recognizable historical figures. It's part scifi/fantasy and part mystery suspense.
It all starts when Celeste Temple receives a note from her finance breaking off the engagement without any word of explanation. Rather than acting like a scorned woman (although she does for a day or two) she decides to discover the reason why and uncovers a sinister plot.
The most unusual thing about this book is it's organization. Rather than chapters it's organized into parts and told from the perspectives of the 3 main characters. The first part by Celeste Temple, the second by Cardinal Change (an assassin who also stumbles into the plot) and the third part by "The Surgeon" (who - you guessed it also stumbles into the plot). By the last part of this book, all three converge and begin working together. What is so unusual is that each part picks up where the other left off not bothering with tedious rehashing or retelling to same exact story but from another point of view. It took me a little while to adapt to this flow - BUT I loved it.
One downfall of this book is the sheer amount of characters beyond the main three. There are so many on the periphery that it's hard to keep them all straight (and to be honest, even at the end I'm not sure I have straight who is who).
I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd volume. In fact I'm heading to the library right now to pick it up!!
Okay, into the book. First of all, I don't even know how to classify this book. It seems like historical fiction and it reads like a Victorian novel should. However, it's not really as there are no discernible dates nor recognizable historical figures. It's part scifi/fantasy and part mystery suspense.
It all starts when Celeste Temple receives a note from her finance breaking off the engagement without any word of explanation. Rather than acting like a scorned woman (although she does for a day or two) she decides to discover the reason why and uncovers a sinister plot.
The most unusual thing about this book is it's organization. Rather than chapters it's organized into parts and told from the perspectives of the 3 main characters. The first part by Celeste Temple, the second by Cardinal Change (an assassin who also stumbles into the plot) and the third part by "The Surgeon" (who - you guessed it also stumbles into the plot). By the last part of this book, all three converge and begin working together. What is so unusual is that each part picks up where the other left off not bothering with tedious rehashing or retelling to same exact story but from another point of view. It took me a little while to adapt to this flow - BUT I loved it.
One downfall of this book is the sheer amount of characters beyond the main three. There are so many on the periphery that it's hard to keep them all straight (and to be honest, even at the end I'm not sure I have straight who is who).
I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd volume. In fact I'm heading to the library right now to pick it up!!