Review: A Gleaming Shard of Glass

 

So I decided that maybe I could go through with this ARC I'd requested because I'd read two books this month and they had turned out to be absolutely boring and its angering. And the other book I was reading was a series which I start reading from like tomorrow.

Nepenthe is your home. Nepenthe is the ideal place for human beings. Nepenthe is safe. That's what Grecia had learnt growing up.  Every six months, children are asked to take a test on Regulation day to take a requited intelligence connection. Those who fail, are never heard from ever again. And when Grecia fails the examination, her life is turned upside down. And then she does the only thing she can- run away. But the outside world is harsh and Grecia has no idea what to do.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 4/5, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE ENDING?

WHAT DID I FEEL ABOUT THE  BOOK'S: 

1. Writing Quality: The writing quality is interesting, but it seems repetitive at some points. Like some statements where Grecia is scared or where Viktor hates his parents, I do feel like the facts get repeated more than once which does make it seem very monotonous. Otherwise I do love the mysterious atmosphere that the writing gives away and it does keep me going for a while.

2. Worldbuilding: I really like the worldbuilding. Kind of dystopia hidden under utopia vibes. Well, mostly dystopia because Grecia and a few others realize what is actually wrong with the system, so it would classify as dystopia. It is, in fact really easy to imagine what the system would look like. And I do kind of like that because I like to know how dystopia worlds or cities look like because there are so many possibilities as to how that world pans out. [One of my favourite dystopian settings is Shatter Me]. So yeah, I like how the worldbuilding pans out.

3. Character Development: While some characters developed really well, I do feel like dynamics could have been worked upon. Because I don't feel an inner connection existing between Grecia and other characters? Because she's just there and interacting with the people like a robot and complaining about the circumstances that she was in. For a moment I did think there would be a bonding moment between Brink and Grecia but there wasn't an advancement. Viktor as a character shines really well as the moody and broody character who lost his brother and I personally was quite glad to see his past and everything because it gave me more insight into this character and he could be hands down one of my favourites in the book. Stanton, I don't understand the reason of why he did what he did because there is no explanation. It was like he woke up and decided 'I don't wanna do this anymore' which is perfectly valid but I do not really understand. I do feel like the characterization could have been worked a bit more because there were some really potential threads that could have been wonderful if worked on.

4. Couldn't put it down- Ness: I'd say a 7/10? The third unit kind of got really boring for me.

5. Plot: Frankly, I'd say that while the plot is pretty interesting and wraps you in pretty quick, there are a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied up. The biggest one was Louisiana. Who is Louisiana? Because other than being mentioned as Amber's friend there was nothing that I could associate Louisiana with. And Grecia's father, maybe something other than 'the first adult to rebel'? It would have explained Grecia's origin story so well. If Grecia wasn't mentioned as the main character, I would have pegged Viktor as the main because there is very little I can feel an origin story from Grecia. And the ending, the ending did leave me piqued, because it seemed incomplete and I hope that there would be a sequel. While I do not like the ending because it felt like giving up, I do like the epilogue? I just feel like it could have been a spectacular job if it had been worked on a little more.

OVERALL, A NICE READ, good luck to the release date on the 9th of July!!