Synopsis:
If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.
Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.
The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.
Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.
But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.
Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?
The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.
Review:
Victoria Aveyard can write, let’s not forget that for a single second, this lady has talent. I walked away from Glass Sword realising that and waiting for more.
Glass Sword we start on the hunt for newbloods from both the Reds and the Silvers, and you see the beginning of the rebellion be born. You see the Reds protect and recruit the newbloods while the Silvers have other plans, and you get drawn into the race to find them first.
I may just say this a few times throughout the review but I am not a fan or Mare, I didn’t mind her in Red Queen at all but there was no development in Glass Sword, she stayed neutral while everyone seems to pander to her. This is not how a hero is made unless you are Batman, but then again his a millionaire so possibly the only exception to the rule. I found her a little too selfish and self-obsessed instead of being sassy with a smart mouth which is how I guess Aveyard wanted to portray her? The one thing that really irritated me the most about Mare in this book is the fact she simply forgot about her family, never mind about looking after them love, those mortal creatures without any powers can look after themselves. If she spent less time thinking and more time actually doing something it would have made for a better story.
The only character that I thought grew with the book was Cal. What was once a noble, stubborn and intense Prince, is now a boy that’s lost, fuelled by anger and revenge. Let’s face it if you were suddenly an outcast and the whole country was out to get you, you would be a mess too. You can see the changes to his personality and reactions throughout the book. Though I have to ask am I the only person that isn’t swooning for him? I don’t know what it is but he isn’t my kinda cake, no sir-e. I also don’t ship Mare and Cal at all, I would much rather Mare and Maven. Mostly cause their names start with M, but I promise you there are other reasons but the M thing to me is important. .. somewhat.
I also didn’t care much for the introduction of the new side characters. I don’t even know their names, nor do I want to get up from this couch and find them either. I felt no connection nor cared about them at all. It was almost like reading book 2 of Game of Thrones, must not like characters but only this wasn’t in fear of them dying it was more cause I don’t have the heart nor the time for it. Aveyard and Bardugo hang out all the time (well on Instagram they do) so why can’t Aveyard take a small slighter out of Bardugo’s books and make interesting side characters, cause not a single side character in Glass Sword is memorable.
Only the last few chapters actually contained the excitement and credit needed where credit is due, that ending was pretty damn awesome. But what can I say the second books in the series are never as good as the first. (obviously ACOMAF is the exception to the rule!)
Rating: 3/5
Publisher: Harper Teen
ISBN: 9780062310668