a preponderance of punctuation marks (reedrover) wrote,
a preponderance of punctuation marks
reedrover

Book Review: Storm Glass

When we last left our author (Maria V. Snyder), she had completed her Soulfinder trilogy with Fire Study, which I reviewed last June. This book picks up the story diagonally below Fire Study, centered on the character of Opal Cowan, glassmaker and one-trick/two-bit magician. Opal is dealing with self-esteem issues, magic (or lack thereof) issues, and her first "real" assignments as an apprentice magician and expert in glass. There is less conflict and more running from place to place than an adventure reader might like, and less investigative research than the more methodical would prefer. For me, though, it had a good mix of everything except for secondary character development. There were too many places and people for me to get a good grasp on anyone or any one relationship to Opal, and I regretted that lack.

It's a good read for a younger girl who wants a heavier meal than some fantasy books out there. The story is reasonable, though slightly cyclical in nature and lacking in psychological depth. I definitely recommend starting way back at Poison Study if you prefer your worldbuilding to have 100% context. If you want sufficient context on Opal, go back to Fire Study and start there.

It's a hefty read for a QP sized paperback, coming in at 488 pages. I definitely got my $14 worth out of it. It is not, however, a difficult read.
Tags: books
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