FICTION
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FANTASY
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Debbie
Wiley
Book Reviews |
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The crowning of
King Charles VI of France. He suffered from a malady called “glass
delusion”.
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Nikon F Camera
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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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The Girl with Glass Feet
by Ali Shaw
Midas
Crook spends much of his time taking photographs, preferring to view
life through his lens rather than direct contact. Things change when he
meets Ida Maclaird as he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Ida
is a return visitor to St. Hauda’s Land, searching for the man who once
told her a story about glass bodies in the bog. Unfortunately, Ida’s
search is personal as she is turning to glass and wants desperately to
find a cure.
THE GIRL WITH GLASS FEET is a beautifully written tale that almost
feels like it’s a legend or myth. Ali Shaw’s exquisite use of language
draws the reader into a seemingly unbelievable world where obsessions
abound and people turn to glass. The characters are odd but fit the
world in which they reside. Ali Shaw does a good job at creating an
atmosphere in which all of the elements flow together smoothly,
maintaining a sense of magic throughout the tale.
THE GIRL WITH GLASS FEET is a story I had trouble putting down as the
beauty of the language kept me entranced. However, my reaction is mixed
after the conclusion. Without a doubt, Ali Shaw has a talent with
choosing words that draw vivid pictures but the story seems almost as
if she is trying to do too much at once, leaving the reader with a
sense that things are unfinished or something is missing. The magic
exists but the reader is never told why nor is it fully utilized in the
tale.
Ali Shaw explores the deeper concepts of true love versus the
appearance of love. The secondary characters provide an interesting
backdrop to this as the story flashes backwards in time on numerous
occasions, giving readers a real sense of who the characters are.
Readers who like stories exploring images and how those images are
interwoven into our lives will appreciate Ali Shaw’s style whereas
those preferring a more conventional plotline may find it meanders just
a bit too much..
Publisher: Henry
Holt and Company (January 2010)
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
Courtesy of Amazon Vine
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