McCormick Templeman

Just to lay this out there - its always the good ones who suffer. Its always the good ones who have to sacrifice for another's adventure.

Starting THE GLASS CASKET it was, to be blunt, not entirely engaging. It had an interesting premise, and I certainly enjoyed the fairy tale-esque vibe, but not a whole lot happened. The soldiers died, the village was troubled, mysterious people showed up...by in large we followed Rowan who was only mildly interested in the mystery. Rowan wanted to make something of herself by way of being a scholar and while she spent as much time running around with her friend Tom as she did studying, she had very little interest outside of her life.

Until about page 100 or so it was a whole lot of daily to do'ing going on with very little driving me to keep reading. Tom was your basic "good boy" (so good that everyone kept saying that about him. If I read "You've always been such a good boy Tom" once I read it a thousand times) with insta-love complex, Fiona Eira was so beautiful it hurt to look at her, but she's also insecure and terribly uncertain of things, Rowan wants to be a scholar and wants to never marry, Jude is...sardonic and sarcastic and seems to know things....

And then page 100 happens and suddenly BAM the story decides it needs to actually start itself.

Templeman does weave a good tense horror book. The deaths that occur are, as Rowan at one point reflects, only connected by their manner and even that is suspect as the soldier died only superficially like the others (that superficially part being that it was gruesome). It took me much longer to catch on then I liked, but I applaud Templeman for weaving in the Greywitches (which sound as like Baba Yaga in many ways) without beating that plot point home. I suggest you pay attention to the subtle clues throughout, which the characters more then happily give you, but as rather insignificantly mentioned at times.

There's a couple mysteries to unravel and not all of them unravel in pleasant ways. There's something to be said about self-fulfilling prophecy in this book, as well knowing when to listen.

The romance...its also not a terribly fluffy cuddly thing. Love is used almost as a weapon here, with several characters claiming to be doing horrendous things for love. Templeman got me the most with the pain. Rowan bewildered and trying to remind herself that reality is reality and some things will never happen again. Or Tom, poor good Tom trying desperately to make sense of his feelings even as he admits to Rowan, his oldest and best friend, that they can't possibly be right. These are things that caught me.

The ending is open-ended insofar as Rowan's future holds, so Templeman could continue her adventure, or it could end with this book and its tragedies and its small comforts. In the end the reader has to decide whether they are more like Tom or more Rowan...and whether that is a good thing or not.… (mehr)

Slowly he walked to her, and gazing at her with all the love of a broken man, he said, "You can enchant me all you want. You can confuse me, and exhaust me, and drive me half mad, but I'm still a man, and I know what you are."

Ooh what a delightful little spook this was. I was originally drawn in last year by this cover, and when I accidentally stumbled upon it in the library I grabbed it immediately like I'd been searching for the thing my whole life. And I'm really glad I did - ! (and stuck it out for longer than I usually do with library books, because don't get me wrong, this thing felt longggggg)

(also considering my rating I don't think I have, like, too much to say?? for some reason?)

More than anything, it's a slow, quiet, creepy little story, set in a village that feels eternally dark and cold. It has a pretty solid mystery in there and some nice character dynamics, but its atmosphere was the best part for me. The place just exudes frigidity and loneliness, effortlessly. It's vaguely magical on the edges without seeming like it's in the wrong place or time. It's snowy, which is my favourite in media and least favourite irl. And I could just hear that monster coming. I would like to listen to all the playlists inspired by this book.

It also read a bit like a fairy tale, what with the infinite perspectives and familiar themes that it didn't shy away from. So the characters didn't exaaactly speak or interact like people, yet somehow I was still genuinely invested in them all and they tugged me this way and that as paranoia and madness started to infect the little village. Everyone was a suspect for some crime I couldn't exactly put a finger on (and maybe I'm a bad detective, or maybe I just like to let books shove me around with all their twists and turns, but the ending blindsided me and it was wonderfullll). I'm not walking away with any favourites but this was a Very Cherished Time with every little villager.

I have a soft spot for haunted little towns with their fairy myths, and for girls that are fearsome because of how beautiful they are. I'm glad you finally came to me, book. you and your weird beautiful cover and misleading title… (mehr)

"The Glass Casket" was a dark, loose retelling of a number of well known fairy tales including "Snow White," "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White and Rose Red." While the premise was good with gruesome murders, mystery, intrigue and romance all woven together, the characters were flat and unlikeable, and I didn't connect with any of them. Also, at times the dialogue was too modern for the setting of the story which I found grating. I always enjoy a good fairy tale re telling but, unfortunately, this one didn't deliver.… (mehr)