2017-03-06
The "lightning girl" who once led a revolution now toils, powerless and imprisoned, in this continuation of the Red Queen series.After turning herself over in exchange for the lives of her friends, Mare Barrow becomes King Maven's puppet. She waits, locked in a room, her lightning drained by Arvens—Silvers who leach power. But Maven has grander plans for her. And if she wants to keep the newbloods safe, she must comply. Mare broadcasts a lie that she willingly surrendered herself to the king after the Scarlet Guard forced her into servitude. She paints the Scarlet Guard as murderers, paving the way for Maven to offer refuge to newbloods in hopes of amassing an army. Otherwise, he'll just keep hunting them. Political machinations rumble while both the king and the Scarlet Guard form new alliances. As Mare bides her time, she confronts uncomfortable feelings for Maven—she's his greatest weakness, but can she kill him? Complementing Mare's narration, Cameron, a newblood, relates the movements of the Scarlet Guard, and Evangeline, Maven's betrothed, offers insight into the deadly House Samos. Few bursts of action stir up this slow-burning installment, allowing the dizzyingly large fleet of characters room to gain new depth. Mare's romantic entanglements shift and sizzle, but the true intrigue lies in the ever expanding war for the crown as the players grow and change games. Aside from dark-skinned Cameron, the principal cast appears to be white, although the caste system based on the distinctions between Red and Silver blood holds more sway in this fantasy world than race. Simmering with internal conflict and well-devised courtly scheming—but readers new to the series had best start with Book 1. (Fantasy. 13-adult)
Another devastating cliff-hanger ending will leave readers hungry for the final volume.” — Booklist
“Aveyard’s ‘little lightning girl’ remains a relatable and deeply flawed heroine... Aveyard adeptly sets the scene for a fourth book to follow, amid a war not yet won.” — Publishers Weekly
“Simmering with internal conflict and well-devised courtly scheming.” — Kirkus Reviews
PRAISE FOR GLASS SWORD: “High-stakes excitement and sharp plot twists…make this a fast-paced, exciting read and a thrilling sequel.” — Booklist
“Aveyard certainly has a flair for the dramatic, which teens will eat up. The action hits the ground running and doesn’t stop until after the last page is turned.” — School Library Journal
“Fast-paced and action packed, Glass Sword is compelling and strong, guaranteed to gratify anxious readers of the series and fans of dystopian and fantasy literature.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
PRAISE FOR RED QUEEN: “A sizzling, imaginative thriller, where romance and revolution collide, where power and justice duel. It’s exhilarating. Compelling. Action-packed. Unputdownable.” — USA Today
“Aveyard weaves a compelling new world of action-packed surprises... inventive, character-driven.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A volatile world with a dynamic heroine.” — Booklist
“Breakneck pace and engaging characters.” — School Library Journal
“[Aveyard] sets her audience up for a gaspworthy twist that reconfigures nearly every character’s role and leaves Mare with no one to trust but herself... This blend of fantasy and dystopia will be an unexpected and worthy addition to many genre fans’ reading list.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Fascinating world building... Readers will be intrigued by a world that reflects today’s troubling issues concerning ethnic inequality, unfair distribution of wealth, pollution, warfare, political corruption, and the frightening power of the media.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)